Alerts issued upon component detection failure

• US 8,648,700 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Harry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US12/489,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20100321175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439, 340/539.24, 701/29.1
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0234 related to maintenance or repairing of vehicles
• 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

A system and method for alerting interested parties of component failure are provided. The system made up of a diagnostic tool for identifying a failed component, a reporting device for creating alerts, a routing device to ensure interested parties receive the proper alerts, and a memory to store information for associating parties with the alerts. Information is gathered to create an alert used to notify interested parties of instances of component failures. The alerts are routed to parties known to have an interest in the failure of the component. The system and method may provide information that allows for better planning and design of parts, greater availability to ensure a sufficient inventory of parts, more accurate diagnosis of issues, and more effective preventative maintenance.

Claims

1. A method for notifying an interested party of a component failure, comprising the steps of:

performing vehicle diagnostic procedures using a portable vehicle diagnostic tool;

identifying a failed vehicle component through vehicle diagnostics with the portable vehicle diagnostic tool;

creating an alert, in a reporting device of the portable vehicle diagnostic tool, by incorporating identity information and failure information for the failed vehicle component;

transferring the alert to a routing device of the portable vehicle diagnostic tool; and

sending the alert from the routing device of the portable vehicle diagnostic tool via electronic communication to the interested party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the alert further includes the step of incorporating vehicle identification information for a vehicle related to the failed vehicle component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the alert further includes the step of incorporating diagnostic test information related to the failed vehicle component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the alert further includes the step of incorporating symptom information related to the failed vehicle component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the failed vehicle component further includes the step of:

receiving a message indicating a failure and the failed vehicle component.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein creating the alert further includes the step of manually entering the identity information and the failure information into a reporting device, wherein the identity information includes at least the failed vehicle component, and the failure information includes at least the failure.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein creating the alert further includes the step of automatically entering the identity information and the failure information into a reporting device, wherein the identity information includes at least the failed vehicle component, and the failure information includes at least the failure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the alert further includes the step of identifying the interested party from a data structure stored on a memory, wherein the data structure contains information associating the interested party with the alert.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein sending the alert further includes the steps of receiving a request for the alert from the interested party to the routing device;

and

responding to the request by sending the alert from the routing device to the interested party which sent the request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the alert further includes the step of pushing the alert to the interested party.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving the alert from the routing device on a receiving device.

12. A system for notifying an interested party, comprising:

a portable vehicle diagnostic tool to identify a failed vehicle component and a related failure for the failed vehicle component;

a reporting device communicatively connected to and integrated in the portable vehicle diagnostic tool, to create an alert containing information about the failed vehicle component and the failure identified by the portable vehicle diagnostic tool and to send the alert;

a routing device communicatively connected to the reporting device and integrated in the portable vehicle diagnostic tool, to route the alert to the interested party;

a memory communicatively connected to the routing device to store information relating the interested party with information that may exist in the alert; and

a communication network communicatively connecting the portable vehicle diagnostic tool, the reporting device, and the routing device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the reporting device and the routing device are one unit.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the portable vehicle diagnostic tool, the reporting device, and the routing device are one unit.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a receiving device communicatively connected to the routing device via the communication network.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a server communicatively connected to the reporting device via the communication network.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a receiving device communicatively connected to the routing device via the communication network.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the information stored in the memory includes at least identification for the interested party and the interested party'"'"'s interests.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the alert further comprises vehicle identification information for a vehicle related to the failed vehicle component.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the alert further comprises diagnostic test information related to the failed vehicle component.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the alert further comprises symptom information related to the failed vehicle component.

22. A system for notifying an interested party, comprising:

means for identifying a failed vehicle component;

means for creating an alert by incorporating identity information and failure information for the failed vehicle component;

means for sending the alert via electronic communication to the interested party;

means for transferring the alert to the means for sending; and

a means for communicatively connecting the means for identifying, the means for creating, means for sending, and the means for transferring; and

a means for integrating the means for communicatively connecting, the means for identifying, the means for creating, means for sending, and the means for transferring.