Internet-based vehicle-diagnostic system

• US 7,532,962 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HT IIP LLC
• Inventors: Banet, Matthew J., Williams, Wade, Borrego, Diego, Lowrey, Larkin Hill, Lightner, Bruce, Myers, Chuck
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US11/948,489
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/34, 701/35, 701/30, 701/31, 701/32, 701/33, 340/439, 340/438, 370/313
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/04 Testing internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

The invention provides a system for monitoring a vehicle that includes a wireless appliance in electrical contact with an in-vehicle computer. The wireless appliance features: 1) a data-collection component that supports communication software that collects diagnostic data from the computer; and 2) a data-transmission component, in electrical communication with the data-collection electronics, configured to transmit an outgoing data packet comprising the diagnostic data over a network and receive over the same network an incoming data packet that modifies the communication software. The wireless appliance communicates with a host computer system that is configured to: 1) receive the outgoing data packet from the network; 2) process the outgoing data packet to generate a set of vehicle diagnostic data; 3) host a web site on the Internet that displays the vehicle diagnostic data; and 4) send out the incoming data packet over the same network to modify the communication software.

Claims

1. A system for interfacing with an on-board diagnostic computer in a vehicle, wherein the on-board diagnostic computer is configured to monitor a set of operational characteristics of the vehicle, the system comprising:

a wireless appliance in the vehicle configured to communicate with the vehicle'"'"'s on-board diagnostic computer, said wireless appliance comprising (i) a wireless communication component and (ii) a data-collection component,

said wireless communication component configured to wirelessly receive from a base station a software component configured to identify a subset of the set of operational characteristics that are monitored by the on-board diagnostic computer, a user specified first schedule, and a user specified second schedule,

said data-collection component configured to process the received software component and to automatically, repeatedly collect from the vehicle'"'"'s on-board diagnostic computer data for the subset of operational characteristics identified in the received software component according to said user specified first schedule,

said wireless communication component being further configured to automatically, repeatedly, and wirelessly transmit to a base station said collected data according to said user specified second schedule,

wherein the software component includes a field configured to describe said user specified first schedule,

wherein the software component includes a second field configured to describe said user specified second schedule,

wherein the operational characteristics include at least one of the following;

diagnostic trouble codes, vehicle speed, fuel level, fuel pressure, miles per gallon, engine RPM, mileage, oil pressure, oil temperature, tire pressure, tire temperature, engine coolant temperature, intake-manifold pressure, engine-performance tuning parameters, alarm status, accelerometer status, cruise-control status, fuel-injector performance, spark-plug timing, or a status of an anti-lock braking system,

wherein the wireless appliance is configured to send an outgoing data packet that indicates a vehicle'"'"'s location,

wherein the data-collection component is configured to automatically, repeatedly collect said data from the vehicle'"'"'s on-board diagnostic computer at times determined by said user specified first schedule specified in the software component, and

wherein the wireless communication component is configured to automatically, repeatedly, and wirelessly transmit to a base station the collected data at times determined by said user specified second schedule specified in the software component.

2. A system for interfacing with an on-board diagnostic computer in a vehicle, wherein the on-board diagnostic computer is configured to monitor a set of operational characteristics of the vehicle, the system comprising:

a wireless appliance in the vehicle configured to communicate with the vehicle'"'"'s on-board diagnostic computer, said wireless appliance comprising (i) a wireless communication component and (ii) a data-collection component,

said wireless communication component configured to wirelessly receive from a base station a software component configured to identify a subset of the set of operational characteristics that are monitored by the on-board diagnostic computer, a user specified first schedule, and a user specified second schedule,

said data-collection component configured to process the received software component and to automatically, repeatedly collect from the vehicle'"'"'s on-board diagnostic computer data for the subset of operational characteristics identified in the received software component according to said user specified first schedule, and

said wireless communication component being further configured to automatically, repeatedly, and wirelessly transmit to a base station said collected data according to said user specified second schedule,

wherein the software component includes a field configured to describe said user specified first schedule,

wherein the software component includes a field configured to describe said user specified second schedule.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the software component is configured to identify an address of an operational characteristic for which data is to be collected from the vehicle'"'"'s on-board diagnostic computer.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the software component comprises an address that describes a location of a diagnostic datum in a computer memory in the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the software component is an ASCII or binary data file.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the operational characteristics include at least one of the following:

diagnostic trouble codes, vehicle speed, fuel level, fuel pressure, miles per gallon, engine RPM, mileage, oil pressure, oil temperature, tire pressure, tire temperature, engine coolant temperature, intake-manifold pressure, engine-performance tuning parameters, alarm status, accelerometer status, cruise-control status, fuel-injector performance, spark-plug timing, or a status of an anti-lock braking system.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless appliance is configured to send an outgoing data packet that indicates a vehicle'"'"'s location.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle is selected from a group comprising an automobile, truck, wheeled commercial equipment, heavy truck, power sport vehicle, collision repair vehicle, marine vehicle, and recreational vehicle.