Vehicle diagnostic detection through sensitive vehicle skin
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for vehicle diagnostic detection and identification through vehicle sensitive skin are disclosed. Specifically, a method to monitor the exterior surface skin of a vehicle to enable detection and identification of damage to the vehicle exterior surface is disclosed. In one embodiment, a change in skin condition provides monitoring of vehicle performance and identifies vehicle operating abnormalities. In the event vehicle skin damage is detected, the system may take a number of actions. In one embodiment, the actions comprise notifying authorized users of the vehicle, a maintenance and diagnostics service provider, a security provider, and emitting a visual or audio alarm.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving sensor data from one or more vehicle sensors comprising a vehicle skin sensor;
calibrating a vehicle skin baseline condition;
determining, from the sensor data as against the vehicle skin baseline condition, if a vehicle skin event has occurred; and
taking action if a vehicle skin event occurs, wherein the taking action comprises providing a notice, the notice comprising identification of a location of vehicle skin damage, wherein vehicle skin damage occurs if one or more vehicle skin events exceed one or more skin damage thresholds.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the sensor data to vehicle skin event threshold data.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calibrating the one or more vehicle sensors comprising the vehicle skin sensor at regular or intermittent intervals.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle skin damage threshold data is stored in authorized user profile data.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle skin sensor is disposed on or within a portion of an exterior surface of the vehicle.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the taking action further comprises providing an alert.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the providing an alert comprises a visual alert, an audio alert, emergency responder alert, and alert to one or more authorized users.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein both the location of the vehicle skin damage and a degree of the vehicle skin damage are identified and both are communicated to a third party.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the taking action further comprises guiding one or more vehicle sensors to sense an area surrounding the vehicle skin event.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recording sensor data associated with the vehicle skin damage.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle skin sensor comprises an electrical resistivity sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an image sensor, an RF sensor, a vibration sensor and a frequency sensor.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the calibrating a vehicle skin baseline condition comprises determining a frequency response of at least a portion of the vehicle skin.
13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:
receiving sensor data from one or more vehicle sensors comprising a vehicle skin sensor;
calibrating a vehicle skin baseline condition;
determining, from the sensor data as against the vehicle skin baseline condition, if a vehicle skin event has occurred; and
taking action if a vehicle skin event occurs, wherein taking action comprises providing a notice, wherein the notice comprises identification of a location of vehicle skin damage, wherein vehicle skin damage occurs if one or more vehicle skin events exceed one or more skin damage thresholds.
14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising comparing the sensor data to vehicle skin event threshold data wherein the vehicle skin damage threshold data is stored in authorized user profile data.
15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein both the location of the vehicle skin damage and a degree of the vehicle skin damage are identified and both are communicated to a third party by a mobile communications device of a vehicle user.
16. A vehicle skin event detection system comprising a vehicle control system configured to:
receive sensor data from one or more vehicle sensors comprising a vehicle skin sensor;
calibrate a vehicle skin baseline condition;
determine, from the sensor data as against the vehicle skin baseline condition, if a vehicle skin event has occurred; and
take action if a vehicle skin event occurs, wherein taking action comprises providing a notice, the notice comprising identification of a location of vehicle skin damage, wherein vehicle skin damage occurs if one or more vehicle skin events exceed one or more skin damage thresholds.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle skin sensor is disposed on or within a portion of an exterior surface of the vehicle.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle skin sensor is configured to detect minor damage to the vehicle skin including a scratch or a dent.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more skin damage thresholds are exceeded by the minor damage.
20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle skin sensor is configured to detect minor damage to the vehicle skin including a scratch or a dent, and wherein the one or more skin damage thresholds are exceeded by the minor damage.