Network car analyzer

• US 7,212,893 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Doherty, James M, Adams, Thomas Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US11/160,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20050228560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 701/24, 701/25, 701/29, 701/30, 701/33, 701/34, 701/35, 731/16, 731/172, 705/1, 705/16
• 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

An automobile'"'"'s maintenance port is wirelessly connected (for example, via an IEEE 802.11-based connection) to a plurality of gateways/routers that forward automobile diagnostic data (such as a series of diagnostic codes) to a server. Each gateway interfaces with two networks—a first wireless network for wireless communications with an automobile and a second network to communicate with the server. The server implements computer readable program code that aids in receiving forwarded automobile diagnostic data and analyzing the data to identify malfunctions. The server sends the analyzed data or a report based on the analyzed data to a subscriber-defined location (e.g., a PC with access to the Internet). Alternatively, the server can render an indication in the automobile to inform a user that the generated report is ready for electronic retrieval.

Claims

1. A plurality of gateways dispersed at predetermined physical locations offering one or more subscribers network based automobile diagnostic services, each gateway comprising:

a. a first interface in communication with a first wireless network, said first interface capable of establishing a wireless communication link over said first wireless network with at least one automobile diagnostic port to wirelessly receive automobile diagnostic data, said automobile diagnostic data comprising a set of automobile diagnostic codes in conformity with a diagnostic standard; and

b. a second interface in communication with a second network, said second interface capable of forwarding said received automobile diagnostic data over said second network to a server,

wherein said server receives and analyzes said forwarded automobile diagnostic data and provides feedback regarding conditions that require immediate attention.

2. A plurality of gateways dispersed at predetermined physical locations offering one or more subscribers network based automobile diagnostic services, as per claim 1, wherein said diagnostic standard is the open basic diagnostic 2 (OBD2) standard.

3. A plurality of gateways dispersed at predetermined physical locations offering one or more subscribers network based automobile diagnostic services, as per claim 1, wherein said wireless network implements communications based on the IEEE 802.11b protocol.

4. A plurality of gateways dispersed at predetermined physical locations offering one or more subscribers network based automobile diagnostic services, as per claim 1, wherein said second network is any of the following:

local area network, wide area network, or the Internet.

5. A plurality of gateways dispersed at predetermined physical locations offering one or more subscribers network based automobile diagnostic services, each gateway comprising a plurality of interfaces, each interface capable of receiving and transmitting data via a specific protocol, said plurality of interfaces comprising at least:

a. a first interface capable of communicating with a first wireless network via the IEEE 802.11-based protocol, said first interface capable of establishing a wireless communication link over said first wireless network with at least one automobile diagnostic port to wirelessly receive automobile diagnostic data, said automobile diagnostic data comprising a set of automobile diagnostic codes in conformity with a diagnostic standard; and

b. a second interface in communication with a second network via the TCP/IP protocol, said second interface capable of forwarding said received automobile diagnostic data over said second network,

wherein said server receives and analyzes said forwarded automobile diagnostic data and provides feedback regarding conditions that require immediate attention.

6. A plurality of gateways dispersed at predetermined physical locations offering one or more subscribers network based automobile diagnostic services, as per claim 5, wherein said diagnostic standard is the open basic diagnostic 2 (OBD2) standard.

7. A plurality of gateways dispersed at predetermined physical locations offering one or more subscribers network based automobile diagnostic services, as per claim 5, wherein said wireless network implements communications based on the IEEE 802.11b protocol.

8. A plurality of gateways dispersed at predetermined physical locations offering one or more subscribers network based automobile diagnostic services, as per claim 5, wherein said second network is any of the following:

local area network, wide area network, or the Internet.

9. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein which to retrieve and forward automobile diagnostic data via a plurality of gateways dispersed at predetermined physical locations, said medium comprising:

a. computer readable program code aiding in establishing a wireless communication link with at least one automobile diagnostic port;

b. computer readable program code aiding in wirelessly receiving automobile diagnostic data from said automobile diagnostic port, said automobile diagnostic data comprising a set of automobile diagnostic codes in conformity with a diagnostic standard; and

computer readable program code aiding in forwarding said wirelessly received automobile diagnostic data to a server over a network, said server analyzing said forwarded automobile diagnostic data and providing feedback regarding conditions that require immediate attention.

10. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein to analyze automobile diagnostic data, said medium comprising:

a. computer readable program code aiding in receiving, over a network, automobile diagnostic data from a gateway located at a predefined location, said gateway wirelessly receiving said automobile diagnostic data from an automobile;

b. computer readable program code analyzing said received automobile diagnostic data and identifying indications of malfunction; and

c. computer readable program code aiding in forwarding said identified indications of malfunction to one or more subscriber-defined locations,

wherein said identified indications of malfunction are utilized at said one or more subscriber-defined locations in the diagnosis of automobile related mal-functions.

11. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein to implement a plurality of interfaces to receive and transmit data via specific protocols, said medium comprising at least:

a. computer readable program code implementing a first interface to aid in communications with a first wireless network via the IEEE 802.11-based protocol, said first interface aiding in establishing a wireless communication link over said first wireless network with at least one automobile diagnostic port to wirelessly receive automobile diagnostic data, said automobile diagnostic data comprising a set of automobile diagnostic codes in conformity with the open basic diagnostic 2 (OBD2) standard; and

b. computer readable program code implementing a second interface to aid in communications with a second network via the TCP/IP protocol, said second interface capable of forwarding said received automobile diagnostic data over said second network,

wherein said server receives and analyzes said forwarded automobile diagnostic data and provides feedback regarding conditions that require immediate attention.

12. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein to analyze automobile diagnostic data, said medium comprising:

a. computer readable program code aiding in receiving, over a network, automobile diagnostic data from a gateway located at a predefined location, said gateway wirelessly receiving said vehicle diagnostic data from an automobile;

b. computer readable program code analyzing said received automobile diagnostic data and identifying indications of malfunction; and

c. computer readable program code generating a report with said identified indications of malfunction;

d. computer readable program code aiding in forwarding said identified indications of malfunction to a computer-based device with access to the Internet;

wherein said computer-based device accesses said report over the Internet to provide diagnosis of automobile related malfunctions.

13. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein to analyze automobile diagnostic data, said medium comprising:

a. computer readable program code aiding in receiving, over a network, automobile diagnostic data from a gateway located at a predefined location, said gateway wirelessly receiving said vehicle diagnostic data from an automobile;

b. computer readable program code analyzing said received automobile diagnostic data and identifying indications of malfunction; and

c. computer readable program code generating a report with said identified indications of malfunction;

rendering an indication in said automobile informing a user of said automobile that said report is ready for electronic retrieval.

14. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein to analyze automobile diagnostic data, as per claim 13, wherein said electronic retrieval is over the Internet.

15. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein to analyze automobile diagnostic data, as per claim 13, wherein said indication is an audio message.

16. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein to analyze automobile diagnostic data, as per claim 13, wherein said indication is a visual indicator.