Method and system of managing service reminders and scheduling service appointments using mileage estimates and recommended recall bulletins

• US 7,636,623 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CDK Global Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Cobalt Group Incorporated (Automatic Data Processing Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kelly, John, Supra, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US10/860,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,029 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 707/200, 340/825, 340/457.4, 340/457, 701 29- 30, 701/124, 731/145.5
• US Class Current: 701/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for sending recall bulletins and mileage based service reminders. The mileage of the vehicle can be estimated based on the age of the vehicle, or it can be based on the last known mileage of the vehicle and estimating the additional mileage using average vehicle mileage statistics. The mileage of the vehicle may be estimated based on actual vehicle history, and may be adjusted based on the characteristics of the vehicle, the driver, or the geographic location of the vehicle. Service reminders sent to a recipient include a link to a scheduling server. A service bulletin update server queries a service bulleting server for government mandated recalls and manufacturer recommended serve bulletins. The reminder server screens the updated recall and serve bulletins against the vehicles in the system and sends service reminders to the owners or drivers of matching vehicles.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a service reminder for a vehicle, comprising:

a computer retrieving information on a particular vehicle from a database, wherein the computer is configured to retrieve information from the database;

the computer calculating an average mileage per time period factor using the retrieved information, wherein the computer is configured to calculate the average mileage per time period factor using information retrieved on the particular vehicle;

the computer estimating a current mileage of a particular vehicle using the average mileage per time period factor;

the computer updating a list of recommended services by querying a database containing at least one of vehicle recall bulletins or vehicle recommended service bulletins;

the computer comparing the estimated current mileage of the particular vehicle to a mileage window of each recommended service in the list of recommended services;

if the estimated current mileage matches a mileage window for a recommended service, the computer generating a service reminder; and

the computer including a promotion in said service reminder.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer sending the service reminder as an e-mail message to a recipient responsible for the care of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recall bulletins are government mandated vehicle recall bulletins.

4. A computer-implemented method of generating a service reminder for a vehicle, comprising:

a computer retrieving information on a particular vehicle from a database, wherein the computer is configured to retrieve information from the database;

the computer calculating an average mileage per time period factor using the retrieved information, wherein the computer is configured to calculate the average mileage per time period factor using information retrieved on the particular vehicle;

the computer estimating a current mileage of the particular vehicle using a last known mileage of the vehicle, wherein the days elapsed since a recording of the last known mileage of the vehicle is multiplied by the average mileage per time period factor to estimate the vehicle'"'"'s current mileage;

the computer updating a list of recommended services by querying a database containing vehicle recall bulletins and vehicle recommended service bulletins;

the computer comparing the current mileage estimate to the list of recommended services; and

if the estimated current mileage matches a mileage window for a recommended service, the computer generating a service reminder.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising sending the service reminder as an e-mail message to a recipient responsible for the care of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the recall bulletins are government mandated vehicle recall bulletins.

7. A computer-implemented method of generating a service reminder for a vehicle, comprising:

a computer retrieving information on a particular vehicle from a database, wherein the computer is configured to retrieve information from the database;

the computer calculating an average mileage per time period factor using the retrieved information, wherein the computer is configured to calculate the average mileage per time period factor using information retrieved on the particular vehicle;

the computer determining from the retrieved information a process of estimating the vehicle'"'"'s mileage, then;

(i) if the determination indicates the vehicle age should be used, the computer estimating a current mileage of the particular vehicle using the age of the vehicle, wherein the age of the vehicle is multiplied by the average mileage per time period factor to estimate the vehicle'"'"'s current mileage;

(ii) if the determination indicates the vehicle'"'"'s last known mileage should be used, the computer estimating the current mileage of the particular vehicle using the last known mileage of the vehicle, wherein the number of days elapsed since a recording of the last known mileage of the vehicle is multiplied by the average daily mileage per time period factor to estimate the vehicle'"'"'s current mileage;

the computer updating a list of recommended services by querying a database containing vehicle recall bulletins and vehicle recommended service bulletins;

the computer comparing the current mileage estimate to the list of recommended services, and

if the estimated current mileage matches a mileage window for a service reminder, the computer generating a service reminder.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of sending the service reminder as an e-mail message to a recipient responsible for the care of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the recall bulletins are government mandated vehicle recall bulletins.