Patent Application

App. No. 11/469,928

Abstract

Claims (39)

1 . A method of communicating information between an object and an information collection point via a wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sending a prompt from the information collection point via the wireless network;

(b) detecting the prompt at the object;

(c) establishing a session by responding to the detected prompt by generating a random identifier for temporarily identifying the object, and sending the random identifier to the information collection point; and

(d) successfully authenticating the information collection point to the object prior to authenticating the object to the information collection point.

2 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the method is performed substantially automatically and without substantial interaction by a user of the object.

3 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the information includes one or more state-of-health parameters.

4 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the object includes one or more sensors for providing the one or more state-of-health parameters.

5 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the object is an automobile and the information collection point is a service center.

6 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including, in step (c), using the same random identifier throughout the session.

7 . The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including the step of—

(e) communicating the information to the information collection point upon successful authentication of the information collection point to the object and of the object to the information collection point.

8 . A method of communicating information, including one or more state-of-health parameters, between an object and an information collection point via a short-range wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sending a prompt from the information collection point via the short-range wireless network;

(b) detecting the prompt at the object;

(c) establishing a session by responding to the detected prompt by generating a random identifier for temporarily identifying the object, and sending the random identifier to the information collection point;

(d) using the same random identifier throughout the session;

(e) successfully authenticating the information collection point to the object prior to authenticating the object to the information collection point; and

(f) communicating the information, including the one or more state-of-health parameters, to the information collection point upon successful authentication of the information collection point to the object and of the object to the information collection point.

9 . The method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the method is performed substantially automatically and without substantial interaction by a user of the object.

10 . The method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the object includes one or more sensors for providing the one or more state-of-health parameters.

11 . The method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the object is a vehicle and the information collection point is a service center.

12 . A method of communicating information between a vehicle and a service center via a short-range wireless network, wherein the information includes one or more state-of-health parameters provided by one or more sensors on the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sending a prompt from the service center via the short-range wireless network;

(b) detecting the prompt at the vehicle;

(c) establishing a session by responding to the detected prompt by generating a random identifier for temporarily identifying the vehicle, and sending the random identifier to the service center;

(d) successfully authenticating the service center to the vehicle prior to authenticating the vehicle to the service center; and

(e) communicating the information, including the one or more state-of-health parameters provided by the one or more sensors on the vehicle, to the service center upon successful authentication of the service center to the vehicle and of the vehicle to the service center,

wherein the method is performed substantially automatically and without substantial interaction by a driver of the vehicle.

13 . The method as set forth in claim 12 , further including, in step (c), using the same random identifier throughout the session.

14 . A method of communicating state-of-health information between an object and an information collection point via a wireless network, the method comprising the steps, in order, of:

(a) identifying the object to the information collection point using a temporary identifier;

(b) authenticating the information collection point to the object;

(c) authenticating the object to the information collection point by identifying the object to the information collection point using a permanent identifier; and

(d) communicating the state-of-health information to the information collection point.

15 . The method as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the method is performed substantially automatically and without substantial interaction by a user of the object.

16 . The method as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the state-of-health information is collected by one or more sensors on the object.

17 . The method as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the object is an automobile and the information collection point is a service center.

18 . The method as set forth in claim 14 , further including, in step (a), using the same temporary identifier throughout the session.

Assignments (11)