Method and apparatus for roadside assistance facilitation

• US 9,055,409 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hatton, David Anthony, Chronowski, David, Esselink, Chad Evert, Ziazadeh, Ninos, Kimmerling, George Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US13/405,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20130225111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 701/24, 701/31.4, 701/31.5, 701/31.7, 701/32.7, 701/33.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/046 involving vehicles, e.g. floating traffic data [FTD] or vehicle traffic prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

A roadside assistance system includes a vehicle computing system (VCS), an intermediate system, operable to communicate with the VCS and at least one backend system, and a backend roadside assistance processing system, operable to receive data from the intermediate system and operable to receive calls from the VCS. The VCS is operable to establish communication with the intermediate system. The VCS is further operable to transfer data to the intermediate system, to place a call to the backend roadside assistance processing system, and to relay at least a MIN to the backend roadside assistance processing system. The intermediate system is operable to process transferred data and relay data to the backend roadside system. The backend roadside system is operable to compare the MIN relayed from the VCS with data received from the intermediate system to formulate a dispatch order and to dispatch roadside assistance in accordance with the dispatch order.

Claims

1. A roadside assistance system comprising:

a vehicle computing system (VCS), configured to wirelessly communicate with one or more remote systems through a wireless connection established with a wireless device;

an intermediate system, configured to communicate with the VCS and at least one backend system; and

a backend roadside assistance processing system, configured to receive data from the intermediate system through a data connection and operable to receive phone calls from the VCS, wherein

the VCS is further configured to;

establish communication with the intermediate system responsive to a roadside assistance request;

transfer vehicle and customer data to the intermediate system;

place a phone call to the backend roadside assistance processing system, including at least a mobile identification number;

wherein, the intermediate system is configured to process transferred data and relay transferred data to the backend roadside system, including the customer extended service plan data;

wherein, the backend roadside system is configured to compare the mobile identification number from the VCS with data received from the intermediate system to formulate a dispatch order, and wherein

the backend roadside system is further configured to dispatch roadside assistance in accordance with the dispatch order.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediate system is configured to determine customer eligibility for roadside assistance.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the backend roadside assistance system is configured to determine customer eligibility for roadside assistance.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediate system is configured to relay vehicle data to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) backend system for processing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediate system is configured to translate vehicle diagnostic data into legible English diagnostic data.