Electronically tracking vehicle state in a vehicle maintenance facility

Abstract

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for electronically tracking vehicle state in a vehicle maintenance facility. When a vehicle enters a maintenance facility, maintenance facility personnel can assess the vehicle and assign a vehicle collision repair and/or maintenance workflow for performing indicated repairs and/or maintenance. The vehicle can also be assigned an identifier and fitted with one or more transmitters. As a vehicle moves between workstations and/or staging areas, the one or more transmitters continually transmit. A server uses signals from the transmitters to track vehicle progress through the vehicle maintenance workflow. If constraints of the maintenance workflow are violated (e.g., a vehicle is at a workstation to long), the server notifies relevant parties.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A computer system comprising:
 a processor;   system memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions configured to cause the processor to:
 access a vehicle maintenance workflow defining a sequence of locations a vehicle is to pass through to complete a vehicle maintenance process, at least some locations in the sequence including workstations corresponding to maintenance tasks to be performed on the vehicle, the sequence of locations including: a lot, a tech station, a polish station, and a wash station; 
 determine a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located including:
 access historical vehicle state data; 
 access sensor data from one or more sensors attached to or contained in the vehicle; 
 derive a proximal current vehicle location from the sensor data; and 
 determine how long the vehicle has been at the proximal current vehicle location based on the historical state data; 
 
 activate an electronic component based on the determination; and 
 move the vehicle to the next sequence location. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein instructions configured to determine a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprise instructions configured to determine the vehicle is in the lot and is to next be located at the tech station. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein instructions configured to determine a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprise instructions configured to determine the vehicle is at the tech station and is to next be located at the polish station. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein instructions configured to determine a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprise instructions configured to determine the vehicle is at the polish station and is to next be located at the wash station. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein instructions configured to determine a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprise instructions configured to determine the vehicle is at the tech station and is to next be located in the lot. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein instructions configured to determine a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprise instructions configured to determine the vehicle is at the wash station and is to next be located in the lot. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of locations further includes a paint station. 
     
     
         8 . The computer system of  claim 7 , wherein instructions configured to determine a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprise instructions configured to determine the vehicle is at the tech station and is to next be located at the paint station. 
     
     
         9 . The computer system of  claim 7 , wherein instructions configured to determine a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprise instructions configured to determine the vehicle is at the paint station and is to next be located in the lot. 
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 7 , wherein instructions configured to determine a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprise instructions configured to determine the vehicle is at the paint station and is to next be located at the tech station. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 accessing a vehicle maintenance workflow defining a sequence of locations a vehicle is to pass through to complete a vehicle maintenance process, at least some locations in the sequence including workstations corresponding to maintenance tasks to be performed on the vehicle, the sequence of locations including: a lot, a tech station, a polish station, and a wash station;   determining a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located including:
 accessing historical vehicle state data; 
 accessing sensor data from one or more sensors attached to or contained in the vehicle; 
 deriving a proximal current vehicle location from the sensor data; and 
 determining how long the vehicle has been at the proximal current vehicle location based on the historical state data; 
 activating an electronic component based on the determination; and 
 moving the vehicle to the next sequence location. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprises i determining the vehicle is in the lot and is to next be located at the tech station. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprises determining the vehicle is at the tech station and is to next be located at the polish station. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprises determining the vehicle is at the polish station and is to next be located at the wash station. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprises determining the vehicle is at the tech station and is to next be located in the lot. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprises determining the vehicle is at the wash station and is to next be located in the lot. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the sequence of locations further includes a paint station. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprises determining the vehicle is at the tech station and is to next be located at the paint station. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprises determining the vehicle is at the paint station and is to next be located in the lot. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining a next sequence location in the sequence of locations where the vehicle is to be next located comprises determining the vehicle is at the paint station and is to next be located at the tech station.