FR2846116A1 - Method for monitoring faulty components in vehicles from a distant station, comprises on board component database and managing calculator which are linked to central calculator able to make enquiries - Google Patents

Abstract

The on board equipment for each vehicle includes a calculator (10) which controls a component data base (12) and is connected to vital systems (18-26) through a diagnostic bus (14) and also to a dashboard display (28) through a data transmission bus (16). A remote calculator is able to interrogate the database and identify vehicles with faulty parts not already changed using radio communication equipment (32,34,36). An Independent claim is also included for a remote control system for monitoring faulty vehicle parts which uses an on board component data base and controlling calculator linked to a manufacturer's central remote calculator.

Description

i Method and system for remote control of the presence in

  Motor vehicle, one or more defective elements The invention relates to the remote control of the good

  operation of motor vehicles.

  More particularly, the invention relates to a method and a system enabling a motor vehicle manufacturer to remotely control the presence, in motor vehicles leaving an assembly line, that is to say in vehicles delivered to user customers, one or more elements likely

to be defective.

  Conventionally, when malfunctions occur frequently in a part of a vehicle of a given type, the manufacturer searches for all the vehicles manufactured with this part and then recalls these vehicles so as to replace the defective part. This is done by identifying the vehicles whose assembly factory exit date is between two extreme dates, then by sending a

  mail to the mailing address of the owner.

  However, in the event of a change of owner, it often happens that the manufacturer is not aware of this change so that the reminder letter is addressed to the original owner. It is thus possible that some vehicles are not subjected to the

  necessary repair operations.

  In addition, on the contrary, it can happen that certain vehicles undergo several successive repairs. This can in particular occur when vehicles, which have already suffered a malfunction and for which the offending part has been changed, are recalled by the manufacturer. The object of the invention is therefore to overcome these drawbacks and to provide a method and a control system making it possible to implement vehicle recall operations automatically and

  even if the owner changes.

  According to the invention, a method is therefore proposed for remote control of the presence, in motor vehicles, of one or more predetermined elements liable to be defective, comprising the steps of: - storage, in a database of data which is carried on board each vehicle and which is managed by a vehicle computer, of the parts forming part of the vehicle in the form of a list of identification codes corresponding respectively to the serial numbers of the parts ; - establishment of a link between a remote diagnostic computer and the computer on board at least part of the vehicles; - sending, to the on-board computer, a request to consult the database; and - consultation of the database and identification of

  vehicles with the element or elements likely to be defective.

  This method further includes a step of sending, to the 20 vehicles identified, at least one alert message using the

  link established between the computers.

  According to an embodiment of this method, before sending the request, the vehicles are identified in a database in which vehicle identification numbers are stored according to their date of manufacture. likely to be

  assembled from said element or elements, the step of sending the request being carried out only with regard to the vehicles identified.

  For example, during the consultation of the database,

  the on-board computer delivers a list of codes of at least part of the stored elements corresponding to the request.

  According to another characteristic of this method, it further comprises a step of updating the database to

  identify vehicles that have undergone maintenance.

  According to an advantageous embodiment, the computers communicate according to the IP communication protocol, the

  on-board computers each having an IP address.

  According to the invention, a remote control system for the presence in motor vehicles is also proposed,

  of one or more predetermined elements likely to be defective, for the implementation of a process as defined above.

  This control system comprises a database 10 on board each vehicle, connected to a computer for managing the database and in which parts entering the constitution of the vehicle are stored in the form of a list of codes. identification corresponding respectively to serial numbers of the parts, and a remote computer adapted to communicate with the on-board management computers to identify the

  vehicles comprising said predetermined element or elements.

  According to another characteristic of this system, the on-board management computers, on the one hand, and the remote computer, on the other hand, respectively comprise telecommunications servers adapted to communicate jointly according to the IP communication protocol. Preferably, the on-board management computers include, stored in memory, navigation software for

  consultation of the data stored in the database.

  You can store items in the database at

  using an HTML hypertext markup language.

  Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will appear on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of nonlimiting example, and made with reference to the 30 attached drawings in which:

  - Figure l is a block diagram illustrating the general architecture of the part of a control system according to the invention which is carried on board motor vehicles; - Figure 2 shows a table stored in the remote computer; - Figure 3 shows an example of a table stored in memory in the vehicle database; and in FIG. 1, the on-board part of a

  motor vehicle control system according to the invention.

  Such a system is intended to allow a motor vehicle manufacturer to identify vehicles equipped with a part or element likely to be defective and to transmit an alert message inviting the owner of the vehicle to go to a dealer to replace the offending part, in the form of a message sent directly on board the vehicle. To do this, the system includes an on-board part 15 of each motor vehicle, visible in FIG. 1, and a remote part, placed for example within the manufacturer's sales department, which is adapted to communicate with the on-board part of the vehicles. Preferably, this communication is carried out using the Internet network, that is to say according to the IP telecommunication protocol, using data transmission services by radio waves. In this respect, the general radiocommunication service in packet mode, or "GPRS" system, the universal system of telecommunications with mobiles, or "UMTS" system, or even satellite telecommunications systems 25 can be used to establish a communication. between the

  vehicles and the so-called remote part of the control system.

  With regard to the remote part, which is hosted within the motor vehicle manufacturer, this essentially comprises a central computer associated with a database 30 in which all the information corresponding to the vehicle supplied to the user client is gathered. , in the form of vehicle numbers N associated with a vehicle identification number (VIN) and a date D leaving the assembly plant (Figure 2). With reference to FIG. 1, the on-board part comprises a management computer 10 associated with a database 12 in which all the elements, parts or functional systems of the vehicle are grouped. Preferably, this database 12 is produced from non-volatile memory components of the type

EEPROM.

  The computer 10 essentially ensures the management of the content of the base 12, as well as the reading and writing of the data. It is connected to all of the main functional elements of the vehicle, on the one hand, via a diagnostic bus 14 and, on the other hand, via a data transmission bus.

16, for example a CAN type bus.

  For example, among the main elements monitored by the computer 10, we identify: - the injection computer 18 - the cabin computer 20 - the anti-lock braking system 22 - the automatic gearbox 24 - the airbags 26; Furthermore, the computer 10 is connected via the data transmission bus 16 to a display 28 on the dashboard of the vehicle and, via a firewall 30, to telecommunication modules 32 , 34 and 36 each belonging to a specific telecommunication system, such as the GPRS system, the UMTS system, or a satellite telecommunication system, with a view to communicating with a corresponding telecommunication module associated with the remote computer hosted by the manufacturer . Finally, a barcode reader 38 communicates with the

calculator 10.

  As previously indicated, the database 12 incorporates all of the main elements forming part of the vehicle. As can be seen in FIG. 3, this information is in the form of a list of parts, associated in the base with a part number "N" and each identified by a code "C" representative of the serial number of the part, by its date "D" of manufacture, by "Type" information representative of the type of part, "electronic", "mechanical",.

  to which the part belongs and by descriptive information "Room". This information is entered either by reading a barcode..DTD: carried by the part by means of the reader 38, during assembly of the vehicle, or, at a dealer, in the event of part replacement, or may be transmitted via the data transmission bus 16.

  This database 12 is updated each time that

one of the parts is replaced.

  Furthermore, the computer 10 incorporates a telecommunications server adapted to communicate with a corresponding server 15, for example integrated into the remote computer, according to the IP telecommunications protocol. The remote computer can thus communicate with each of the vehicles using the Internet, each vehicle having its own IP address. Each of the

  vehicles is therefore accessible regardless of its location.

  The architecture which has just been described thus allows a motor vehicle manufacturer to identify at a distance and with certainty the vehicles which are equipped with a part capable of

  to be defective and which should be replaced.

  To carry out such a check, the remote computer identifies the list of vehicles likely to include such a part, from the date of leaving the assembly plant (FIG. 2). For example, vehicles are identified using two extreme dates encompassing

  a suspect manufacturing period.

  It then issues a request to interrogate the database 12 of each identified vehicle and then transmits this request to the identified vehicles, via the means of

  telecommunications with which it is equipped.

  For example, by this request, the remote computer can consult only part of the elements stored, for example as a function of the type of the elements of the vehicle, their date of manufacture, etc. In response to this request, the computer 10 of each vehicle receiving the request transmits to the remote computer the information corresponding to the parts concerned by the request, in the form of a code containing the

  information extracted from the database 12.

  It will be noted that the use of a hypertext markup language, that is to say a representation of the parts in the base by means of such a language and of navigation software stored in the on-board computers for consulting the data stored in the database allows the manufacturer an easy consultation of the database by allowing to navigate within the parts of suspect vehicles such

  that they are stored in the base.

  After identification of the vehicles in question, the computer 10 causes an alert message to be drawn up and sent to the vehicles concerned in order to warn the owner of the vehicle of the need to present his vehicle to a dealer to proceed with a replacement of the part. Such an alert message is presented by the computer on the display 28 of the vehicle. This eliminates the problems associated with changes in postal address

vehicle owners.

  After carrying out any intervention on a vehicle, the vehicle database is updated, for example by filling in specific field 25 so as to avoid any change being made

a non-defective part.

Claims (10)

  1. Method for remote control of the presence, in motor vehicles, of one or more predetermined elements liable to be defective, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: storage, in a database (12 ) which is on board each motor vehicle and which is managed by a vehicle computer (10), parts forming part of the vehicle in the form of a list of 10 identification codes (C) corresponding respectively to parts serial numbers; - establishment of a connection between a remote diagnostic computer and the computer (10) on board at least part of the vehicles; - sending, to said on-board computer, a request to consult the database; and - consultation of the database (12) and identification of vehicles containing the element or elements likely to be defective. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a step of sending, to the identified vehicles, at least one alert message using the connection established between the computers.   3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that prior to sending the request, we identify, in a   database in which vehicle identification numbers (VIN) are stored according to their date of manufacture (D), the vehicles likely to be assembled from said element or elements, the step of sending the request only made in relation to identified vehicles.   4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that during the consultation of the database, the on-board computer (10) delivers a list of codes from a party to the   less of the memorized elements corresponding to the request.   5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,   characterized in that it further comprises a step of updating the database (12) to identify the vehicles having undergone a maintenance operation.   6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,   characterized in that the computers communicate according to the IP communication protocol, the on-board computers each having an IP address.   7. Remote presence control system in   motor vehicles, of one or more predetermined elements likely to be defective, for the implementation of a method according to any one of claims i to 7, characterized in that it comprises a database ( 12) on board each   vehicle, connected to a computer (10) for managing the database and in which parts entering the constitution of the vehicle are stored in the form of a list of identification codes (C) corresponding respectively to 20 series of parts, and a remote computer adapted to communicate with the on-board management computers to identify the   vehicles comprising said predetermined element or elements.   8. System according to claim 7, characterized in that the on-board management computers, on the one hand, and the remote computer, on the other hand, respectively comprise telecommunication servers suitable for communicating jointly according to the   IP telecommunication protocol.   9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the on-board management computers comprise, stored in memory, a navigation software for consulting the data stored in the database.   10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the elements stored in the database are represented using   of a hypertext markup language.