Method and system for personalized dealership customer service

• US 9,184,777 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Esselink, Chad Evert, Boes, Chad Christopher, Hentschel, Jeffrey Lee, Rao, Jayanthi, Shaffer, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US13/767,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20140227980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/152.1, 455/569.2, 455/409, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/423, 455 411- 412, 455/345, 701/2, 701/29.6, 701/31.4, 701/31.5, 701/33.2, 701/29.1, 701/31.6, 701/32.3, 701/431
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle computing system enables one or more processers to communicate with a service center and present service instructions to an output device at the vehicle. The output device presenting information may include, but is not limited to, a vehicle occupant'"'"'s cell phone device. The vehicle computing system may include a wireless transceiver for communicating wireless signals to and from the vehicle computing system. The vehicle computing system may establish wireless communication with a service center communication system through the transceiver and transmit vehicle identification to the service center communication system. The vehicle computing system may receive data from the service center communication system including service instructions in response to the vehicle identification transmission, and present the service instructions on the output device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle processor communicating with an in-vehicle display and configured to,

in response to detection of a signal associated with a service center communication system (SCCS), transmit a media access control (MAC) address to the SCCS,

receive data from the SCCS including service instructions relating to vehicle drop-off directions and loaner vehicle information based on the MAC address matching a service-appointment-associated MAC address, and

present the service instructions on the in-vehicle display.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a wireless transceiver in communication with the vehicle processor and configured to communicate with the SCCS via a handheld mobile device paired to the vehicle processor.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the wireless communication with the handheld mobile device includes Bluetooth technology.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the service instructions include an overview of scheduled maintenance and service.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the in-vehicle display includes vehicle speakers.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the loaner vehicle information includes a keypad code allowing access to a loaner vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the output device includes an LCD screen.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor is additionally configured to:

receive a keypad reset code from the SCCS if the MAC address is recognized as a loaner vehicle.

9. A dealership system comprising:

a dealership processor configured to;

receive input defining service instructions including a first media access control (MAC) address associated with a specific vehicle;

generate vehicle drop-off directions and vehicle loaner information based on the service instructions;

receive a second MAC address from a vehicle present for service;

identify the vehicle present based on a comparison between the first and second MAC addresses; and

transmit service instructions to the identified vehicle present.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the dealership processor is further configured to communicate with a vehicle computing system from the vehicle present via a transceiver.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the dealership system processor is additionally configured to:

determine an arrival of a loaner vehicle based on the second MAC address; and

transmit to the loaner vehicle a keypad reset code and return instructions.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the keypad reset code includes a new authorization code for the loaner vehicle.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the return instructions include messages to clean up personal belongings out of the loaner vehicle.

14. A vehicle service instruction method comprising:

establishing wireless communication with a service center communication system (SCCS) through a transceiver in response to a SCCS signal detection;

transmitting a media access control (MAC) address to the SCCS;

receiving data from the SCCS including service instructions relating to vehicle drop-off directions and loaner vehicle information based on the MAC address matching a service-appointment-associated MAC address; and

presenting the service instructions on a vehicle output device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the wireless communication includes WiFi.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the service instructions include an overview of scheduled maintenance and service.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the vehicle output device includes vehicle speakers.