EP3248149A1

EP3248149A1 - Method for modifying a vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP3248149A1
Application number: EP15702626.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sven AMELANG
Original assignee: Cab Deutschland GmbH
Current assignee: Cab Deutschland GmbH
Priority date: 2015-01-21
Filing date: 2015-01-21
Publication date: 2017-11-29
Also published as: WO2016116115A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for modifying, particularly for repairing, a vehicle in need of modification, particularly an automobile, of a predetermined vehicle type, using a classification which, in a plurality of sub-classifications, each relating to a different vehicle type, assigns to each modification that can be performed on the respective vehicle type the expense required for the modification, broken down according to necessary work steps, e.g disassembly steps, replacement steps, tool use steps, installation steps and/or painting steps, which are linked at least in part to characteristic vehicle parameters of the respective vehicle type. Vehicle information characterizing the modification to be performed and including at least one vehicle parameter is compared to the classification in order to determine relevant correspondences for the modification to be performed between the vehicle in need of modification and the vehicle types contained in the classifications. An expense for the modification to be performed on the vehicle in need of modification is determined, more particularly automatically or semi-automatically, depending on at least two sub-classifications determined on the basis of the comparison, and the expense is used as the basis for the modification to be performed.

Description

Method for changing a vehicle

The invention relates to a method for changing, in particular for repairing a vehicle in need of modification of a given type of vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle such as an automobile, using an association. The assignment includes a plurality of subassignments, each relating to a different type of vehicle, which each assign the required effort to the changes that can be made to the respective vehicle type. The effort required for a change can be subdivided into the respective subassignment according to the changes required and at least partially linked to characteristic vehicle parameters of the respective vehicle type, for example individual disassembly steps, replacement steps, tooling steps, assembly steps and / or painting steps.

Allocations are already known in which changes that can be carried out on different types of vehicles, in each case the expenditure required therefor, for example, by specifying the working hours required for the change, difficulty, expenses, etc. assigned. If a vehicle in need of modification, such as an accident wagon in need of repair, comes to a repair shop, such an assignment can be used to search for the vehicle type of the wagon and the part assignment relating to that type of vehicle for the change to be made, and the effort associated with the change can be found in the assignment. The effort value gives the workshop operator or the mechanic precise indications as to how many working hours he has to plan for the change to be carried out or which expenses he has to reckon with. Depending on the effort value, it can also be decided whether a repair should be carried out at all.

If, for example, an Audi A8 Type Xy accident wagon with damaged fender comes into a workshop, the assignment may look for a subassembly concerning the type of vehicle Audi A8, model xy, and in this subassembly after the change "Fender be exchanged ", this change the effort" working time value 6 hours "can be removed.

The effort can be broken down into the assignment according to individual work steps to be carried out for the change. Thus, the change "fender exchange" with a total cost X from the individual steps "disassembly of old fenders", "purchase of new fenders", "painting mudguard", "fastening with screws" etc. with partial expenditure Xi, X.ii, X .iii ..., whereby the partial costs for the individual work steps can be specified in each case The workshop operator can carry out the change on the basis of the effort thus determined.

However, this approach does not always work perfectly. The invention is therefore based on the object to make method of the type mentioned reliable and in particular more flexible.

The above-described problems are solved by a refinement of the known method, which is essentially characterized in that a vehicle identification information including the change to be carried out and at least one of the vehicle parameters is compared with the assignment in order to determine the correspondence between the vehicle in need of modification for the change to be made and determine the vehicle types contained in the assignment, with an expense for the change to be carried out of the vehicle in need of change as a function of at least two based on the Determined comparison assignments in particular automatically or semi-automatically determined and based on the change to be carried out.

If the determined effort does not match the actual effort, the workshop operator can optimize the individual work steps by comparing the partial expenses of the assignment with the actual partial expenditures for the individual work steps. If an accident car of a vehicle type, which is not included in the assignment, comes to the workshop, an expense determination according to the method described above is not possible at all. A completion of the assignment by supplementing the missing vehicle type is conceivable, but very time consuming and costly. In contrast, an expense determination is independent of the vehicle type of the vehicle in need of modification possible according to the invention.

The invention is thus based on the knowledge that in cases where the change to be made to a particular vehicle type is not included in the assignment, it is possible to make regular use of other vehicle types deviating from this type of vehicle which are included in the assignment the expenses associated with these other types of vehicles for the change to be carried out at least approximately determine the effort to be expected for the change not included. Those types of vehicles which are to be used for this determination can be determined by a comparison on the basis of so-called vehicle parameters, which are contained in the vehicle information about the vehicle in need of modification and which can, on the other hand, be linked to one or more work steps to be carried out for the change. Such vehicle parameters may be, for example, vehicle characteristics or characteristics such as vehicle class, year of manufacture, material of components, type of attachment of components, engine type, etc. The vehicle parameters each provide clues to the effort required by the vehicle to make changes.

For example. A possible vehicle information includes the vehicle parameters (vehicle class: upper class, mudguard material: aluminum, mounting method mudguard: rivet attachment). From these vehicle parameters, the effort for the change "replacing fenders" can already be determined relatively accurately by resorting to partial allocations contained in the assignment: The vehicle types of the individual partial allocations, in particular individual work steps to be performed, are linked to corresponding vehicle parameters, so that the comparison at least two partial assignments with matches in the vehicle parameters can be determined. After the effort has been determined as a function of at least two partial assignments determined on the basis of the comparison, the change to be carried out can be carried out on the basis of this calculated effort. The repair can thus be done reliably.

The method according to the invention is particularly expedient if the existing assignment does not cover all changes that can be carried out on the vehicle type of the vehicle in need of modification. Even if the assignment does not detect the vehicle type of the vehicle in need of change, an effort determination based on the method according to the invention is possible by using two subassignments included in the assignment for determining the costs, each of which relates to the vehicle type of the vehicle in need of change with respect to the change of the approaching vehicle types ,

The subassignments to be included in the effort determination are preferably determined by filtering. Thus, in a filtering step, those partial assignments can be determined in which the working steps of the change to be carried out are at least partially linked with those vehicle parameters which are also contained in the vehicle information. If the filtering step reveals that too many subassignments have at least partially matching vehicle parameters, a second filtering step may follow. This for a more exact effort determination.

Subsequently, partial workloads assigned to several worksteps are preferably used to determine the effort, wherein at least one first workstep from a first determined partial assignment and at least one second workstep from a second determined partial assignment is used. For example. a first step of a first partial assignment (vehicle type A) is linked to one or more vehicle parameters, which also contains the vehicle information, and a second step of a second partial assignment (vehicle type B) is linked to one or more vehicle parameters, which also contains the vehicle information. The partial expenditures assigned to these two working steps can be used to determine the total effort by adding them up, if necessary, with further partial walls determined in an analogous manner, adding them to a basic effort for the change to be made and / or weighted into the calculation. According to the invention, the outlay can be determined particularly accurately if the comparison searches for vehicle types in which one or more work steps of the change to be made are linked to the at least one vehicle parameter of the vehicle information. In particular, it searches for the vehicle type with the most matches in the vehicle parameters. If the comparison results in exactly one vehicle type that has all the vehicle parameters of the vehicle information, the expenditure assigned for this vehicle type of change can be used without any further steps being required. However, the method according to the invention is based on the assumption that it is possible to determine a plurality of vehicle types which each have correspondences in one or more, but not in all vehicle parameters of the vehicle information. In this case, the effort is determined as a function of at least two of these ascertained partial allocations. Alternatively, it is conceivable that a plurality of vehicle types are determined, which correspond in each case in all vehicle parameters. Also in this case the effort is determined depending on at least two partial assignments.

The effort is regularly determined the more precisely, the more vehicle parameters are included in the vehicle information, as they describe the vehicle in need of modification. Preferably, therefore, the vehicle information has at least two, more preferably three, four or more vehicle parameters, wherein in the case of a mismatch between these vehicle parameters and the vehicle parameters, which are linked to the working steps of an individual, in particular closest of the other vehicle types, the effort for to be carried out change of the vehicle in need of modification as a function of at least two partial assignments is determined, in each case there is a match in at least one vehicle parameter.

On the other hand, in the case of several other types of vehicles in which all vehicle parameters of the vehicle information are linked to the operations of the change to be carried out, the cost of the change of the vehicle in need of modification is determined in dependence on at least two subassignations, each of which relates to one of these several other types of vehicles.

The included subassignments can be given a weighting based on probabilities. Thus, for example, in the case of a vehicle parameter not contained in the vehicle information but influencing the outlay, the assignment is preferably based on preferably all partial allocations and calculates a probability on the basis of the predetermined vehicle parameters that the vehicle parameter not specified has a specific value. For example, plastic fenders of luxury-class vehicles are usually fastened with rivets, while aluminum fenders of middle-class vehicles are usually fastened with screws. If the vehicle information contains the two vehicle parameters (vehicle class: upper class, mudguard material: plastic), but not the vehicle parameter "fastening type", there is a high probability that the attachment is a rivet fastener and fasten the subassignments determined by the comparison with rivets In order to determine these probabilities, a larger part or all of the partial allocations can be used to determine these probabilities.

The weighting may include at least one additional vehicle parameter contained in the vehicle information, such as the year of construction (the construction date) of the vehicle in need of modification, which is not necessarily linked to a work step according to the predetermined assignment. From the year of construction (the date of construction) of a vehicle can be regularly drawn conclusions on other vehicle parameters such as the material of certain components, the attachment of certain components, etc. and / or work steps to be performed (eg., Connection electronics required or not, etc.). The ascertained partial assignments are all the more weighted in the effort determination, the higher the probability for matching vehicle parameters or matching work steps resulting from the additional vehicle parameter.

In this context, a further comparison between the vehicle requiring modification and the vehicle types contained in the assignment can be made on the basis of the at least one additional vehicle parameter, and the weighting can be determined in particular as a function of the result of this further comparison. The further comparison is used, in particular, to determine a probability that a vehicle parameter not contained in the vehicle information has a specific value, so that a weighting of the partial assignments to be included in the effort determination can take place as a function of the determined probability.

The weighting can be repeated iteratively. In this case, use is made of conventional statistical evaluation methods, the relevant specialist literature can be removed. In the case of missing after a critical iteration number convergence an indication of further required additional information, in particular issued to another required vehicle parameters, wherein the determination of the effort is completed after its input.

An indication of another required vehicle parameter can also be output if too few vehicle parameters are specified in the vehicle information, so that the information available is clearly undermined. This can be seen by the fact that there are numerous types of vehicles in which there is agreement in all the specified vehicle parameters, while the effort values assigned to the changes in these types of vehicles are not closely distributed around a common mean, but rather have a broad spread around this mean.

The effort determined according to the invention can be signaled, in particular when set up according to individual work steps, by the change-taking office. The body making the change will base the effort on the change. In particular, the determination of the working hours, reserves etc. required for the change can be made on the basis of the calculated effort.

In the case of at least two changes to be made, the actual cost of making all changes may depend on whether the vehicle in need of change has been in the same state for at least two changes. Such conditions of the vehicle are, for example, "vehicle on lift." If the two changes "catalyst exchange" and "change tires" are to be carried out on a vehicle, the vehicle must be in the state "vehicle on lift" for both changes, so that the It is therefore necessary to determine the total effort for all changes to be made more precisely if a check is made during the effort determination as to whether the vehicle in need of change has undergone at least two work steps in the same state, and the corresponding expense of moving the vehicle to that state is included only once in the calculation of the total effort.

The same applies to the case of at least two changes to be made, in which the changes match in at least one step. For example. can Both for the change "replace headlights" and for the change "replace the mudguard" the step "disassemble the mudguard" may be necessary, therefore the effort determination will be checked whether the changes are consistent in at least one work step and the partial effort assigned to this work step flows only once into the calculation of the (total) effort.

In other words, a common effort is determined for each of the workloads determined for the at least two changes, and the change to be made is taken as the basis for avoiding that the effort determined according to the invention exceeds the actual effort.

As already explained, the change is made on the basis of the effort determined according to the invention. Before the change is made, the receipt of an authorization signal can be awaited. The authorization signal may, for example, be issued by the vehicle owner and / or by insurance. The authorization signal may be given depending on the amount of the particular effort, so that changes can be prevented from being made whose cost exceeds a value of the vehicle or a part thereof.

In this context, it has been found to be expedient that the particular effort is additionally signaled to a body authorizing the change and, in particular, issuing the authorization signal.

To further simplify the method and to avoid underdetermined vehicle information, it has proved to be useful to use vehicle information containing image elements, so that at least one vehicle parameter can be determined from the image information. It is also thought to perform this determination automatically or semi-automatically.

As already explained, recourse is made to the assignment for the comparison, which can be stored in the form of a central database. For example. is stored on the stored on a central server database of different workshops o. The like. Via the Internet. This has the advantage that the database, if necessary, can be centrally updated. Alternatively or additionally, the database can be stored on a memory of a data processing device in workshops. The particular effort can be according to the invention additionally signaled to the designer of the vehicle or parts requiring modification. Thus, the designer can decide depending on the effort so determined whether the production of another vehicle of the type of vehicle in need of change, its successor type or parts of the same should take place as before, or whether changes are useful.

Further advantageous embodiments of the method are specified in claims 23 to 27. Furthermore, an arrangement according to claim 28 is provided under protection device.

In doing so, the classification serves to find variables which describe and define the vehicle model not yet sufficiently included in the assignment, for example by brand, body variant and model year. Moreover, the classification may provide room for extending further vehicle parameters as variables for a more precise description, and this space may already be used with correspondingly preserved vehicle information. These vehicle parameters / variables should already be present as characteristic vehicle parameters of the assignment to which certain work steps of the subassignments can be linked.

The decision tree analysis is a "predictive model" that determines the value of a target variable given certain input variables, such as the repair time for a particular activity (the effort required to make a change), including in combination with one or more The input variables of the decision tree analysis are, for example, the classified vehicle parameters such as brand, body variant and model year.

As a further input of the decision tree can be consulted the repair times for a particular step associated with spare parts, calculated for all given vehicle models.

In this case, the decision tree can be generated by splitting the input data record into branches in which each node contains the same / similar data. As a result, the decision tree generates a value for the target variable depending on the input variables. The preferred regression analysis is a statistical method to estimate relationships between variables. The dependent variable used is, for example, the effort determined in the decision tree analysis (eg the repair time). Independent variables can be the "standard repair times" already included in the assignment.

If one remains in the picture in which the effort is simply assumed by the repair time, the regression creates a distribution of this repair time over the "standard repair times." For a stable regression as possible, therefore, a large number can be derived from the decision tree analysis Data provided.

The calculated times of the "standard repair times" (the repair times already available in the assignment) are for the selected set of input variables, which correspond to the vehicle model of the vehicle in need of modification.

In addition, the invention provides a "self-learning" process in which the findings obtained in the repair carried out are used, on the one hand to expand the existing assignment.On the other hand, the parameters of the regression analysis itself be adjusted, which over a longer learning process provides more reliable results.

Within the scope of the invention, an arrangement with a database containing the assignment is also protected. The database can be extended by entering new information that complements the assignment. The knowledge obtained from the "self-learning" process can also be fed to the database.

In the following description, the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a repair according to the invention, and

2 shows a schematic representation of the timing of the individual process steps of the method according to the invention.

3 illustrates a decision tree, which is created as an example of a change to be made. 4 shows a result of an exemplary regression analysis, broken down into individual work steps.

Fig. 5 shows a flowchart.

Fig. 1 shows a repair carried out in accordance with the invention. In the garage / workshop 100 shown in FIG. 1, a damaged vehicle 1 that is visible when the roller door 32 of the workshop 100 is raised is repaired. Automotive mechanics, not shown, work by using a lifting platform 30 and welding device 36 in accordance with repair instructions, which they receive via a communication-capable device 34. The composition of these repair instructions is carried out as explained below with reference to FIG. 2.

An association 10 that may be used to perform the method of the invention has numerous subassignments 12, where each subassembly may relate to another vehicle type A, B, C. A type of vehicle is, for example, a particular vehicle model of a particular series or of a specific type. Each subassignment assigns various modifications a, b, c that can be carried out on the vehicle type A, B, C to the expenditure X required for this purpose. In practice, an assignment has hundreds of subassignments, with each of the subassignments assigning hundreds of feasible changes to the overhead required for this. An assignment 10 with three partial assignments 12 shown by way of example may be as follows.

The details of vehicle parameters, operations and expenses in the following presentation are chosen arbitrarily for explanation only and do not necessarily correspond to actual circumstances.

assignment

1st partial assignment: vehicle type A (Audi A8, model (...)):

Vehicle parameters: Upper class car, years of construction 2002 to 2008, aluminum body, petrol engine, engine type y, headlamp type y, paint y, type of fastening rivets (...)

• Change A.a: replace mudguard Effort: 2,500

• Change A.b: Change tire effort: 800

• Change A.c: Replace motor Effort 12,000

2nd partial assignment: vehicle type B (Fiat Panda, model (...))

Vehicle parameters: Subcompact, Year of construction 1995 to 1999, Aluminum body,

Petrol engine, engine type yy, headlight type yy, paint yy, fastening screws (...)

• Modification B.a: replacement of mudguard Effort: 1.000

• Change B.b: change tire effort: 350

• Change B.c: replace motor Effort: 3,500

Partial assignment: Vehicle type C (VW Polo, model (...))

Vehicle parameter: Subcompact car, Years of construction 1999 to 2005, Body of plastics, Diesel engine, Engine type yyy, Headlight type yyy, Paint yyy, Mounting method Rivets (...)

• Change Ca: replace mudguard Effort: 1,500

• Change C.b: changing tire effort: 480

• Change C.c: replace engine Effort: 4,500

The individual effort values are each broken down according to the steps required for the respective change, each of which can be linked to specific vehicle parameters. This provides for the change to be made a "replace fender" within the above-mentioned sub-assignments for the vehicle types A, B, C, for example, as follows: aa:

B.A:

Ca:

Work steps Vehicle parameters Effort (total 1,500) [a.u.]

Dismantling of old fenders small car, fixing 2 h ^ 100

rivet

Acquisition of new fenders small car, plastic 300

Painted fender varnish yyy 200 + 2 h - 300

Fixing mudguard small car, fixing 3 h ^ 150

rivet

Mounting on the headlight Connector Headlight 1 h 50

yyy

etc. etc. etc. With reference to FIG. 2, the method according to the invention proceeds as follows: A vehicle 1 in need of modification comes to a workshop 100. The vehicle 1 is an accident vehicle of the vehicle type G, the vehicle type G not being included in the assignment 10. A fender of the vehicle 1 is severely damaged and must be completely replaced (change a).

The responsible mechanic determines the effort 6 for this change to be carried out a by a vehicle information device 2 2 about the vehicle in need of change 1 to send. The vehicle information 2 indicates the change to be made. For example. On the other hand, the vehicle information contains 2 vehicle parameters 4, 4 ', the values of which describe the vehicle which is in need of modification. Upper class "," fastening: rivets "," paint: y "etc.).

The vehicle information 2 is compared with the assignment 10 in order to determine relevant matches between the vehicle 1 requiring modification and the vehicle types A, B, C contained in the assignment 10 for the change a to be carried out.

example 1

The vehicle information includes the indication "replace mudguard" as well as the vehicle parameters ("vehicle class: upper class", "mudguard material: aluminum", "paint: y", "fastening type: rivets", "headlamp: y"). In this case, the comparison with the assignment in the above example results exclusively in the first partial assignment (vehicle type A), since there is agreement with respect to the change Aa on all specified vehicle parameters and on the other hand there are no further (not indicated) vehicle parameters which influence the effort to be determined. As a result, the value of 2,500 is determined. It is not necessary here to determine the effort as a function of at least two partial allocations determined on the basis of the comparison.

Example 2

The vehicle information includes the indication "replace mudguard" and the vehicle parameters ("vehicle class: small car", "mudguard material: aluminum", "paint: yyy "," Type of mounting: Screws "," Headlamp: yy ") In this case, the comparison with the assignment gives the two subassignments of vehicle types B and C. The closest vehicle type is the vehicle type B, as there is a match in all specified vehicle parameters except of the vehicle parameter ("paint: yyy"). In the vehicle parameter ("paint: yyy"), however, there is agreement with respect to the vehicle type C. The step of painting the mudguard with paint yyy requires 150 more effort than the step of painting with paint yy of said two subassignments (vehicle types B and C) determined at 850 (expense of all work steps for vehicle type B with the exception of the step "painting mudguard") + 300 (effort of the step "painting mudguard" for vehicle type C) = 1 150.

Example 3

The vehicle information includes the indication "replace mudguard" as well as the vehicle parameters ("vehicle class: small car", "mudguard material: aluminum", "paint: yyy", "mounting type: screws", "headlight: y"). In this case, the comparison with the assignment gives the partial assignments of the vehicle types A, B and C. The closest vehicle type is again the vehicle type B, since the match in all specified vehicle parameters except the vehicle parameters ("paint: yyy", "headlights: y" ) consists. In the vehicle parameter ("Paint: yyy"), there is agreement with respect to the vehicle type C, and the vehicle parameter ("Headlight: y") is in agreement with the vehicle type A. The step of painting the mudguard with Paint yyy requires one By 150 greater effort than the step of painting with paint yy, and the attachment of the fender on the connector headlight y requires a 125 greater effort than the attachment to the connector headlight yy. The effort is therefore determined as a function of the three partial assignments to 825 (expense of all work steps for vehicle type B with the exception of the steps "painting mudguard" and "mounting on the headlight) + 300 (expense of the work step" painting mudguard "for vehicle type C) + 150 (Effort of the work step "mounting on the headlight" for vehicle type A) = 1275.

Example 4

The vehicle information includes the indication "replace mudguard" as well as the vehicle parameters ("vehicle class: small car", "material mudguard: plastic," paint: yy "," headlight: yy "). In this case, the comparison with the assignment gives the partial assignments of the two vehicle types B and C. Concerning vehicle type B, there is agreement in the vehicle parameters ("vehicle class: small car", "paint: yy", "Headlamp: yy"), and there is a similarity in vehicle parameters with regard to vehicle type C ("vehicle class: small car", "mudguard material: plastic") However, since the vehicle information does not include the vehicle parameter "type of mounting", it is not immediately apparent Which type of vehicle is used for the determination of the partial costs for the work steps "disassembly of old mudguards" and "attachment of mudguards". In such cases, it may be said that the vehicle information is underdetermined.

Now, the involved subassignments B and C are given a probabilistic weighting. For this purpose, a further comparison between the vehicle 1 requiring modification and preferably all vehicle types A, B, C contained in the assignment is carried out.

This further comparison may in the present case show that at 100% of all small cars with plastic mudguards, which are included in the assignment, the fenders are fastened with rivets. Accordingly, it is assumed that even with the vehicle in need of modification, the fenders are fastened with rivets, so that the subassignment C with respect to the steps "disassembly of old fenders" and "mounting mudguard" with 1 and the subassembly B with respect to these steps with 0 is weighted. As an expense results in accordance with 1 150 (expense of all steps for vehicle type C with the exception of the steps "painting mudguard" and "mounting on the headlight") + 175 (effort of the steps "painting mudguard" and "mounting on the headlight" for vehicle type B) logo CNRS logo INIST 1325. It was assumed that vehicle type C is the same in all other specified vehicle parameters, and that there are no unnamed vehicle parameters that influence the cost of this change.

If the further comparison should result in a value deviating from 100% (eg 90%, 80% ...), the partial assignments B and C are weighted according to this value. As required, the probability can be specified more accurately, for example, to sub% accuracy such as 82.879%. The percentage values used in the present description are merely illustrative of the process and are chosen arbitrarily.

Additional Example 1

The vehicle information includes the indication "replace mudguard" as well as the vehicle parameters ("vehicle class: small car", "material mudguard: aluminum") Vehicle information is therefore clearly underdetermined. The comparison results in many subassignments that match all specified vehicle parameters.

It is now conceivable, on the one hand, to request the input of further vehicle parameters. This can be thought of, for example, if the spread of the effort values of the ascertained partial allocations by the mean value of these effort values exceeds a threshold value.

On the other hand, it is conceivable to give all these subassignments a weighting based on probabilities with regard to individual working steps. Another comparison may e.g. revealed that the fasteners of the mudguard with a probability of 90% screws. The subassignments are weighted according to this probability. Including possibly specified additional vehicle parameters such as the year of manufacture of the vehicle in need of modification, conclusions about further vehicle parameters such as connecting parts (for example, the headlight type y did not yet exist in the year of construction of the vehicle in need of modification) can be drawn. Using known statistical evaluation methods, there is a probability that the type of headlight (not indicated in the vehicle information) of the vehicle in need of change is type yy.

It is conceivable that two different vehicle types of the assignment in several vehicle parameters match, but the effort for the work parameters associated with these vehicle parameters differ. This may be due to the fact that not all vehicle parameters which influence a partial effort are assigned to the corresponding work steps. In this case, (i) the average value of the individual partial expenses can be included in the determination of the total expenditure, (ii) it can be attempted to arrive at a weighting by statistical evaluation on the basis of further vehicle parameters in which the vehicle types differ, and / or ( iii) further vehicle parameters can be requested which make such a statistical evaluation possible or lead to a convergence of the statistical evaluation. Particularly suitable additional vehicle parameters which can be requested in the latter case and which lead in most cases to convergence and thus to a meaningful weighting of certain subassignments are, on the one hand, the year of construction and, on the other, the vehicle class of the vehicle in need of modification.

Additional Example 2

If several changes are to be made, these changes can match in at least one step. In these cases, by a appropriate check is prevented that the partial effort for the relevant step is included several times in the effort determination.

The particular effort 6 for the change a to be made is communicated to the mechanic of the workshop 100 and / or other persons such as the vehicle owner or insurance and / or displayed by a display device. The mechanic can then make the change based on the specific effort 6. Possibly. the specific effort 6 is first signaled to a position issuing an authorization signal and the change is made only after the authorization signal has been received.

For a specific example of a change to be carried out (repair), FIGS. 3 and 4 also show a resulting decision tree in a simplified representation, as well as the result of a regression analysis based thereon, also in a simplified representation. In Fig. 5, step S1 means the classification made, step S2 the decision tree analysis performed, and step S3 the regression analysis performed.

Claims

Claims:

1. A method for changing, in particular for repairing a vehicle in need of modification (1) of a given vehicle type, in particular a motor vehicle, using an assignment (10) which in several sub-allocations (12), each a different vehicle types (A, B, C ), assigns to the respective vehicle type (A, B, C) feasible changes (Aa, Ab, Ba, B, b, Ca) respectively the effort required for this (X), broken down into required and at least partially to characteristic vehicle parameters ( 4, 4 ') of the respective vehicle type, eg individual disassembly steps, replacement steps, tool application steps, assembly steps and / or painting steps, wherein a change (a) characterizing and at least one of the vehicle parameters (4, 4') containing vehicle information (2) is compared with the assignment (10) (5) in order for the change to be made (a) determining relevant matches between the vehicle (1) to be modified and the vehicle types (A, B, C) contained in the assignment (10), an expense (6) for the change (a) to be carried out by the vehicle (1) in need of modification at least two partial assignments (12) determined on the basis of the comparison (5) are determined, in particular automatically or semi-automatically, and the change (a) to be carried out is taken as the basis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the change to be performed is performed based on the determined effort.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the association does not cover all changes (a, b, c.) Which are performed on the vehicle type of the vehicle in need of change (1), in particular the vehicle type of the vehicle in need of change (1) not detected at all ,

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the to be included in the effort determination part assignments (12) are determined by a filtering.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least a first partial effort, assigned to a work step in a first determined partial assignment is, and at least a second part of the effort, which is assigned to a step in a second determined partial assignment, are used to determine the effort (6).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein in the comparison of vehicle types is searched, in which one or more steps of the change to be performed (a) with the at least one vehicle parameter (4, 4 ') of the vehicle information (2) are linked , is searched in particular for the vehicle type with the most matches in the vehicle parameters.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the vehicle information (2) at least two vehicle parameters (4, 4 '), wherein in the case of a mismatch between these vehicle parameters and the vehicle parameters, in accordance with the steps of a single, in particular coming closest to the other vehicle types the complexity (6) for the change (a) to be carried out is determined as a function of at least two partial assignments (12) in which there is agreement in at least one vehicle parameter.

8. The method of claim 6 or 7, wherein in the case of several other types of vehicles (A, B, C) in which at least one vehicle parameter (4, 4 '), in particular all vehicle parameters (4, 4') of the vehicle information (2) the work steps of the change to be made are linked, the expense (6) for the change (a) to be carried out by the vehicle (1) to be changed is determined as a function of at least two partial allocations (12), each one of a plurality of other vehicle types (A, B, C).

A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the weighted subassignments (12) are given a probabilistic weighting.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein in the weighting at least one included in the vehicle information or additionally requested additional vehicle parameters such as the year of the modified vehicle (1) flows, which is not necessarily associated with a given step according to the predetermined assignment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a further comparison between the vehicle in need of change (1) and in the assignment (10) contained Vehicle types (A, B, C) is made on the basis of the at least one additional vehicle parameter, and in particular the weighting is determined depending on the result of this further comparison.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the weighting is repeated iteratively.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein in the case of missing after a critical iteration number convergence an indication of further required additional information output and the determination of the effort is completed after their input.

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the specific effort (6), in particular set up after individual steps, the change-making body (100) is signaled.

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least two changes are to be carried out, and a check is made, whether for at least one of the steps, the vehicle in need of change must be present in the same state.

16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two changes are to be performed, and a check is made whether the changes in at least one step agree.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, in which determined for the at least two changes work effort in any case with respect to individual steps common effort and the change to be made is based.

18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the change to be carried out (a) is made only after receipt of an authorization signal.

19. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the particular expense (6) in addition to a change authorizing and in particular the authorization signal issuing body is signaled.

20. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle information contains picture elements, and at least one vehicle parameter is determined from the image information.

21. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein for the comparison to the stored on a central database assignment (10) is used.

22. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the particular effort (6) is additionally signaled to the designer of the vehicle or its parts in need of modification, and the production of another vehicle of the type of vehicle in need of change (1), its successor type or parts thereof depending on the effort thus determined (6).

23. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein from several, in particular all from the vehicle information (2) derivable vehicle parameters (4, 4 ') by sorting a classification in categories of different vehicle parameters is made, and this classification of the determination of the effort (6 ) is used as the basis for the change (a) to be made to the vehicle (1) to be modified.

24. Method according to claim 23, wherein on the basis of the classification made, a decision tree analysis is carried out whose output is a variable for the effort (6) for the change (a) to be carried out.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the determination of the effort (6) for the change (a) to be carried out is carried out by means of a regression analysis whose dependent variable is the "output" of the decision tree analysis and whose independent variables are the respective ones in the Partial allocations (12) associated expenses (X) are.

26. Method according to one of claims 2 to 25, in which the work steps carried out during the change carried out and / or the expenditure associated therewith are stored and the parameters of the probability weighting and / or the parameters of the regression analysis as a function of this stored data in the way of automatic "self-learning".

27. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 26, wherein the assignment (10) is extended by partial assignments, which assigns the required changes in terms of the vehicle type of the modified vehicle the work done in the change carried out.

28. Arrangement comprising a database containing the association (10) and a computing unit equipped with a data input device for inputting the vehicle information, which is equipped with a computer program programmed for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims and a data output device for outputting the expenditure involved.