Vehicular information and monitoring system and methods

• US 7,082,359 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/039,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/36, 701/34, 340/425.5, 702/127, 702/182, 702/183, 706/20
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

Information management and monitoring system for a vehicle including a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors for monitoring vehicular components, a diagnostic module arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the vehicle monitoring system to receive and process data about the components therefrom, and a remote service center capable of servicing the components. A communication system, e.g., a cellular telephone capable of voice communications, is arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the diagnostic module to enable communications of data from the diagnostic module to the remote service center such that the remote service center receives data about the vehicular components. The remote service center can be situated at a dealer which can have its personnel contact the driver, e.g., via the telephone, to schedule service of the vehicle, the service being determined based on the communicated data from the diagnostic module on the vehicle.

Claims

1. An information management and monitoring system for monitoring components on a vehicle during operation of the vehicle on a road, comprising:

a vehicle monitoring system arranged on the vehicle and including a plurality of sensors for monitoring components of the vehicle during operation of the components;

a diagnostic module arranged on the vehicle, said diagnostic module being coupled to said vehicle monitoring system and arranged to receive and process data about the monitored components from said vehicle monitoring system, said diagnostic module being arranged to derive diagnostic data from the data about the monitored components provided by said sensors of said vehicle monitoring system to determine whether any of the monitored components are operating in a non-optimal manner;

at least one remote service center each for servicing at least one of the monitored components to fix or replace the monitored component when said diagnostic module on the vehicle determines that the monitored component is not operating optimally; and

a wireless communication system arranged on the vehicle and coupled to said diagnostic module for enabling wireless communications of derived diagnostic data from said diagnostic module to said remote service center during operation of the vehicle on the road, including data about the presence and identity of any non-optimally operating component, such that said remote service center receives data about the monitored components of the vehicle prior to the vehicle being brought to said remote service center to enable preparation for the fixing or replacement of the non-optimally operating monitored component.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication system is a cellular telephone which enables voice communications.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interactive device coupled to and controlled by said diagnostic module, said user interactive device being a display on which messages relating to the monitored components are provided to the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitored components are selected from a group consisting of the engine, transmission, tires, heating and cooling system and brakes.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data derived by said diagnostic module from the data about the monitored components provided by said sensors of said vehicle monitoring system is an indication of a potential failure of one of the components of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle bus for coupling said diagnostic module, said vehicle monitoring system and said communication system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication system is arranged to communicate with said remote service center via a satellite.

8. A method for information management and monitoring of components on a vehicle during operation of the vehicle on a road, comprising:

arranging a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors on the vehicle to monitor components of the vehicle during operation of the components;

arranging a diagnostic module on the vehicle;

directing data about the monitored components from the vehicle monitoring system to the diagnostic module for analysis and processing thereby;

deriving diagnostic data in the diagnostic module from the data about the monitored components provided by the sensors of the vehicle monitoring system to determine whether any of the monitored components are operating in a non-optimal manner;

coupling a wireless communication system on the vehicle to the diagnostic module; and

establishing wireless communications between the diagnostic module and at least one remote service center, each for servicing at least one of the monitored components to fix or replace the monitored component when the diagnostic module on the vehicle determines that the monitored component is not operating optimially, during operation of the vehicle on the road to enable transmission of derived diagnostic data between the diagnostic module and the remote service center, including data about the presence and identity of any non-optimally operating component, such that the remote service center receives data about the monitored components of the vehicle prior to the vehicle being brought to the remote service center to enable preparation for the fixing or replacement of the non-optimally operating monitored component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication system is a cellular telephone which enables voice communications.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

coupling a display to the diagnostic module; and

causing the display of messages to the driver to notify the driver of the status of the monitored components as determined by the diagnostic module.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting the monitored components from a group consisting of the engine, transmission, tires, heating and cooling system and brakes.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the data derived from the data about the monitored components provided by the vehicle monitoring system is an indication of a potential failure of one of the monitored components of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising coupling the diagnostic module, the vehicle monitoring system and the communication system via a vehicle bus.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising contacting the vehicle owner to schedule repair or maintenance of the vehicle upon receiving data from the diagnostic module at the remote service center indicating the presence and identity of a non-optimally operating monitored component.

15. A method for scheduling servicing of a vehicle during operation of the vehicle on a road, comprising:

arranging a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors on the vehicle to monitor components of the vehicle during operation of the components;

arranging a diagnostic module on the vehicle;

directing data about the monitored components from the vehicle monitoring system to the diagnostic module for analysis and processing thereby;

deriving diagnostic data in the diagnostic module from the data about the monitored components provided by the sensors of the vehicle monitoring system to determine whether any of the monitored components are operating in a non-optimal manner;

coupling a wireless communication system on the vehicle to the diagnostic module;

establishing wireless communications between the diagnostic module and a dealer having access to apparatus for servicing the monitored components to fix or replace the monitored component when the diagnostic module on the vehicle determines that the monitored component is not operating optimally, during operation of the vehicle on the road, to enable transmission of derived diagnostic data between the diagnostic module and the dealer, including data about the presence and identity of any non-optimally operating component, such that the dealer receives data about the monitored components of the vehicle prior to the vehicle being brought to the dealer to enable preparation for the fixing or replacement of the non-optimally operating monitored component; and

upon receiving data from the diagnostic module at the dealer about the non-optimally operating monitored component, contacting the vehicle owner to schedule repair or maintenance of the vehicle to fix or replace the non-optimally operating component.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication system is a cellular telephone which enables voice communications.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

coupling a display to the diagnostic module; and

causing the display of messages to the driver to notify the driver of the status of the components as determined by the diagnostic module.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting the monitored components from a group consisting of the engine, transmission, tires, heating and cooling system and brakes.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the data derived from the data about the monitored components provided by the vehicle monitoring system is an indication of a potential failure of one of the monitored components of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising coupling the diagnostic module, the vehicle monitoring system and the communication system via a vehicle bus.

21. A method for information management and monitoring of a plurality of vehicles during operation of the vehicles on roads, comprising:

arranging a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors on each vehicle to monitor components of the vehicle;

arranging a diagnostic module on each vehicle;

directing data about the monitored components from the vehicle monitoring system to the diagnostic module for analysis and processing thereby;

deriving diagnostic data in the diagnostic module from the data about the monitored components provided by the sensors of the vehicle monitoring system to determine whether any of the monitored components on the vehicle are failing or have failed;

coupling a wireless communication system on each vehicle to the diagnostic module;

establishing wireless communications between the diagnostic module and a data gathering facility which accumulates information about the failure rate of the monitored components, during operation of the vehicles on the roads, to enable transmission of derived diagnostic data between the diagnostic module and the data gathering facility, including data about the expected or actual failure of any of the monitored components, such that the data gathering facility receives data about the monitored components of the vehicle; and

accumulating data from the vehicle at the data gathering facility to enable calculation of statistics about failure rate of the components.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the communication system is a cellular telephone which enables voice communications.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising selecting the monitored components from a group consisting of the engine, transmission, tires, heating and cooling system and brakes.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the data derived from the data about the monitored components provided by the vehicle monitoring system is an indication of a potential failure of one of the components of the vehicle.