Method and device for performing vehicle-related services

Abstract

Method for operating a computer (BE) that provides vehicle-related services, in which - a request from a user computer (NR) is processed, whereby the request for a given vehicle (FZ) contains information about a service (P) to be performed; - a response message (S) is generated by the computer (BE) and transmitted to the user computer (NR), wherein the response message (S) includes at least one event identifier (EID) which is generated from the service to be executed (P) and an identifier (VID) of the vehicle (FZ); - the service (P) is executed by the computer (BE) after receiving a confirmation message, wherein the confirmation message was generated by a service provider computer (SP) and transmitted to the computer (BE) when and as soon as it has received an execution message (SMS) from the user computer (NR) which includes at least the event identifier (EID).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a computer that provides vehicle-related services. Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer for providing vehicle-related services. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a computer system that provides vehicle-related services, wherein the computer system comprises a user computer, a computer of the aforementioned type, and a service provider computer.

[0002] Using vehicle-related services, a vehicle user can, for example, use a stationary computer or a portable device to send navigation data to the vehicle, determine the vehicle's location, turn an auxiliary heater on or off, lock the vehicle, etc. The start of a vehicle-related service of the above-mentioned type is initiated by the user by transmitting a corresponding message to a computer of the vehicle manufacturer or to a service provider. After receiving information about the service to be performed, the computer establishes a communication connection to the vehicle and executes the desired function.

[0003] Data is transferred from the computer to the vehicle, and vice versa, typically via a cellular connection. The costs incurred for the corresponding data transfer are borne either directly by the provider of the vehicle-related service, usually the vehicle manufacturer, or by the user. As more and more vehicle-related services are provided and, as a result, vehicle users use them more intensively, the costs for processing the necessary communication are becoming increasingly higher. Flat-rate billing to the user is proving increasingly unsustainable for economic reasons. However, case-by-case billing for the use of a vehicle-related service requires a high level of computing power on the part of the provider of the vehicle-related service.

[0004] EP 1 081 919 A1 discloses a method for authorization in data transmission systems for payment of goods and / or services offered over the Internet using at least one transaction code or comparable identification. To ensure secure authorization orIn order to carry out payment for transactions on the Internet, after selecting a product from a provider on the Internet using a customer's terminal device, a transaction code generated by the provider's terminal device is transmitted to the customer and, at the same time, to an authorization comparator of a (mobile) telephone service provider, which has been previously specified to the provider by the customer. Whereupon the customer also transmits the transaction code received from the provider's terminal device by dialing a special access number of the (mobile) telephone service provider. The authorization comparator of the (mobile) telephone service provider, after checking the consistency of the transaction codes transmitted on both sides, sends a response to the provider's terminal device about the authorization of the transaction and registers the amount of the product price for collection by the (mobile) telephone service provider.The provider's device then signals to the customer's device that the goods have been delivered or that the offer has been activated.

[0005] WO 2011 / 147 893 A1 discloses a method and apparatus for remote interaction with a vehicle, comprising data transmission means for wirelessly transmitting messages between a mobile communication device operable by a user and a vehicle data bus located in the vehicle. Optionally, the data transmission means is arranged to communicate wirelessly with the mobile communication device via a web server, a web portal, or another host system connected to the Internet. The data transmission device can be configured to communicate wirelessly with the web portal via a GSM or other cellular communication network.After the vehicle engine is stopped, message communication can continue on an intermittent basis or be interrupted after a specified time or when the vehicle battery voltage reaches a specified threshold. High-priority messages can be transmitted at any time after the vehicle engine is stopped.

[0006] From the online encyclopedia Wikipedia "Parallel Programming," version of January 30, 2012 at 6:54 a.m., [online] URL: http: / / de.wikipedia.org / w / index.php?title=Parallele_Programmierung&oldid=99012697 &printable=yes [accessed September 10, 2012], parallel programming is known as a programming paradigm. This includes, on the one hand, methods for dividing a computer program into individual parts that can be executed concurrently, and, on the other hand, methods for synchronizing concurrent program sections.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and devices which improve the performance of vehicle-related services functionally and / or with regard to the computing effort to be carried out.

[0008] These objects are achieved by a method according to the features of patent claim 1, a computer according to the features of patent claim 11, a method according to the features of patent claim 12 and a computer program product according to the features of patent claim 15. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent patent claims.

[0009] In the method according to the invention for operating a computer that provides vehicle-related services, a request from a user computer is processed, wherein the request contains information about a service to be performed for a given vehicle. The computer providing the vehicle-related services can be a single computer or a network of several computers. The computer can be operated, for example, by the vehicle manufacturer. The computer is designed to exchange data with the user computer. The user computer can be a mobile device or a stationary computer. The request can be generated from an app. The request can also be generated from a stationary or portable computer, web-based, or from a proprietary computer program.

[0010] The service to be performed is, for example, a convenience function such as switching ventilation or heating on or off, unlocking or locking the vehicle, honking the horn or flashing the headlights, transmitting navigation data of a destination to be reached by the vehicle user, etc.

[0011] In the next step, a response message is generated by the computer and transmitted to the user computer. The response message includes at least one event identifier, which is generated from the service to be performed and an identifier of the vehicle. The event identifier can thus be used to uniquely identify the service to be performed. The event identifier also indicates for which vehicle the vehicle-related service is to be performed. The vehicle identifier can be, for example, a unique chassis number and / or a timestamp or the like.

[0012] The service is executed by the computer upon receipt of a confirmation message, wherein the confirmation message was generated by a service provider computer and transmitted to the computer if and as soon as the computer has received an execution message from the user computer, which includes the at least one event identifier. The service provider computer is preferably managed by a different entity than the computer for executing the vehicle-related service. In particular, the service provider computer is a company's computer for billing costs incurred in the context of performing the vehicle-related service. In particular, the costs here are the costs incurred for data transmission.

[0013] The proposed approach allows the billing of data transmission costs, and optionally other costs, to be shifted from the operator of the vehicle-related service's computer to the operator of the service provider's computer. In particular, it is possible to bill costs via the user's telephone bill, which can be controlled by addressing the execution message to the service provider's computer. The result is a simplified technical structure of the hardware of the vehicle-related service provider's computer.

[0014] In a practical embodiment of the method for operating the computer, upon receipt of the request from the user computer, the execution of the service is started in parallel with the generation and transmission of the response message. When reference is made to a request from the user computer in this description, this is to be understood as meaning that the request is generated by the user computer and transmitted to the computer providing the vehicle-related services. Starting the application is to be understood as meaning that all precautions for executing the service are taken after receipt of the confirmation message. This means that the requested service is only executed once the confirmation message generated by the service provider has been transmitted to and received by the computer.

[0015] In a further expedient embodiment, address information is transmitted to the user computer in addition to the event identifier in the response message, which address information is processed or can be processed by the user computer as the destination address for transmitting the execution message. The transmission of address information in the response message can be expedient if, in the sequence of the method described above, the execution message from the user computer to the service provider computer is not always sent to the same address in a predetermined manner. Such an address could be permanently stored in an application or the program of the user computer. Greater flexibility results if the address information is included in the response message alongside the event identifier. This makes it easy, for example, to process the billing through another service provider and associated service provider computer.It is also possible for the computer system to select the address information depending on the service to be performed.

[0016] In particular, the address information is an MSISDN (Mobile Subscriber ISDN number) of the service provider's computer, to which the execution message generated from the response message is transmitted, particularly as a short message. If the execution message is transmitted as a short message (so-called Short Message Service, SMS), the service provider's computer can charge a predetermined fee for the transmission of the short message. This type of charging method is well known, for example, from the field of ringtones.

[0017] In particular, the address information of the service provider's computer allows costs to be allocated to a user of the user's computer. In particular, different costs can be assigned to different address information. This allows different services to be priced differently. These costs, as already described above, relate in particular to the transmission of data between the vehicle and the computer that provides the vehicle-related services.

[0018] According to a further embodiment, the response message transmitted from the computer to the user computer contains additional information that is to be transmitted to the service provider computer in the execution message. The additional information is intended for evaluation by the service provider computer. The additional information may, for example, contain payment information.

[0019] According to a further embodiment, the computer reads the event identifier transmitted in the confirmation message, determines the services associated with the event identifier, and executes them. This eliminates the need to include the service requested by the user computer in the respective transmitted message. The computer responsible for executing the vehicle-related service can always determine and further process it from the event identifier (which it generates).

[0020] Optionally, the response message from the computer to the user's computer can be transmitted as a short message. It is also possible to transmit the response message to the user's computer as a data packet. This option is particularly feasible if an IP or other data connection exists between the user's computer and the computer.

[0021] The invention further provides a computer for providing vehicle-related services. This comprises a first means for processing a request from a user computer, wherein the request contains information about a service to be performed for a given vehicle. The computer further comprises a second means for generating and transmitting a response message to the user computer, wherein the response message comprises at least one event identifier generated from the service to be performed and an identifier of the vehicle. Finally, a third means is provided for executing the service upon receipt of a confirmation message, wherein the confirmation message is generated by a service provider computer and transmitted to the computer if and as soon as the computer has received an execution message from the user computer, which includes at least the event identifier.

[0022] In further embodiments, the proposed computer may comprise further means for carrying out the method described above.

[0023] The invention further proposes a method for operating a computer system that provides vehicle-related services. The computer system comprises a user computer, a computer of the type described above, and a service provider computer. As described above, the vehicle-related service is provided by the computer, and billing is performed by the service provider computer, which is managed by a different entity than the computer.

[0024] In the proposed method, a request is generated by the user computer and transmitted to the computer, wherein the request contains information about a service to be performed for a given vehicle. The request is processed by the computer. A response message is then generated by the computer and transmitted to the user computer, wherein the response message, in particular in the form of a short message, comprises at least one event identifier generated from the service to be performed and an identifier of the vehicle. The user computer generates an execution message from the response message, which comprises at least the event identifier, and transmits this, in particular as a short message, to the service provider computer for further processing.The service provider's computer performs a billing transaction with the user's computer and transmits a confirmation message to the computer confirming the billing. The computer then executes the service after receiving the confirmation message.

[0025] The procedure described makes it possible to transfer the costs incurred for the provision of a vehicle-related service to a service provider using known billing methods rather than having to be billed by the provider of the vehicle-related service.

[0026] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the user computer transmits the confirmation message to an address known to it (e.g., a preset short message number, such as an MSISDN) or to address information of the service provider computer read from the response message. In the latter variant, the MSISDN for a message to be transmitted can be contained in the previously received response message.

[0027] In particular, the confirmation message is transmitted as a short message to the service provider's computer.

[0028] Finally, the invention comprises a computer program product that can be loaded directly into the internal memory of a digital computer and comprises software code sections with which the steps of the method described above are carried out when the product is running on one or more computers.

[0029] The invention is explained in more detail below using an embodiment in the drawing.

[0030] The single figure shows a schematic representation of the temporal sequence of the method according to the invention.

[0031] In the flow chart of the Fig. Figure 1 shows the components involved in the process. NR denotes a user computer, which can be a stationary or mobile computer or mobile device. An application, optionally in the form of an app or a program, runs on the user computer, allowing a vehicle-related service to be selected for a specific vehicle belonging to the user.

[0032] BE designates a computer that provides a vehicle-related service. Such a vehicle-related service is, in particular, a convenience function, such as switching a heater or ventilation system on or off, locking or unlocking the vehicle, honking a horn or flashing headlights, transmitting navigation data to a vehicle computer, etc. The computer BE is typically operated by the vehicle manufacturer. When reference is made to a computer BE in this description, this does not mean that the computer must be a single computer. Rather, the computer can also be a plurality of interconnected computers. Such an arrangement is typically referred to as a backend.

[0033] The vehicle of the user of the user computer NR is marked with FZ.

[0034] The reference symbol SP represents a service provider computer. This does not necessarily refer to a single computer. Rather, it can refer to a plurality of computers. The service provider computer SP is operated by an institution different from the operator of the computer BE. In particular, the institution operating the service provider computer and the service provider computer it provides are configured to perform billing based on messages received by it.

[0035] The procedure for the proposed procedure is described in more detail below.

[0036] In a first step S1, the user calls a service P on their user computer NR. A corresponding message containing information about the service to be executed is transmitted to the computer BE.

[0037] In a second step S2, the computer BE, which has received the message, generates an event identifier EID in response. The event identifier EID is generated from the service P to be executed and a vehicle identifier VID. Optionally, a user identifier CID can also be included in the event identifier. Furthermore, after receiving the request in step S1, the computer BE starts the service P. Starting here means that only the necessary preparations for executing the service are made. The actual execution of the service takes place at a later time.

[0038] In a third step S3, a response message S is transmitted from the computer BE to the user computer NR. The message S comprises at least the event identifier EID and, optionally, address information ID(SP) of the service provider SP. The address information ID(SP) can, for example, be an MSISDN of the service provider, which is to be used for the further course of the method. Furthermore, the message S can contain further information I, which in particular relates to billing for the use of the vehicle-related service.

[0039] The additional information I is intended for evaluation by the service provider computer SP.

[0040] The response message S can be transmitted either as a short message or as a packet-oriented message. Transmission as a short message has the advantage that no permanent data connection is required between the computer BE and the user computer NR. In the latter case, such a data connection can be established, for example, via a mobile network.

[0041] After receiving the response message S, the user computer NR generates an execution message SMS in a step S4. In particular, the execution message SMS is transmitted to the service provider computer SP as a short message (Short Message Service, SMS). If the message S contains address information ID(SP), the message is transmitted to the address contained in the address information. If such address information is not contained in the message S, the message can be transmitted to a fixed address known to the user computer. Alternatively, the message to be transmitted to the service provider computer SP could also be transmitted as a packet-oriented message, provided the user computer NR has a corresponding communication connection.

[0042] In a step S5, the response message SMS, which includes the event identifier EID, optionally the service P to be executed, and the optional additional information I, is transmitted to the service provider computer SP. The additional information I is only transmitted if it was contained in the previously received response message S. Transmission of information about the service P to be executed is provided, for example, if the information is required by the service provider computer SP for billing purposes.

[0043] Once the service provider computer SP has received the execution message (SMS), the costs incurred for executing the service, in particular data transmission costs, are billed in step S6. If the execution message (SMS) was transmitted as a short message to a specified address, in particular MSISDN, the transmission of the short message can be charged to the user's telephone bill.

[0044] After the billing has been completed by the service provider computer SP, the billing is confirmed to the computer BE in step S7. For this purpose, a confirmation message is transmitted to the computer BE in step S7. After receiving the confirmation message, the computer BE executes the service P in step S8. In the billing confirmation, the event identifier is preferably transmitted from the service provider computer SP to the computer BE. Based on the assignment of the event identifier and the service P, the computer BE can determine the service P to be executed and execute it in step S8.

[0045] For this purpose, a data exchange takes place in step S9 to execute the service P. This can proceed, for example, as follows: The computer BE transmits a short message to the vehicle FZ. Upon receipt of the short message, the control units required to execute the service are activated and a communication connection is established from the vehicle to the computer BE. Subsequently, the data required to execute the service takes place between the computer BE and the vehicle FZ. The vehicle FZ confirms the successful execution of the service to be executed to the computer BE. A corresponding confirmation message regarding the execution of the service to be executed is transmitted from the computer BE to the user computer NR in step S10.

[0046] The proposed method enables the costs for data transmission required to perform a vehicle-related service to be billed via the user's telephone bill. This eliminates the need for any software or hardware measures on the BE side to record the frequency or number of times a user performs vehicle-related services. Instead, by involving a service provider that manages the service provider's SP, costs can be easily billed via the user's telephone bill.

[0047] In particular, this approach allows for different costs to be charged for different vehicle-related services. This can be achieved, for example, by transmitting different address information ID(SP) from the computer BE to the user computer NR. The costs can be made dependent on the actual effort required to perform the service. List of reference symbols NR user calculator BE calculator FZ vehicle SP service provider calculator P Service EID event identifier S reply message SMS execution message ID(SP) Identifier (MSISDN) of the service provider computer SP I further information VID vehicle identification CID customer identifier S1 step S2 step S3 step S4 Step S5 Step S6 Step S7 Step S8 Step S9 Step S10 Step

Claims

[1] Method for operating a computer (BE) that provides vehicle-related services, in which - a request from a user computer (NR) is processed, wherein the request for a given vehicle (FZ) contains information about a service (P) to be performed; - a response message (S) is generated by the computer (BE) and transmitted to the user computer (NR), wherein the response message (S) comprises at least one event identifier (EID) which is generated from the service to be executed (P) and an identifier (VID) of the vehicle (FZ); - the service (P) is executed by the computer (BE) after receipt of a confirmation message, wherein the confirmation message was generated by a service provider computer (SP) and transmitted to the computer (BE) if and as soon as the latter has received an execution message (SMS) from the user computer (NR) which comprises at least the event identifier (EID). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein, after receipt of the request from the user computer (NR), the execution of the service (P) is started in parallel with the generation and transmission of the response message (S). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the response message (S) in addition to the event identifier (EID) an address information is transmitted to the user computer (NR), which is processed / can be processed by the user computer (NR) as a destination address for the transmission of the execution message (SMS). [4] Method according to claim 3, wherein the address information is an MSISDN of the service provider computer (SP) to which the execution message (SMS) generated from the response message (S) is transmitted, in particular as a short message. [5] Method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the address information is selected by the computer system as a function of the service (P) to be performed. [6] Method according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the address information of the service provider computer (SP) allows costs to be charged to a user of the user computer (NR). [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which further information is transmitted to the user computer (NR) in the response message (S), which information is to be transmitted to the service provider computer (SP) in the execution message (SMS), the further information being intended for evaluation by the service provider computer (SP). [8] Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the event identifier (EID) transmitted therein is read out by the computer (BE) from the confirmation message, and the service (P) assigned to the event identifier (EID) is determined and executed. [9] Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the response message (S) is transmitted as a short message (SMS) to the user computer (NR). [10] Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the response message (S) is transmitted as a data packet to the user computer (NR). [11] Computer (BE) for providing vehicle-related services, comprising: - a first means for processing a request from a user computer (NR), the request for a given vehicle (FZ) containing information about a service (P) to be performed; - a second means for generating and transmitting a response message (S) to the user computer (NR), wherein the response message (S) comprises at least one event identifier (EID) which is generated from the service to be executed (P) and an identifier (VID) of the vehicle (FZ); - a third means for executing the service (P) after receiving a confirmation message, wherein the confirmation message is generated by a service provider computer (SP) and transmitted to the computer (BE) if and as soon as the latter has received an execution message (SMS) from the user computer (NR) which comprises at least the event identifier (EID). [12] Method for operating a computer system that provides vehicle-related services, wherein the computer system comprises a user computer (NR), a computer (BE) according to one of the preceding claims and a service provider computer (SP), in which - a request is generated by the user computer (NR) and transmitted to the computer (BE), the request for a given vehicle (FZ) containing information about a service (P) to be performed; - the request is processed by the computer (BE); - a response message (S) is generated by the computer (BE) and transmitted to the user computer (NR), wherein the response message (S) comprises at least one event identifier (EID) which is generated from the service to be executed (P) and an identifier (VID) of the vehicle (FZ); - the user computer (NR) generates an execution message (SMS) from the response message (S), which includes at least the event identifier (EID), and transmits it to the service provider computer (SP) for processing; - the service provider computer (SP) carries out a billing transaction with the user of the user computer (NR) and transmits a confirmation message about the billing carried out to the computer (BE); - the service (P) is executed by the computer (BE) after receipt of the confirmation message. [13] Method according to claim 12, wherein the user computer (NR) transmits the confirmation message to an address known to it or to address information of the service provider computer (SP) read from the response message (S). [14] Method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as a short message to the service provider computer (SP). [15] A computer program product which can be loaded directly into the internal memory of a digital computer (BE) and which comprises software code sections which carry out the steps according to any one of claims 1 to 10 when the product is run on one or more computers.

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