Internet-based system for monitoring vehicles

• US 7,747,365 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Htiip LLC
• Inventors: Banet, Matthew J., Borrego, Diego, Lowrey, Larkin Hill, Lightner, Bruce, Myers, Chuck
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/614,665
• Time in Patent Office: 2,549 Days
• Field of Search: 701 29- 31, 701/32, 701/33, 701/35, 701/3, 701/2, 340989-993, 340/439
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0818 having means for pressurising the evaporative emission space
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0827 by monitoring engine running conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

The invention provides a method for monitoring a vehicle that features the steps of: 1) generating a data packet including vehicle data retrieved from the vehicle using a wireless appliance; 2) transmitting the data packet over an airlink with the wireless appliance so that the data packet passes through a network and to a host computer system; 3) processing the data packet with the host computer system to generate a set of data; and 4) displaying the set of data on a web page hosted on the internet.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a vehicle, comprising:

(a) wirelessly receiving data, by a computer system and from a vehicle, the data comprising numerical diagnostic or location-based data associated with the vehicle;

(b) processing the data with the computer system according to a mathematical algorithm to generate diagnostic or location information that is at least in part derived from the received data, and wherein the derived information has a meaning distinct from the received data;

(c) displaying the derived diagnostic or location information on at least one website, the website having a web interface for presenting information associated with the vehicle, wherein the interface includes at least one of an icon and a data field associated with derived information indicative of emissions performance of the vehicle; and

(d) transmitting an electronic communication including information associated with the derived diagnostic or location information,

wherein the vehicle is selected from a group consisting of an automobile, truck, wheeled commercial equipment, heavy truck, power sport vehicle, collision repair vehicle, marine vehicle, and recreational vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data contains information representative of one or more vehicle parameters and wherein the processing further includes processing at least one of the vehicle parameters with a database application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the processing further includes extracting information representative of at least one of the following vehicle parameters from the received data:

numerical data, an alphanumeric text message, an active or pending diagnostic trouble code, and a vehicle identification number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication describes an active or pending diagnostic trouble code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication comprises a 5, 6, or 7 digit code that describes the active or pending diagnostic trouble code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the numerical diagnostic data associated with the vehicle comprises at least one of numerical data generated by a sensor in the vehicle, and numerical data generated by a computer within the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the numerical diagnostic data includes at least one of the following numerical parameters:

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, and a status of an anti-lock braking system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the processing further comprises processing at least one numerical parameter from the numerical data with a mathematical algorithm.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the processing further comprises comparing at least one numerical parameter with at least one numerical parameter generated at an earlier point in time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the displaying further comprises displaying at least one numerical parameter and at least one numerical parameter generated at an earlier point in time.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the processing further comprises comparing at least one numerical parameter with at least one predetermined numerical value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the displaying further comprises displaying at least one numerical parameter and at least one predetermined numerical value.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one predetermined numerical value comprises a mileage value.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises an alert.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the alert is associated with a problem in the vehicle or a predetermined maintenance event for the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is at a location remote from the computer system.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating software of the at least one website.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the website includes at least username and password input fields.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication describes the vehicle'"'"'s location.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the icon or data field are displayed in a predetermined color to indicate whether an output of the algorithm satisfies emission criteria that the vehicle'"'"'s emission equipment is not malfunctioning and that a user of the vehicle has driven in a manner that reduces emission.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising the website having a login web page, wherein entering a login associated with a first group of users causes the website to display a first web interface dedicated to presenting information associated with a single vehicle, and wherein entering a login associated with one of a second group of users causes the website to display a second web interface presenting information associated with a group of vehicles including the single vehicle.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second web interface is an interface for at least one organization selected from a group consisting of a dealership, a service entity, an insurance entity, a performance monitoring entity, and a survey entity.

23. A method for monitoring a set of vehicles, comprising:

(a) wirelessly receiving, by a computer system and from a first vehicle and a second vehicle among a set of vehicles, first and second data packets comprising numerical diagnostic or location-based data associated respectively with the first and second vehicles;

(b) processing the respective data packets with the computer system according to a mathematical algorithm to generate, for each of the first and second vehicles, diagnostic or location information that is at least in part derived from the received data packets, and wherein the derived information has a meaning distinct from the received data packets;

(c) upon entry of a login associated with a first user, displaying the derived diagnostic or location information for the first vehicle only on a first web interface of a website, wherein the first interface includes at least one of an icon and data field associated with derived information indicative of emissions performance of the first vehicle;

(d) upon entry of a login associated with a second user, displaying the derived diagnostic or location information for the first and second vehicles on a second web interface of the website, wherein the second interface includes at least one of an icon and a data field associated with derived information indicative of the emissions performance of, and corresponding to, each vehicle, the second web interface being different from the first web interface; and

(e) transmitting an electronic communication including information associated with the derived diagnostic or location information,

wherein the first web interface is a customer interface directly accessible by a customer,

wherein the second web interface is an interface for at least one organization selected from a group consisting of a dealership, a service entity, an insurance entity, a performance monitoring entity, and a survey entity, and

wherein the vehicles are selected from a group consisting of an automobile, truck, wheeled commercial equipment, heavy truck, power sport vehicle, collision repair vehicle, marine vehicle, and recreational vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the processing further includes extracting at least one of the following vehicle parameters from the first and second data packets:

numerical data, an alphanumeric text message, an active or pending diagnostic trouble code, a vehicle identification number.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the processing further includes processing at least one of the vehicle parameters with a database application.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the website comprises a login web page including username and password input fields.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the icons and data fields are displayed in a predetermined color to indicate whether an output of the algorithm corresponding to a given vehicle satisfies emission criteria that the vehicle'"'"'s emission equipment is not malfunctioning and that a user of the corresponding vehicle has driven in a manner that reduces emission.

28. A method for monitoring a vehicle, comprising:

(a) wirelessly receiving, by a computer system and from a vehicle, data descriptive of the vehicle'"'"'s location;

(b) processing the received data with the computer system according to a mathematical algorithm to generate location information that is at least in part derived from the received data, and wherein the derived information has a meaning distinct from the received data; and

(c) displaying the generated location information on a website, the website implementing a first web interface having a first login and dedicated to presenting information about a single vehicle, and a second web interface having a second login and presenting information about a group of vehicles including the vehicle, wherein at least one of an icon and a data field of the first web interface and at least one of an icon and a data field of the second web interface are associated with derived information indicative of, respectively, the single vehicle'"'"'s or the group of vehicles'"'"' emissions performance,

wherein the first web interface is a customer interface directly accessible by a customer,

wherein the second web interface is an interface for at least one organization selected from a group consisting of a dealership, a service entity, an insurance entity, a performance monitoring entity, and a survey entity, and

wherein the vehicle is selected from a group consisting of an automobile, truck, wheeled commercial equipment, heavy truck, power sport vehicle, collision repair vehicle, marine vehicle, and recreational vehicle.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the icons and data fields indicate that the vehicle'"'"'s, or the vehicles'"'"', emission equipment is not malfunctioning and that a user, or users, of the corresponding vehicle, or vehicles, have driven in a manner that reduces emission.

30. A programmed apparatus, programmed to execute a method comprising:

(a) wirelessly receiving data, by a computer system and from a vehicle, the data comprising numerical diagnostic or location-based data associated with the vehicle;

(b) processing the data with the computer system according to a mathematical algorithm to generate diagnostic or location information that is at least in part derived from the received data, and wherein the derived information has a meaning distinct from the received data;

(c) displaying the derived diagnostic or location information on at least one website, the website having a web interface for presenting information associated with the vehicle, wherein the interface includes at least one of an icon and data field associated with derived information indicative of emissions performance of the vehicle; and

(d) transmitting an electronic communication including information associated with the derived diagnostic or location information, and

wherein the vehicle is selected from a group consisting of an automobile, truck, wheeled commercial equipment, heavy truck, power sport vehicle, collision repair vehicle, marine vehicle, and recreational vehicle.

31. The programmed apparatus of claim 30, wherein the received data contains one or more vehicle parameters and wherein the processing further includes processing at least one of the vehicle parameters with a database application.

32. The programmed apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processing further includes extracting at least one of the following vehicle parameters from the received data:

numerical data, an alphanumeric text message, an active or pending diagnostic trouble code, and a vehicle identification number.

33. The programmed apparatus of claim 30, wherein the communication describes an active or pending diagnostic trouble code.

34. The programmed apparatus of claim 33, wherein the communication comprises a 5, 6, or 7 digit code that describes the active or pending diagnostic trouble code.

35. The programmed apparatus of claim 30, wherein the numerical diagnostic data associated with the vehicle comprises at least one of numerical data generated by a sensor in the vehicle, and numerical data generated by a computer within the vehicle.

36. The programmed apparatus of claim 35, wherein the numerical diagnostic data includes at least one of the following numerical parameters:

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, and a status of an anti-lock braking system.

37. The programmed apparatus of claim 36, wherein the processing further comprises processing at least one numerical parameter from the numerical data with a mathematical algorithm.

38. The programmed apparatus of claim 37, wherein the processing further comprises comparing at least one numerical parameter with at least one numerical parameter generated at an earlier point in time.

39. The programmed apparatus of claim 38, wherein the displaying further comprises displaying at least one numerical parameter and at least one numerical parameter generated at an earlier point in time.

40. The programmed apparatus of claim 37, wherein the processing further comprises comparing at least one numerical parameter with at least one predetermined numerical value.

41. The programmed apparatus of claim 40, wherein the at least one predetermined numerical value comprises a mileage value.

42. The programmed apparatus of claim 30, wherein the communication comprises an alert.

43. The programmed apparatus of claim 42, wherein the alert is associated with a problem in the vehicle or a predetermined maintenance event for the vehicle.

44. The programmed apparatus of claim 30, wherein the vehicle is at a location remote from the computer system.

45. The programmed apparatus of claim 30, wherein the website comprises at least username and password input fields.

46. The programmed apparatus of claim 30, wherein the communication describes the vehicle'"'"'s location.

47. The programmed apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one of an icon or data field are displayed in a predetermined color to indicate whether the algorithm'"'"'s output satisfies emission criteria that the vehicle'"'"'s emission equipment is not malfunctioning and that a user of the vehicle has driven in a manner that reduces emission.

48. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising the website having a login web page, wherein entering a login associated with a first group of users causes the website to display a first web interface dedicated to presenting information associated with a single vehicle, and wherein entering a login associated with one of a second group of users causes the website to display a second web interface presenting information associated with a group of vehicles including the single vehicle.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the second group of users comprises at least one organization selected from a group consisting of a dealership, a service entity, an insurance entity, a performance monitoring entity, and a survey entity.

50. A machine-readable medium encoded with a plurality of processor-executable instructions for:

(a) wirelessly receiving data, by a computer system and from a vehicle, the data comprising numerical diagnostic or location-based data associated with the vehicle;

(b) processing the data with the computer system according to a mathematical algorithm to generate diagnostic or location information that is at least in part derived from the received data, and wherein the derived information has a meaning distinct from the received data;

(c) displaying the derived diagnostic or location information on at least one website, the website having a web interface for presenting information associated with the vehicle, wherein the interface includes at least one of an icon and data field associated with derived information indicative of the vehicle'"'"'s emissions performance of the vehicle; and

(d) transmitting an electronic communication including information associated with the derived diagnostic or location information, and

wherein the vehicle is selected from a group consisting of an automobile, truck, wheeled commercial equipment, heavy truck, power sport vehicle, collision repair vehicle, marine vehicle, and recreational vehicle.

51. The machine-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the received data contains one or more vehicle parameters and wherein the processing further includes extracting at least one of the following vehicle parameters from the received data:

numerical data, an alphanumeric text message, an active or pending diagnostic trouble code, and a vehicle identification number.

52. The machine-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the communication describes an active or pending diagnostic trouble code.

53. The machine-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the numerical diagnostic data associated with the vehicle comprises at least one of numerical data generated by a sensor in the vehicle, and numerical data generated by a computer within the vehicle.

54. The machine-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the numerical diagnostic data includes at least one of the following numerical parameters:

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, and a status of an anti-lock braking system.

55. The machine-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the processing further comprises processing at least one numerical parameter from the numerical data with a mathematical algorithm.

56. The machine-readable medium of claim 55, wherein the processing further comprises comparing at least one numerical parameter with at least one numerical parameter generated at an earlier point in time.

57. The machine-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the communication comprises an alert.

58. The machine-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the at least one of the icon or data field are displayed in a predetermined color to indicate whether the algorithm'"'"'s output satisfies emission criteria that the vehicle'"'"'s emission equipment is not malfunctioning and that a user of the vehicle has driven in a manner that reduces emission.

59. A graphical user interface for displaying processed information for a set of vehicles, comprising:

a viewing device displaying a graphical user interface including;

(a) a first interface displaying information associated with a set of vehicles and viewable by at least one organization; and

(b) a second interface displaying information associated with a single vehicle among the set of vehicles;

wherein the information displayed by the first interface and the second interface is includes diagnostic or location information, at least in part derived from data wirelessly received by a computer system from one or more vehicles and processed according to a mathematical algorithm, and wherein the derived information has a meaning distinct from the received data,

wherein the first interface is an interface that includes at least one of an icon and data field associated with derived information indicative of emissions performance of the set of vehicle for the at least one organization selected from a group consisting of a dealership, a service entity, an insurance entity, a performance monitoring entity, and a survey entity, and

wherein the set of vehicles is selected from a group consisting of an automobile, truck, wheeled commercial equipment, heavy truck, power sport vehicle, collision repair vehicle, marine vehicle, and recreational vehicle.

60. The graphical user interface of claim 59, wherein the displayed graphical user interface further comprises at least username and password input fields.

61. The graphical user interface of claim 59, wherein the information displayed by the first interface and the second interface comprises historical status information.

62. The graphical user interface of claim 59, wherein the displayed graphical user interface includes a web browser.

63. The graphical user interface of claim 59, wherein the displayed graphical user interface is formatted using at least one wireless access protocol (WAP).

64. The graphical user interface of claim 59, wherein the viewing device is one of a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a computer.

65. The graphical user interface of claim 59, wherein the at least one of the icon or data field are displayed in a predetermined color to indicate whether the algorithm'"'"'s output satisfies emission criteria that the vehicle'"'"'s emission equipment is not malfunctioning and that a user of the vehicle has driven in a manner that reduces emission.