Methods and systems for providing vehicle repair information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9582944-B2
Application number	US-201514607215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	May 23, 2012
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing. In an example, the computing device may be configured to receive vehicle information including identification information of a vehicle and/or information describing condition of the vehicle. The computing device also may be configured to match the vehicle information to content of a vehicle repair database so as to identify repair information relating to the vehicle. The computing device further may be configured to receive geographic information identifying a geographic location relating to the vehicle. The computing device also may be configured to provide, to a communication network, a subset of the identified repair information based on the geographic information. The service advisor may be able to access the subset of the identified repair information on a display device coupled to the computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a vehicle repair database including one or more of (i) information relating to prior experience of repairing vehicles, and (ii) original equipment manufacturer vehicle information including component-specific information; and
a computing device coupled to the vehicle repair database, wherein the computing device includes a non-transitory computer readable storage device storing computer readable instructions, a processor configured to execute the computer readable instructions, and a communication device configured to transmit data to a communication network and to receive data from the communication network, and wherein the computing device is configured to:
receive, from the communication network, vehicle information comprising (i) a vehicle identifier that identifies a vehicle being repaired, and (ii) information that describes a condition of the vehicle;
identify repair information that pertains to repairing the vehicle based on matching of the vehicle information to content of the vehicle repair database;
receive, from the communication network, geographic information that identifies a geographic location related to a current or prior location of the vehicle;
identify within the repair information a subset of repair information that is specific to repairing the described condition as experienced by other vehicles at the geographic location related to the current or prior location of the vehicle; and
provide, to the communication network, the subset of repair information.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the geographic location related to the current or prior location of the vehicle has one or more of (i) an altitude similar to an altitude at a location of the vehicle, and (ii) weather conditions similar to weather conditions at the location of the vehicle or similar to respective weather conditions on a date on which the vehicle experienced a malfunction or is being repaired.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to provide data representing a ranking of failed components based on a number of vehicles reported to have a similar condition to the condition of the vehicle, wherein the ranking is indicative of successful fix count associated with replacing each component of the failed components, and wherein the ranking is based on one or more of: (i) odometer reading, (ii) engine type of the vehicle, (iii) transmission type of the vehicle, (iv) body type of the vehicle, (v) year in which the vehicle was made, (vi) a model year, (vii) the geographic location relating to the vehicle, (viii) diagnostic trouble code (DTC), (ix) Parameter IDs (PIDs), (x) sensor data, and (xi) freeze frame data.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
receive repair order information for the vehicle;
determine the geographic location related to the current or prior location of the vehicle from the repair order information;
transmit, to the communication network, a request for weather information for the determined geographic location;
receive, from the communication network, the weather information for the determined geographic location, based on the request;
associate the weather information with the repair order information; and
store the repair order information with the associated weather information.

5. A method, comprising:
providing to a communication network, by a computing device, vehicle information comprising (i) a vehicle identifier that identifies a vehicle being repaired, and (ii) information that describes a condition of the vehicle;
providing to the communication network, by the computing device, geographic information that identifies a geographic location related to a current or prior location of the vehicle; and
receiving from the communication network, by the computing device, repair information that is specific to repairing the described condition as experienced by other vehicles at the geographic location related to the current or prior location of the vehicle; and
visually presenting the repair information on a display device coupled to the computing device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the vehicle identifier includes one or more of: (i) year in which the vehicle was made, (ii) model year, (iii) make of the vehicle, (iv) model of the vehicle, (v) engine type of the vehicle, (vi) vehicle identification number, and wherein the information that describes the condition of the vehicle includes one or more of: (vii) odometer reading of the vehicle, (viii) diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), (ix) a symptom of a malfunction of the vehicle, (x) Parameter IDs (PIDs) and PID values, (xi) sensor data, and (xii) freeze frame data.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein receiving the repair information comprises receiving a ranking of top replaced parts for the vehicle based on the vehicle information and the geographic location, wherein the ranking is indicative of successful fix count associated with replacing each part of the top replaced parts, the method further comprising visually presenting the ranking on a display device coupled to the computing device.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein receiving the repair information comprises receiving a ranking of replaced components based on a number of vehicles reported to have a condition similar to the condition of the vehicle, wherein the ranking is indicative of successful fix count associated with replacing each component of the replaced components.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the ranking is based on one of: (i) odometer reading, (ii) engine type of the vehicle, (iii) transmission type of the vehicle, and (iv) body type of the vehicle, (v) year in which the vehicle was made, (vi) a model year, (vii) the geographic location related to the current or prior location of the vehicle, (viii) diagnostic trouble code (DTC), (ix) Parameter IDs (PIDs), (x) sensor data, and (xi) freeze frame data.

10. A system, comprising:
a display device; and
a computing device coupled to the display device, wherein the computing device includes a non-transitory computer readable storage device storing computer readable instructions, a processor configured to execute the computer readable instructions, and a communication device configured to transmit data to a communication network and to receive data from the communication network, and wherein the computing device is configured to:
provide, to the communication network, vehicle information comprising (i) a vehicle identifier that identifies a vehicle being repaired, and (ii) information that describes a condition of the vehicle;
provide, to the communication network, geographic information that identifies a geographic location related to a current or prior location of the vehicle;
receive, from the communication network, repair information that is specific to repairing the described condition as experienced by other vehicles at the geographic location related to the current or prior location of the vehicle; and
generate a display of the repair information on the display device.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor coupled to the computing device and configured to provide to the computing device the geographic information.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the computing device is configured to receive the repair information as data representing a percentage or a proportion of vehicles, based on a number of vehicles reported to have a condition similar to the condition of the vehicle, that replaced a failed part associated with the condition as a function of miles driven.

13. The system of

Assignees

• Snap On Incorporated

Inventors

• Merg Patrick S
• Brozovich R Steven

Classifications

• G07C5/008 Primary

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• G07C5/0841

  Registering performance data (recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B) · CPC title

• G07C5/0816

  Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction · CPC title

• G07C5/08

  Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time · CPC title

• G07C5/006

  Indicating maintenance · CPC title