Distributed vehicle service method and system

• US 20050113991A1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TT IP LLC (IPNav)
• Original Assignee: TT IP LLC (IPNav)
• Inventors: Gill, George M., Kling, Mike, Baird, Michael L., Rogers, Steven W., Bellefeuille, Jean De
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for conducting a vehicle service comprises the steps of receiving signals representative of vehicle parameters, accessing data and/or software necessary for performing the vehicle service from at least one remote computer over a data transmission network, and performing signal processing related to the vehicle service based on the signals representative of the vehicle parameters and the accessed data and/or software. Since the data and/or software necessary for conducting the vehicle diagnostic analysis is distributed in different systems that are connected via a data communication network, an automotive service system can minimize the size of software stored locally and can access most of the information and/or algorithm required for conducting the vehicle diagnostic analysis from a remote system.

Claims

1. In an automotive service system linked to the Internet, a host computer configured to transfer data over the Internet and for storing a first plurality of vehicle data sets, and a remote computer configured to transfer data over the Internet and for storing a second plurality of vehicle data sets, an improvement comprising:

the host computer further configured to generate a request for at least one specific vehicle data set from the remote computer;

the remote computer configured as an Internet web server to respond to the request from the host computer to dynamically generate at least one customized web page containing the at least one specific vehicle data set from the second plurality of vehicle data sets for transfer to the host computer over the Internet; and

wherein the host computer is further configured to incorporate the at least one specific vehicle data set into the first plurality of vehicle data sets for use with current and subsequent vehicle service procedures.

2. The improved automotive service system of claim 1, wherein the host computer is configured to process data related to one of an engine service, a brake service, a suspension service and an alignment service.

3. The improved automotive service system of claim 1 further comprising at least one sensing device for obtaining vehicle parameters, wherein the host computer is further configured to receive signals representing the vehicle parameters from the at least one sensing device, and to process the received signals based on the at least one specific vehicle data set.

4. The improved automotive service system of claim 3 wherein the at least one specific data set includes vehicle specifications.

5. The improved automotive service system of claim 1 wherein the at least one specific vehicle data set is an updated version of an original vehicle data set included in the first plurality of vehicle data sets.

6. A method for supplementing vehicle information stored in a vehicle wheel alignment system having a local database of vehicle information, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a vehicle;

establishing a communications link between the vehicle wheel alignment system and at least one remote computer system;

retrieving via the communications link, a dynamically generated data packet containing vehicle data associated with the identified vehicle;

extracting the vehicle data from the data packet; and

utilizing the extracted vehicle data in the service of the identified vehicle.

7. The method of claim n1 further comprising the step of storing the vehicle data for subsequent access.

8. In an automotive service system having a communications link, a host computer configured to transfer data over the communications link and for storing a first plurality of vehicle data sets, and a remote computer configured to transfer data over the communications link and for storing a second plurality of vehicle data sets, an improvement comprising:

the host computer configured to request at least one specific vehicle data set from the remote computer;

the remote computer configured to respond to a request from the host computer to generate a data packet containing a copy of the at least one specific vehicle data set from the second plurality of vehicle data sets, the remote computer further configured to transfer the data packet to the host computer over the communications link; and

the host computer further configured to extract the copy of the at least one specific vehicle data set from the transferred data packet and to incorporate the at least one specific vehicle data set into the first plurality of vehicle data sets.

9. The improved automotive service system of claim 8 wherein the host computer is configured to perform data processing related to one of an engine service, a brake service, a suspension service and an alignment service.

10. A method for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system configured as an Internet web server, to a vehicle service device having a host computer, through the Internet, the method comprising the steps of:

communicating a request for at least one vehicle data set from the remote system over the Internet;

at the remote system, generating at least one data packet containing the at least one vehicle data set;

transferring the at least one dynamically generated data packet containing the at least one vehicle data set associated from the remote system to the host computer over the Internet;

extracting the at least one vehicle data set from the at least one transferred data packet; and

utilizing the extracted vehicle data set in the service of an automotive vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one vehicle data set includes vehicle wheel alignment specifications.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of storing the extracted vehicle data set for subsequent access.

13. A method for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle wheel alignment device through a communications link, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the vehicle wheel alignment device with vehicle identifying information;

directing the vehicle wheel alignment device to utilize the vehicle identifying information to obtain automotive vehicle data from the remote system over the communications link;

providing from the remote system to the vehicle wheel alignment device over the communications link, an index identifying at least one set of automotive vehicle data available from the remote system;

selecting, through the vehicle wheel alignment device, at least one set of automotive vehicle data available from the remote system;

transferring from the vehicle wheel alignment device to the remote system at least one packet of statistical information related to the vehicle wheel alignment device following the selecting of at least one set of automotive vehicle data available from the remote system;

analyzing, at the remote computer, the transferred at least one packet of statistical information;

providing from the remote system, access to the selected set of automotive vehicle data over the communications link;

acquiring at least one set of automotive vehicle data associated with the vehicle identifying information from the remote system over the communications link;

storing the acquired set of vehicle data for subsequent access; and

utilizing the acquired set of automotive vehicle data in the service of an automotive vehicle;

wherein the step of analyzing the transferred at least one packet of statistical information includes identifying the configuration of the vehicle wheel alignment device.

14. A method for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle wheel alignment device through a communications link, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the vehicle wheel alignment device with vehicle identifying information;

directing the vehicle wheel alignment device to utilize the vehicle identifying information to obtain automotive vehicle data from the remote system over the communications link;

acquiring at least one set of automotive vehicle data associated with the vehicle identifying information from the remote system over the communications link;

compiling tracking data at the remote computer, associated with the access to selected sets of automotive vehicle data;

storing the acquired set of vehicle data for subsequent access;

utilizing the acquired set of automotive vehicle data in the service of an automotive vehicle; and

utilizing the compiled tracking data at the remote computer to identify statistical information including at least one frequency of access to individual vehicle specification sets.

15. A vehicle wheel alignment system having at least one sensing device for acquiring wheel alignment data, interface circuitry in communication with the at least one sensing device for generating data representative of the acquired wheel alignment data, and a general purpose computer configured to utilize the generated data and input vehicle identification data to provide a representation of vehicle wheel alignment to an operator, an improvement comprising:

the general purpose computer programmed to;

communicate over the Internet to at least one remote information database a request for remote vehicle data associated with the input vehicle identification data;

receive a dynamically generated data packet containing the remote vehicle data associated with the input vehicle identification data from the at least one remote information database;

extract the remote vehicle data from the data packet; and

utilize the extracted remote vehicle data to provide the representation of vehicle alignment to the operator.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the general purpose computer is further programmed to store the extracted remote vehicle data for subsequent access.

17. A system for providing a vehicle service, comprising:

at least one sensing device for obtaining vehicle parameters;

a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one sensing device;

a second data processing system configured to couple to the first data processing system via a data transmission network, wherein the second data processing system stores a data set necessary for controlling a data processing system to perform computations related to the vehicle service;

wherein the first data processing system is configured to perform the steps of;

receiving signals related to the vehicle parameters from the at least one sensing device;

accessing the second data processing system;

requesting the data set from the second data processing system;

receiving the data set from the second data processing system; and

processing the signals related to the vehicle parameters based on the received data set.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle service is selected from the group consisting of an engine service, a brake service, a suspension service and an alignment service.

19. A system for providing a vehicle service, comprising:

at least one sensing means for obtaining vehicle parameters;

a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one sensing means;

a second data processing system configured to couple to the first data processing system via a data transmission network, wherein the second data processing system stores a data set necessary for controlling a data processing system to perform computations related to the vehicle service;

wherein the first data processing system is configured to perform the steps of;

receiving signals related to the vehicle parameters from the at least one sensing means;

accessing the second data processing system;

requesting the data set from the second data processing system;

receiving the data set from the second data processing system; and

processing the signals related to the vehicle parameters based on the received data set.

20. A system for providing a first type of vehicle service and a second type of vehicle service, comprising:

at least one first sensing device corresponding to the first type of vehicle service for obtaining a first type of vehicle parameters;

at least one second sensing device corresponding to the second type of vehicle service for obtaining a second type of vehicle parameters;

a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one first sensing device or the at least one second sensing device;

a second data processing system configured to couple to the first data processing system, wherein the second data processing system stores a first set of instructions necessary for performing the first type of vehicle service;

a third data processing system configured to couple to the first data processing system, wherein the third data processing system stores a second set of instructions necessary for performing the second type of vehicle service;

wherein the first data processing system is configured to perform the steps of;

when performing the first type of vehicle service,

receiving signals representative of the first type of vehicle parameters from the at least one first sensing device;

accessing the second data processing system;

requesting the first set of instructions necessary for performing the first type of vehicle service from the second data processing system;

receiving the first set of instructions from the second data processing system; and

processing the signals related to the first type of vehicle parameters based on the received first set of instructions; and

when performing the second type of vehicle service,

receiving signals representative of the second type of vehicle parameters from the at least one second sensing device;

accessing the third data processing system;

requesting the second set of instructions necessary for performing the second type of vehicle service from the third data processing system;

receiving the second set of instructions from the third data processing system; and

processing the signals related to the second type of vehicle parameters based on the received second set of instructions.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the first type of vehicle service is a wheel alignment service;

the second type of vehicle service is an engine analysis service;

the at least one first sensing device includes at least one wheel alignment sensor head; and

the at least one second sensing device includes at least one engine analysis test probe.

22. A system for providing a first type of vehicle service and a second type of vehicle service, comprising:

at least one first sensing means corresponding to the first type of vehicle service for obtaining a first type of vehicle parameters;

at least one second sensing means corresponding to the second type of vehicle service for obtaining a second type of vehicle parameters;

a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one first sensing means or the at least one second sensing means;

a second data processing system configured to couple to the first data processing system, wherein the second data processing system stores a first set of instructions necessary for performing the first type of vehicle service;

a third data processing system configured to couple to the first data processing system, wherein the third data processing system stores a second set of instructions necessary for performing the second type of vehicle service;

wherein the first data processing system is configured to perform the steps of;

when performing the first type of vehicle service,

receiving signals representative of the first type of vehicle parameters from the at least one first sensing means;

accessing the second data processing system;

requesting the first set of instructions necessary for performing the first type of vehicle service from the second data processing system;

receiving the first set of instructions from the second data processing system; and

processing the signals related to the first type of vehicle parameters based on the received first set of instructions; and

when performing the second type of vehicle service,

receiving signals representative of the second type of vehicle parameters from the at least one second sensing means;

accessing the third data processing system;

requesting the second set of instructions necessary for performing the second type of vehicle service from the third data processing system;

receiving the second set of instructions from the third data processing system; and

processing the signals related to the second type of vehicle parameters based on the received second set of instructions.

23. A system for providing a vehicle service, comprising:

at least one sensing device for obtaining vehicle parameters; and

a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one sensing device;

wherein the first data processing system is configured to perform the steps of;

receiving signals related to the vehicle parameters from the at least one sensing device;

generating a result of the vehicle service based on the received vehicle parameters;

receiving a request from a second data processing system to access the result of the vehicle service, wherein the second data processing system couples to the first data processing system via a data transmission network; and

transmitting data embedding the result of the vehicle service to the second data processing system via the data transmission network.

24. A method for providing a vehicle service in a system comprising at least one sensing device for obtaining vehicle parameter, and a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one sensing device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving signals related to the vehicle parameters from the at least one sensing device;

generating a result of the vehicle service based on the received vehicle parameters;

receiving a request from a second data processing system to access the result of the vehicle service, wherein the second data processing system couples to the first data processing system via a data transmission network; and

transmitting data embedding the result of the vehicle service to the second data processing system via the data transmission network.

25. A method for providing a vehicle service in a system comprising at least one sensing device for obtaining vehicle parameter, and a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one sensing device, and a second data processing system coupled to the first data processing system via a data transmission network, the method comprising the steps of:

at the first data processing system, receiving signals related to the vehicle parameters from the at least one sensing device;

at the first data processing system, generating a result of the vehicle service based on the received vehicle parameters;

at the second data processing system, transmitting a request to the first data processing system to access the result of the vehicle service;

at the first data processing system, transmitting data embedding the result of the vehicle service to the second data processing system via the data transmission network in response to the received request from the second data processing system.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of displaying the result of the vehicle service on the second data processing system.

27. A system for providing a vehicle service, comprising:

at least one sensing device for obtaining vehicle parameters;

a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one sensing device;

a second data processing system configured to couple to the first data processing system via a data transmission network, wherein the second data processing system stores a data set necessary for controlling a data processing system to perform computations related to the vehicle service;

wherein;

the first data processing system is configured to perform the steps of;

receiving signals related to the vehicle parameters from the at least one sensing device;

accessing the second data processing system;

requesting the data set from the second data processing system;

receiving the data set from the second data processing system; and

processing the signals related to the vehicle parameters based on the received data set; and

the second data processing system is configured to perform the steps of;

tracking the number of times the data set is accessed by the first data processing system; and

calculating a usage fee based on a result of the tracking step.

28. A system for providing a vehicle service comprising:

at least one sensing device for obtaining vehicle parameters;

a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one sensing device and to perform the vehicle service by utilizing a software object and the obtained vehicle parameters;

wherein the first data processing system is configured to perform the steps of;

accessing a second data processing system coupled to the first data processing system via a data transmission link;

accessing an updated software object from the second data processing system; and

altering the software object based on the updated software object.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the vehicle service is selected from the group consisting of an engine service, a brake service, a suspension service and an alignment service.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the software object and the updated software object include at least one of a data set and an instruction set for performing the vehicle service.

31. A method for operating a system for providing a vehicle service including at least one sensing means for obtaining vehicle parameters and a first data processing system configured to couple to the at least one sensing means and to perform the vehicle service by utilizing a software object and the obtained vehicle parameters, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing the second data processing system coupled to the first data processing system via a data transmission link;

accessing an updated software object from the second data processing system; and

replacing the software object with the updated software object.

32. In an automotive service system including a host computer configured to transfer data over the Internet for storing a first software object, and a remote computer configured to transfer data over the Internet and for storing a second software object, the improvement comprising:

the host computer further configured to generate a request for the second software object from the remote computer;

the remote computer configured as an Internet web server to respond to the request from the host computer to transfer the second software object to the host computer over the Internet; and

the host computer is further configured to alter the first software object based on the transferred second software object.

33. The improved automotive service system of claim 32, wherein the host computer is configured to process data related to one of an engine service, a brake service, a suspension service and an alignment service.

34. The improved automotive service system of claim 32 further comprising at least one sensing device for obtaining vehicle parameters, wherein the host computer is further configured to receive signals representing the vehicle parameters from the at least one sensing device, and to process the received signals based on the first software object.

35. The improved automotive service system of claim 32, wherein the first software object and the second software object include at least one of a data set and an instruction set for performing the vehicle service.