Granted Patent B2

US 7,945,359 · App. 12/402,220 · Granted May 17, 2011

Abstract

Claims (46)

1. A method for establishing a maintenance recommendation for a mobile vehicle, the vehicle having an oil supply, and wherein the vehicle is associated with a wireless carrier system, the method comprising:

monitoring the mobile vehicle for vehicle system maintenance information;

determining an oil-life value based on the vehicle system maintenance information, wherein the oil-life value represents a remaining useful oil-life, beyond which performance of the oil may be degraded, and wherein the oil-life value is not based on an age of the oil;

sending information associated with the determined oil-life value to a call center via the wireless carrier system; and

generating a service reminder, at the call center, based on the received information, that a vehicle service is not recommended, if the oil-life value does not exceed at least one oil-life threshold level.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving the service reminder.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle system maintenance information is selected from one or more of the group consisting of: oil viscosity, oil opacity, vehicle type and engine type.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the mobile vehicle for vehicle system maintenance information comprises:

receiving the vehicle system maintenance information; and

storing the received vehicle maintenance information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oil-life value is a variable oil-life performance metric.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the oil-life value does not exceed the at least one oil-life threshold level comprises:

comparing the determined oil-life value with the at least one oil-life threshold level;

determining at least one oil-life threshold level that is exceeded by the oil-life value; and

initiating a vehicle data upload based on the at least one exceeded oil-life threshold level.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle data upload includes vehicle system maintenance information associated with the at least one exceeded oil-life threshold level.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one oil-life threshold level is a pre-selected level.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one oil-life threshold level is configurable.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the oil-life value based on the vehicle system maintenance information comprises measuring oil viscosity.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the oil-life value based on the vehicle system maintenance information comprises measuring oil opacity.

12. A system for operating a telematics unit within a mobile vehicle, the system comprising:

means for monitoring the mobile vehicle for vehicle system maintenance information;

means for determining an oil-life value based on the vehicle system maintenance information;

means for determining whether the oil-life value exceeds at least one oil-life threshold level;

means for sending information associated with the vehicle system maintenance information to a call center via a wireless carrier system;

means for generating a service reminder, at the call center, based on the received information, that a vehicle service is recommended, if the oil-life value exceeds the at least one oil-life threshold level, and that a vehicle service is not recommended, if the oil-life value does not exceed the at least one oil-life threshold level.

13. A computer readable medium having thereon computer executable instructions for executing a method for establishing a maintenance recommendation for a mobile vehicle, the vehicle having an oil supply, and wherein the vehicle is associated with a wireless carrier system, the computer executable instructions comprising:

instructions for monitoring the mobile vehicle for vehicle system maintenance information;

instructions for determining an oil-life value based on the vehicle system maintenance information, wherein the oil-life value represents a remaining useful oil-life, beyond which performance of the oil may be degraded, and wherein the oil-life value is not based on an age of the oil;

instructions for sending information associated with the determined oil-life value to a call center via the wireless carrier system; and

instructions for generating a service reminder, at the call center, based on the received information, that a vehicle service is not recommended, if the oil-life value does not exceed at least one oil-life threshold level.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising:

instructions for implementing a received service reminder.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle system maintenance information is selected from one or more of the group consisting of: oil viscosity, oil opacity, vehicle type and engine type.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions for monitoring the mobile vehicle for vehicle system maintenance information comprises:

instructions for identifying received vehicle system maintenance information; and

instructions for storing the received vehicle system maintenance information.

17. The compute readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the oil-life value is a variable oil-life performance metric.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions determining whether the oil-life value does not exceed the at least one oil-life threshold level comprises:

instructions for comparing the determined oil-life value with the at least one oil-life threshold level;

instructions for determining at least one oil-life threshold level that is exceeded by the oil-life value; and

instructions for initiating a vehicle data upload based on the at least one exceeded oil-life threshold level.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the vehicle data upload includes vehicle system maintenance information associated with the at least one exceeded oil-life threshold level.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the at least one oil-life threshold level is a pre-selected level.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the at least one oil-life threshold level is configurable.

Assignments (9)