Vehicle diagnostics

• US 9,520,006 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2015
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Sankovsky, Jenny, Hayes, Howard, Kraft, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Application Number:
  US14/836,514
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3844 equipped with means to indicate wear or usage of blade
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• 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: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

Computing systems for vehicle diagnostics are provided. In accordance with some aspects, a computing system may include a vehicle having a plurality of sensors for monitoring an operation of one or more vehicle systems. The system may also include a computing device configured to receive, from a vehicle (e.g., from the plurality of sensors monitoring the operation of one or more vehicle systems via a communication interface), at least one signal corresponding to a status of a vehicle component. The computing system may predict, based on the at least one signal, when an issue with the vehicle is likely to occur and may determine, based on the issue, a remedial action for addressing the issue and a timeframe for performing the remedial action. The computing system may store data identifying the issue, the remedial action, and the timeframe in a record associated with the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a vehicle comprising a plurality of sensors monitoring operation of one or more vehicle systems;

a computing device comprising;

a communication interface;

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the computing device to;

receive, from one or more sensors via the communication interface, at least one signal corresponding to a status of a vehicle component of one or more vehicle systems;

predict, based on the at least one signal, when an issue with the vehicle is likely to occur;

determine, based on the issue, a remedial action for addressing the issue and a timeframe for performing the remedial action; and

store, in a record associated with the vehicle, data identifying the issue, the remedial action, and the timeframe;

identify, based on vehicle insurance policy information, which of the one or more vehicle systems are subject to an upcoming vehicle inspection process, wherein the vehicle inspection process comprises a regulatory inspection process including a vehicle safety inspection and a vehicle emissions inspection;

analyze the at least one signal received from the one or more sensors associated with the one or more vehicle systems with respect to vehicle safety inspection criteria to determine whether one or more of the vehicle systems are likely to pass the vehicle safety inspection and whether one or more of the vehicle systems are likely to pass the vehicle emissions inspection; and

transmit, to a remote user interface device, an indication of which of the one or more vehicle systems are likely to pass different regulatory inspections and which of the one or more vehicle systems are likely to fail the different regulatory inspections.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an on board diagnostic (OBD) system of the vehicle, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to receive, via the communication interface and from the OBD system, a diagnostic code generated by the on-board diagnostic system of the vehicle, wherein the diagnostic code is used to predict the issue with the vehicle, determine the remedial action for addressing the issue and/or a timeframe for performing the remedial action.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

retrieve, from a memory location of the computing device, an identifier associated with the vehicle; and

identify, based on an identifier, an vehicle insurance policy associated with the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

generate a notification identifying the issue, the remedial action, and the timeframe;

identify, based on the vehicle insurance policy, a recipient associated with the vehicle; and

communicate, to the recipient, the notification.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a positioning system communicatively coupled to the computing device and associated with the vehicle, the positioning system for identifying a location near the current geographical location of the vehicle;

wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to;

communicate, via a remote user interface device associated with a user of the vehicle, a notification identifying the issue, the remedial action, and the timeframe, wherein the user of the vehicle is identified based on the vehicle insurance policy.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further comprise:

receiving, via the remote user interface device, a response from the user either accepting or declining the remedial action during the timeframe; and

communicating, via the communication interface, the response accepting the remedial action to a remote computing device associated with a service provider near the current geographical location of the vehicle, wherein the response accepting the remedial action includes a description of the issue, a request to provide the remedial action to the vehicle at a geographical location of the vehicle where the issue is predicted to occur, and billing information associated with the vehicle insurance policy.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the issue with the vehicle comprises at least one of an issue with a fluid level within the vehicle, a tire pressure issue, a windscreen issue and an electrical system issue.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of a door interlock sensor, a window position sensor, a fluid level sensor, a temperature sensor, a motion sensor, a current sensor, a camera, a microphone, and a voltage sensor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensed vehicle system comprises at least one of:

a locking system associated with at least one door of the vehicle and wherein the command received from the remote user interface causes the computing device to change the status of the locking system associated with the at least one door of the vehicle; and

a window movement system associated with at least one window of the vehicle, and wherein the command received from the remote user interface causes the computing device to change the status of the window system of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

receive, via the communication interface, vehicle insurance policy information associated with the vehicle based on a vehicle identifier stored in a memory device of the computing device;

request information from the one or more sensors and an onboard diagnostic (OBD) system of the vehicle, the information corresponding to a status of the one or more vehicle systems that are subject to the upcoming vehicle inspection process;

retrieve, via the communication interface from a remote computing system based on which of the one or more vehicle systems are identified to be subject to the inspection process, criteria that when met show that the one or more vehicle systems are likely to pass the vehicle inspection.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

determine whether the remedial action corresponds to a vehicle system subject to the vehicle inspection process; and

if so, identify, based on a storage address of the vehicle indicated by the vehicle insurance policy, one or more service locations equipped to perform the remedial action; and

transmit, to a person responsible for vehicle registration via the communication interface, a notification identifying which of the one or more vehicle systems are likely to fail the vehicle inspection process and the one or more service locations.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

determine, based on the vehicle insurance policy information, a timeframe in which the remedial action is to be performed before the vehicle inspection process is to be performed

generate a scheduling request to schedule an appointment to perform the remedial action at a repair facility near a geographical location of the vehicle; and

communicate, via the communication interface to the remote user interface device, whether the scheduling request was accepted at the repair facility.

13. The system of claim 1, comprising

a remote user interface device communicatively coupled to the computing device via a wireless interface and comprising a display, wherein the user interface processes instructions that cause the user interface to:

display a representation of the vehicle as a user interface screen that includes a plurality of system status indicators, wherein a first status indicator of the plurality of system status indicators displays the status of the vehicle component received from the computing device at the vehicle;

receive, via the user interface screen, a user command received in response to an indication of the status of the vehicle component displayed by the first status indicator; and

send, via the wireless interface, the command to the computing device to initiate an action by a vehicle system to effect a change in status of the vehicle component.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote user interface processes computer executable instructions that cause the remote user interface to receive an input from the user requesting a status of one or more systems of the vehicle that are monitored by the one or more sensors and send a status request to the computing device in response to the input;

and

wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to;

analyze, in response to a status request received from the remote user interface, the at least one signal from the one or more sensors to determine a status of a sensed vehicle system;

communicate, via the communication interface to the remote user interface, the determined status of the sensed vehicle system; and

receive, via the communication interface from the remote user interface, a command to effect a change to the status of the sensed vehicle system.

15. A vehicle system management device comprising:

a first communication interface communicatively coupled to a remote computing system via a wireless communication network;

a second communication interface communicatively coupled to at least one vehicle monitoring device configured to monitor an operation of at least one vehicle system;

an analysis engine for determining a status of the at least one vehicle system, the analysis engine comprising;

a processor; and

a memory device communicatively coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the analysis engine to;

receive status information corresponding to an operation of a component of the at least one vehicle system;

analyze the status information to determine a current status of the at least one vehicle system;

predict, based on an analysis of the status information, future status information corresponding to the at least one vehicle system;

transmit, via the first communication network, the future status information corresponding to the at least one vehicle system to a user interface device;

identify, based on vehicle insurance policy information, which vehicle system is subject to an upcoming vehicle inspection process, wherein the vehicle inspection process comprises a regulatory inspection process including a vehicle safety inspection and a vehicle emissions inspection;

determine, based on the future status information, whether one or more of the vehicle systems are likely to pass the vehicle safety inspection and whether one or more of the vehicle systems are likely to pass the vehicle emissions inspection;

display, on the user interface device, status information corresponding to a plurality of vehicle systems including a status of one or more door locks, a window position of one or more windows of the vehicle, a tire pressure of a tire pressure sensing system, and a fluid level of one or more vehicle fluid systems;

display, on the user interface device, an indication of which of the one or more vehicle systems are likely to pass different regulatory inspections and which of the one or more vehicle systems are likely to fail the different regulatory inspections; and

communicate, to the second communication system, a user command received via the user interface device, wherein the user command is to effect a change in status of one of the plurality of vehicle systems.

16. The vehicle system management device of claim 15, wherein the vehicle management device comprises a mobile computing device including the user interface device.

17. The vehicle system management device of claim 15, wherein the first communication interface comprises a transceiver for communicating over a wide area network and the second communication interface comprises a transceiver for communicating over a local area network.

18. The vehicle system management device of claim 17, wherein the first communication interface comprises at least one of a cellular communication network, and a WiFi network and the second communication interface comprises one of a wired communication network or a local wireless communication network.

19. The vehicle system management device of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the vehicle management system to:

receive, via the first communication interface from the remote computing system, vehicle insurance information corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle insurance information identifies a state in which the vehicle is registered and information corresponding to when one or more vehicle systems are to be inspected;

analyze, by the analysis engine based on the inspection information, the status information corresponding to an operation of a component of the at least one vehicle system, wherein the status information includes information received via the second communication interface from an onboard diagnostic (OBD) system and one or more sensor readings from one or more sensors additional to the OBD system;

predict, by the analysis engine, whether at least one component of one or more vehicle systems is likely to fail an inspection;

in response to a predicted failure indication, determine a remedial action to resolve the predicted failure of the at least one component; and

communicate, to the remote computing device via the first communication interface, a request for the remedial action to be performed at a repair facility near the geographical location of the vehicle.

20. A vehicle management system comprising:

a vehicle comprising;

an onboard diagnostic (OBD) system; and

a plurality of sensors additional to the OBD system configured to monitor a plurality of vehicle systems; and

a computing device communicatively coupled to the OBD system, comprising

a first communication interface communicatively coupled to the OBD system and the plurality of sensors, wherein the computing device receiving vehicle system status information from the OBD system and the plurality of sensors wherein the system status information comprises at least one of;

a diagnostic message received from the OBD system corresponding to at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems; and

a signal from the plurality of sensors corresponding to a state of at least one system of the plurality of vehicle systems; and

a second communication interface communicatively coupled to a mobile device associated with a user of the vehicle, the second computing device;

the mobile device communicatively coupled to the computing device via the second communication interface, the mobile device comprising;

a user interface device; and

an analysis engine communicatively coupled to the user interface device, the analysis engine comprising a processor and a memory device storing instructions that cause the analysis engine to;

identify vehicle information based on vehicle insurance information received from a remote computing system;

analyze the vehicle system status information based, at least in part, on the vehicle insurance information to predict whether a remedial action is to be used to correct a future system status, wherein the vehicle insurance information includes information identifying which vehicle system is subject to an upcoming vehicle inspection process, wherein the vehicle inspection process comprises a regulatory inspection process including a vehicle safety inspection and a vehicle emissions inspection;

present, via the user interface device, the vehicle system status information and a predicted remedial action to the user; and

receive, via the user interface device, a user input specifying whether to proceed with the predicted remedial action;

wherein the user interface device displays a user interface screen comprising status information corresponding to a plurality of vehicle systems including a status of one or more door locks, a window position of one or more windows of the vehicle, a tire pressure of a tire pressure sensing system, and a fluid level of one or more vehicle fluid systems and is configured to communicate a user command to effect a change in status of one of the plurality of vehicle systems that is received via the user interface device.