System and method for testing vehicle emissions and engine controls using a self-service on-board diagnostics kiosk

• US 9,483,881 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applus Technologies Incorporated (Opus Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Applus Technologies Incorporated (Opus Group AB)
• Inventors: Comeau, David Arthur, Schwantes, Timothy E., Raml, Timothy J., Werner, Gregory A., Werner, Mark J., McCartney, Victor E., Nicholson, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, KYUNG J
• Application Number:
  US12/476,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20100204876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,709 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/29.6, 701/30, 701/31.4, 701/32.6, 701/32.8, 701/33, 701/33.2, 701/33.4, 701/33.5, 340/5.83, 235/380
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A system and method for testing vehicle emissions and engine control components using a standalone self-service kiosk. The self-service kiosk includes a computer capable of gathering Vehicle Information (VIN) and OBD information from a vehicle being tested using a barcode reader and an OBD reader, respectively. The self-service kiosk generates a readable display or printed report to the user indicating any detected diagnostic trouble codes found during the vehicle emissions testing. By networking a plurality of self-service kiosks together in a secure network and accessible through the Internet, the self-service kiosk network maintains a centrally located vehicle information database for storing and retrieving pertinent vehicle-related information during vehicle emissions testing. If the vehicle being tested passes the vehicle emissions testing, then the self-service kiosk prints out a registration renewal sticker, registration renewal document and/or receipt for the user.

Claims

1. A self-service kiosk comprising:

a standalone cabinet including a computer having a processor for processing information, a storage device for storing information related to a vehicle record and/or a test record for a vehicle being tested, and a printer for printing one or more documents, the standalone cabinet further including a vehicle information number (VIN) reader for retrieving vehicle information related to the vehicle being tested, an on-board diagnostic (OBD) reader for retrieving information from an OBD system of the vehicle being tested, and a security feature for reducing tampering with the standalone cabinet, the security feature comprising

a security door assembly including a first sliding door configured to selectively shield the OBD reader and a second sliding door of the security door assembly configured for selectively shielding the VIN reader; and

wherein the computer is responsive to conducting an emissions testing of the vehicle being tested such that the vehicle being tested is provided either a rejecting status or passing status by the computer based on results of the emissions testing,

wherein if the vehicle being tested is provided a passing status by the computer for the emissions testing of the vehicle being tested, the computer instructs the printer to print out a registration renewal sticker signifying a passing status of the vehicle being tested.

2. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, wherein the computer determines whether the vehicle is provided either a rejecting status or a passing status based predetermined criteria for registration renewal.

3. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, further comprising a fingerprint scanner for capturing a fingerprint of a user.

4. The self-service kiosk of claim 3, wherein the fingerprint of the user is transmitted to the storage device for comparison by the processor with a fingerprint of the user that is previously stored in the storage device for authenticating the fingerprint of the user.

5. The self-service kiosk of claim 4, wherein if the fingerprint of the user transmitted to the storage device does not match the fingerprint of the user stored in the storage device then an identity of the user is not authenticated.

6. The self-service kiosk of claim 3, wherein the first sliding door is configured to selectively open after user identification has been established via the fingerprint scanner.

7. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, wherein the processor instructs the printer to print out one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses.

8. The self-service kiosk of claim 7, wherein the one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses is a hunting permit.

9. The self-service kiosk of claim 7, wherein the one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses is a fishing license.

10. The self-service kiosk of claim 7, wherein the one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses is a state park permit.

11. The self-service kiosk of claim 7, wherein the one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses is a burning permit.

12. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, further comprising a credit card reader for accepting a payment for conducting the emissions testing.

13. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, wherein the security feature comprises a camera, an anti-tampering module, a security door assembly, or combinations thereof.

14. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the VIN reader comprises a barcode scanner housed in a recess of the standalone cabinet for reading a VIN of the vehicle being tested such that the second sliding door of the security door assembly selectively shields the barcode scanner.

15. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, wherein the security feature further comprises an anti-tampering module that prevents tampering to the self-service kiosk including a circuit board assembly with firmware for detecting actuation of one or more switches, wherein the circuit board assembly is configured to transmit an event to the computer upon a change in a state of the one or more switches and the computer is configured to lockout the self-service kiosk or display a notification based upon the event.

16. A self-service kiosk for conducting emissions testing and registration renewal comprising:

a standalone cabinet including a processor for processing information, and a storage device for storing information related to a vehicle record and/or a test record for a vehicle being tested, the standalone cabinet further including a vehicle information number (VIN) reader for retrieving vehicle information related to the vehicle being tested, an on-board diagnostic (OBD) reader for retrieving information from an OBD system of the vehicle being tested, a holster comprising a sensor configured to detect return of the OBD reader, and a security feature for reducing tampering with the standalone cabinet, the security feature comprising

a security door assembly including a first sliding door configured to selectively shield the OBD reader when the sensor detects the OBD reader has been returned to the holster; and

wherein the processor is responsive to conducting an emissions testing of the vehicle being tested such that the vehicle being tested is provided with either a rejecting status or passing status based on information from the OBD system of the vehicle being tested,

wherein if the vehicle being tested is provided a passing status for the emissions testing of the vehicle being tested, the processor generates a registration renewal for the vehicle being tested and stores the registration renewal in the storage device.

17. The self-service kiosk of claim 16, further comprising a printer responsive to the processor for printing out a registration renewal sticker for the vehicle being tested if a registration renewal is generated by the processor.

18. The self-service kiosk of claim 16, wherein the registration renewal is generated by the processor if the vehicle being tested meets registration renewal criteria stored in the storage device.

19. The self-service kiosk of claim 17, wherein the printer prints out a registration renewal document signifying a registration renewal status for the vehicle being tested.

20. The self-service kiosk of claim 16, wherein the security feature comprises a camera, an anti-tampering module, a security door assembly, or combinations thereof.