JP2007299281A - System and method for generating vehicle history information - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system, a method, and a computer memory medium for determining whether or not a specific vehicle has a reliability problem and the specific vehicle has passed an import inspection so that vehicle history information is generated on the basis of a vehicle history record of the specific vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: A reliability problem section accesses a center database and reliability problem data supplier reference table of the vehicle history record for the specific vehicle in order to determine whether or not a reliability problem exists, and displays a file indicating whether or not the reliability problem exists. The reliability problem may be related to a recall situation of the vehicle and/or existence of repurchase by a maker. Import compatibility or a gray market portion is accessed to the records of the center database in order to determine whether or not rights and registration records of the vehicle exist in various countries on the basis of import records. The system and method display a suitable advisory record on the basis of the acquired conclusion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a system and method for generating information about the history of a vehicle, specifically a system for determining whether a particular vehicle has a reliability problem and / or has passed import inspection. It is about the method.

  The automotive industry is probably one of the largest in many industrialized regions around the world. Thus, the used car market has developed into a huge market, particularly in North America, specifically in the United States and Canada.

  These industries involved in used car trading recognize the importance of information about used car history when making purchase decisions, including pricing specific vehicles. Thus, services have emerged that function to provide vehicle history information to various partners in the used car market, including dealers and individual consumers. For example, Carfax Inc., the assignee of the present application, provides various vehicle history information to both vehicle sellers and buyers. Specifically, Carfax provides a website on www.carfax.com where potential buyers of vehicles can purchase historical vehicle information, including information collected extensively about specific vehicles. Provided. For example, such vehicle history information includes vehicle information such as model, year, mileage display, owner record, accident information, and the presence or absence of salvage and / or flood titles, and maintenance records. .

  Used car buyers are very concerned about whether the vehicle meets the manufacturer's basic warranty standards as well as government safety standards. It is well known that some used cars contain defects due to vehicle design and / or manufacturer. Safety-related recalls have been made under the direction of government agencies, and many recalls have been implemented at the responsibility of vehicle manufacturers to repair non-safety-related defects. The new car dealer accesses the manufacturer's recall information, including safety recalls and other recalls, provided by the vehicle manufacturer for sale by the dealer. By providing a manufacturer and model of a particular vehicle and visiting a nearby dealer requesting recall data, the buyer can obtain recall information for the particular vehicle. For safety recalls in the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will inform all vehicle manufacturers about the potential defects to the recalled vehicle owners and ensure free repair opportunities. It is required to follow the safety recall procedure to provide. In addition, at http: //www.odi.nhtsa,dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls, a list of vehicle models, manufacturers and models that are subject to safety recall is issued, repair shops and used car dealers. Will be available at Used car buyers can recall the general category of vehicle, ie year, manufacturer and model, by accessing the website of the National Road Traffic Safety Administration website and entering the year, manufacturer and model of a specific vehicle It can be confirmed whether it is a target.

  Consumers want to avoid vehicles that have a history of serious problems, such as no improvements have been made that would satisfy the previous owner. Many states have enacted defective product laws to provide consumers with an effective way to deal with new vehicles with major problems that manufacturers have not succeeded in improving. The details of the Defective Goods Act vary from state to state, but most Defective Goods Laws require the manufacturer to repurchase the vehicle from the original owner if the problem persists within or after a reasonable number of trials. You are requesting a buyback. Many, but not all, states with defective goods law require that the vehicle's rights document be marked or marked as “defective” or that the manufacturer be repurchased by the manufacturer. ing. Currently, CARFAX obtains rights document data from state transfer agencies such as the Land Transport Bureau, and if there are such indications on the rights document for a particular vehicle, the user of their system will be repurchased by the manufacturer. Provides the display. If there is a problem with the vehicle, but the defective goods law does not apply, the manufacturer buys back the vehicle on behalf of the dissatisfied customer. However, such a favored buy-back does not always remain in the vehicle record. Since CARFAX reports only buy-backs by manufacturers that appear on the vehicle's rights document and provided by several state agencies, a system to report virtually all buy-backs has not been possible to date. It was.

  Most people who buy a used car judge its value by knowing whether the used car they are considering for purchase meets the government's safety standards when imported into their country. For example, in the United States, consumers may purchase inexpensive vehicles that were not originally planned for sale in the US market. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require all imported vehicles to pass an import inspection that ensures that the vehicle meets US safety and emission standards. In Canada, the responsibility for import inspection, which requires additional driving lights, is the Federal Department of Transportation, which is implemented by it. Imported vehicles that have not undergone import inspection are often referred to as "gray market" vehicles, which can cause unexpected disadvantages for buyers. In many cases, these disadvantages are more expensive than the saved costs. For example, in the United States, gray market vehicles may not meet United States safety and emission standards, and therefore require expensive adjustments or modifications prior to legal use in the United States. In addition, gray market products may not be covered by the manufacturer's warranty. If a gray market car is defective, the manufacturer will not want to correct the problem, or even try to avoid it being required.

  Experian has a website at www.autocheck.com that provides a report with information about vehicle history, including an indication of whether a gray market record has been retrieved for a particular vehicle. As used herein, a gray market vehicle is defined as a vehicle that has entered the country but does not meet US safety and / or environmental standards. In addition, Carfax's website, www.carfax.com, based on information about a particular vehicle, whether the vehicle was previously registered or owned outside the United States and meets US safety and emission standards. Indicates whether or not However, such conclusions by Carfax are based on limited information provided by only a few states. Specifically, when a consumer attempts to register or own in a state, the state requires an import compliance document, called a release bond, from the consumer. If the consumer provides a release bond, the state will allow registration, but if the consumer does not provide a release bond, the state identifies the vehicle as a gray market vehicle. However, in many states this compliance information is not available.

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  Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a system and method that can efficiently and effectively determine whether a particular vehicle is subject to open recall and / or has passed import inspection. To overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

  Another object of the present invention is a system capable of more efficiently and effectively determining, generating and displaying certain important historical information about used cars for dealers and individual consumers, and Is to provide a method.

  Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for generating vehicle history information that is more useful and useful to potential buyers of used cars.

  Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for generating vehicle history information that displays detailed information that is more meaningful and useful with respect to vehicles.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for providing important vehicle history information to consumers in order to be able to make smarter decisions, leading to information on used car prices and purchases. Is to provide.

  Another object of the present invention relates to a specific vehicle. For example, the manufacturer, model, and model of the vehicle are subject to recall, or there is an open recall for the specific vehicle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for generating vehicle history information that efficiently and easily determines whether or not to do so.

  Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to efficiently and easily determine whether or not the vehicle is a gray market vehicle, that is, whether or not the vehicle has passed the import inspection, and the result is obtained by importing information such as a warranty range. It is to provide a system and method that effectively communicates to consumers along with imported-influenced vehicle information.

  The above object and other objects are records in a database relating to a specific vehicle, the step of identifying the record including the history of the specific vehicle, and the record indicates that a reliability problem exists for the specific vehicle. This is accomplished by providing a method for generating and displaying information about the history of a vehicle comprising the step of determining whether or not it contains a reliability problem that includes information to indicate. If there is a record of reliability issues for a particular vehicle, the method displays a reliability issue file that can be displayed electronically, but if no record of reliability issues exists, the database is trusted for the particular vehicle. It is determined whether sex information should be included. If the database should contain information on reliability issues regarding the specific vehicle, an electronically displayable file regarding the absence of reliability issues for the specific vehicle is displayed.

  The determination as to whether the database should include information on reliability issues related to the specific vehicle may include determining whether the vehicle manufacturer provides data for inclusion in the database. . The step of determining whether or not the vehicle manufacturer provides data for inclusion in the database accesses a lookup table that describes a vehicle manufacturer providing the data for inclusion in the database, and The vehicle manufacturer may include a step of determining whether the vehicle is listed in the reference table.

  The reliability problem record may be an open recall record and / or a buyback record by the manufacturer. The file related to the absence of the reliability problem may not include an open recall file indicating that there was no open recall for repair, and the reliability problem file includes the manufacturer name and the recall of the specific vehicle. May include an open recall file with the details of the vehicle parts that have been made. The reliability problem file is displayed in time series based on the recall effective date of the vehicle history record described in time series associated with the specific vehicle. Further, the method may include providing an electronically displayable file having an input area for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the specific vehicle. The step of identifying the record may be based on an identification number of the specific vehicle.

  The present invention also includes the step of determining whether the first right / registration record of the record relating to the specific vehicle indicates that the specific vehicle is native to the first country; and the history of the vehicle Determining whether the second right / registration record after the first right / registration record indicates at least a right or a registration in the second country, and after the first right / registration record; Determining whether or not there is an import record indicating that the vehicle history of the vehicle conforms to the import standards of the second country, and after the first right / registration record, If there is no import record, generate import compliance information for vehicle history comprising: displaying a first electronic import advisory file that can be electronically displayed for the vehicle that does not conform to the import standards of the second country. And display Law on.

  The first import advisory file may further indicate that the vehicle is not covered by a manufacturer's warranty. The first import advisory file may display a vehicle history record for a specific vehicle in a time series or may be displayed in a time series immediately after the second right / registration record. The method is electronically displayable after the first rights / registration record, if there is an import record for the second country, further indicating that the vehicle meets the import standards of the second country A step of displaying a second import advisory file may be included.

  In other embodiments of the present invention, the steps of the method described above are performed by a computer-implemented system having various units that perform the steps. Such steps may be in the form of executable instructions on a computer readable medium.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

  Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a highly simplified diagram of a system for carrying out the present invention in the form of a computer network. FIG. 1 can also be viewed as showing the relationship of different entities potentially included to apply one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the vehicle history information system 12 executed by a computer exchanges data with a plurality of remote terminals 14 via data transmission through a distribution network 16 such as the Internet. The terminal 14 represents an individual consumer and a car dealer who accesses the vehicle history information system 12 to obtain vehicle history information for a specific vehicle, the details of which are described below. Terminal 14 may include a vehicle history data source or supply source used by the administrator of the vehicle history information system to generate and update vehicle history information in system 12. Vehicle history data supply sources may include personal consumers, car dealers, state land transportation offices, etc., Department of Transportation, car auctions and any other source of vehicle information.

  Distribution network 16 may be a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a direct computer connection, and / or radio frequency, infrared, or other wireless technology using any suitable communication hardware and protocol. It may be any type of wireless connection used, or even a communication channel such as the Internet. Accordingly, the terminal 14 may be connected to the distribution network 16 by any conventional communication link 18 including wired and / or wireless. The vehicle history data supply source may be any means for efficiently communicating vehicle history information to the vehicle history system manager 12 including a conventional telephone, facsimile and / or mail service indicated at 20. Information may be provided via the.

  FIG. 2 depicts details of the vehicle history information system 12 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In general, the vehicle history information system 12 is adapted to be executed by any suitable hardware and software having executable instructions and portions that incorporate computer-readable storage media including the computer architecture described below. It may be. The vehicle history information system 12 may be implemented using a server, personal computer, thin client, or any combination of devices. Thereby, the vehicle history information system 12 may be one device existing in one place, or a plurality of devices in one place or a plurality of places, as shown in the figure. It is connected using any appropriate communication protocol via any cable or any communication medium such as a radio system using radio frequency, infrared rays, or other technology.

  FIG. 2 also shows details of a preferred embodiment of the terminal 14. Although only the details of one terminal are shown as customer terminals including individual consumers and car dealers in FIG. 1, the details of customer terminal 14 are equally applicable to data supply terminals and other terminals. In order to access the vehicle history information system 12, the terminal 14 may be any suitable device such as a personal computer, a portable computer, a small and light client, for example, a portable terminal such as a cellular phone or a PDA. Terminal 14 includes an input device 22 and an output device 24 that allow a user to provide information to and receive information from vehicle history information system 12 via distribution network 16. Thereby, the input device 22 includes a keyboard, a mouse, etc., together with a data input device such as a storage device based on magnetic, optical, and / or semiconductor technology including a disk drive, CD / DBD drive, flash memory, etc. May be. The output device 24 may include a monitor screen, a printer, etc. that allow the user of the terminal 14 to obtain vehicle history information from the vehicle history information system 12.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the vehicle history information system 12 includes a vehicle history unit 26, a recall data supplier lookup table 28, a vehicle history, all of which are connected for efficient data communication in a preferred embodiment. A central recording database 30 and a communication management module 34 are included. Specifically, the vehicle history unit 26 includes a vehicle history report module 36, a reliability issue module 38, an import compliance / gray market module 40 and a user interface module 42.

  It should be noted here that a vehicle history information system 12 and a vehicle history unit 40 according to embodiments of the present invention are depicted and discussed with having various modules and units that perform specific functions. I must. It should be understood that these modules and units are merely simplified for clarity based on their function and need not represent specific hardware or software. Accordingly, these modules, units, and other components may be hardware and / or software that substantially performs the functions described herein. Various functions of different components can be combined or separated as hardware and / or software modules in any way and can be used in the separation or combination. Thus, it should not be understood that the present invention schematically embodied in FIG. 2 is limited to the vehicle history information system 12 of the present invention, but merely a simplified example. It is.

  The vehicle history record central database 30 includes a complete collection of vehicle history data that is organized, indexed, and / or retrievable based on a unique vehicle identification number (VIN) for a particular vehicle. It is out. Each vehicle sold in the United States and most countries has a unique VIN that identifies the vehicle's name and allows each vehicle to be physically identified. Such a vehicle identification number is a key for identifying and tracking the public records of each vehicle and linking different vehicle data collected from various sources with a specific vehicle. As used herein, the phrase “specific vehicle” refers to only one vehicle associated with only one VIN, and is a generic model such as a specific manufacturer, model and / or year. It does not represent any information or car category.

  As described above, the administrator of the vehicle history information system 12 obtains vehicle history data from various data providers 14. Each item of data obtained and entered into the central database 30 is associated with a specific VIN, ie a specific vehicle. Such vehicle data is added to the central database 30 as a record and is indexed by VIN. When a report is requested as described below, all records indexed by the same VIN are selected.

  The central database 30 is organized and accessible to provide efficient and easy access to the desired piece of data, ie, one or more records associated with a particular VIN using appropriate database management system software. Thus, any conventional database that can efficiently store the collected records may be used. The central database 30 preferably receives information from and receives access from all components of the vehicle history information system 12. Information stored in the central database 30 includes: VIN (representing manufacturer, model and year); salvage titles, junk titles, damage from floods, fire damage, police accident reports and Accident information such as damage disclosure information; mileage information such as odometer problems and actual mileage display; ownership and registration facts including government registration, taxi registration and commercial registration; stolen car information; fleet information ( fleet information); emissions and safety inspection information; reliability issues discussed here; and any other information about the vehicle history.

  In the preferred embodiment, the vehicle history unit 26 includes appropriate hardware and software for performing various modules and functions to implement the functions of the vehicle history information system described herein. The vehicle history unit 40 may be a general-purpose computing device having a central processing unit (CPU) or a processor. The software of unit 26 and the software of the various modules within unit 26 are computers in the form of encrypted executable instructions for operating the system, performing functions, and processing the steps described below. It exists in a readable recording medium.

  When a report is requested from a user, the vehicle history reporting module 36 functions to access the database 30 and capture the appropriate record associated with a particular VIN. Accordingly, the module 36 includes the appropriate software needed to select the appropriate vehicle history record from the database 30 based on the specific request, ie, VIN. The vehicle history reporting module 36 may be used to arrange and organize information so that it is suitable for further information processing and / or display.

  The user interface module 42 is applied to use the information provided by the vehicle history reporting module to create a user interface that is delivered to the output device 24 of the customer terminal 14. The user interface module 42 may be in the form of a file server having appropriate software capable of creating an electronically displayable file that is delivered to the output device 24 of the customer terminal 14 and displayed. Alternatively, the electronically displayable file may be stored in a Betno file server in the vehicle history information system 12 or may be incorporated in a remote server connected to the vehicle history information system 12. Good. The communication management module 34 is used to manage communication and interrelationships between the vehicle history information system 12 and its various components via the distribution network 16 using the various terminals 14.

  The vehicle history unit is used to perform the steps of a specific process including analyzing the vehicle history data and finally drawing a conclusion as to whether or not the specific vehicle has a reliability problem according to the specific logic. It is important to include a reliability problem module. As used herein, reliability issues are based on whether a particular vehicle has been recalled and is in any recall state, and / or the vehicle is based on a manufacturer's favor, based on a defective product law, Alternatively, it is preferably treated as a question of whether or not a manufacturer's repurchase based on other reasons such as mediation (hereinafter generically referred to as a repurchase by the manufacturer). The recall status was recalled based on the information provided to the vehicle history information system 12, but an open recall, meaning that the repair has not yet been made, the vehicle has not been recalled or has been recalled but has been repaired It may include non-open recalls that mean not.

  The reference table of reliability problem data suppliers of the vehicle history information system 12 includes a list of manufacturers that provide information about reliability problems for a particular vehicle to the administrator of the vehicle history information system. The reliability problem module 38 accesses the lookup table 28 during processing to efficiently form conclusions regarding the reliability problems described in more detail below. The lookup table 28 is periodically updated by an administrator of the vehicle history information system as yet another automobile manufacturer begins to supply reliability problem information to the system. Based on the conclusion, the user interface module 42 starts sending a warning record or file that can be electronically displayed to the terminal 14 for display on the output device 24.

  The import compliance / gray market module 40 includes the steps of analyzing vehicle history data, described in more detail below, and forming a result regarding whether the vehicle ultimately meets import standards according to specific logic. Used to execute a step. Specifically, the import compatible module 40 determines whether or not the special-purpose vehicle has passed the import inspection based on the information in the vehicle history record central database 30. Based on this conclusion, the user interface module 42 starts sending a warning record or file that can be electronically displayed to the terminal 14 for display on the output device 24.

  Referring to FIG. 3 which generally represents a preferred method corresponding to the system of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, a vehicle history record central database 30 containing vehicle history records is provided by an administrator of the vehicle history information system, etc. A flow chart starting at 100 is shown. Next, at step 102, the vehicle history reporting module 36 identifies a vehicle history record in the database for a particular vehicle. Typically, step 102 is performed in response to a customer, ie an individual consumer or dealer, providing the vehicle history information system 12 with a VIN for a particular vehicle. In the preferred embodiment, the customer accesses a website through the distribution network 16 that includes an electronically viewable file having a user interface that allows simple automated communication between the customer and the system 12. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, an electronically displayable file including the output format user interface 101 is displayed on the output device 24 of the customer terminal 14. The customer then enters the VIN of the specific vehicle into the input area 103 and selects the “Continue Order” button 105 to submit the VIN to the system 12 for processing. The request with VIN is received by the system that processes the request using the vehicle history unit 26 via the communication management module 34. Specifically, the vehicle history reporting module 36 processes the request by selecting all records in the central database 30 for a particular VIN, as shown in step 102 of FIG. The vehicle history report module 36 may be used to classify all vehicle histories related to a specific vehicle by date or the like.

  Next, in step 104, the reliability problem module determines whether the identified record for the particular vehicle indicates a reliability problem, i.e., there is an open recall and / or a buyback by the manufacturer, etc. To do. Specifically, a record of reliability issues, i.e., an open recall and / or a buyback record by the manufacturer, indicating that a recall has been issued for the particular vehicle and / or the manufacturer has bought back the vehicle, If found in the database 30, there will be a reliability problem. Of course, other files may be displayed to the user in order to enter contact information and payment information that allow the order to be processed properly. If there is a record of reliability issues for a particular vehicle, it simply means that the administrator has received information from the manufacturer of the particular vehicle about reliability, ie vehicle recall or manufacturer repurchase or buyback. Just do it. Next, in step 106, if there is a record of the reliability problem, the user interface module 42 provides the file terminal on the system 12 or distribution network 16 to the customer terminal 14 for display on the output device 24. To start sending reliability problem records or files. For example, referring to FIG. 5, an electronic display file in user interface format displays a summary of the report, including a check portion of a recall, indicated at 107 and describing the number of reported open recalls. The file of FIG. 5 may also include a manufacturer buy back portion, indicated at 113, describing the buy back by the manufacturer. In the “recall check” part and / or the “manufacturer buyback” part, a file hyperlink for additional details about the open recall may be provided. The link destination has the same or other electronic display file with a user interface, an example of which is shown in FIG. Specifically, the recall check portion preferably displays the date of the recall, the source or manufacturer that issued the recall, and the details of the vehicle part subject to the recall indicated at 115. In addition, as indicated by 117 and 119 in FIG. 7, open recall information and / or repurchase information by the manufacturer may be described in a user interface representing a vehicle history report. The open recall information and / or the repurchase information by the manufacturer is preferably displayed in chronological order according to the respective dates of recall and purchase by the manufacturer in relation to other records such as change of owner of the specific vehicle.

  Referring to FIG. 3, when the reliability problem module 38 determines that the record associated with the specific vehicle indicates that there is no reliability problem for the specific vehicle, the manufacturer of the specific vehicle The process proceeds to step 108 where it is determined whether or not the user provides reliability problem information. Automakers or parts manufacturers that provide reliability problem data to the system 12 are listed in the reliability problem data supplier reference table 28. The reliability problem module 38 accesses the reference table 28 and determines whether the manufacturer is listed in the reference table 28. If the manufacturer is indeed listed in the look-up table 28, the manufacturer will always provide data relating to reliability issues to the database 30. Correspondingly, in step 110, the user interface module 42 displays an electronically displayable file indicating that there is no reliability problem for the particular vehicle, ie, there is no open recall and / or manufacturer repurchase. Start the command to Of course, such an electronic displayable file containing various information described herein is stored on a file server integrated with the system 12 or a file hosting service comprising a server functioning as a distribution network 16. May be out-sourced. Thus, step 110 indicates “no open recall” information and / or “there is no buyback by the manufacturer”. If the manufacturer of the specific vehicle is not listed in the lookup table 28, proceed to step 112 where the manufacturer initiates a display request that the reliability information is not reported to the system administrator.

  Since no recall information about the specific vehicle is obtained from the listed manufacturer, it can be concluded that there is no reliability problem. The manufacturer's reliability issue data provided to the system 12 only indicates the reliability issue of the specific vehicle by listing the specific vehicle having the reliability issue. The manufacturer does not list vehicles that have not been recalled and / or that have not been repurchased by the manufacturer. In addition, the manufacturer does not provide recall data for vehicles that have been closed recalled, that is, vehicles that have been repaired by recall. If the manufacturer provides the system administrator with the recall and / or repurchase information by the manufacturer for the specific vehicle as described in the reference table 28, the system will open recall for the specific vehicle reported by the manufacturer. In addition to determining that there is a manufacturer repurchase, and / or determining that there is no open recall and / or manufacturer repurchase for a particular vehicle that was not reported by the manufacturer. The system 12 also receives normal recall data updates from the manufacturer listed in the lookup table 28. When the listed manufacturer confirms that the repair of the recalled vehicle, eg, the first recall, is complete, the manufacturer deletes the specific vehicle from the list, thereby removing it from the next update list. Upon receiving new recall data from the manufacturer, the system 12 replaces the previous recall vehicle data with the new recall data so that the recall data for the particular vehicle is deleted from the database. Thereby, regarding the deleted vehicle, when there is a next request based on VIN from the user, the system 12 determines that there is no open recall.

  Although similar to FIG. 5, as shown in FIG. 8, the “recall check” portion 109 of the report summary may indicate that no open recall is reported. The “manufacturer repurchase” portion may also indicate that the manufacturer repurchase by the manufacturer has not been reported, as indicated at 121. Similarly, the “recall check” portion shown in FIG. 9 includes the date when the recall was confirmed by the system 12, the vehicle manufacturer, ie the source of the recall, and that there was no recall for repair, as shown at 111. May be described. A similar section may be provided for buyback information by the manufacturer. FIG. 10 shows a user interface display similar to FIG. 7 but with no detailed recall history and no open recall information and no manufacturer repurchase information. ”And 123, various vehicle history records for a particular vehicle, including records with the general comment that“ this vehicle has not been repurchased by the manufacturer for reliability ”. Listed in chronological order. With respect to recall data, the date being recorded may be the date when the recall was confirmed by the system 12 or the date when the latest recall data update from the manufacturer was received by the system administrator. It should be noted. An indication that the manufacturer does not report a reliability issue to the system administrator at step 112 of the process of FIG. 3 is displayed at the end of the section details and vehicle history report details in a particular portion of the report summary. It can also express the recommendations that are described.

  Referring now to FIG. 11, a vehicle history record central database 30 including vehicle history records for various vehicles is provided, which provides the import compliance / gray market functionality according to the system of the present invention in the form of a flow diagram starting at step 200. A general description of a preferred method for performing is shown. Next, at step 202, the vehicle history reporting module 36 identifies vehicle history records in the database 30 for the particular vehicle in response to receiving the VIN input from the user described above with reference to FIG. Further, at step 204, the import compliance / gray market module 40 determines whether the first right / registration record in the identified record indicates that the particular vehicle is native to the first country. It works as follows. If the first right / registration record is not found, no action is taken as shown in step 206. A rights / registration record is defined as a rights record indicating a registration record that represents the occurrence of a right or a change in right and / or the initial registration or registered owner of a vehicle. If the first rights / registration record indicates that the particular vehicle is native to the first country, proceed to step 208. In step 208, the import conformance / gray market module 40 determines that the second right / registration record in the record identified for the particular vehicle after the first right / registration record is Judge whether to show that it is native. If no second right / registration record indicating registration or rights for a particular vehicle in the second country is found, proceed to step 210 where no action is taken. However, if the second right / registration record following the first right / registration record indicates registration or rights for a particular vehicle in the second country, then go to step 212. In step 212, module 40 is a legal import that meets the import standards of the second country at the vehicle history time between the identified first right / registration record and the identified second right / registration record. To determine whether there is an import record indicating Normally, import records are generated between the first and second rights / registration records, but there may be a slight delay in the collection of import inspection data, and the reporting process will cause the import report to be It is created on the day after the date of the rights / registration record and is usually created approximately in time series close to the date of the rights / registration record of the second country.

  Import records usually consist of import compliance information received from the Department of Transportation, eg, the United States Department of Transportation, or any government agency or other agency responsible for safety and emissions standards. It should be noted that it is preferable. The import record usually states that the vehicle's VIN, manufacturer, model, date the vehicle was imported and inspected, and conforms to second country standards. Of course, the first country and the second country may be any two countries as long as the vehicle is manufactured in the first country and imported into the second country. For example, it is not common for vehicles originating in Canada or other countries other than the United States to be imported into the United States via Canada, and probably do not meet US import compliance standards for safety, emissions and odometers. Conceivable. For the purposes of the present invention, the import record may contain any information from a trusted source indicating compliance with import standards, but is a public report by a government agency in a second country. Is preferred.

  In step 212, if it is determined that there is no import record indicating that the system meets the import standards of the second country, the user interface including the advisory report, where the specific vehicle meets the import standards of the second country. Proceed to step 214 in FIG. 11 where a report indicating no is displayed. Of course, such an indication indicates that the vehicle may be a gray market vehicle which is understood to mean that it has been illegally imported into a second country without undergoing formal inspection by the relevant authorities. Accordingly, in step 214, the user interface module 42 requests the electronically displayable file having a user interface delivered from the system 12 or an independent file server to the customer terminal 14 for display on the output device 24. To start. For example, FIG. 12 represents a user interface in the form of a detailed report of a vehicle, including various records for a specific vehicle, described in time series. An advisory report, usually indicated at 215, is a warning that suggests that such a vehicle is a gray market vehicle that is not properly imported. Also, such warnings do not conform to the safety and emission standards of the second country, ie, the United States, and the odometer figures do not reflect the exact mileage when converted to miles, and are manufactured This is a notice that the warranty provided by the person may become invalid.

  However, if, in step 212, the system determines that there is an import record that indicates compliance with the import standards of the second country after the first right / registration record previously confirmed for the specific vehicle, Proceed to step 216 where an advisory record is displayed indicating that the import standards of the second country are met. Specifically, the user interface module 42 starts sending an electronically displayable file having a user interface to the customer terminal 14. For example, FIG. 13 shows a user interface similar to FIG. 12, but the import advice is that the vehicle has been inspected to the user, as shown at 217, and the import standards of the second country That is, it informs that the US highway safety standards are met.

  Thus, the present invention allows users to easily, easily, conveniently, and reliably obtain information about the presence or absence of open recall and manufacturer repurchase and / or import suitability for a particular vehicle. To do. Through the determination and display of important recall, repurchase and import compliance information, the system and method provide a more accurate and informative report on vehicle history based on important advisory information on recalls, repurchases and vehicle imports. To do.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system of the present invention showing the relationship of different entities using the system. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the computer system of the present invention for determining whether a particular vehicle has been subject to open recall and / or import inspection. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the method of the present invention showing the steps of determining whether a particular vehicle has been subject to open recall. FIG. 4 is a user interface display screen of an electronically displayable file representing the VIN input area. FIG. 5 is an electronically displayable file user interface display screen showing a summary of a report having an open recall and a recall check that represents a manufacturer buyback. FIG. 6 is a display screen of a user interface of an electronically displayable file showing the recall check unit. FIG. 7 is a user interface display screen of an electronically displayable file showing a historical report with details of recall and buyback. FIG. 8 is a display screen of a user interface similar to FIG. 5 but of an electronically displayable file indicating that neither open recall nor repurchase by the manufacturer was performed. FIG. 9 is a display screen of a user interface for a file that can be displayed electronically, similar to FIG. 6, but showing that an open recall for repair has not been performed. FIG. 10 is a display screen of a user interface similar to FIG. 7 but of an electronically displayable file indicating that no open recall for repair or repurchase by the manufacturer was performed. FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of the method of the present invention showing the steps of determining whether a particular vehicle has passed import inspection, ie, meets import standards. FIG. 12 is a user interface display screen of an electronically displayable file showing a detailed historical report with advisory records for the gray market. FIG. 13 is a user interface display screen of an electronically displayable file showing a detailed history report with import compliance.

Claims (29)

Identifying records in a database relating to a particular vehicle, including a history of said particular vehicle;
Determining whether the first right / registration record of the record for the particular vehicle indicates that the particular vehicle is native to a first country;
Determining, in the vehicle history, whether the second right / registration record after the first right / registration record indicates at least a right or a registration in the second country;
Determining whether there is an import record indicating that the vehicle history after the first right / registration record conforms to the import standards of the second country;
A method for generating and displaying import suitability information relating to the history of vehicles with
If there is no import record for the second country after the first rights / registration record, the first import advisory file (import view advisory file)
A method characterized by. The method of claim 1, wherein the first import advisory file further indicates that the vehicle is not covered by a manufacturer's warranty;
A method characterized by. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein after the first rights / registration record, if there is an import record for the second country, further electronically indicating that the vehicle meets the import standards of the second country. Including displaying a displayable second import advisory file;
A method characterized by. The method of claim 1, wherein the first import advisory file includes a chronological listing of vehicle history records for a particular vehicle;
A method characterized by. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first import advisory file is displayed in time series immediately after the second right / registration record;
A method characterized by. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an electronically displayable file having an input area for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the particular vehicle, the step of identifying the record comprising: Based on the identification number of the specific vehicle;
A method characterized by. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the record includes a record of a reliability problem, including information indicating that a reliability problem exists for the particular vehicle.
If there is a record of reliability issues for the specific vehicle, displaying a reliability issue file that can be displayed electronically;
If there is no reliability problem record for the specific vehicle, the database is based on a determination as to whether or not the vehicle manufacturer provides data for inclusion in the database. And an electronically displayable file relating to the absence of a reliability problem for the specific vehicle if the database should contain information on the reliability problem for the specific vehicle. Having a step of displaying,
A method characterized by. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining whether the vehicle manufacturer provides data for inclusion in the database describes a vehicle manufacturer providing the data for inclusion in the database. Accessing a lookup table and determining whether the manufacturer of the vehicle is listed in the lookup table;
A method characterized by. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the file relating to the absence of reliability issues does not include an open recall file indicating that there was no open recall for repair;
A method characterized by. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the reliability problem file includes an open recall file having a manufacturer name of the specific vehicle as well as details of the recalled car parts;
A method characterized by. The method according to claim 7, wherein the reliability problem file is displayed in time series based on a recall effective date of a vehicle history record described in time series associated with the specific vehicle.
A method characterized by. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the reliability problem record is at least one of an open recall record and a manufacturer buyback record, and the file related to the absence of the reliability problem is at least an open file related to no open recall. Either the recall file does not exist and the manufacturer's repurchase file does not exist regarding the absence of a repurchase by the manufacturer,
A method characterized by. A vehicle history reporting module configured to identify records in a database relating to a particular vehicle, including records of the history of the particular vehicle;
Determining whether the first right / registration record of the record for the particular vehicle indicates that the particular vehicle is native to the first country;
In the vehicle history, determine whether the second right / registration record after the first right / registration record indicates at least one of right and registration in the second country,
An import conformance module configured to determine whether there is an import record in the history of the vehicle after the first right / registration record indicating compliance with the import standards of the second country;
A system for generating and displaying import suitability information regarding vehicle history, comprising:
If there is no import record for the second country after the first rights / registration record, display the first electronic import advisory file for the vehicle that does not meet the import standards of the second country To do,
A system characterized by 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first import advisory file further indicates that the vehicle is not covered by a manufacturer warranty.
A system characterized by 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the import conformance module further comprises that if there is an import record for the second country after the first rights / registration record, the vehicle conforms to the import standards of the second country. Configured to display an electronically viewable second import advisory file, indicating
A system characterized by 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first import advisory file displays vehicle history records for a specific vehicle in chronological order;
A system characterized by 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first import advisory file is displayed in chronological order immediately after the second rights / registration record;
A system characterized by 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle history reporting module provides an electronically displayable file having an input area for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the specific vehicle, the identification number of the specific vehicle. Configured to identify records based on,
A system characterized by 14. The system of claim 13, further comprising: determining whether the record includes a record of a reliability problem including information indicating that a reliability problem exists for the specific vehicle; If there is a reliability problem record for, display an electronically displayable reliability problem file, and if there is no reliability problem record for the particular vehicle, at least the vehicle manufacturer includes it in the database Determining whether or not the database should include reliability information related to the specific vehicle based on the determination of whether or not to provide data for the data, and the database includes information on reliability issues related to the specific vehicle To display an electronically viewable file regarding the absence of reliability issues for the particular vehicle. Cormorant constructed, further comprising a reliability problem module,
A system characterized by 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the reliability problem module includes in the database the vehicle manufacturer by accessing a lookup table that describes a vehicle manufacturer that provides the data for inclusion in the database. Configured to determine whether to provide data for and to determine whether the manufacturer of the vehicle is listed in the lookup table;
A system characterized by 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the reliability problem record is at least one of an open recall record and a manufacturer buyback record, and the file relating to the absence of the reliability problem is at least an open relating to no open recall. Either the recall file does not exist and the manufacturer's repurchase file does not exist regarding the absence of a repurchase by the manufacturer,
A system characterized by Instructions for identifying records in a database relating to a particular vehicle, including a history of said particular vehicle;
An instruction to determine whether the first right / registration record of the record for the particular vehicle indicates that the particular vehicle is native to the first country;
An instruction for determining in the vehicle history whether a second right / registration record after the first right / registration record indicates at least a right or a registration in the second country;
An order to determine whether there is an import record in the vehicle history after the first right / registration record indicating that it conforms to the import standards of the second country;
If there is no import record for the second country after the first rights / registration record, display the first electronic import advisory file for the vehicle that does not meet the import standards of the second country Instructions to do,
A computer readable medium having instructions for generating and displaying import suitability information relating to a vehicle history. 23. The medium of claim 22, wherein the first import advisory file further indicates that the vehicle is not covered by a manufacturer's warranty;
A medium characterized by 23. The medium of claim 22, wherein if there is an import record for the second country after the first rights / registration record, further electronically indicating that the vehicle meets the import standards of the second country. Including displaying a displayable second import advisory file;
A medium characterized by 23. The medium of claim 22, wherein the first import advisory file displays a time-series vehicle history record for the specific vehicle in time series immediately after the second right / registration record;
A medium characterized by 23. The medium of claim 22, further comprising instructions for providing an electronically displayable file having an input area for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the specific vehicle, wherein the identified record is the specific record. Based on vehicle identification number,
A medium characterized by 23. The medium of claim 22, further comprising instructions for determining whether the record includes a record regarding a reliability problem, including information indicating that a reliability problem exists for the particular vehicle.
An instruction to display an electronically displayable reliability problem file if there is a record of the reliability problem;
If the reliability problem record does not exist, the database should include reliability information about the specific vehicle based at least on a determination whether the vehicle manufacturer provides data for inclusion in the database An instruction to determine whether or not, and if the database should contain information on the reliability problem, an instruction to display an electronically displayable file relating to the absence of a reliability problem for the particular vehicle; Having
A medium characterized by 28. The medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions for determining whether the vehicle manufacturer provides data for inclusion in the database describe a vehicle manufacturer providing the data for inclusion in the database. An instruction to access a lookup table and determine whether the manufacturer of the vehicle is listed in the lookup table;
A medium characterized by 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the reliability problem record is at least one of an open recall record and a manufacturer buyback record, and the file relating to the absence of the reliability problem is at least an open relating to no open recall. Either the recall file does not exist and the manufacturer's repurchase file does not exist regarding the absence of a repurchase by the manufacturer,
A medium characterized by