Patent ID: 9043073
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: B60W,G06F,G07C,H04L

Abstract:
1. A vehicle, comprising: a satellite positioning system receiver to determine spatial position data to locate a current spatial position of the vehicle; a display panel to receive input from and provide output to a vehicle operator; at least one of an internal wireless network and/or bus-type network to convey messages between a microprocessor executable diagnostic module and the display panel; a wireless interface to exchange wireless signals with one or more remote signal sources; a plurality of sensors to determine respective states of plural components of the vehicle, the components comprising a plurality of a wheel, power source, transmission, brake, airbag, seatbelt, light, door setting, window setting, seat position, odometer, steering system, venting, air conditioner, and heater; a microprocessor; a computer readable medium comprising the microprocessor executable diagnostic module operable to (a) receive, from a sensor and by way of the at least one internal wireless network and/or bus-type network, a sensor signal regarding a state of a corresponding vehicle component; (b) perform diagnostics using locally stored and/or remotely stored pre-determined logic to identify a fault, malfunction, and/or problem and generate a warning and/or error signal related thereto, (c) select and provide, via one or more of a wireless signal receiver and the at least one of an internal wireless network and/or bus-type network, a destination for the warning and/or error signal from a plurality of destinations, the plurality of destinations comprising one or more of the display panel to present the warning and/or error signal to a vehicle occupant, an emergency service provider, an emergency responder, a manufacturer of the vehicle, a service facility located in proximity to a current vehicle location, and a remotely located diagnostic service to diagnose a cause of the warning and/or error signal, and (d) perform one or more of the following operations: (i) preorder the part or component to repair the potential fault, malfunction, and/or problem; (ii) provide an estimate of a cost and/or time period at a selected repair facility in spatial proximity to the vehicle as determined by the satellite positioning system receiver to repair the potential fault, malfunction, and/or problem; (iii) compare repair estimates at different selected repair facilities in spatial proximity to the vehicle as determined by the satellite positioning system receiver to repair the potential fault, malfunction, and/or problem; and (iv) interactively engage in a conversational interaction with the vehicle operator regarding the diagnosed cause of the warning and/or error signal, wherein the responses in the interactive conversational interaction are based on a menu-type structure.