Tracking vehicle maintenance using sensor detection
View Patent ↗Radio frequency identification is used in cooperation with the computer system aboard a motor vehicle to track service and maintenance activities relating to the vehicle. Each component or part of the vehicle that may require maintenance is provided with a unique passive identification tag. The output data from the tag is read by a reader placed in proximity to the tag, and the data is transmitted to an on-board computer module where it is processed, and the service record is updated. A data stream converter may be used to process the information read by the reader into a format that is acceptable to the on-board computer. The data from the on-board computer is stored in a device external to the computer. Provisions are included for notification to the user, the auto dealer or service other agency as needed.
1. A system, comprising:
a processing unit that is in communication with a computer readable memory, a tangible computer-readable storage medium, and a radio frequency reader;
wherein the radio frequency reader is installed upon a motor vehicle within a proximity to a first radio frequency tag that is associated with a first serviceable component that is installed upon the motor vehicle, and within a proximity to a third radio frequency tag that is associated with a third serviceable component installed upon the motor vehicle, wherein the proximities to the first and third frequency tags are within a preset threshold distance of a field of range of said radio frequency reader to capture a signal from said first and third radio frequency tags; and
wherein the processing unit, when executing program instructions stored on the tangible computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory:
in response to the radio frequency reader communicating a detected movement of the first radio frequency tag a distance beyond a preset threshold distance from the radio frequency reader, observes a first time of the detected movement and updates a repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle that is stored in a storage device in communication with the processing unit by creating a first table entry reporting a removal of the first serviceable component from the motor vehicle at the observed first time, wherein the first table entry comprises a component description and a first unique identification of the first serviceable component and indicates at least one of an onset and a completion of a scheduled maintenance of the vehicle at the observed time and that is associated with the component description;
in response to the radio frequency reader communicating a detected introduction of a second radio frequency tag to a proximity to the radio frequency reader within the preset threshold distance, observes a second time of the detected movement of the second radio frequency tag and updates the repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle in a storage device by creating a second table entry that reports an installation of the second serviceable component onto the motor vehicle at the observed second time and comprises a component description and a unique identification of the second serviceable component, wherein the second table entry is separate from and in addition to the first table entry in the table and also indicates the completion of the scheduled maintenance of the vehicle at the observed second time and in association with the component description of the second serviceable component; and
warns a vehicle user of a failure to remove or replace the third serviceable component if the radio frequency reader communicates that the third serviceable component remains proximate to the radio frequency reader within the preset threshold distance throughout the observed first time of the removal of the first serviceable component and the observed second time of the installation of the second serviceable component, wherein the repair maintenance schedule requires that the third serviceable component be replaced when the first serviceable component is removed.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit, when executing the program instructions stored on the tangible computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory, further:
creates the first table entry within the repair maintenance schedule data to indicate a component due date for replacement associated with the first component unique identification; and
creates the second table entry within the repair maintenance schedule data to indicate a component due date for replacement associated with the second component unique identification by using an original due date for replacement from a previous table entry for a previous installation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle if the installation is a reuse or a relocation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle from the previous installation on the vehicle.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the installation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle is the reuse or the relocation from the previous installation on the vehicle; and
wherein the processing unit, when executing the program instructions stored on the tangible computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory, further warns a vehicle user that the installed second serviceable component must be replaced if a scheduled maintenance requirement system of the vehicle specifies that serviceable components used for the component description are non-reusable components.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the processing unit, when executing the program instructions stored on the tangible computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory, further, in response to two different table entries indicating installation of two different components each having the same component description and different observed times and different unique identifications, creates a table entry reflecting the unique identification of a one of the two components having a most recent observed time as a currently installed component.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the radio frequency reader detects the movement of the first radio frequency tag the distance beyond the preset threshold from the radio frequency reader in response to failing to capture the signal from said first tag as a function of the first radio frequency tag moving to a proximity that is beyond the field of range of said radio frequency reader to capture the signal from the tag.
6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the radio frequency reader detects the movement of the first radio frequency tag the distance beyond the preset threshold from the radio frequency reader in response to detecting a speed of response from the first radio frequency tag that is dependent upon a distance of the first radio frequency tag away from the radio frequency reader and that indicates that the first radio frequency tag is the distance beyond the preset threshold from the radio frequency reader.
7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processing unit is located on a vehicle computer module mounted on board the motor vehicle.
8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a converter in circuit communication between the radio frequency reader and the processing unit that converts signals from the radio frequency reader into a data stream acceptable by the processing unit.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the storage device is a non-volatile database storage that retains information contained in the data stream transmitted to the processing unit by the converter.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the non-volatile database storage is located external to the computer module.