Predictive Vehicle Servicing for Service Matching and Parts Availability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle operators face inefficiencies and delays when servicing vehicles due to manual contact with service facilities, missed cost savings, and supply chain issues, leading to longer turnaround times and inconvenience.

Innovation Solution

A predictive service presentation engine and predictive component provision engine that utilize vehicle sensors to analyze data, provide service information to operators, and manage component replacement schedules, allowing for informed decisions and streamlined service processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If vehicle operators manually contact service facilities to schedule servicing, then they can obtain service information, but it consumes excessive time and effort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice information accessibilityVSAvoidtime to find service facility
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by automatically presenting service information to vehicle operators through their computing devices. The predictive service presentation engine pushes relevant service information without requiring operators to manually contact facilities, thus resolving the contradiction between information accessibility and time consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a predictive service presentation engine as an intermediary between service facilities and vehicle operators. This mediator automatically matches operators with suitable facilities based on vehicle data and service needs, eliminating the time-consuming manual search process while ensuring comprehensive information delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of energy

If operators contact multiple service facilities to compare options, then they can find cost savings, but the process becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecost savings opportunityVSAvoidservice search process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple service facility options into a single automated presentation process. Instead of requiring operators to individually contact and compare multiple facilities, the predictive engine consolidates and presents multiple service options with cost comparisons in one automated interaction, reducing process complexity while maintaining cost savings opportunities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-identifying and pre-comparing service options before the operator needs to make a decision. The predictive engine proactively gathers service information, compares costs across facilities, and presents the best options in advance, eliminating the need for operators to manually conduct complex comparisons.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If component replacement is delayed due to supply chain issues, then service facilities can manage inventory better, but vehicle turnaround time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent availabilityVSAvoidvehicle service speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The predictive component provision engine performs preliminary actions by identifying component replacement needs before they become critical. The system proactively orders components in advance based on predictive analytics, ensuring availability when needed and preventing delays in vehicle service while helping facilities manage inventory more effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback loops where service data and component usage patterns are continuously analyzed to improve predictive accuracy. This feedback mechanism enhances both component availability and service speed by learning from historical data to make more accurate predictions about when components will be needed, optimizing both reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4414909A1Vehicle servicing
Publication Date: 2024.08.14 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP4414909A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4414909A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4414909A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In some examples, a system accesses service facility information relating to a plurality of vehicle service facilities, and determines, based on the vehicle component information and the service facility information, at least one vehicle service facility of the plurality of vehicle service facilities that is able to perform servicing of the one or more vehicle components. The system causes presentation, in a user interface, of service information relating to vehicle component servicing to be provided by the at least one vehicle service facility.