Patent US6611740B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6611740B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Internet-based vehicle-diagnostic system
Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc
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Filing: 2001-03-14
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Granted: 2003-08-26
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Expires: 2021-03-14
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a system for monitoring a vehicle that includes a wireless appliance in electrical contact with an in-vehicle computer. The wireless appliance features: 1) a data-collection component that supports communication software that collects diagnostic data from the computer; and 2) a data-transmission component, in electrical communication with the data-collection electronics, configured to transmit an outgoing data packet comprising the diagnostic data over a network and receive over the same network an incoming data packet that modifies the communication software. The wireless appliance communicates with a host computer system that is configured to: 1) receive the outgoing data packet from the network; 2) process the outgoing data packet to generate a set of vehicle diagnostic data; 3) host a web site on the Internet that displays the vehicle diagnostic data; and 4) send out the incoming data packet over the same network to modify the communication software.
Inventors
- 👤 Larkin Hill Lowrey
- 👤 Matthew J. Banet
- 👤 Bruce Lightner
- 👤 Diego Borrego
- 👤 Chuck Myers
- 👤 Wade Williams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 09:05
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M15/00; G01M15/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A system for interfacing with an on-board diagnostic computer in a vehicle, wherein the on-board diagnostic computer monitors a set of operational characteristics of a vehicle, the system comprising: a wireless appliance which during use communicates with the vehicle's on-board diagnostic computer, said wireless appliance comprising a wireless communication component and a data-collection component, said wireless communication component configured to receive from a wireless network a schema identifying a subset of the set of operational characteristics that are monitored by the on-board diagnostic computer, said data-collection component configured to process the received schema and to collect from the vehicle's on-board diagnostic computer data for the subset of operational characteristics identified in the received schema, said wireless communication component being further configured to transmit said collected data over the wireless network to a host computer system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
135 words
A system for interfacing with an on-board diagnostic computer in a vehicle, wherein the on-board diagnostic computer monitors a set of operational characteristics of a vehicle, the system comprising: a wireless appliance which during use communicates with the vehicle's on-board diagnostic computer, said wireless appliance comprising a wireless communication component and a data-collection component, said wireless communication component configured to receive from a wireless network a schema identifying a subset of the set of operational characteristics that are monitored by the on-board diagnostic computer, said data-collection component configured to process the received schema and to collect from the vehicle's on-board diagnostic computer data for the subset of operational characteristics identified in the received schema, said wireless communication component being further configured to transmit said collected data over the wireless network to a host computer system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the schema identifies an address of an operational characteristic for which data is to be collected from the vehicle's on-board diagnostic computer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the schema comprises an address that describes a location of a diagnostic datum in a computer memory in the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the host computer system is configured to transmit the schema.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the schema comprises a field that describes a time or frequency at which the data-collection component queries the vehicle's on-board diagnostic computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the schema comprises a field that describes a time or frequency at which the data-transmission component transmits data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the schema is an ASCII or binary data file.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a host computer system that includes at least one web-hosting computer that hosts an internet-based web site, and at least one, separate gateway computer that receives outgoing data and sends incoming data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 8 , wherein the internet-based web site comprises a first web page that displays a vehicle diagnostic datum.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 9 , wherein the web site comprises a first web page that comprises data fields describing: i) a name of a diagnostic datum; ii) units corresponding to the diagnostic datum; and iii) a numerical value corresponding to the diagnostic datum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 10 , wherein the first web page further comprises multiple sets of diagnostic data associated with a single vehicle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 11 , wherein the first web page further comprises a graphical representation of a set of diagnostic data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 9 , wherein the internet-base_web site further comprises a database component.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 13 , wherein the internet-base_web site further comprises a login web page where a user enters a user name and password.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein the database component comprised by the login web page is configured to verify if the user is associated with a first or second internet-based interface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 15 , wherein the web site comprises a web page that displays vehicle diagnostic data corresponding to multiple vehicles each associated with a single user.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 8 , wherein the host computer hosts a web site on the Internet that displays the operational characteristics, wherein the web site comprises a web page that comprises a mechanism for sending the incoming data over the network.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 17 , wherein the web page comprises a list of parameters that can be extracted from the vehicle's computer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 8 , wherein the gateway computer that receives the outgoing data packet and sends the incoming data packet is connected to the network.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 19 , wherein the gateway computer is connected to a digital communication line that is connected to the network.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
66 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the operation characteristics include at least one of the following: 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.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising a secondary computer system that connects to the host computer system through the Internet and is configured to display the web site.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising a hand-held device that connects to the host computer system through the Internet and is configured to display the web site.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 23 , wherein the hand-held device is a cellular telephone, computer or a personal digital assistant.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the host computer system is further configured to send an electronic mail message that comprises all or part of the vehicle diagnostic data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless appliance is configured to send an outgoing data packet that indicates a vehicle's location.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 26 , wherein the host computer system comprises software that analyzes the vehicle's location and displays it on a map.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 27 , wherein the web site comprises a web page that displays the map.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the data-collection component is configured to repeatedly collect said data from the vehicle's on-board diagnostic computer data at times determined by a first schedule.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 29 , wherein the first schedule is specified in the schema.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication component is configured to repeatedly transmit the collected data over the wireless network to a host computer system at times determined by a first schedule.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 31 , wherein the first schedule is specified in the schema.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
87 words
A system for monitoring a set of vehicles, the system comprising: a host computer that hosts a web site that receives operational characteristics transmitted wirelessly from the set of vehicles, said web site programmed to enable a user to display on a first web page the operational characteristics of a single vehicle selected from among said set of vehicles and to also display the operational characteristics of multiple vehicles among said set of vehicles on a second web page, said multiple vehicles associated with a single entity.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
87 words
A system for monitoring a set of vehicles, the system comprising: a host computer that hosts a web site that receives operational characteristics transmitted wirelessly from the set of vehicles, said web site programmed to enable a user to display on a first web page the operational characteristics of a single vehicle selected from among said set of vehicles and to also display the operational characteristics of multiple vehicles among said set of vehicles on a second web page, said multiple vehicles associated with a single entity.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-08-25 | 2007-02-24 | 2007-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-08-25 | 2011-02-24 | 2011-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-08-25 | 2015-02-24 | 2015-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |