Repair and maintenance support system and a car corresponding to the system

• US 6,920,382 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fujii, Teruo, Mikami, Yoshiro, Sano, Kenji, Katagishi, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/840,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/30, 701/32, 701/33, 701/34, 701200-213, 705/13, 705/22, 705/28, 705/29, 705/4, 340/992, 340/993, 340/995, 340/990, 340/988, 342/457, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for performing procedures to request repair, without troubling the driver, when a car breaks down, as well as various onboard peripheral apparatuses and cellular phone used for this system.

This system comprises an onboard peripheral apparatus having a failure detector, an onboard main controller for managing car information, a cellular phone which can make wireless connection to the onboard main controller, and a response center for receiving requests for car repairs and maintenance and making arrangements therefor. When a failure is detected, repair request is transmitted to the response center through wireless communication together with the user ID of the driver. Based on this request, the response center acquires remedy information from a car manufacturer and makes arrangements for repair and provides this remedy information to a repair shop.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a power system;

a driving system driven by said power system;

a braking system;

an onboard peripheral apparatus having failure detection means for detecting failures in at least one of said power system, driving system, and braking system; and

a navigation apparatus, wherein said navigation apparatus comprises;

(a) a position detector for determining a geographical position using a GPS system,

(b) a communication apparatus for receiving a failure information from said onboard peripheral apparatus,

(c) a controller connected to said position detector and said communication apparatus,

(d) a memory connected to said controller for storing data,

(e) an operating portion connected to said controller for inputting of an instruction to said controller,

(f) an indicator connected to said controller, and

(g) a wireless interface connected to said controller, being capable of communicating with a response center, wherein;

said controller manages a condition of said onboard peripheral apparatus and uses said indicator to notify a driver to stop the vehicle when failure detection information from said onboard peripheral apparatus is received through said communication apparatus, and

said controller transmits position information determined by said position detector through said wireless interface.

2. A vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein said controller communicates with a cellular phone through said wireless interface and transmits said position information through said cellular phone.

3. A vehicle, according to claim 2, wherein said memory stores ID information, said cellular phone transmits said ID information with said failure information and position information, and said ID information comprises the telephone number of said cellular phone.

4. A vehicle, according to claim 2, wherein:

said cellular phone communicates through a wireless connection with said controller when a predetermined operation is performed; and

said controller sends said failure information to said cellular phone in response to a command from said cellular phone.

5. A vehicle, according to claim 2, wherein said controller transmits said position information through said cellular phone and vehicle-road communication.

6. A vehicle comprising:

a power system;

a driving system driven by said power system;

a braking system;

an onboard peripheral apparatus having failure detection means for detecting failures in at least one of said power system, driving system, and braking system; and

a navigation apparatus, wherein said navigation apparatus comprises;

(a) a position detector for determining a geographical position using a GPS system;

(b) a communication apparatus for receiving a failure information from said onboard peripheral apparatus;

(c) an indicator for notifying a driver;

(d) a transmitter for transmitting said failure information to a response center; and

(e) a controller connected to said position detector, said communication apparatus,

said indicator and said transmitter;

wherein;

said controller manages a condition of said onboard peripheral apparatus and uses said indicator to notify the driver to stop the vehicle when failure detection information from said onboard peripheral apparatus is received by said communication apparatus, and

said controller controls said transmitter to transmit position information determined by said position detector.

7. A vehicle apparatus, according to claim 6, wherein:

said navigation apparatus comprises a memory connected to said controller for storing ID information, and

said controller controls said transmitter to transmit said ID information with said failure information and position information.

8. A vehicle, according to claim 6, wherein:

said indicator comprises a display, and

said controller controls said display to display the contents of an agreement confirmation, when said navigation apparatus receives confirmation of agreement to a repair of the vehicle from said response center.

9. A vehicle, according to claim 6, wherein said controller controls said transmitter to transmit said position information through vehicle-road communication.