Mobile device based vehicle diagnostic system

• US 9,824,507 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Chen, Ieon C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PECHE, JORGE O
• Application Number:
  US14/509,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20150032607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 24, 701 291, 701 294, 701 297, 455419, 455423, 455424, 4554122, 4554142
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G16C 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A vehicular diagnostic communications system, and components thereof, are provided for an apparatus and technique for communicating vehicular diagnostic information over a cellphone network. The system includes a code reader having a vehicle diagnostic port connector for receiving vehicle diagnostic information from the vehicle diagnostic port. The code reader also has a local connectivity network circuit for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the vehicle diagnostic port connector and a local connectivity circuit. A cellphone is arranged in communication with the local connectivity network for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the code reader and a cellular telephone network.

Claims

1. A vehicular diagnostic system for use with a vehicle associated with vehicle identification information, the vehicular diagnostic system comprising:

a) a hand transportable diagnostic device having;

1) a vehicle diagnostic port connector for receiving vehicle diagnostic data from a vehicle diagnostic port located on the vehicle; and

2) a local wireless radio frequency (RF) communication circuit, in communication with the vehicle diagnostic port, for communicating vehicle diagnostic data between the vehicle diagnostic port connector and a local wireless RF communication network;

b) an intermediate, hand transportable wireless RF communication device in communication with the local wireless communication network for receiving vehicle diagnostic data from the diagnostic device, the intermediate wireless communication device being separate from the diagnostic device;

c) a diagnostic database in wireless RF communication with the intermediate wireless communication device, the diagnostic database being configured to automatically derive vehicle identification information from the diagnostic data, to automatically match the vehicle identification information and diagnostic data from the vehicle with a most likely diagnostic solution, and to automatically identify at least one repair part associated with the most likely solution, in response to receipt of the diagnostic data at the diagnostic database; and

d) a repair parts database in communication with the diagnostic database, the repair parts database having information associated with a plurality of repair parts, each repair part being associated with specific vehicle identification information and a specific universal part number, the repair parts database being configured to automatically identify the specific universal part number in response to receipt of the identified repair part(s) and the vehicle identification information at the repair parts database;

e) wherein the diagnostic device includes an autonomous data transfer circuit that automatically initiates communication of diagnostic data to the intermediate wireless communication device in response to receipt of the vehicle diagnostic data at the diagnostic device diagnostic port connector;

wherein the wireless communication device is operative to regulate communication of diagnostic data between the diagnostic device and the diagnostic database.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the universal part identification number is an Aftermarket Catalog Enhanced Standard (ACES) part number.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the diagnostic device is adapted to receive the vehicle identification information from the vehicle through the vehicle diagnostic port connector.

4. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising an inventory database in communication with the repair parts database, the inventory database being configured to automatically search for an inventoried part associated with the universal part identification number in response to receipt of the universal part identification number from the parts database.

5. The system recited in claim 4, further comprising a purchasing module in communication with the inventory database, the purchasing module being configured to automatically conduct a transaction for the purchase of the inventoried part associated with the universal parts identification number.

6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the intermediate wireless communication device is a cellphone.

7. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the intermediate wireless communication device is a wireless router.

8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the diagnostic device automatically uploads diagnostic data to the intermediate wireless communication device when the diagnostic device moves into an area associated with the intermediate wireless communication device.

9. The system recited in claim 8, wherein the area associated with the intermediate wireless communication device is 10-100 yards from the wireless communication device.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the wireless communication device is operative to generate an indication signal upon receipt of diagnostic data from the diagnostic device.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the wireless communication device is operative to automatically communicate the diagnostic data to the diagnostic database in response to receipt of the diagnostic data from the diagnostic device.

12. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the wireless communication device is operative to automatically communicate the diagnostic data to the diagnostic database in response to a user input command generated on the wireless communication device.

13. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the wireless communication device is operative to automatically generate an indication signal in response to receipt of one or more predetermined trouble codes from the diagnostic device.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the wireless communication device is further operative to initiate a communications link with the diagnostic device.

15. A method of diagnosing a vehicle having vehicle identification information, the method comprising the steps of:

a) retrieving vehicle diagnostic data from the vehicle using a hand transportable diagnostic device connected to a vehicle diagnostic port;

b) initiating communication of vehicle diagnostic data to a remote diagnostic database in response to receipt of the vehicle diagnostic data by the diagnostic device;

c) wirelessly communicating the vehicle diagnostic data by radio frequency (RF) transmission from the diagnostic device to a separate, intermediate hand transportable wireless RF communication device;

d) wirelessly communicating the vehicle diagnostic date by RF transmission from the intermediate hand transportable wireless communication device to a remote diagnostic database;

e) deriving vehicle identification information from the vehicle diagnostic data at the diagnostic database;

f) analyzing the vehicle diagnostic data at the diagnostic database to match the diagnostic data from the vehicle with a most likely solution associated with at least one repair part; and

g) analyzing the repair part at a repair parts database to identify a specific universal part number associated with the repair part, the repair parts database having information associated with a plurality of repair parts, each repair part being associated with specific vehicle identification information and a specific universal part number that the repair parts database identifies when the repair part and vehicle identification information are known;

h) wherein the steps of e), f) and g) proceed automatically in response to receipt of the diagnostic data at the diagnostic data database.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the vehicle diagnostic data is automatically communicated from the diagnostic device to the intermediate wireless communication device when the diagnostic device enters an area associated with the intermediate wireless communication device.

17. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the intermediate wireless communication device is a cellphone.

18. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the intermediate wireless communication device is a wireless router.

19. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the universal part identification number is an Aftermarket Catalog Enhanced Standard (ACES) part number.

20. The method recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of searching an inventory database for an inventoried part associated with the universal part identification number.

21. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the communicating step is performed autonomously, independent of any user input.

22. The method as recited in claim 15 further including the step of generating an indication signal at the wireless communication device, in response to receipt of diagnostic data from the diagnostic device.

23. The method as recited in claim 15 further including the step of automatically initiating an RF communication link with the diagnostic database at the wireless communication device, in response to receipt diagnostic data from the diagnostic device.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 further including the step of automatically initiating an RF communications link with the diagnostic database at the wireless communication device, in response to a user input command generated on the wireless communication device.

25. The method as recited in claim 15 further including the step of generating an indication signal, at the wireless communication device, in response to receipt of one or more predetermined trouble codes from the diagnostic device.

26. The method as recited in claim 25 further including the step of initiating an RF communications link with the diagnostic device, at the wireless communication device.

27. The method as recited in claim 15 further including the step of initiating an RF communication link between the wireless communication device and the diagnostic database in response to a user input command generated on the wireless communication device.

28. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein steps b) thru f) proceed automatically in response to turning on the vehicle.

29. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein steps b) thru f) proceed automatically in response to turning off the vehicle.

30. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein steps b) thru f) proceed automatically in response to the vehicle entering a service area associated with the wireless communication device.

31. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

i) determining if the repair part identified by the universal part number is in stock; and

j) determining the price of the repair part associated with the universal part number;

wherein steps of c) thru j) proceed automatically in response to receipt of the vehicle diagnostic data at the diagnostic database, without input from a user.

32. The method as recited in claim 31 further including the step of:

k) scheduling a repair to install the repair part associated with the universal identification number; and

l) determining the cost of parts and services to complete the repair;

wherein steps of c) thru l) proceed automatically in response to receipt of the vehicle diagnostic data at the diagnostic database, without input from the user.

33. A vehicular diagnostic system for use with a vehicle associated with vehicle identification information, the vehicular diagnostic system comprising:

a) a hand transportable diagnostic device having;

1) a vehicle diagnostic port connector for receiving vehicle diagnostic data from a vehicle diagnostic port located on the vehicle; and

2) a local wireless radio frequency (RF) communication circuit, in communication with the vehicle diagnostic port, for communicating vehicle diagnostic data between the vehicle diagnostic port connector and a local wireless RF communication network;

b) an intermediate, hand transportable wireless RF communication device in communication with the local wireless communication network for receiving vehicle diagnostic data from the diagnostic device, the intermediate wireless communication device being separate from the diagnostic device;

c) a diagnostic database in wireless RF communication with the intermediate wireless communication device, the diagnostic database being configured to automatically derive vehicle identification information from the diagnostic data, to automatically match the vehicle identification information and diagnostic data from the vehicle with a most likely diagnostic solution, and to automatically identify at least one repair part associated with the most likely solution, in response to receipt of the diagnostic data at the diagnostic database; and

d) a repair parts database in communication with the diagnostic database, the repair parts database having information associated with a plurality of repair parts, each repair part being associated with specific vehicle identification information and a specific universal part number, the repair parts database being configured to automatically identify the specific universal part number in response to receipt of the identified repair part(s) and the vehicle identification information at the repair parts database;

e) wherein the diagnostic device includes an autonomous data transfer circuit that automatically initiates communication of diagnostic data to the intermediate wireless communication device in response to receipt of the vehicle diagnostic data at the diagnostic device diagnostic port connector.

34. The system recited in claim 33, wherein the universal part identification number is an Aftermarket Catalog Enhanced Standard (ACES) part number.

35. The system recited in claim 33, wherein the diagnostic device is adapted to receive the vehicle identification information from the vehicle through the vehicle diagnostic port connector.

36. The system recited in claim 33, further comprising an inventory database in communication with the repair parts database, the inventory database being configured to automatically search for an inventoried part associated with the universal part identification number in response to receipt of the universal part identification number from the parts database.

37. The system recited in claim 33, further comprising a purchasing module in communication with the inventory database, the purchasing module being configured to automatically conduct a transaction for the purchase of the inventoried part associated with the universal parts identification number.

38. The system recited in claim 33, wherein the intermediate wireless communication device is a cellphone.

39. The system recited in claim 33, wherein the intermediate wireless communication device is a wireless router.

40. The system recited in claim 33, wherein the diagnostic device automatically uploads diagnostic data to the intermediate wireless communication device when the diagnostic device moves into an area associated with the intermediate wireless communication device.

41. The system recited in claim 33, wherein the area associated with the intermediate wireless communication device is 10-100 yards from the wireless communication device.

42. The system as recited in claim 33 wherein the wireless communication device is operative to automatically generate an indication signal upon receipt of diagnostic data from the diagnostic device.

43. The system as recited in claim 33 wherein the wireless communication device is operative to automatically communicate the diagnostic data to the diagnostic database in response to receipt of the diagnostic data from the diagnostic device.

44. The system as recited in claim 33 wherein the wireless communication device is operative to automatically communicate the diagnostic data to the diagnostic database in response to a user input command generated on the wireless communication device.

45. The system as recited in claim 33 wherein the wireless communication device is operative to automatically generate an indication signal in response to receipt of one or more predetermined trouble codes from the diagnostic device.

46. The system as recited in claim 33 wherein the wireless communication device is further operative to initiate a communications link with the diagnostic device.