Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-02
2004-05-11
Beaulieu, Yonel (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
C701S033000, C701S032000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06735503
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to delivering services, such as subscriber-requested services, in a vehicle such as an automobile. In particular this invention relates to a method and system for providing automated voice response to deliver remote vehicle diagnostic service.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Current methods of system diagnostic services in a vehicle, such as an automobile, are centered on an in-vehicle approach. To facilitate this approach, some methods use in-vehicle hardware configurations or enablers such as onboard computers. Other methods use in-vehicle hardware and software configurations and enablers such as onboard databases of in-vehicle services. These subsystems are used to interpret the vehicle diagnostic codes. These subsystems, however do not provide the full system diagnostic. New codes are not updated on these systems, and codes may become out of date. Codes that provide little or no value to the user are not filtered out and no directions or assistance is given on how to remedy the system code.
Yet other methods provide remote analysis and communication with the vehicle and its diagnostic system using a live advisor. This remote method, however, may require an extended period of connection between the vehicle and the live advisor. It may be very expensive to wait for the advisor to manually sort through the codes, decide which codes are useful for the user, and figure out what steps the user should take. The advisor, oftentimes, does not necessarily know what steps to take to solve the problem. Furthermore, every advisor may give different non-standardized advice depending on the amount of knowledge he possesses. Moreover, as new codes are developed they cannot be updated in the vehicle. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method for a remote vehicle diagnostic service that overcomes the above difficulties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method for remotely diagnosing a vehicle is provided. A vehicle diagnostic request is received. At least one diagnostic code is retrieved from the vehicle. The at least one diagnostic code is filtered based on at least one usability factor. A preset diagnostic response associated with the filtered diagnostic code is sent to the vehicle.
The preset diagnostic response may be an associated voice response. The usability factor may be determined based on a user location, a vehicle code complexity, and a severity factor. Receiving the vehicle diagnostic request may comprise receiving a voice request at a service management application, the voice request being associated by a speech recognition system to a check diagnostic command. The vehicle diagnostic request may be authenticated. The at least one vehicle diagnostic code may be stored at a service management application on a remote server. The user may be transferred to a live representative in response to a user reply to a satisfaction inquiry. Vehicle diagnostic codes may be updated. Updating the vehicle diagnostic codes may comprise downloading the vehicle diagnostic codes to an in-vehicle diagnostic computer.
A system for remotely diagnosing a vehicle is also provided. The system includes means for receiving a vehicle diagnostic request. The system also includes means for determining whether at least one diagnostic code is present at the vehicle. The system also includes means for retrieving the at least one diagnostic code from the vehicle. The system also includes means for filtering the present diagnostic code based on at least one usability factor. The system also includes means for sending a preset diagnostic response associated with the filtered diagnostic code to the vehicle.
The system may also include means for determining the usability factor based on a user location, a vehicle code complexity and a severity factor. The system may also include means for authenticating the vehicle diagnostic request. The system may also include means for storing the at least one vehicle diagnostic code at a service management application on a remote server. The system may also include means for transferring to a live representative in response to a user reply to a satisfaction inquiry. The system may also include means for updating vehicle diagnostic codes.
A computer usable medium including a program for remotely diagnosing a vehicle is also provided. The medium includes computer readable program code that receives a vehicle diagnostic request. The medium also includes computer readable program code that determines whether at least one diagnostic code is present at the vehicle. The medium also includes computer readable program code that retrieves the at least one diagnostic code from the vehicle. The medium also includes computer readable program code that filters the present diagnostic code based on at least one usability factor. The medium also includes computer readable program code that sends a preset diagnostic response associated with the filtered diagnostic code to the vehicle.
The medium may include computer readable program code wherein the preset diagnostic response is an associated voice response. The medium may include computer readable program code that determines the usability factor based on a user location, a vehicle code complexity, and a severity factor. The vehicle diagnostic request may comprise a voice request, which may be connected by a speech recognition system to a check diagnostic code command. The medium may also include computer readable program code that authenticates the vehicle diagnostic request. The medium may also include computer readable program code that stores the at least one vehicle diagnostic code at a service management application on a remote server. The medium may also include computer readable program code that transfers to a live representative in response to a user reply to a satisfaction inquiry. The medium may also include computer readable program code that updates the vehicle diagnostic codes. Updating the vehicle diagnostic codes may comprise downloading the vehicle diagnostic codes to an in-vehicle diagnostic computer.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6028537 (2000-02-01), Suman et al.
patent: 6330499 (2001-12-01), Chou et al.
patent: 6604033 (2003-08-01), Banet et al.
patent: 6611740 (2003-08-01), Lowrey et al.
patent: 2002/0133273 (2002-09-01), Lowrey et al.
Beaulieu Yonel
General Motors Corporation
Simon Anthony Luke
LandOfFree
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