Automated Service Scheduling via Diagnostic Trouble Codes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for scheduling automobile service appointments are inefficient as they require customers to present their vehicles to technicians, who may lack necessary parts or skilled mechanics, leading to delays and inefficiencies in determining and scheduling the required service.

Innovation Solution

A system that receives diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) from vehicles, interprets the necessary service operations, and schedules appointments with service centers that have the required resources and availability, eliminating the need for user intervention and reducing inefficiencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If customers present vehicles to technicians for service scheduling, then service appointments can be scheduled, but delays occur due to lack of necessary parts or skilled mechanics

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice appointment scheduling reliabilityVSAvoidscheduling delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically reading DTCs from vehicles, interpreting required service operations, and identifying suitable service centers with necessary parts and skilled mechanics before the customer arrives. This advance preparation eliminates waiting time and ensures reliable scheduling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by automatically scheduling service appointments without requiring customer intervention. The scheduling system autonomously processes DTCs, determines service requirements, selects appropriate service centers, and books appointments, freeing customers from manual scheduling tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If manual vehicle presentation and technician assessment is used, then service requirements can be determined, but inefficiencies occur due to repeated assessments and lack of resource availability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice scheduling efficiencyVSAvoidassessment time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical process of manual vehicle presentation and technician assessment with an automated electronic system. DTCs are automatically read and interpreted by a computer system that efficiently determines service requirements and matches them with appropriate service centers, eliminating repeated assessments and significantly improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If automated scheduling system is implemented, then scheduling efficiency increases, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveappointment scheduling speedVSAvoidscheduling system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a centralized scheduling system as an intermediary between vehicles and service centers. This intermediary automatically processes DTCs, interprets service requirements, and coordinates appointments across multiple service centers, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining high scheduling efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10853769B2Scheduling an automobile service appointment in a dealer service bay based on diagnostic trouble codes and service bay attributes

Publication Date: 2020.12.01 CDK GLOBAL LLC

AI summary

A service appointment can be scheduled with a service center. Scheduling a service appointment can include reading a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) of an automobile stored in an electronic memory and providing via a network interface, the DTC to a scheduling system. Scheduling a service appointment can include receiving a potential service appointment with a service center to resolve the DTC and acknowledging the potential service appointment to schedule the potential service appointment with the service center.