Internet-based system for monitoring vehicles

Abstract

The invention provides a method for monitoring a vehicle that features the steps of: 1) generating a data packet including vehicle data retrieved from the vehicle using a wireless appliance; 2) transmitting the data packet over an airlink with the wireless appliance so that the data packet passes through a network and to a host computer system; 3) processing the data packet with the host computer system to generate a set of data; and 4) displaying the set of data on a web page hosted on the internet.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for monitoring a vehicle, comprising the steps of: 
 i) generating a data packet from the vehicle using a wireless appliance, the data packet comprising numerical diagnostic data from a computer in the vehicle;    ii) transmitting the data packet over an airlink with the wireless appliance so that the data packet passes through a network and to a host computer system;    iii) processing the data packet with the host computer system to generate numerical diagnostic data; and    iv) displaying the numerical diagnostic data on a web site hosted on the internet, the web site comprising a series of pages corresponding to individual vehicles and a series of pages corresponding to a group of vehicles.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing step further includes extracting at least one of the following vehicle parameters from the data packet: numerical data, an alphanumeric text message, an active or pending diagnostic trouble code, a vehicle identification number.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the processing step further includes processing at least one of the vehicle parameters with a database software.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the processing step further includes generating a set of data that comprises an alphanumeric text message.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the displaying step further comprises displaying the alphanumeric text message on the web page.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further includes the step of sending an electronic mail message that comprises all or part of the alphanumeric text message.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the vehicle parameter is an active or pending diagnostic trouble code, and the alphanumeric text message describes the active or pending diagnostic trouble code.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the alphanumeric text message comprises a 5, 6, or 7-digit code that describes the active or pending diagnostic trouble code.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the numerical data generated by the vehicle comprises one of the following: numerical data generated by a sensor in the vehicle, numerical data generated by a computer within the vehicle.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the numerical data includes at least one of the following numerical parameters: diagnostic trouble codes, vehicle speed, fuel level, fuel pressure, miles per gallon, engine RPM, mileage, oil pressure, oil temperature, tire pressure, tire temperature, engine coolant temperature, intake-manifold pressure, engine-performance tuning parameters, alarm status, accelerometer status, cruise-control status, fuel-injector performance, spark-plug timing, and a status of an anti-lock braking system.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the processing step further comprises processing at least one numerical parameter from the numerical data with a mathematical algorithm.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the processing step further comprises comparing at least one numerical parameter with at least one numerical parameter generated at an earlier point in time.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the displaying step further comprises displaying at least one numerical parameter and at least one numerical parameter generated at an earlier point in time.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the processing step further comprises comparing at least one numerical parameter with at least one predetermined numerical value.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the displaying step further comprises displaying at least one numerical parameter and at least one predetermined numerical value.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined numerical value comprises a mileage value.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the alphanumeric text message includes at least one parameter from the numerical data.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the displaying step further comprises displaying the alphanumeric text message on the web page.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises sending an electronic mail message that comprises the alphanumeric text message.  
     
     
         20 . A method for monitoring a set of vehicles, comprising the steps of: 
 i) generating a first data packet from a first vehicle in the set of vehicles using a first wireless appliance disposed in the first vehicle, the first data packet comprising numerical diagnostic data from a computer in the first vehicle;    ii) transmitting the first data packet over an airlink with the first wireless appliance so that the first data packet passes through a network and to a host computer system;    iii) generating a second data packet from a second vehicle in the set of vehicles using a second wireless appliance disposed in the second vehicle, the second data packet comprising numerical diagnostic data from a computer in the second vehicle;    iv) transmitting the second data packet over an airlink with the wireless appliance so that the second data packet passes through the network and to the host computer system;    v) processing the first and second data packets with the host computer system to generate numerical diagnostic data corresponding to the first and second vehicles;    vi) displaying the numerical diagnostic data corresponding to the first vehicle on a first series of web pages hosted on the internet; and    vii) displaying the numerical diagnostic data corresponding to the first and second vehicles on a second series of web pages hosted on the internet, the first and second series of web pages being comprised by a single web site.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the processing step further includes extracting at least one of the following vehicle parameters from the first and second data packets: numerical data, an alphanumeric text message, an active or pending diagnostic trouble code, a vehicle identification number.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the processing step further includes processing at least one of the vehicle parameters with a database software.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the processing step further includes generating a first set of data that comprises an alphanumeric text message.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the displaying step further comprises displaying the alphanumeric text message on the first web site.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the step of sending an electronic mail message that comprises the alphanumeric text message.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein a single web site comprises the first and second web pages.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the web site comprises a login web page that comprises fields for entering a user name and a password.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the web site communicates with a database that associates a first user name with a first password, and a second user name with a second password.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first user name corresponds to a vehicle owner, and the second user name corresponds to a corporate organization.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the corporate organization is a vehicle dealership, a vehicle-rental organization, an insurance organization, or an organization comprising a fleet of vehicles.