METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND DEVICES FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A VEHICLE SERVICE CENTER AND A MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20140188999A1
• Filed: 01/02/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DMEautomotive LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DMEautomotive LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Leonard, Tom, Bagdadi, Aasif
• Application Number:
  US13/733,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188999A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for providing a vehicle status to a mobile computing device are disclosed herein. A system for providing vehicle status to a mobile computing device includes a contact module, a status determination module, and a communication module. The contact module determines contact information associated with a vehicle scheduled for service at a vehicle service center. The contact information corresponds to a mobile computing device. The status determination module determines a status of the vehicle. The communication module communicates the status of the vehicle to the mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A vehicle status computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory in electrical communication with the processor and having stored thereon computer executable instruction code, comprising;

a contact module that determines contact information associated with a vehicle scheduled for service at a vehicle service center, the contact information corresponding to a mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a mobile application provided by a third party, the mobile application installed on the mobile computing device;

a status determination module that determines a status of the vehicle;

a shuttle module that determines a current location of a shuttle vehicle and an estimated arrival time at a pick-up location, wherein the shuttle module determines the estimated arrival time based on a current location of the shuttle vehicle and one or more intervening stops for the shuttle vehicle enroute to the pick-up location, wherein the shuttle module is configured to automatically determine the estimated arrival time in response to determining that service on the vehicle is complete; and

a communication module that communicates the status of the vehicle to the mobile computing device using push notifications to the mobile computing device, wherein the communication module further communicates the current location and the estimated arrival time of the shuttle vehicle in real-time to the mobile computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication module communicates the status of the vehicle in real-time.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the status information is communicated between the vehicle service center and the mobile computing device in real-time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the status determination module determines the status comprising a location of the vehicle at the service center.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the status determination module determines the status comprising a completion status of a scheduled service.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the completion status comprises information indicating that the scheduled service is completed.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the completion status comprises information indicating that the scheduled service is currently being performed.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the completion status comprises information indicating that the scheduled service has not begun.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the status determination module determines the status comprising a predicted completion time for one or more scheduled services.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the status determination module determines the status comprising a suggested service.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the status determination module determines the status based on input received from a technician at the vehicle service center.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the contact information comprises account information corresponding to the mobile computing device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the contact module determines contact information comprising information regarding a vehicle service account.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the contact module determines contact information comprising information regarding a user account linked to the mobile computing device.

15. A method comprising:

scheduling, one or more processors, a service appointment for a vehicle at a vehicle service center;

determining, by the one or more processors, contact information associated with the vehicle, the contact information corresponding to a mobile computing device comprising a mobile application installed on the mobile computing device;

determining, by the one or more processors, a status of the vehicle;

automatically calculating, by the one or more processors, an estimated arrival time of a shuttle at a pick-up location based on a current location of the shuttle and one or more intervening stops of the shuttle in response to determining that service on the vehicle is being completed; and

communicating, in real-time the one or more processors, information regarding the service status of the vehicle and the estimated arrival time of the shuttle at the pick-up location to the mobile computing device using pull or push notifications to the mobile application.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating in real-time comprises communicating a status of the vehicle to the mobile computing device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein communicating the status comprises repeatedly communicating the status during a duration of the service appointment.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating in real-time comprises communicating information corresponding to a chat session between a representative at the vehicle service center and a user on the mobile computing device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating in real-time comprises communicating one or more of video, audio, and images of the vehicle at the vehicle service station to the mobile computing device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating in real-time comprises providing a suggestion for additional services to the mobile computing device.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving, in real-time, information regarding the service appointment from the mobile computing device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving information regarding the service appointment comprises receiving approval for additional services.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving information regarding the service appointment comprises receiving a query regarding the service appointment.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating in real-time comprises communicating information regarding a current location of a shuttle to the mobile computing device.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating in real-time comprises communicating information to prompt for payment in response to completion of scheduled services.

26. A mobile computing device comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory in electrical communication with the processor and having stored thereon computer executable instruction code corresponding to a mobile application installed on the mobile computing device, the computer executable instruction code comprising;

a mobile communication module configured to communicate with a vehicle service center;

a status receipt module that receives pull or push notifications comprising a status of a vehicle from the vehicle service center, the vehicle scheduled for service at a vehicle service center; and

a status interface module that presents the status of the vehicle on the mobile computing device, wherein the status interface module is configured to present the status of the vehicle in real-time, wherein the status information module is further configured to automatically display an estimated arrival time of a shuttle vehicle based on a current location of the shuttle vehicle and one or more scheduled, intervening stops of the shuttle vehicle, in response to the status indicating that service on the vehicle is complete.

27. The mobile computing device of claim 26, wherein the presentation module provides an option to initiate a chat with a technician at the vehicle service center.

28. The mobile computing device of claim 27, further comprising a chat interface module that displays a chat interface.

29. The mobile computing device of claim 26, further comprising a shuttle interface module to display a shuttle location interface.

30. The mobile computing device of claim 29, wherein the shuttle interface module displays a shuttle location interface comprising a map illustrating a current location of the shuttle.

31. The mobile computing device of claim 29, wherein the shuttle interface module displays a shuttle location interface comprising an arrival time for the shuttle.

32. The mobile computing device of claim 26, wherein the presentation module presents a payment option.

33. The mobile computing device of claim 32, wherein the payment option is provided in response to receiving a status indicating that service on the vehicle is finished.

34. The mobile computing device of claim 32, further comprising a payment interface module to display a payment interface that allows a user to initiate payment.

35. The mobile computing device of claim 26, further comprising an appointment scheduler interface module to allow a user to schedule a service appointment from the mobile computing device.