Anticipatory Mobile System Service Brokering and Resource Planning from Multiple Providers

Abstract

Diagnostic codes from a vehicle or other system in transit are transmitted to an opportunity server. The opportunity server searches for potential providers according to user preferences, specifications of the system in transit, and location of the provider in relationship to the travel itinerary of the mobile system. Requests for bids are issued to potential providers, and offers are received and coalesced from the providers. The operator of the vehicle is presented with one or more coalesced offers. Upon selection of an offer by the operator, the service is scheduled, including arranging for parts, personnel and facilities.

1 . A system for arranging for a business transaction for an operator of a mobile system while said mobile system is in transit, said system comprising: 
 a diagnostic system on board a mobile system having a location resolver, and a wireless networking interface for transmitting service need messages; and    one or more provider servers having a bid request receptor and offer generator/transmitter; and    an opportunity server communicably disposed between said diagnostic system and said provider servers, having a service need message receptor, and bid request generator/transmitter, an offer receptor; an offer coalescer/transmitter, a user selection receptor, and an order confirmer such that needs for service by said mobile system may be brokered on behalf of an operator of said vehicle, and may be scheduled for future consumption by said operator according to an accepted offer.    
   
   
       2 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said diagnostic system comprises a global positioning system.  
   
   
       3 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said diagnostic system comprises a location based services system.  
   
   
       4 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said diagnostic system comprises a vehicle electronic control module.  
   
   
       5 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said provider servers comprise networked enterprise servers for querying for service action quotes and offers over the Internet.  
   
   
       6 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said opportunity server further comprises a set of user profiles and a set of provider profiles, and a profile analyzer for selecting one or more providers to receive requests for bids according to provider profiles matching preferences specified in said user profiles, and conditions of said mobile system selected from the group of location of the mobile system, direction and speed of travel of the mobile system, and make-and-model of the mobile system.