Information sharing system for the maintenance of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle

Abstract

A system for sharing information concerning the maintenance of an internal combustion engine (ICE) of a motor vehicle (MV), comprising a computer platform (CCP) supporting a database (DB) organized according to a blockchain capable of collecting maintenance information provided by at least one computer terminal (CT) of the mechanic who performed the maintenance of the internal combustion engine (ICE) connected to the platform (CCP); the information including the characteristics of the maintenance product(s) (MP) used for the maintenance, and a remote server (RC) belonging to the vehicle manufacturer (MV), or its representatives, connected to the platform (CCP); said platform (CCP) and said remote server (RC) being capable of sharing the maintenance information with the user (USG) of the vehicle (MV) via a mobile application hosted on a portable terminal (PT) of the user (USG) connected wirelessly to the platform (CCP) and the remote server (RC). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: System for sharing information concerning the maintenance of a motor vehicle thermal engine

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the sharing of information on the servicing or maintenance of a motor vehicle and more particularly to a system for sharing information concerning the servicing of a motor vehicle thermal engine and in particular the sharing of information on the oil change operation carried out as well as the products used during the oil change. It is recalled that an oil change operation on a thermal engine consists of changing the lubricating product (engine oil) in the lubrication circuit of the thermal engine.

[0002] Maintenance or servicing operations, whether covered by the warranty or not, of motor vehicles are usually and preferably carried out by a garage approved by the vehicle brand.

[0003] All vehicle maintenance operations are normally recorded in a vehicle maintenance logbook, including oil changes for the thermal engine, which must be carried out regularly depending on the use of the vehicle and the type of thermal engine (petrol, diesel, etc.).

[0004] An oil change operation consists of replacing the used oil with new oil in the engine lubrication circuit.

[0005] An oil is characterized mainly by its viscosity grade as a lubricating product. The choice of an engine oil is crucial to ensure optimal engine performance and service life.

[0006] Today, too few garages communicate on the characteristics of the oil used during an oil change and the user of the vehicle (the customer) is often faced with a fait accompli once the oil change operation has been carried out, whereas he could have expressed a preference for one or other oil depending on his budget and / or the desired performance depending on the type of vehicle and the type of driving of the vehicle: old collector's vehicle, high mileage vehicle, etc.

[0007] Thus, such a practice does not always encourage the customer to trust the garage owner who, of his own free will, chose the oil for the oil change without having first informed the vehicle user (the customer).

[0008] The present invention aims to solve the problem of lack of clarity and transparency relating to information concerning the maintenance products of a thermal engine (or internal combustion engine) such as lubricants (oils) and other additives recommended by the manufacturer, used during an operation such as a draining the thermal engine lubrication circuit.

[0009] To this end, the present invention relates to a system for sharing information concerning the maintenance of a thermal engine of a motor vehicle, comprising a computer platform supporting a database organized according to a blockchain capable of collecting maintenance information provided by at least one computer terminal of the garage having carried out the maintenance of the thermal engine connected to the platform; the information comprising the characteristics of the maintenance product(s) used for the maintenance, and a remote server belonging to the vehicle manufacturer, or its representatives, connected to the platform; said platform and said remote server being capable of sharing the maintenance information with the user of the vehicle through a mobile application hosted on a portable terminal of the user connected by waves to the platform and to the remote server.

[0010] According to one characteristic, the maintenance information relates to information on draining the lubrication circuit of the thermal engine of the vehicle including the characteristics of the replacement oil used during the draining.

[0011] According to another characteristic, the platform is able to provide the user with the history of the oil change operations carried out on the vehicle with the characteristics of the oils used during previous oil changes.

[0012] According to another characteristic, the remote server hosts the electronic maintenance log of the vehicle identified from the vehicle identification number.

[0013] According to another characteristic, the remote server is able to authorize the user via the mobile application, and under condition, to adjust the characteristics of the oil to be used for the next oil changes in the platform database; said adjusted characteristics being recorded in the electronic maintenance log of the vehicle hosted in the manufacturer's remote server.

[0014] An advantage of the present invention is to be able to share in complete confidence, security and transparency a set of maintenance information for a thermal engine of a motor vehicle, between the user of the vehicle (the customer), the manufacturer and the various garages who have worked on the vehicle. The traceability of the maintenance operations also makes it possible to draw up the history of the maintenance operations and in particular the characteristics of the lubrication products (oils, recommended additives, etc.) used for oil changes and to allow the user (the customer) to be involved in the choice of these products.

[0015] Other advantages and characteristics of the present invention may emerge more clearly from the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0016] [Fig-1] illustrates a block diagram of a system according to the invention.

[0017] The present invention is based on the use of so-called chain technology. blocks better known by the Anglo-Saxon acronym "blockchain". This blockchain is a database supported by a computer platform which is shared between several actors and based on collaborative governance.

[0018] The main actors sharing the blockchain used in the present invention are the authorized or unauthorised garages who have worked on the vehicle to maintain the vehicle's thermal engine, the manufacturer of the vehicle having undergone the maintenance work and the user of the vehicle (the customer).

[0019] [Fig.l] schematically shows a platform supporting a BKC “blockchain” type database, hereinafter referred to as the BKC platform.

[0020] This BKC platform makes it possible to group together all useful and reliable information on the maintenance operations of the MTH thermal engine of a given VHL motor vehicle, as well as the PRD products used for this maintenance, in particular information on the oil change operations (engine oil change) and on the characteristics of the oil, recommended additive and any other product used at the time of the oil change operation.

[0021] This information is communicated to the BKC platform from TIG computer terminals connected to the Internet network, for example, and belonging respectively to the different garages, actors of the “blockchain”, who have intervened on the VHL vehicle to carry out maintenance operations on the vehicle's thermal engine and in particular the oil changes of the MTH thermal engine of the VHL vehicle.

[0022] This information is stored in the BKC platform and more precisely in registers of the BdD database in a secure and immutable manner. This information thus stored makes it possible to trace over time all the maintenance operations undergone by the MTH thermal engine of the VHL vehicle with the characteristics of the PRD maintenance products used, and thus restore the history of the maintenance operations and the associated PRD products.

[0023] The other player in the BKC platform, the car manufacturer (or its representatives), uses its information to update the “electronic” maintenance log CEL of the vehicle identified VHL by its “VIN”, and to program, based on this information, the next maintenance operation (next oil change).

[0024] The CEL electronic maintenance log is hosted and managed by a remote CDC server or “Cloud” in English terminology, belonging to the manufacturer (or its representatives).

[0025] The CDC remote server also manages the VIN, or VIN code for "Vehicle Identification Number" or Vehicle Identification Number, corresponding to the vehicle's serial number (or chassis number). It allows the information stored in the BKC platform registers to be associated with the correct VHL vehicle.

[0026] We recall that “blockchain” technology is a storage and transmission of information without a controlling body. Technically, it is a distributed (shared) database in which the information sent by the different actors and the internal links to the database are verified and grouped at regular time intervals into blocks, the whole being secured by cryptography, and thus forming a chain.

[0027] This technology relies on the trust that can be placed in the data recorded on the data history.

[0028] As is known, blockchains can be used to record any type of transactions. In the background, a blockchain is generally defined as a computerized record of transactions.

[0029] The term "transaction" can cover any type of operation between one or more authorized actors and in particular the exchange of maintenance information for the thermal engine of a motor vehicle.

[0030] Automobile manufacturers also have a large amount of data relating to vehicles and in particular to data from the thermal engine which are "uploaded" (transmitted) directly by waves to the manufacturers, by the vehicles which are connected, or stored in a memory on board the vehicle for non-connected vehicles and which can be used in particular at the time of maintenance operations on the thermal engine (diagnostics).

[0031] All data sent by the vehicles is collected and stored in the CDC manufacturer's "cloud". The data sent by the vehicles is stored for processing for automotive diagnostic purposes following a breakdown or malfunction, but also any type of information on the operating conditions, use of the vehicle and maintenance of the vehicle.

[0032] Thus, the manufacturer is able to determine which type of maintenance product is most appropriate for the thermal engine in question and thus recommend, for example, one oil rather than another, one additive rather than another, etc., depending on the type of engine, the age of the vehicle and its use.

[0033] The USG user of the VHL vehicle (the customer) can also exchange information with the BKC platform, in particular to find out information relating to the type of oil used for the last oil changes.

[0034] He can thus, using a portable SMP terminal, for example a smartphone connected by radio waves to the BKC platform which is supported by a communicating remote server, and after having identified himself, access the history of maintenance information concerning his VHL vehicle.

[0035] He can also access the electronic CEL maintenance log of his VHL vehicle via the manufacturer's remote CDC server, in particular to ensure that the CEL maintenance log is updated following the last maintenance of his VHL vehicle and note the next revision date (maintenance / servicing operation) of his VHL vehicle. This information can be transmitted directly to him, by radio, by the manufacturer's remote CDC server.

[0036] Access to the electronic maintenance log CEL, hosted in the manufacturer's remote CDC server, may, for example, be part of a service offer proposed by the manufacturer to the USG user of the VHL vehicle (the customer), subject, for example, to different payment options for access to more data or even allowing the USG user to recommend the characteristics of the PRD oil to be used for the next oil change depending on the driving habits of the USG user and the type of vehicle and the manufacturer's recommendations.

[0037] This service can take the form of a mobile application from the manufacturer, installed on the SMP smartphone of the USG user (customer) allowing him to quickly access the CEL maintenance log of his VHL vehicle with detailed maintenance information, in particular information on the characteristics of the PRD oil used with an option to choose (recommendation) the oil to be used for the next oil change. This choice is then stored in the CEL maintenance log and in the BKC platform so as to be taken into account by the garages connected to the BKC platform via their TIG terminal.

[0038] It is considered that the intelligence of the system according to the invention is located in the remote server (or cloud) of the CDC manufacturer, for example, one or more computers associated with one or more data processing algorithms, linked to the BKC platform.

[0039] The present invention aims to make all maintenance operations on a motor vehicle thermal engine more transparent and thus strengthen the trust and therefore the loyalty of vehicle users (customers) towards garages having subscribed to the sharing of information via the BKC platform with a preference going towards garages recommended by the manufacturer.

Claims

Claims

1. System for sharing information concerning the maintenance of a thermal engine (MTH) of a motor vehicle (VHL), comprising a computer platform (BKC) supporting a database (BdD) organized according to a blockchain capable of collecting maintenance information provided by at least one computer terminal (TIG) of the garage having carried out the maintenance of the thermal engine (MTH) connected to the platform (BKC); the information comprising the characteristics of the maintenance product(s) (PRD) used for the maintenance, and a remote server (CDC) belonging to the manufacturer of the vehicle (VHL), or its representatives, connected to the platform (BKC);said platform (BKC) and said remote server (CDC) being able to share maintenance information with the user (USG) of the vehicle (VHL) through a mobile application hosted on a portable terminal (SMP) of the user (USG) connected by radio to the platform (BKC) and to the remote server (CDC).;

2. System according to the preceding claim, in which the maintenance information relates to information on draining the lubrication circuit of the thermal engine (MTH) of the vehicle (VHL) comprising the characteristics of the replacement oil (PRD) used during the draining.

3. System according to the preceding claim, in which the platform (BKC) is capable of providing the user (USG) with the history of the oil change operations carried out on the vehicle (VHL) with the characteristics of the oils (PRD) used during previous oil changes.

4. System according to the preceding claim, in which the remote server (CDC) hosts the electronic maintenance log (CEL) of the vehicle (VHL) identified from the identification number (VIN) of the vehicle (VHL).

5. System according to the preceding claim, in which the remote server (CDC) is able to authorize the user (USG) via the mobile application, and under condition, to recommend the characteristics of the oil (PRD) to be used for the next oil changes in the database (BdD) of the platform (BKC); said recommended characteristics being recorded in the electronic maintenance log (CEL) of the vehicle (VHL) hosted in the remote server (CDC) of the manufacturer.

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