Automotive ECU mobile phone interface

• US 9,934,492 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2016
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CellAssist, LLC
• Original Assignee: CellAssist, LLC
• Inventors: Wilson, Hendalee
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US15/278,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20170200134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 701 291, 701 294, 701 295, 701 314, 701 315, 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/02 Ensuring safety in case of control system failures, e.g. by diagnosing, circumventing or fixing failures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

The invention is a system for interfacing mobile phones with an on-board diagnostic computer in a vehicle, wherein the on-board diagnostic computer monitors a set of operational characteristics of a vehicle. The information derived from this system will be processed on the mobile phone coupled with additional information and displayed on the mobile phone'"'"'s screen, while simultaneously transmitting this information over the internet to be stored in a database.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method of operating a vehicle service system comprising at least one server to communicate with a plurality of mobile phones via a cellular telephone network, the method comprising;

receiving, at the vehicle service system via the cellular telephone network, a plurality of messages from the plurality of mobile phones, each first mobile phone of the plurality of mobile phones being associated with a different first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles, wherein receiving the plurality of messages comprises receiving from each first mobile phone at least one first message comprising;

(i) at least one first operational characteristic produced by the first vehicle associated with the first mobile phone that transmitted the at least one first message and indicative of a first condition of the first vehicle, the at least one first operational characteristic comprising a diagnostic code output by a diagnostic system of the first vehicle, (ii) a first indication of a first location of the first mobile phone that transmitted the at least one first message, and (iii) a first phone number for the first mobile phone that transmitted the at least one first message; and

in response to receipt of each of the at least one first message of the plurality of messages,

selecting at least one candidate repair organization as a candidate for performing a service for the first vehicle, wherein selecting the at least one candidate repair organization as a candidate comprises;

comparing the first location of the at least one first message to service areas associated with a plurality of repair organizations, and

selecting a repair organization, of the plurality of repair organizations, for inclusion in the at least one candidate repair organization when the first location is within the service area associated with the repair organization; and

transmitting to each of the at least one candidate repair organization information describing the first condition of the first vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein transmitting to each of the at least one candidate repair organization further comprises transmitting to each the first location of the first mobile phone.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein transmitting to each of the at least one candidate repair organization further comprises transmitting to each the first phone number for the first mobile phone.

4. A system comprising the apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising:

the plurality of mobile phones, wherein each first mobile phone of the plurality is in communication with a diagnostic port of the first vehicle with which the first mobile phone is associated;

each the first mobile phone is configured to carry out a second method comprising;

receiving, at the first mobile phone, the at least one first operational characteristic from the first vehicle via the diagnostic port of the first vehicle, the at least one operational characteristic having been generated by the first vehicle; and

translating the at least one first operational characteristic indicative of the first condition of the first vehicle into human-readable text describing the first condition of the first vehicle;

displaying the human-readable text on a display screen of the first mobile phone.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of devices each having a wired connection to the diagnostic port to a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles and configured to wirelessly transmit operational characteristics received via the wired connection,

wherein each first mobile phone of the plurality is configured to receive the at least one first operational characteristic via the diagnostic port by wirelessly receiving the at least one first operational characteristic wirelessly transmitted by a first device, of the plurality of devices, having the wired connection to the diagnostic port of the first vehicle with which the first mobile phone is associated.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

at least one computing device, each of the at least one computing device being associated with one or more of the candidate repair organizations, wherein each of the at least one computing device comprises;

at least one second processor; and

at least one second computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a second method of addressing requests for service of vehicles, the second method comprising;

in response to receiving from the apparatus the information describing the first condition of the first vehicle, initiating action associated with providing service to the first vehicle based on the first condition indicated by the at least one first operational characteristic.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

transmitting to each of the at least one candidate repair organization further comprises transmitting to each the first phone number for the first mobile phone; and

initiating the action associated with providing service to the first vehicle comprises transmitting to the first mobile phone an offer to perform a service to address the first condition, wherein transmitting the offer comprises transmitting an estimated cost to performing the service.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein initiating the action associated with providing service to the first vehicle comprises:

identifying based on the at least one first operational characteristic one or more parts that may be used in remedying the first condition of the first vehicle; and

placing an order for the one or more parts.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein initiating the action associated with providing service to the first vehicle comprises:

based on the at least one first operational characteristic that is indicative of the first condition, scheduling performance of the service to remedy the first condition at the candidate repair organization that is associated with the at least one computing device that is performing the scheduling.

10. A system comprising the apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising:

at least one computing device, each of the at least one computing device being associated with one or more of the candidate repair organizations, wherein each of the at least one computing device comprises;

at least one second processor; and

at least one second computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a second method of addressing requests for service of vehicles, the second method comprising;

in response to receiving from the apparatus the information describing the first condition of the first vehicle, initiating action associated with providing service to the first vehicle based on the first condition indicated by the at least one first operational characteristic.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

transmitting to each of the at least one candidate repair organization further comprises transmitting to each the first phone number for the first mobile phone; and

initiating the action associated with providing service to the first vehicle comprises transmitting to the first mobile phone an offer to perform a service to address the first condition, wherein transmitting the offer comprises transmitting an estimated cost to performing the service.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein initiating the action associated with providing service to the first vehicle comprises:

identifying based on the at least one first operational characteristic one or more parts that may be used in remedying the first condition of the first vehicle; and

placing an order for the one or more parts.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein initiating the action associated with providing service to the first vehicle comprises:

based on the at least one first operational characteristic that is indicative of the first condition, scheduling performance of the service to remedy the first condition at the candidate repair organization that is associated with the at least one computing device that is performing the scheduling.

14. A method of operating a vehicle service system comprising at least one server to communicate with a plurality of cellular communication devices via a cellular telephone network, the method comprising:

receiving at least one message, at the at least one server and via the cellular telephone network, from a first cellular communication device of the plurality of cellular communication devices, the at least one message comprising at least one operational characteristic of a vehicle that is indicative of a condition of the vehicle, an indication of a location of the first cellular communication device, and an identifier for the first cellular communication device, and

based at least in part on the at least one operational characteristic, initiating action associated with providing service to the vehicle based on the condition indicated by the at least one operational characteristic.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the first cellular communication device is in communication with a diagnostic port of a vehicle;

the method comprises, with the first cellular communication device;

receiving, at the first cellular communication device, the at least one operational characteristic from the vehicle via the diagnostic port, the at least one operational characteristic having been generated by the vehicle;

translating the at least one operational characteristic indicative of the condition of the vehicle into human-readable text describing the condition of the vehicle; and

displaying the human-readable text on a display screen.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first cellular communication device is in communication with the diagnostic port via a second device that has a wired connection to the diagnostic port and is configured to wirelessly transmit operational characteristics received via the wired connection to the diagnostic port; and

receiving the at least one operational characteristic at the first cellular communication device via the diagnostic port comprises receiving the at least one operational characteristic wirelessly from the second device that has the wired connection to the diagnostic port.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the display screen is a display screen of the first cellular communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first cellular communication device is a mobile phone.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein translating the at least one operational characteristic into the human-readable text comprises:

querying an information source based on the at least one operational characteristic; and

receiving, in response to the querying, the human-readable text.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein initiating the action associated with providing the service comprises selecting at least one entity as a candidate for performing the service based on the location of the first cellular communication device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein selecting at least one entity as a candidate based on the location comprises:

comparing the location to service areas associated with a plurality of repair organizations; and

selecting a repair organization, of the plurality of repair organizations, for inclusion in the at least one entity when the location is within the service area associated with the repair organization.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein initiating the action associated with providing the service comprises transmitting to each of the at least one entity information describing the condition of the vehicle and the location of the first cellular communication device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein transmitting to each of the at least one entity comprises further transmitting contact information for an operator of the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the first cellular communication device is a mobile phone; and

transmitting contact information for an operator of the vehicle comprises transmitting a phone number for the mobile phone.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein transmitting to each of the at least one entity information describing the condition of the vehicle comprises transmitting the at least one operational characteristic.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein transmitting the at least one operational characteristic comprises transmitting a diagnostic code produced by a diagnostic system of the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving, at a device of the operator of the vehicle, an offer to perform the service from each of one or more of the at least one entity.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein receiving, from each of one or more of the at least one entity, the offer at the device of the operator of the vehicle comprises receiving a bid to perform the service from each of the one or more of the at least one entity, the bid comprising an estimated cost to performing the service.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein:

the first cellular communication device is a mobile phone of the operator;

the device of the operator is the mobile phone of the operator; and

receiving the offer at the device of the operator comprises receiving the offer at the mobile phone of the operator.

30. The method of claim 14, wherein initiating the action associated with providing the service comprises initiating the service to be performed at the location of the first cellular communication device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein initiating the service comprises dispatching a repair organization to perform the service to the vehicle at the location, wherein the service comprises remedying the condition, and wherein dispatching the repair organization comprises describing the condition to the repair organization.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein describing the condition to the repair organization comprises providing the at least one operational characteristic to the repair organization.

33. The method of claim 14, wherein:

receiving the at least one message comprising the indication of the first cellular communication device comprises receiving location information indicating a geographic location of the first cellular communication device.

34. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the at least one message comprising the at least one operational characteristic comprises receiving a diagnostic code output by a diagnostic system of the vehicle.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving the diagnostic code output by the diagnostic system of the vehicle comprises receiving a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) output by the diagnostic system.

36. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the at least one message via the cellular telephone network comprises receiving the at least one message via the cellular telephone network and via the Internet.

37. The method of claim 14, wherein initiating the action associated with providing the service comprises:

in response to receiving, in the at least one message, the at least one operational characteristic that is indicative of the condition,

identifying based on the at least one operational characteristic one or more parts that may be used in remedying the condition of the vehicle; and

with the vehicle service system, placing an order for the one or more parts.

38. The method of claim 14, wherein initiating the action associated with providing the service comprises:

with the vehicle service system and based on the at least one operational characteristic that is indicative of the condition, scheduling performance of the service to remedy the condition at a repair organization.

39. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, at the vehicle service system, a plurality of second messages from the plurality of cellular communication devices, each second cellular communication device of the plurality of cellular communication devices being associated with a different second vehicle of a plurality of vehicles, wherein receiving the plurality of second messages comprises receiving from each second cellular communication device at least one second message comprising at least one second operational characteristic produced by the second vehicle associated with the second cellular communication device that transmitted the at least one second message and indicative of a second condition of the second vehicle, a second indication of a second location of the second cellular communication device that transmitted the at least one second message, and contact information for the second cellular communication device that transmitted the at least one second message; and

in response to receipt of each of the at least one second message of the plurality of second messages, repeating the initiating the action associated with providing service to the second vehicle associated with the second cellular communication device that transmitted the at least one second message based on the second condition indicated by the at least one second operational characteristic.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

analyzing the plurality of second messages to determine at least one trend in conditions indicated by operational characteristics.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein analyzing to determine the at least one trend comprises analyzing the plurality of second messages to determine at least one trend in component failures of the plurality of vehicles.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein analyzing the plurality of second messages comprises determining the at least one trend relative to locations, indicated by the plurality of second messages, at which vehicles experienced conditions.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein:

the plurality of cellular communication devices is a plurality of mobile phones and each cellular communication device of the plurality of cellular communication devices is a mobile phone;

each second mobile phone is in wireless communication with a diagnostic port of the second vehicle associated with the second mobile phone via a device, of a plurality of devices, that has a wired connection to the diagnostic port of the second vehicle and wirelessly transmits operational characteristics received via the wired connection to the diagnostic port of the second vehicle; and

the method further comprises, with each second mobile phone of the plurality of mobile phones;

receiving, at the second mobile phone, the at least one second operational characteristic from the second vehicle via the diagnostic port, the at least one second operational characteristic having been generated by the second vehicle;

translating the at least one second operational characteristic indicative of the second condition of the second vehicle into human-readable text describing the second condition of the second vehicle; and

displaying the human-readable text on a display screen of the second mobile phone.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein:

for at least one second message received from a second mobile phone, initiating the action associated with providing the service comprises selecting at least one candidate repair organization as a candidate for performing the service based on the second location of the second mobile phone, wherein selecting at least one candidate repair organization as a candidate based on the second location comprises;

comparing the second location to service areas associated with a plurality of repair organizations, and

selecting a repair organization, of the plurality of repair organizations, for inclusion in the at least one candidate repair organization when the second location is within the service area associated with the repair organization; and

initiating the action associated with providing the service comprises transmitting to each of the at least one candidate repair organization information describing the second condition of the second vehicle, the second location of the second mobile phone, and the second contact information for the second mobile phone, wherein the second contact information for the second mobile phone comprises a phone number for the second mobile phone.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein transmitting to each of the at least one candidate repair organization information describing the second condition of the second vehicle comprises transmitting the at least one second operational characteristic.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein initiating the service comprises dispatching a repair organization, of the at least one candidate repair organization, to perform the service to the vehicle at the location, wherein the service comprises remedying the condition, and wherein dispatching the repair organization comprises describing the second condition to the repair organization.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein describing the second condition to the repair organization comprises providing the at least one second operational characteristic to the repair organization.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one second operational characteristic is a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) generated by a diagnostic system of the second vehicle.

49. At least one computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method of operating a vehicle service system comprising at least one server to communicate with a plurality of cellular communication devices via a cellular telephone network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the vehicle service system and via the cellular telephone network, a plurality of messages from the plurality of cellular communication devices, each first cellular communication device of the plurality of cellular communication devices being associated with a different first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles, wherein receiving the plurality of messages comprises receiving from each first cellular communication device at least one first message comprising at least one first operational characteristic produced by the first vehicle associated with the first cellular communication device that transmitted the at least one first message and indicative of a first condition of the first vehicle, a first indication of a first geographic location of the first cellular communication device that transmitted the at least one first message, and a first phone number for the first cellular communication device that transmitted the at least one first message; and

in response to receipt of each of the at least one first message of the plurality of messages,

selecting at least one candidate repair organization as a candidate for performing a service for the first vehicle, wherein selecting the at least one candidate repair organization as a candidate comprises;

comparing the first geographic location of the at least one first message to service areas associated with a plurality of repair organizations, and

selecting a repair organization, of the plurality of repair organizations, for inclusion in the at least one candidate repair organization when the first geographic location is within the service area associated with the repair organization; and

transmitting to each of the at least one candidate repair organization information describing the first condition of the first vehicle, the first geographic location of the first cellular communication device, and contact information for an operator of the vehicle.

50. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 49, wherein the at least one first operational characteristic is a diagnostic code produced by a diagnostic system of the first vehicle.

51. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 49, wherein transmitting the information describing the first condition of the first vehicle to each of the at least one candidate repair organization information comprises transmitting the at least one first operational characteristic of the at least one first message.

52. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 49, wherein the method comprises dispatching one of the at least one candidate repair organizations to provide the service for the first vehicle at the first geographic location of the first cellular communication device.

53. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 52, wherein dispatching one of the at least one candidate repair organizations to provide the service comprises dispatching one of the at least one candidate repair organizations to remedy the condition at the first geographic location of the first cellular communication device.

54. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 49, wherein receiving the plurality of messages via the cellular telephone network comprises receiving the plurality of messages via the cellular telephone network and via the Internet.