Claims:We Claim:
1. A method for managing vehicle data of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:
a. storing the vehicle data in an on-board memory;
b. external units E said units providing data related to this particular vehicle.
c. operational data may be provided by vehicle sensors, or by a navigation system, or by an on-board unit, i.e., by any unit capable of acquiring data during the life of a vehicle
d. associating the stored vehicle data with the vehicle using a vehicle identifier;
e. categorizing the stored vehicle data in the on-board memory of the vehicle based on authorizations of third parties to view the stored vehicle data;
f. transmitting, by a communication device of the vehicle, the categorized stored data to at least one of a plurality of stationary receiving stations;
g. transmitting, by the at least one of the pluralities of stationary receiving stations,
h. making the transmitted data available at the data processing centers for retrieval by the third parties.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmitting by the communication device includes transmitting the stored data
3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the all this data, i.e., operational data, manufacturing data, or other data is fed to a memory CaLC, which may be provided on board a vehicle
4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the CaLC is stands for Car Lifecycle Card.
5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the pluralities of stationary receiving stations includes a receiving device
6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one of the pluralities of stationary receiving stations includes a receiving device disposed at atleast one of a gas stations.
, Description:Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for managing data, operational data of a motor vehicle, in which method the vehicle data is written to and stored in an on-board memory. The present invention also relates to a system for managing data, operational data of a motor vehicle, which system is suitable for carrying out the method of the present invention.
Background of the Invention
It is generally known to store a number of items of motor vehicle data within the vehicle, such as, for example, data that is known from the manufacturing process, or data occurring during operation of the vehicle. For example, the chassis identification number, which is inseparably connected to a motor vehicle, could not only be embossed into the vehicle chassis, but also be stored electronically in a memory of the vehicle.
It is also known to store operational data, such as miles travelled, in a memory of the vehicle, and to make such data available for retrieval, for example, by service shops. It is known, for instance, to provide the key of a motor vehicle with a memory in which such mileage data is stored, so that when the key is handed over to a service shop, the service shop can directly access such relevant information by reading out the memory in the key.
In this prior procedure, it is considered to be disadvantageous that the data written into the electronic memory is usually accessible only to authorized repair shops and dealers. Furthermore, it is only when the vehicle is taken to a dealer or authorized repair shop that such dealer or repair shop has access. Thus, vehicle-related information arising during the life of a particular motor vehicle is neither available to the manufacturer, nor to a dealer or authorized repair shops.
However, such information is of particular interest especially to motor vehicle manufacturers, because they usually endeavor to continuously improve their vehicles, and because such improvements should take into account data obtained from vehicles. Until now, manufacturers had to subject their vehicles to extended field tests (i.e., merely internal tests), in order to obtain data from the vehicles for purposes of vehicle improvement and optimization. The prior art does not provide the ability to obtain data related to a motor vehicle from the day-to-day use, and thus, throughout the life of a vehicle, from first registration to scrapping.
Object of the Invention
The object of the present invention provides a method for managing vehicle data of a motor vehicle.
Summary of the Invention
The method includes: storing the vehicle data in an on-board memory; associating the stored vehicle data with the vehicle using a vehicle identifier; transmitting the stored data via a telecommunications connection to a data processing center of a telecommunications network; and making the transmitted data available at the data processing center for retrieval by third parties.
Brief Description of Drawings
FIG. 1 is a schematic chart illustrating a basic principle of the present invention.
Detailed Description of Invention
FIG. 1 is a schematic chart illustrating the basic principle of an embodiment of the present invention. It is shown that there may be provided various units on board the motor vehicle, and also external units E, said units providing data related to this particular vehicle. It is illustrated that this data may, for example, be data related to the manufacture of the vehicle, such as, for example, data that is generated by the manufacturer themselves. Other operational data may be provided, for example, by vehicle sensors, or by a navigation system, or by an on-board unit, i.e., by any unit capable of acquiring data during the life of a vehicle.

FIG. 1 also shows that all this data, i.e., operational data, manufacturing data, or other data is fed to a memory CaLC, which may be provided on board a vehicle and which, in addition, may be in the form of a portable removable memory. The acronym CaLC stands for Car Lifecycle Card, which may imply that the memory is in the form of a removable memory, such as a memory card, that may be removed from the vehicle by a user and which can store the aforementioned data.
Thus, a wide variety of vehicle data can be collected in the vehicle and stored in this memory, regardless of whether the memory is a portable or stationary in the vehicle. Examples of portable memories include, in particular, standard ones available today, such as USB sticks or other memory devices having standard interfaces. FIG. 1 further shows that the data may be transmitted from this memory to a data processing center R via a communication connection K2.
It is possible for the data transmission to the at least one data processing center R not to take place by direct communication, but indirectly: first by a communication link K to a computer C, and then by a communication link K2 to data processing center R. Similarly, the data stored in the data processing center may be retrieved and/or used via computer C, for example, via a web interface of the data processing center.
It is also shown that the data stored at data processing center R can be accessed by a plurality of interested third parties D, which may possibly not be able to selectively access all the data, but only data to which access is granted, especially by the user. Such third parties D may include the vehicle owner, the manufacturer, roadside assistance and repair service providers, and any other third party.