IP Library Patent Application 12198447
Patent Application
App. No. 12/198,447

SYSTEM AND METHOD TO COMPUTE VEHICLE HEALTH INDEX FROM AGGREGATE DATA

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/198,447
Abstract

A system and method for determining the state of health of a vehicle based on a determination of factored miles. The method includes collecting data from a group of vehicle of a common model type as aggregate data and data from a particular vehicle as individual data. The aggregate data and the individual data are used to determine a percent degradation of sub-systems and components on the vehicle, and an overall percent degradation is determined by accumulating the percent degradation for the sub-systems and components. The accumulated percent degradation is then used to determine a factored miles value that is an indication of the state of health of the vehicle based on vehicle driving conditions and other considerations. The factored miles can then be used by various business models to determine the value of a vehicle.

Claims (35)

1 . A method for determining the state of health of a vehicle or group of vehicles, said method comprising:

collecting data concerning the vehicle or group of vehicles;

using the collected data to determine a percent degradation of components and sub-systems on the vehicle or group of vehicles;

accumulating the percent degradation of the components and sub-systems on the vehicle or group of vehicles to provide an accumulated percent degradation;

computing a factored miles value based on the accumulative percent degradation for the vehicle or group of vehicles; and

using the factored miles value to determine the state of health of the vehicle or group of vehicles.

2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein collecting data includes collecting aggregate data for vehicles of the same model or vehicle type and collecting individual data from a particular vehicle.

3 . The method according to claim 2 wherein determining the percent degradation of the components and sub-systems includes determining the percent degradation as a function of the aggregate data and the individual vehicle data.

4 . The method according to claim 2 wherein collecting individual data from a vehicle includes using wireless transmissions of data from the vehicle.

5 . The method according to claim 1 wherein determining the percent degradation of vehicle components and sub-systems includes determining the percent degradation of a vehicle engine, vehicle brakes, vehicle HVAC, vehicle transmission and vehicle battery.

6 . The method according to claim 1 wherein determining the percent degradation of the components and sub-systems includes determining the percent degradation as a function of engine health, brake health, actual vehicle miles, service history and driver driving habits.

7 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising providing the factored miles value to business models that drive service decisions, that drive warranty decisions and that assess the health of a fleet of vehicles.

8 . The method according to claim 1 wherein computing the factored miles value includes using a look-up table based on the accumulated percent degradation.

9 . The method according to claim 1 wherein determining the state of health of the vehicle or group of vehicles includes determining the state of health based on a trigger event.

10 . The method according to claim 9 wherein basing the determination of the state of health on a trigger event includes using a trigger event selected from the group consisting of a time trigger, a customer request trigger and an event trigger.

11 . A method for determining a factored miles value of a vehicle that identifies vehicle value based on factors other than actual miles driven and months in service, said method comprising:

collecting data concerning the vehicle or a group of vehicles;

using the collected data to determine an accumulated percent degradation of the vehicle or group of vehicles;

computing the factored miles value based on the accumulated percent degradation; and

using the factored miles value to determine the vehicle value.

12 . The method according to claim 11 wherein collecting data includes collecting aggregate data for vehicles of the same model or vehicle type and collecting individual data from a particular vehicle.

13 . The method according to claim 11 wherein determining the accumulated percent degradation includes determining the percent degradation of separate components and sub-systems on the vehicle and combining the percent degradations of the components and sub-systems to provide the accumulated percent degradation.

14 . The method according to claim 13 wherein determining the percent degradation of vehicle components and sub-systems includes determining the percent degradation of a vehicle engine, vehicle brakes, vehicle HVAC, vehicle transmission and vehicle battery.

15 . The method according to claim 13 further comprising providing the factored miles value to business models that drive service decisions, that drive warranty decisions and that assess the health of a fleet of vehicles.

16 . A method for determining the state of health of a vehicle or group of vehicles, said method comprising:

collecting aggregate data for vehicles of the same model or vehicle type as the vehicle or group of vehicles;

collecting individual data from a particular vehicle;

using the collected data to determine a percent degradation of components and sub-systems on the vehicle or group of vehicles where the components and sub-systems include a vehicle engine, vehicle brakes, vehicle HVAC, vehicle transmission and vehicle battery;

accumulating the percent degradation of the component and sub-systems on the vehicle or group of vehicles to provide an accumulated percent degradation;

computing a factored miles value based on the accumulated percent degradation for the vehicle or group of vehicles; and

using the factored miles value to determine the state of health of the vehicle or group of vehicles.

17 . The method according to claim 16 further comprising providing the factored miles to business models that drive service decisions, that drive warranty decisions and that assess the health of a fleet of vehicles.

18 . The method according to claim 16 wherein computing a factored miles value includes using a look-up table based on the accumulated percent degradation.

19 . The method according to claim 16 wherein determining the state of health of the vehicle or group of vehicles includes determining the state of health based on a trigger event.

20 . The method according to claim 19 wherein basing the determination of the state of health on a trigger event includes using a trigger event selected from the group consisting of a time trigger, a customer request trigger and an event trigger.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034384/0758 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0211 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0475 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0046 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0909 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0237 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0313 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023126/0914 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023155/0769 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022554/0538 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0448 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2008
From: DE, SOUMEN; BANDYOPADHYAY, PULAK
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 021443/0511 →