The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 27, 2013
Filed:
May. 21, 2003
David John Ford, Canton, MI (US);
John Garfield Graham, Plymouth, MI (US);
Joseph Retzbach, Novi, MI (US);
Kenneth James Mccaffrey, Canton, MI (US);
Nadine Ann Mooney, Livonia, MI (US);
David John Ford, Canton, MI (US);
John Garfield Graham, Plymouth, MI (US);
Joseph Retzbach, Novi, MI (US);
Kenneth James McCaffrey, Canton, MI (US);
Nadine Ann Mooney, Livonia, MI (US);
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
One aspect of the present invention is an online method for advising a customer on service needs and facilitating the scheduling of a vehicle service appointment. The method can comprise receiving a service inquiry, receiving input information regarding potential service of the vehicle, transmitting an open appointments request to a dealer management system (DMS), receiving a plurality of open appointments from the DMS, causing display of the plurality of open appointments wherein one of the plurality of open appointments is selected as an appointment request, and transmitting the input information and the appointment request to the DMS to facilitate the scheduling of the vehicle service appointment. The last four steps outlined can be conducted in substantially real-time.