Systems and methods for remotely communicating with a vehicle

• US 20050234616A1
• Filed: 04/19/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DriverTech LLC
• Original Assignee: DriverTech LLC
• Inventors: Oliver, Marc, Haslam, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/827,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20050234616A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

The present invention discloses vehicle diagnostic systems and, more particularly, methods and systems for remotely retrieving vehicle data from a vehicle with a computer-based diagnostic application. A method of retrieving vehicle data from a vehicle includes establishing a first connection between a host computer and a computer network, establishing a second connection between an onboard computer of a vehicle and the computer network, and transferring vehicle data over the computer network. Systems and apparatuses for performing the methods of the present invention are also described.

Claims

1. A method of remotely performing a diagnostic session on a vehicle having an onboard computer, the method comprising:

establishing a first connection between a host computer and a computer network;

establishing a second connection between the onboard computer of a vehicle and the computer network; and

transferring vehicle data from the onboard computer of the vehicle to the host computer over the computer network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring the host computer with a diagnostic application.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring the host computer with a dynamic link library interface.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring the host computer with a computer network driver.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the computer network is the Internet.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising interconnecting the onboard computer to a protocol adapter.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising configuring a memory of the onboard computer with a protocol adapter driver.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring a memory of the onboard computer with a dynamic link library interface.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring a memory of the onboard computer with a computer network driver.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending data from the host computer to the onboard computer of the vehicle.

11-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A system for remotely performing a diagnostic session comprising:

a host computer operatively configured with a diagnostic application, a first computer network adapter driver for connecting the host computer to a computer network, and a first dynamic link library interface for enabling the host computer to communicate with an onboard computer of a vehicle; and

the onboard computer having memory operatively configured with a second computer network adapter driver for connecting the onboard computer to the computer network and a protocol adapter driver for communicating with a protocol adapter;

wherein the onboard computer is associated with a vehicle component control module of a vehicle; and

a protocol adapter for interconnecting the onboard computer and the vehicle component control module.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a first computer network connection for connecting the host computer to the computer network.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a second computer network connection for connecting the onboard computer to the computer network.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the computer network is the Internet.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the host computer is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, and a computer workstation.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the first dynamic link library is a RP1210A interface.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the memory device of the onboard computer is further configured with a second dynamic link library interface for enabling the computer to communicate with the onboard computer.

27. The system of claim 20, further comprising a means for connecting the host computer to the computer network.

28. The system of claim 20, further comprising a means for connecting the onboard computer to the computer network.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a truck, an automobile, a piece of heavy equipment, a piece of construction equipment, a farm machine and a military vehicle.

30. The system of claim 20, further comprising a vehicle network for enabling the protocol adapter to communicate with the vehicle component control module.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the vehicle network is selected from the group consisting of J1708, J1850, CAN, J1587, J1939 and J1922.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein the onboard computer is associated with a plurality of vehicle component control modules.

33. The system of claim 20, wherein the vehicle component control module is selected from the group consisting of a HVAC control module, a brake control module, a transmission control module, and an engine control module 32d.

34-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A method of performing a diagnostic session on a vehicle remotely located from a host computer configured with a diagnostic application, the method comprising:

activating a connection between an onboard computer of the vehicle and the Internet, thus connecting to the host computer to the onboard computer;

accessing the Internet to establish communication between the onboard computer and the host computer; and

performing the diagnostic session on the remotely located vehicle over the Internet by running the diagnostic application.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein activating the connection is facilitated by purchasing the connection for a monetary fee.

45. The method according to claim 43, wherein activating the connection between the onboard computer and the host computer is performed at a truck stop.

46. The method according to claim 43, wherein performing the diagnostic session comprises transferring vehicle data from the onboard computer of the vehicle to the host computer over the Internet.