Methods and Systems for Automatically Generating Repair Orders

• US 20180174221A1
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Merg, Patrick S., Brozovich, Roy Steven
• Granted Patent: US 11,222,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0234 related to maintenance or repairing of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A processor may receive, from one or more electronic control units (ECUs) of a particular vehicle, vehicle-system data including information about a state of one or more vehicle-systems of the particular vehicle. Also, the processor may receive, from one or more data sources other than the one or more ECUs, other input data indicative of a state of the particular vehicle. Based on the vehicle-system data and on the other input data, the processor may determine repair information to be specified in a repair order (RO) associated with the particular vehicle. Further, the processor may generate an RO specifying at least the determined repair information, wherein the generated RO is associated with the particular vehicle. Then, the processor may direct a display device to display at least one visual indication representative of the generated RO.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor from one or more electronic control units (ECUs) of a particular vehicle, vehicle-system data including information about a state of one or more vehicle-systems of the particular vehicle;

receiving, by the at least one processer from one or more data sources other than the one or more ECUs, other input data indicative of a state of the particular vehicle;

based on the vehicle-system data and on the other input data, determining, by the at least one processor, repair information to be specified in a repair order (RO) associated with the particular vehicle;

generating, by the at least one processor, an RO specifying at least the determined repair information, wherein the generated RO is associated with the particular vehicle; and

directing, by the at least one processor, a display device to display at least one visual indication representative of the generated RO.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving other input data indicative of the state of the particular vehicle comprises one or more of:

(i) receiving, from at least one computing device, textual data including a written description of the state of the particular vehicle, (ii) receiving, from at least one computing device, speech data including a spoken-language description of the state of the particular vehicle, and (iii) receiving, from a data storage device containing a plurality of computer-readable vehicle repair orders (ROs), historical repair data including information related to one or more vehicle repairs previously carried out for the particular vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making a determination, by the at least one processer, that the received other input data is indicative of a particular vehicle-system of the particular vehicle; and

in response to making the determination, transmitting, from the at least one processor to at least one ECU of the one or more ECUs, a request for information about a state of the particular vehicle-system,

wherein receiving vehicle-system data comprises, in response to transmitting the request, receiving vehicle-system data including the requested information about the state of the particular vehicle-system.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to making the determination, identifying, by the at least one processor, at least one ECU, from among the one or more ECUs, that is associated with the particular vehicle-system of the particular vehicle,

wherein transmitting, to the at least one ECU, a request for information about a state of the particular vehicle-system comprises transmitting, to the identified at least one ECU that is associated with the particular vehicle-system, the request for information about the state of the particular vehicle-system.

5. The method of claim 3,

wherein making the determination comprises making a determination that the received other input data is indicative of one or more of (i) a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle-system and (ii) a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle-system,

wherein transmitting a request for information about the state of the particular vehicle-system comprises transmitting a request for information related to one or more of the particular vehicle-symptom and the candidate vehicle repair procedure, and

wherein receiving vehicle-system data including the requested information about the state of the particular vehicle-system comprises receiving vehicle-system data including the requested information related to one or more of the particular vehicle-symptom and the candidate vehicle repair procedure.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein determining, based on the vehicle-system data and on the other input data, repair information to be specified comprises determining, based on the received vehicle-system data including the requested information about the state of the particular vehicle-system and on the other input data, the repair information to be specified.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making a determination, by the at least one processer, that the received other input data is indicative of a particular vehicle-system of the particular vehicle; and

in response to making the determination, identifying, by the at least one processor, a portion of the received vehicle-system data that includes information about the state of the particular vehicle-system.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein making the determination comprises making a determination that the received other input data is indicative of one or more of (i) a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle-system and (ii) a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle-system, and

wherein identifying a portion of the received vehicle-system data that includes information about the state of the particular vehicle-system comprises identifying a portion of the received vehicle-system data that includes information related to one or more of the particular vehicle-symptom and the candidate vehicle repair procedure.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining, based on the vehicle-system data and on the other input data, repair information to be specified comprises determining, based on the identified portion and on the other input data, the repair information to be specified.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making a determination, by the at least one processer, that the received vehicle-system data includes information about a state of a particular vehicle-system of the particular vehicle; and

in response to making the determination, transmitting, from the at least one processor to at least data source of the one or more other data sources, a request for additional information about the state of the particular vehicle-system,

wherein receiving other input data comprises, in response to transmitting the request, receiving other input data including the requested additional information about the state of the particular vehicle-system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in response to making the determination, identifying, by the at least one processor, at least one other data source, from among the one or more other data sources, that has the additional information about the state of the particular vehicle-system,

wherein transmitting, to the at least one data source, a request for additional information comprises transmitting, to the identified at least one data source that has the additional information about the state of the particular vehicle-system, the request for the additional information about the state of the particular vehicle-system.

12. The method of claim 10,

wherein making the determination comprises making a determination that the received vehicle-system data includes information about one or more of (i) a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle-system and (ii) a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle-system,

wherein transmitting a request for additional information about the state of the particular vehicle-system comprises transmitting a request for additional information related to one or more of the particular vehicle-symptom and the candidate vehicle repair procedure, and

wherein receiving other input data including the requested additional information about the state of the particular vehicle-system comprises receiving other input data including the requested additional information related to one or more of the particular vehicle-symptom and the candidate vehicle repair procedure.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining, based on the vehicle-system data and on the other input data, repair information to be specified comprises determining, based on the vehicle-system data and on the other input data including the requested additional information about the state of the particular vehicle-system, the repair information to be specified.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making a determination, by the at least one processer, that the received vehicle-system data includes information about a state of a particular vehicle-system of the particular vehicle; and

in response to making the determination, identifying, by the at least one processor, a portion of the received other input data that includes additional information related to the state of the particular vehicle-system.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein making the determination comprises making a determination that the received vehicle system data includes information about one or more of (i) a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle-system and (ii) a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle-system, and

wherein identifying a portion of the received other input data that includes additional information related to the state of the particular vehicle-system comprises identifying a portion of the received other input data that includes additional information related to one or more of the particular vehicle-symptom and the candidate vehicle repair procedure.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein determining, based on the vehicle-system data and on the other input data, repair information to be specified comprises determining, based on the vehicle-system data and on the identified portion, the repair information to be specified.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle; and

based on the vehicle-system data and the other input data both being indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the particular vehicle-symptom is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

based on the vehicle-system data and the other input data both being indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining a vehicle repair procedure that resolves the particular vehicle-symptom; and

determining that the determined vehicle repair procedure is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a first vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

based on the vehicle-system data being indicative of the first vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the first vehicle-symptom is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of a second vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, wherein the second vehicle-symptom is different from the first vehicle-symptom; and

based on the other input data being indicative of the second vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the second vehicle-symptom is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a first vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of a second vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, wherein the second vehicle-symptom is different from the first vehicle-symptom;

determining a vehicle repair procedure that resolves both the first and second vehicle-symptoms associated with the particular vehicle; and

determining that the determined vehicle repair procedure is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of the candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle; and

based on the vehicle-system data and the other input data both being indicative of the candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the candidate vehicle repair procedure is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of the candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle; and

based on the vehicle-system data and the other input data both being indicative of the candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the particular vehicle-symptom is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a first candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve a first vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

based on the vehicle-system data being indicative of the first candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the first vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the first candidate vehicle repair procedure is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of a second candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve a second vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle; and

based on the other input data being indicative of the second candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the second vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the second candidate vehicle repair procedure is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first vehicle-symptom is the same as the second vehicle-symptom.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first vehicle-symptom is different from the second vehicle-symptom.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a first candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve a first vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

based on the vehicle-system data being indicative of the first candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the first vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the first vehicle-symptom is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of a second candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve a second vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, wherein the second vehicle-symptom is different from the first vehicle-symptom; and

based on the other input data being indicative of the second candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the second vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the second vehicle-symptom is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a first candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of a second candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle; and

based on the vehicle-system data being indicative of the first candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom and on the other input data being indicative of the second candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom, determining that the particular vehicle-symptom is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle; and

based on the vehicle-system data being indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle and on the other input data being indicative of the candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the candidate vehicle repair procedure is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle; and

based on the vehicle-system data being indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle and on the other input data being indicative of the candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the particular vehicle-symptom is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle; and

based on the vehicle-system data being indicative of the candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle and on the other input data being indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the candidate vehicle repair procedure is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the repair information to be specified comprises:

determining that the vehicle-system data is indicative of a candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve a particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle;

determining that the other input data is indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle; and

based on the vehicle-system data being indicative of the candidate vehicle repair procedure to resolve the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle and on the other input data being indicative of the particular vehicle-symptom associated with the particular vehicle, determining that the particular vehicle-symptom is to be specified in the RO associated with the particular vehicle.

32. A computing system comprising:

at least one processor;

a computer-readable medium; and

program instruction stored on the computer-readable medium and executable by the at least one processor to;

receive, from one or more electronic control units (ECUs) of a particular vehicle, vehicle-system data including information about a state of one or more vehicle-systems of the particular vehicle;

receive, from one or more data sources other than the one or more ECUs, other input data indicative of a state of the particular vehicle;

based on the vehicle-system data and on the other input data, determine repair information to be specified in a repair order (RO) associated with the particular vehicle;

generate an RO specifying at least the determined repair information, wherein the generated RO is associated with the particular vehicle; and

direct a display device to display at least one visual indication representative of the generated RO.

33. The computing system of claim 32, further comprising:

a communication interface,

wherein the program instruction being executable to receive the vehicle-system data comprises the program instruction being executable to receive the vehicle-system data from one or more ECUs of the particular vehicle via the communication interface, and

wherein the program instruction being executable to receive the other input data comprises the program instruction being executable to receive the other input data from the one or more other data sources via the communication interface.

34. The computing system of claim 33, wherein the communication interface comprises one or more of (i) a wired communication interface operable to engage in wired transfer of data and (ii) a wireless communication interface operable to engage in wireless transfer of data.

35. The computing system of claim 32, further comprising the display device.

36. The computing system of claim 32, wherein the display device is of an external computing device that is separate from the computing system.

37. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by at least one processor to cause a computing system to perform functions comprising:

receiving, from one or more electronic control units (ECUs) of a particular vehicle, vehicle-system data including information about a state of one or more vehicle-systems of the particular vehicle;

receiving, from one or more data sources other than the one or more ECUs, other input data indicative of a state of the particular vehicle;

based on the vehicle-system data and on the other input data, determining repair information to be specified in a repair order (RO) associated with the particular vehicle;

generating an RO specifying at least the determined repair information, wherein the generated RO is associated with the particular vehicle; and

directing a display device to display at least one visual indication representative of the generated RO.