U.S. patent application number 13/421907 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-12 for mechanic certification tracking validation.
This patent application is currently assigned to International Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Gregory J. Boss, Peter G. Finn, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Brian M. O'Connell, James W. Seaman, Keith R. Walker.
Application Number | 20120179331 13/421907 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42132451 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120179331 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boss; Gregory J. ; et
al. |
July 12, 2012 |
MECHANIC CERTIFICATION TRACKING VALIDATION
Abstract
Embodiments receive information indicative of a certification of
a mechanic performing a service on a vehicle, and responsively
determine whether the certification is validated. If validated,
service on the vehicle by the mechanic is facilitated by placing
the vehicle in a service state and generates a signal that causes
an unlocking of a vehicle door, hood, or trunk. If not validated,
service on the vehicle is inhibited by disabling a vehicle
electrical sub-system and generating a signal that causes a locking
of the vehicle door, hood, or trunk, wherein a vehicle owner
authorization of the mechanic may supersede and facilitate service
by instead placing the vehicle in a service state for executing
diagnostic software and generating a signal that causes unlocking
of the vehicle door, hood, or trunk.
Inventors: |
Boss; Gregory J.; (American
Fork, UT) ; Finn; Peter G.; (Brampton, CA) ;
Hamilton, II; Rick A.; (Charlottesville, VA) ;
O'Connell; Brian M.; (Cary, NC) ; Seaman; James
W.; (Falls Church, VA) ; Walker; Keith R.;
(Austin, TX) |
Assignee: |
International Business Machines
Corporation
Armonk
NY
|
Family ID: |
42132451 |
Appl. No.: |
13/421907 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12261367 |
Oct 30, 2008 |
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13421907 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
701/36 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/36 |
International
Class: |
G06F 7/00 20060101
G06F007/00 |
Claims
1. A system, comprising: a certification validator that: determines
whether mechanic certification information received for a mechanic
is validated by stored authorized mechanic certification
information; if determined that the mechanic certification
information is validated by the stored authorized mechanic
certification information, facilitates service on a vehicle by the
mechanic by placing the vehicle in a service state for executing
diagnostic software via a vehicle computer, and by generating a
signal that causes unlocking of at least one of a door, a hood, and
a trunk of the vehicle; if determined that the mechanic
certification information is not validated by the stored authorized
mechanic certification information: inhibits service on the vehicle
by the mechanic by disabling at least one electrical sub-system of
the vehicle and by generating a signal that causes locking of at
least one of the vehicle door, hood, and trunk; and enables a
vehicle owner authorization of the mechanic to supersede a
manufacturer rejection of the mechanic via the stored authorized
mechanic certification information and facilitate the service on
the vehicle by the mechanic by placing the vehicle in the service
state for executing the diagnostic software via the vehicle
computer, and by generating the signal that causes the unlocking of
at least one of the vehicle door, hood, and trunk.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a storage component
of the vehicle that stores a signal from the certification
validator that is indicative of a service performed on the vehicle
by the mechanic and whether the mechanic is validated by the stored
authorized mechanic certification information to perform the
service or is authorized to perform the service on the vehicle by
the superseding vehicle owner authorization, wherein the signal is
stored along with at least one of the received certification
information or a service performed on the vehicle.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the received mechanic
certification information includes one or more of certification
indicia, a mechanic's name, a service station's name, a service
station's location, and a service identifier.
4. The system of claim 3, further including at least one radio
frequency identifier (RFID) reader that receives the mechanic
certification information from an RFID tag.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the RFID tag is part of one or
more of an article of the mechanic or a service station at which
the mechanic works.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the article is one or more of
clothing, an identification badge of the mechanic, or a bracelet
worn by the mechanic.
7. The system of claim 3, further including at least one global
positioning system (GPS) receiver that receives a signal indicative
of a location of a service station.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the location of the service
station is indicative of the certification of a mechanic employed
at the service station.
9. The system of claim 3, further including an input component that
receives a service unique identifier that is indicative of an
authorized mechanic.
10. The system of claim 1, further including a service event
generator that generates a service unique identifier for authorized
mechanics, wherein a received service unique identifier is compared
with a stored service unique identifier to determine whether the
mechanic is an authorized mechanic.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the stored information is part
of a service history for the vehicle that is stored in the
vehicle.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system operates in
conjunction with a computer of the vehicle.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is part of a
computing system of the vehicle.
14. A method, comprising: receiving by a processing unit
information indicative of a certification of a mechanic performing
a service on a vehicle; the processing unit generating a signal
indicative of whether the certification is validated by stored
authorized mechanic certification information; if determined that
the mechanic certification information is validated by the stored
authorized mechanic certification information, the processing unit
facilitating service on a vehicle by the mechanic by placing the
vehicle in a service state for executing diagnostic software via a
vehicle computer, and by generating a signal that causes an
unlocking of at least one of a door, a hood, and a trunk of the
vehicle; and if determined that the mechanic certification
information is not validated by the stored authorized mechanic
certification information, the processing unit: inhibits service on
the vehicle by the mechanic by disabling at least one electrical
sub-system of the vehicle and generating a signal that causes a
locking of at least one of the vehicle door, hood, and trunk; and
enables a vehicle owner authorization of the mechanic to supersede
a manufacturer rejection of the mechanic via the stored authorized
mechanic certification information and facilitate the service on
the vehicle by the mechanic by placing the vehicle in the service
state for executing the diagnostic software via a vehicle computer,
and by generating the signal that causes the unlocking of at least
one of the vehicle door, hood, and trunk.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: the processing unit
storing indicia indicative of a service performed on the vehicle by
the mechanic and whether the mechanic is validated by the stored
authorized mechanic certification information to perform the
service or is authorized to perform the service on the vehicle by
the superseding vehicle owner authorization, wherein the indicia is
stored with information indicative of a type of service
performed.
16. The method of claim 15, further including generating a service
history that includes the service and the indicia.
17. The method of claim 16, further including using the stored
indicia to determine whether the service was performed by an
authorized person pursuant to the manufacturer's warranty.
18. The method of claim 16, further including determining vehicle
warranty compliance based on the stored indicia.
19. The method of claim 14, further including: obtaining authorized
mechanic certification information from a plurality of different
information sources; and using an information source priority to
resolve authorization conflicts between the sources.
20. The method of claim 14, further including comparing the first
information with authorized mechanic certification information
local to the vehicle by a computing system of the vehicle or remote
from the vehicle by the manufacturer of the vehicle or a trusted
third party.
21. The method of claim 14, wherein the disabling the at least one
electrical sub-system of the vehicle comprises disabling an
ignition of the vehicle.
22. An article of manufacture, comprising: a computer readable
tangible storage medium having computer readable program code
embodied therewith, the program code comprising instructions which,
when executed on a computer system, cause the computer system to:
receive information indicative of a certification of a mechanic
performing a service on a vehicle; generate a signal indicative of
whether the certification is validated by stored authorized
mechanic certification information; if determined that the mechanic
certification information is validated by the stored authorized
mechanic certification information, facilitate service on a vehicle
by the mechanic by placing the vehicle in a service state for
executing diagnostic software via a vehicle computer, and generate
a signal that causes an unlocking of at least one of a door, a
hood, and a trunk of the vehicle; and if determined that the
mechanic certification information is not validated by the stored
authorized mechanic certification information: inhibit service on
the vehicle by the mechanic by disabling at least one electrical
sub-system of the vehicle and generating a signal that causes a
locking of at least one of the vehicle door, hood, and trunk; and
enable a vehicle owner authorization of the mechanic to supersede a
manufacturer rejection of the mechanic via the stored authorized
mechanic certification information and facilitate the service on
the vehicle by the mechanic by placing the vehicle in the service
state for executing the diagnostic software via the vehicle
computer, and by generating the signal that causes the unlocking of
at least one of the vehicle door, hood, and trunk.
23. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the program
code instructions, when executed on the computer system, further
cause the computer system to store indicia indicative of a service
performed on the vehicle by the mechanic and whether the mechanic
is validated by the stored authorized mechanic certification
information to perform the service or is authorized to perform the
service on the vehicle by the superseding vehicle owner
authorization.
24. A method for providing a service for vehicle maintenance, the
method comprising: providing a computer infrastructure that:
receives information indicative of a certification of a mechanic
performing a service on a vehicle; generates a signal indicative of
whether the certification is validated by stored authorized
mechanic certification information; if determined that the mechanic
certification information is validated by the stored authorized
mechanic certification information, facilitates service on the
vehicle by the mechanic by placing the vehicle in a service state
for executing diagnostic software via a vehicle computer, and
generates a signal that causes an unlocking of at least one of a
door, a hood, and a trunk of the vehicle; and if determined that
the mechanic certification information is not validated by the
stored authorized mechanic certification information: inhibits
service on the vehicle by the mechanic by disabling the at least
one vehicle electrical sub-system and generating a signal that
causes a locking of at least one of the vehicle door, hood, and
trunk; and enables a vehicle owner authorization of the mechanic to
supersede a manufacturer rejection of the mechanic via the stored
authorized mechanic certification information and facilitate the
service on the vehicle by the mechanic by placing the vehicle in
the service state for executing the diagnostic software via the
vehicle computer, and by generating the signal that causes the
unlocking of at least one of the vehicle door, hood, and trunk.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the computer infrastructure
further stores indicia indicative of a service performed on the
vehicle by the mechanic and whether the mechanic is validated by
the stored authorized mechanic certification information to perform
the service or is authorized to perform the service on the vehicle
by the superseding vehicle owner authorization.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
12/261,367, filed Oct. 30, 2008.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to vehicle
maintenance and, more particularly, to a method, system, and
program product for tracking the certification of a mechanic(s)
servicing a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A vehicle, for example an automobile, typically requires
preventive and/or corrective maintenance at some point in time
during its lifetime. By way of example, a manufacturer of a vehicle
may recommend changing the oil, flushing the coolant system,
rotating the tires, etc. after a corresponding mileage milestone is
reached. In another example, a tail light, a tire, the brake pads,
etc. may need to be replaced after burning out, going flat, wearing
down, etc. Often, the owner of a vehicle has a mechanic perform
maintenance on the vehicle.
[0004] In some instances, a vehicle warranty may require that a
particular service be performed by a certified or factory
authorized mechanic. If the service is performed by an unauthorized
mechanic and results in damage to the vehicle, the guarantor of the
warranty may inadvertently provide remuneration for invalid claims.
To mitigate such, a guarantor may attempt to detect service by an
unauthorized mechanic through manually inspecting the parts of a
vehicle and/or identifying indications of service, and comparing
such to service records produced by a claimant that identify the
service performed and the mechanic who performed the service.
[0005] With one approach, the guarantor may look for components
that appear newer than surrounding parts. With this approach, an
individual can potentially visually detect a new part by comparing
the amount and covering percentage of dirt or other contaminants on
the outside of a part to that of surrounding parts. With another
approach, the guarantor can compare the serial number of all
vehicle parts to those that were in the vehicle when it was sold.
Upon finding a discrepancy, the guarantor may request that a
claimant provide documentation identifying the mechanic who
performed a repair or service.
[0006] Unfortunately, these approaches require physical inspection
of the vehicle. In some instances, physical inspection may not
reveal some new components. Furthermore, some repairs or service
work do not require new components. In addition, used parts may be
put back in place prior to vehicle inspection. Furthermore, some
components may not become dirty or rapidly become dirty. Moreover,
internal engine components cannot be easily inspected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Embodiments receive information indicative of a
certification of a mechanic performing a service on a vehicle, and
responsively determine whether the certification is validated. If
validated, service on the vehicle by the mechanic is facilitated by
placing the vehicle in a service state and generates a signal that
causes an unlocking of a vehicle door, hood, or trunk. If not
validated, service on the vehicle is inhibited by disabling a
vehicle electrical sub-system and generating a signal that causes a
locking of the vehicle door, hood, or trunk, wherein a vehicle
owner authorization of the mechanic may supersede and facilitate
service by instead placing the vehicle in a service state for
executing diagnostic software and generating a signal that causes
unlocking of the vehicle door, hood, or trunk.
[0008] In general, the present invention provides a method, system,
and program product for tracking the certification of a mechanic
servicing a vehicle. In one instance, this may be accomplished by
receiving information related to the certification of the mechanic,
including a mechanic certification, a location of the service
station, and/or a service ID, and comparing such information with
stored information indicative of an authorized mechanic, service
station, service station location, and/or service ID. If a match is
found, the received information and/or indicia that indicates that
the service was performed by an authorized party is stored along
with the type of service and/or other service related information.
The stored information can be retrieved to determine whether a
particular service performed on the vehicle was performed by an
authorized mechanic pursuant to the warranty, expectations of the
owner, and/or potential purchaser of the vehicle.
[0009] In one aspect, a system for tracking mechanic certification
information for a vehicle includes a certification validator that
determines whether received mechanic certification information
matches stored authorized mechanic certification information, and a
storage component that stores a signal indicative of whether a
mechanic corresponding to the received certification information is
an authorized mechanic.
[0010] In another aspect, a method for tracking mechanic
certification information for a vehicle includes receiving first
information indicative of a certification of a mechanic performing
a service on the vehicle, generating a signal indicative of whether
the certification matches an authorized mechanic certification, and
storing indicia indicative of whether the certification matches the
authorized mechanic certification.
[0011] In another aspect, a method includes producing computer
executable program code, storing the code on a computer readable
medium, and providing the program code to be deployed and executed
on a computer system. The program code comprising instructions
which, when executed on the computer system, cause the computer
system to receive information indicative of a certification of a
mechanic performing a service on the vehicle, generate a signal
indicative of whether the certification matches an authorized
mechanic certification, and store indicia indicative of whether the
certification matches the authorized mechanic certification.
[0012] In another aspect, a method for deploying an application for
tracking mechanic certification includes providing a computer
infrastructure being operable to sense received information
indicative of a certification of a mechanic performing a service on
the vehicle, generate a signal indicative of whether the
certification matches an authorized mechanic certification, and
store indicia indicative of whether the certification matches the
authorized mechanic certification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] These and other features of this invention will be more
readily understood from the following detailed description of the
various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a system for tracking the certification
of a mechanic(s) serving a vehicle.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a system for tracking the certification
of a mechanic(s) serving a vehicle.
[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a method for tracking the certification
of a mechanic(s) serving a vehicle.
[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a method for tracking the certification
of a mechanic(s) serving a vehicle.
[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary computerized implementation
of a system for tracking the certification of a mechanic(s) serving
a vehicle.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustration of an embodiment
according to the present invention that tracks mechanic
certification information for a vehicle.
[0020] The drawings are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are
merely schematic representations, not intended to portray specific
parameters of the invention. The drawings are intended to depict
only typical embodiments of the invention, and therefore should not
be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the
drawings, like numbering represents like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] For convenience purposes, the Detailed Description of the
Invention has the following sections:
[0022] . General Description
[0023] II. Computerized Implementation
. General Description
[0024] Conventionally, a guarantor cannot readily ascertain whether
a service on a vehicle was performed by a certified or authorized
mechanic. The present invention provides a system, method, and
program product tracking the certification of a mechanic(s)
servicing a vehicle. The tracked data is retrievable and can be
used to determine whether a particular service was performed by a
mechanic authorized to perform the service under the warranty
and/or for other purposes, such as for an owner or potential
purchaser of the vehicle to verify service and service history
records meet expectations.
[0025] Initially referring to FIG. 1, a system 100 for tracking the
certification of a mechanic(s) servicing a vehicle is illustrated.
The system 100 may reside in and/or operate in conjunction with a
vehicle such as a car, a truck, a motorcycle, a boat, or the like.
For example, the system 100 may be part of or operate in
conjunction with the vehicle's computer, computing system, and/or
various components within one or more sub-systems of the vehicle.
Portions of the system 100 may also be located external from the
vehicle, for example, in a computer, a mobile computing device, a
cell phone, a component of a network, etc. at a service station,
the owner's house, etc.
[0026] The system 100 includes a certification validator 102 that
validates or determines whether received mechanic certification
information matches stored authorized certification information.
The certification validator 102 receives certification information
that is provided to an input component 104 via wireless and/or
wired communication channels. The received certification
information may include information about a mechanic, a service
station, a service, and the like, such as a service unique
identifier that is indicative of an authorized mechanic. The
certification validator 102 compares the received certification
information with certification information stored in a
certification bank 106.
[0027] The certification bank 106 may be part of a database(s), a
table(s) of a database, etc. located in stationary or removable
portable memory. The certification bank 106 stores authorized
certification information provided by the government, a
manufacturer of the vehicle, an owner of the vehicle, a third
party, and/or other authorized party. As an example, the
certification bank 106 may include information regarding an
authorized mechanic(s), service station(s), service request(s),
service ID(s), and the like. In one instance, such information is
obtained from a common manufacturer database. Such a database may
be relational and include data relative to authorized service
centers, certified mechanics, location data, and/or other relevant
data. The certification bank 106 may optionally store information
indicative of prohibited mechanic(s), service station(s), etc. This
information may relate to a mechanic that had his certification
withdrawn by the manufacturer, a service station that did not
qualify as an authorized service station, etc.
[0028] The certification validator 102 stores the received
certification information in a storage component 108. The stored
certification information may be stored along with indicia
indicative of whether the received certification information
matches any of the stored authorized certification information, a
signal indicative of whether the mechanic is authorized to perform
a service on the vehicle, a service performed on the vehicle, etc.
The storage component 108 may be part of or include a service
tracking system that stores information such as a service history.
In such instance, the indicia and/or certification information can
be stored with indicia indicative of corresponding service
performed on the vehicle.
[0029] An authorized party of interest may access the storage
component 108 and obtain and/or otherwise view the stored service
and certification information. In one instance, the authorized
party includes a guarantor of a warranty of the vehicle, a
potential purchaser of the vehicle, the owner of the vehicle,
and/or the like. The stored information allows the authorized party
to determine whether a service that was performed on the vehicle
was performed by an authorized mechanic. Thus, a guarantor of a
warranty can use the information stored in the storage component
108 to determine whether a particular service performed on the
vehicle was performed in accordance with the warranty. The warranty
information may also be stored in the storage component 108. As
such, the stored information may indicate whether a particular
service performed on the vehicle was performed in accordance with
the warranty.
[0030] FIG. 6 illustrates one instance or embodiment of a method or
system for tracking mechanic certification information for a
vehicle. If at 602 the certification validator 102 matches
(validates) certification information received for a mechanic with
an authorized certification in the certification bank 106, the
certification validator 102 facilitates service on a vehicle by the
mechanic by placing the vehicle in a service state at 604. For
instance, finding a match may result in the certification validator
102 (or another component such as the vehicle's computer)
generating one or more signals at 604 that result in the doors,
hood, and/or trunk unlocking, disarming of an alarm, activating
visual indicators, executing diagnostic and/or other software via
the vehicle computer, etc. If instead at 602 the certification
validator 102 is unable to match (validate) the received
certification information with an authorized certification in the
certification bank 106, the certification validator 102 prevents or
inhibits service at 606. For instance, when a match is not found at
602, the certification validator 102 (or another component such as
the vehicle's computer) may generate one or more signals that
inhibit service on the vehicle at 606 by locking the doors, hood,
and/or trunk, activating and/or sounding an alarm, disabling the
ignition or other electrical sub-system of the vehicle, etc.
[0031] It is to be appreciated that a mechanic may be associated
with one or more certifications from one or more sources. As such,
multiple different certifications may be stored in the storage
component 108. Where a certification is used to determine whether a
mechanic will perform a service, certification preferences stored
in the storage component 108 may be used to reconcile discrepancies
between different sources of authorized certification information.
For example, a mechanic authorized by a vehicle manufacturer may
not be authorized by the owner of the vehicle, an automobile
association, state regulation, etc.
[0032] The certification preferences allow the owner of the vehicle
and/or other individual to set a hierarchy of authorization
information sources to reconcile any discrepancies therebetween.
For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, as a function of the
certification preferences at 608, the certification validator 102
enables a vehicle owner authorization of a mechanic to supersede a
manufacturer rejection of the mechanic via the stored mechanic
certification authorization, which supersedes automobile
authorization, etc. and facilitates service on the vehicle by the
mechanic by placing the vehicle in the service state at 604. In
this example, the validator 102 would use a mechanic authorized by
the owner even if the mechanic was not authorized by another
authorization source. Any or all certification approvals,
rejections, and/or unknowns can be stored in the storage component
108.
[0033] In one non-limiting implementation, the input component 104
includes one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) readers
or the like variously located throughout the vehicle. The readers
may be positioned in the vehicle so that the aggregate coverage by
the one or more RFID readers covers at least the components subject
to mechanic certifications conditions under the warranty. The
mechanic certification information can be provided to the system
via a RFID tag or transponder for the mechanic. The RFID tag could
take on many forms. For example, in one instance the tag may be
part of an article of the mechanic or service station such as a
bracelet or an identification badge worn by the mechanic, embedded
in the mechanics sewn-on name tag, affixed to one or more selective
tools owned by the authorized service center, attached to an entry
way to a mechanic's service area, etc.
[0034] The RFID tag can be a passive tag, an active tag, or a
semi-passive tag. With a passive tag, the reader(s) emits an
electromagnetic field that induces an electrical current in an
antenna of the tag. The electrical current provides power for the
tag, for example, for powering an integrated circuit in the tag,
which invokes the tag to emit or transmit the certification
information stored in the tag (e.g., in Electrically Erasable
Programmable Read-Only Memory, or EEPROM, etc.) via the antenna. As
noted above, such information may include received mechanic
certification information for the mechanic such as indicia
indicative of a type of certification(s) of the mechanic. Other
information may include the mechanic's name, a service station's
name, a service station's location, a service station identifier,
an employer, an indication of the number of years the mechanic has
been certified, a service rating for the mechanic, a service level
of the mechanic, etc.
[0035] With an active tag, the RFID tag includes an internal power
source such as a battery, a solar cell, etc. that powers the
integrated circuit, which broadcasts the certification information
for reception by an authorized reader tuned to a broadcast
frequency. Alternatively or additionally, the RFID tag may be
powered from the battery of the vehicle. The RFID tag may also be
semi-passive in that an internal battery or the vehicle's battery
may provide power to activate the tag, but the field provided by
the reader invokes the broadcast of the certification
information.
[0036] It is to be appreciated that the RFID tag or other portable
certification information providing apparatus may be employed
within a system that facilitates preventing an individual other
than the certified mechanic from using the tag or apparatus. For
instance, the RFID tag may be part of a bracelet, anklet, or the
like, wherein opening and/or closing the bracelet, anklet, or the
like deactivates and/or activates tag. For example, when the
mechanic arrives at work and puts on and closes the bracelet, the
tag may be activated to begin emitting certification information or
to be susceptible to be invoked by an electromagnetic field
produced by a RFID reader. When the bracelet is opened, the tag may
be deactivated so that it does not emit certification
information.
[0037] When the mechanic is not at work, the bracelet, or the like
can be stored in a secure location such as under lock and key at
the service station and/or otherwise lock, for example, via an
access code or the like. The tag may also be configured to sound an
alarm if removed from the service station, regardless of whether
the bracelet or the like is activated to emit certification
information or not. Other approaches are also contemplated herein.
For example, the RFID tag may work in connection with a system that
tracks a mechanic's hours and/or activity, a key for accessing
vending machines, bathrooms, etc. a timer that activates the tag
based on the mechanic's work schedule, etc.
[0038] In another non-limiting example, the input component 104
includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The GPS
receiver can receive signal indicative of a location of a service
station, wherein the location of the service station is indicative
of the certification of a mechanic employed at the service station,
service station location information from one or more global
navigational systems such as a satellite navigational system,
and/or other information. In this example, the certification
validator 102 compares the received service station location
information with authorized service station locations stored in the
certification bank 106. The authorized service station locations
may be mapped to authorized service stations and/or mechanics.
[0039] In one instance, finding a matching location indicates that
one or more mechanics at the service station is authorized to
perform service on the vehicle. Otherwise, the service station is
unauthorized. In this example, the service location and/or indicia
indicating whether the service station is authorized may be stored
along with indicia indicative of a corresponding type of service
performed, as well as other information related to the service
performed. As such, the location information is used to determine
whether a mechanic, namely, one employed at the service station, is
authorized to perform service on the vehicle.
[0040] It is to be appreciated that the certification validator 102
may determine whether a service station is an authorized service
station before, during, or after the service is performed. In
addition, the stored authorized service location and/or other
certification information may be uploaded to the manufacturer or a
trusted third party, and compared thereby to locations of
authorized service stations. The results can be uploaded and/or
downloaded and stored in the storage component 108.
[0041] In another instance, the mechanic provides the certification
information to the input component 104 via a wire and/or wireless
device when servicing a vehicle. FIG. 2 illustrates a non-limiting
example of such a system. As shown, a party interacts with a
service event generator 202. The service event generator 202 can
generate a service unique identifier for authorized mechanics. The
received service unique identifier can be compared with a stored
service unique identifier to determine whether the mechanic is an
authorized mechanic. The stored information can part of a service
history for the vehicle that is stored in the vehicle.
[0042] The service event generator 202 can be a variety of devices,
including but not limited to an automated telephone system, an
automated email system, a transaction-based web site, etc. Such
interaction can be through a wire and/or wireless mouse, keyboard,
and/or digital pen, a touch screen, a computing device such as a
personal data assistant, a cell phone, etc., audible tones, and the
like. The party provides information such as a mechanic ID, a
service station ID, the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), a type
of service, and/or other information. In response, the service
event generator 202 generates a code such as a unique identifier
(UID) for use with the system 100. In one instance, the UID
includes a unique integer derived from the mechanic ID, VIN number,
other mechanic input information, the time, a random seed, and/or
other information.
[0043] As shown, the UID is stored in the certification bank 106 as
well as provided to the mechanic. Before performing any maintenance
on the vehicle, the mechanic provides the UID to the input
component 104. In this example, the input component 104 may be part
of a second generation on-board diagnostic interface, a newly
designed device that interfaces with the service tracking system,
etc., and/or include a touch-screen display or other user
interface. Once the UID is entered, the certification validator 102
determines whether the received UID matches a UID stored in the
certification bank 106. If a match is found, indicia indicating
such is stored along with the UID and/or the type of service in the
storage component 108. The UID may also be used to obtain
information related to the service from the storage component
108.
[0044] FIG. 3 illustrates a method for tracking the certification
of a mechanic(s) serving a vehicle. At 302, certification
information including certification information related to the
certification of a mechanic and/or a service station is received.
Such information may include various information about the mechanic
and/or service station, including a certification number, a name, a
location, etc. At 304, the received certification information is
compared with stored authorized certification information. The
authorized information may include information uploaded or
downloaded thereto, for example, by the owner of the vehicle, the
mechanic, the manufacturer, a trusted third party, or the like. At
306, the received certification information and/or indicia
indicative of whether the received certification information
matched any authorized information is stored along with information
indicative of the type of service performed At 308, an authorized
party such as a guarantor of a warranty for the vehicle can obtain
the stored service information. The stored information provides
information indicative of whether a service was performed by an
authorized mechanic, pursuant to the warranty.
[0045] FIG. 4 illustrates another method for tracking the
certification of a mechanic(s) serving a vehicle. At 402, a UID is
received. As noted above, a mechanic or other party may request
that a service UID, and such request may include information such
as a mechanic ID, a service station ID, the VIN number, a type of
service, and/or other information. The UID is stored and provided
to the mechanic. At 404, the UID is compared with stored UIDs.
Similarly, to the above-noted method, the stored information may
include information uploaded or downloaded thereto. At 406, the
received UID and/or indicia indicative of whether the received UID
matched any of the authorized UIDs is stored along with indicia
indicative of the type of service performed. At 408, an authorized
party such as a guarantor of a warranty for the vehicle can obtain
the stored service information. The stored information provides
information indicative of whether a service was performed by an
authorized mechanic, pursuant to the warranty, or pursuant to the
expectations of the owner or potential purchaser of the
vehicle.
[0046] In another embodiment, a method for tracking mechanic
certification information for a vehicle includes receiving first
information indicative of a certification of a mechanic performing
a service on the vehicle, generating a signal indicative of whether
the certification matches an authorized mechanic certification, and
storing indicia indicative of whether the certification matches the
authorized mechanic certification in the vehicle. In one instance,
the indicia is stored with information indicative of a type of
service performed. In another instance, the method further includes
generating a service history that includes the service and the
indicia. In yet another instance, the method further includes using
the stored indicia to determine whether the service was performed
by an authorized person pursuant to the manufacturer's warranty. In
still another instance, the method further includes determining
vehicle warranty compliance based on the stored indicia.
[0047] In another embodiment, a method includes obtaining
authorized mechanic certification information from a plurality of
different information sources and using an information source
priority to resolve authorization conflicts between the sources.
The method may further include comparing the first information with
authorized mechanic certification information local to the vehicle
by a computing system of the vehicle or remote from the vehicle by
the manufacturer of the vehicle or a trusted third party. The
method may further include disabling at least one electrical
sub-system of the vehicle when the signal indicates that the
mechanic is unauthorized to perform the service on the vehicle.
[0048] In another embodiment, a method includes producing computer
executable program code, storing the code on a computer readable
medium, and providing the program code to be deployed and executed
on a computer system. In one instance, the program code comprises
instructions which, when executed on the computer system, cause the
computer system to: receive information indicative of a
certification of a mechanic performing a service on the vehicle,
generate a signal indicative of whether the certification matches
an authorized mechanic certification, and store indicia indicative
of whether the certification matches the authorized mechanic
certification.
[0049] In another embodiment, a method for deploying an application
for tracking mechanic certification information includes providing
a computer infrastructure being operable to: receive information
indicative of a certification of a mechanic performing a service on
the vehicle, generate a signal indicative of whether the
certification matches an authorized mechanic certification, and
store indicia indicative of whether the certification matches the
authorized mechanic certification.
II. Computerized Implementation
[0050] Referring now to FIG. 5, an exemplary computerized
implementation includes a computer system 504 deployed within a
computer infrastructure 508 such as one existing in a vehicle as
described above. This is intended to demonstrate, among other
things, that the present invention could be implemented within a
network environment (e.g., the Internet, a wide area network (WAN),
a local area network (LAN), a virtual private network (VPN), etc.),
or on a stand-alone computer system.
[0051] In the case of the former, communication throughout the
network can occur via any combination of various types of
communication links. For example, the communication links can
comprise addressable connections that may utilize any combination
of wired and/or wireless transmission methods.
[0052] Where communications occur via the Internet, connectivity
could be provided by conventional TCP/IP sockets-based protocol,
and an Internet service provider could be used to establish
connectivity to the Internet. Still yet, computer infrastructure
608 is intended to demonstrate that some or all of the components
of implementation could be deployed, managed, serviced, etc. by a
service provider who offers to implement, deploy, and/or perform
the functions of the present invention for others.
[0053] As shown, the computer system 504 includes a processing unit
512, a memory 516, a bus 520, and input/output (I/O) interfaces
524. Further, the computer system 504 is shown in communication
with external I/O devices/resources 528 and storage system 532. In
general, the processing unit 512 executes computer program code,
such as the code to implement various components of the system 100,
which is stored in memory 516 and/or storage system 532. It is to
be appreciated that two or more, including all, of these components
may be implemented as a single component.
[0054] While executing computer program code, the processing unit
512 can read and/or write data to/from the memory 516, the storage
system 532, and/or the I/O interfaces 524. The bus 520 provides a
communication link between each of the components in computer
system 504. The external devices 528 can comprise any devices
(e.g., keyboard, pointing device, display, etc.) that enable a user
to interact with computer system 504 and/or any devices (e.g.,
network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system 504 to
communicate with one or more other computing devices.
[0055] The computer infrastructure 508 is only illustrative of
various types of computer infrastructures for implementing the
invention. For example, in one embodiment, computer infrastructure
508 comprises two or more computing devices (e.g., a server
cluster) that communicate over a network to perform the various
process steps of the invention. Moreover, computer system 504 is
only representative of various possible computer systems that can
include numerous combinations of hardware.
[0056] To this extent, in other embodiments, computer system 504
can comprise any specific purpose-computing article of manufacture
comprising hardware and/or computer program code for performing
specific functions, any computing article of manufacture that
comprises a combination of specific purpose and general-purpose
hardware/software, or the like. In each case, the program code and
hardware can be created using standard programming and engineering
techniques, respectively.
[0057] Moreover, the processing unit 512 may comprise a single
processing unit, or be distributed across one or more processing
units in one or more locations, e.g., on a client and server.
Similarly, the memory 516 and/or the storage system 532 can
comprise any combination of various types of data storage and/or
transmission media that reside at one or more physical
locations.
[0058] Further, I/O interfaces 524 can comprise any system for
exchanging information with one or more of the external device 528.
Still further, it is understood that one or more additional
components (e.g., system software, math co-processing unit, etc.)
not shown in FIG. 5 can be included in computer system 504.
However, if computer system 504 comprises a handheld device or the
like, it is understood that one or more of the external devices 528
(e.g., a display) and/or the storage system 532 could be contained
within computer system 504, not externally as shown.
[0059] The storage system 532 can be any type of system (e.g., a
database) capable of providing storage for information under the
present invention. To this extent, the storage system 532 could
include one or more storage devices, such as a magnetic disk drive
or an optical disk drive. In another embodiment, the storage system
532 includes data distributed across, for example, a local area
network (LAN), wide area network (WAN) or a storage area network
(SAN) (not shown). In addition, although not shown, additional
components, such as cache memory, communication systems, system
software, etc., may be incorporated into computer system 504.
[0060] Shown in the memory 516 of computer system 504 is the
mechanic certification tracking system 100, which includes the
certification validator 102, the input component 104, the
certification bank 106, and the storage component 108. In another
implementation, these components, including all of the components,
can be a single component. These components perform the functions
discussed above. More particularly, the certification validator 102
compares certification information received by the input component
104 with authorized certification information stored in the
certification bank 106, and stores the results in the storage
component 104 along with corresponding service type information. In
the illustrated embodiment, the system 100 communicates with
external entities 536 such as another computing system, an RFID
tag, a tracking system, another vehicle, a service station
computer, other apparatuses external to the vehicle, etc. over a
path 540, which may be wired (as shown) or wireless.
[0061] While shown and described herein as a method and a system,
it is understood that the invention further provides various
alternative embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, the
invention provides a computer-readable/useable medium that includes
computer program code to enable a computer infrastructure to track
mechanic certification. To this extent, the
computer-readable/useable medium includes program code that
implements each of the various process steps of the invention.
[0062] It is understood that the terms computer-readable medium or
computer useable medium comprise one or more of any type of
physical embodiment of the program code. In particular, the
computer-readable/useable medium can comprise program code embodied
on one or more portable storage articles of manufacture (e.g., a
compact disc, a magnetic disk, a tape, etc.), or on one or more
data storage portions of a computing device, such as the memory 516
(FIG. 5) and/or the storage system 532 (FIG. 5) (e.g., a fixed
disk, a read-only memory, a random access memory, a cache memory,
etc.).
[0063] In another embodiment, the invention provides a business
method that performs the process steps of the invention on a
subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis. That is, a service
provider could offer to manage the mechanic certification tracking
system 100. In this case, the service provider can create,
maintain, support, etc., a computer infrastructure, such as the
computer infrastructure 508 (FIG. 5) that performs the process
steps of the invention for one or more customers. In return, the
service provider can receive payment from the customer(s) under a
subscription and/or fee agreement and/or the service provider can
receive payment from the sale of advertising content to one or more
third parties.
[0064] In still another embodiment, the invention provides a
computer-implemented method for executing the mechanic
certification tracking system 100. In this case, a computer
infrastructure, such as computer infrastructure 508 (FIG. 5), can
be provided and one or more systems for performing the process
steps of the invention can be obtained (e.g., created, purchased,
used, modified, etc.) and deployed to the computer infrastructure.
To this extent, the deployment of a system can comprise one or more
of: (1) installing program code on a computing device, such as
computer system 504 (FIG. 5), from a computer-readable medium; (2)
adding one or more computing devices to the computer
infrastructure; and (3) incorporating and/or modifying one or more
existing systems of the computer infrastructure to enable the
computer infrastructure to perform the process steps of the
invention.
[0065] As used herein, it is understood that the terms "program
code" and "computer program code" are synonymous and mean any
expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of
instructions intended to cause a computing device having an
information processing capability to perform a particular function
either directly or after either or both of the following: (a)
conversion to another language, code or notation; and/or (b)
reproduction in a different material form. To this extent, program
code can be embodied as one or more of: an application/software
program, component software/a library of functions, an operating
system, a basic I/O system/driver for a particular computing and/or
I/O device, and the like.
[0066] The foregoing description of various aspects of the
invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many
modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and
variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are
intended to be included within the scope of the invention as
defined by the accompanying claims.
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