Internet-based method for determining a vehicle's fuel efficiency

A method of characterizing a vehicle's fuel efficiency, comprising:

• (a) wirelessly receiving, by a computer system and from the vehicle, data comprising at least one property or processed property, wherein a property comprises at least one of vehicle speed, odometer calculation, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, and manifold air pressure, and wherein a processed property is derived from at least one property;
• (b) analyzing the received data to determine the vehicle's fuel efficiency;
• and
• (c) outputting the vehicle's fuel efficiency.

A method of characterizing a vehicle's fuel efficiency, comprising:

• (a) generating data comprising at least one property or processed property of the vehicle, wherein a property comprises at least one of vehicle speed, odometer calculation, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, and manifold air pressure, and wherein a processed property is derived from at least one property;
• (b) transferring the data to a wireless appliance comprising,
• (i) a microprocessor, and
• (ii) a wireless transmitter interfaced with the microprocessor;
• (c) wirelessly transmitting the data,
• wherein at least one of generating, transferring, and wirelessly transmitting data is performed at a configurable, predetermined or random interval, wherein the interval is a mileage or time interval, and wherein the interval is responsive to an input of a third party entity;
• (d) wirelessly receiving a schema configured to change the interval;
• and
• (e) wirelessly transmitting GPS data associated with the vehicle,
• wherein generating data comprises summing a property to derive a processed property,
• wherein generating data further comprises multiplying at least one property or processed property by a time interval prior to the summing,
• wherein the summed property includes at least one property or processed property,
• wherein the vehicle is at a location remote from a service or diagnostic entity, and
• wherein transferring the data includes serially transferring the data through an OBD-II connector in the vehicle to the wireless appliance.

A method of characterizing a vehicle's fuel efficiency comprising:

• (a) generating data comprising at least one property or processed property of the vehicle, wherein a property comprises at least one of vehicle speed, odometer calculation, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, and manifold air pressure, and wherein a processed property is derived from at least one property;
• (b) transferring the data to a wireless appliance comprising,
• (i) a microprocessor, and
• (ii) a wireless transmitter interfaced with the microprocessor;
• and
• (c) wirelessly transmitting the data.

A programmed apparatus, programmed to execute a method comprising:

• (a) wirelessly receiving, by a computer system and from the vehicle, data comprising at least one property or processed property, wherein a property comprises at least one of vehicle speed, odometer calculation, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, and manifold air pressure, and wherein a processed property is derived from at least one property;
• (b) analyzing the received data to determine the vehicle's fuel efficiency;
• (c) outputting the vehicle's fuel efficiency, comprising displaying the fuel efficiency on at least one web page accessible by at least one of a user of the vehicle and a vehicle service entity;
• (d) displaying at least a portion of the received data on the at least one web page;
• (e) comparing the vehicle's fuel efficiency to a predetermined parameter;
• (f) processing the vehicle's fuel efficiency to determine a secondary property of the vehicle, wherein the secondary property is one of tire pressure, status of a fuel injection system, and fuel quality;
• (g) sending, to a user, the vehicle's fuel efficiency or a property derived therefrom, wherein sending comprises sending an electronic text, data, or voice message to a computer, cellular telephone, or wireless device;
• (h) sending a message when the vehicle's fuel efficiency falls below a predetermined level;
• and
• (i) wirelessly receiving GPS data associated with the vehicle,
• wherein the vehicle is at a location remote from a service or diagnostic entity,
• wherein analyzing the received data is performed at a configurable, predetermined or random interval, and wherein the interval is a mileage or time interval, and
• wherein analyzing the received data includes applying at least one algorithm.

A programmed apparatus, programmed to execute a method comprising:

• (a) wirelessly receiving, by a computer system and from a vehicle, data comprising at least one property or processed property, wherein a property comprises at least one of vehicle speed, odometer calculation, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, and manifold air pressure, and wherein a processed property is derived from at least one property;
• (b) analyzing the received data to determine the vehicle's fuel efficiency;
• and
• (c) outputting the vehicle's fuel efficiency.

A programmed apparatus, programmed to execute a method comprising:

• (a) generating data comprising at least one property or processed property of the vehicle, wherein a property comprises at least one of vehicle speed, odometer calculation, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, and manifold air pressure, and wherein a processed property is derived from at least one property;
• (b) transferring the data to a wireless appliance comprising,
• (i) a microprocessor, and
• (ii) a wireless transmitter interfaced with the microprocessor;
• (c) wirelessly transmitting the data,
• wherein at least one of generating, transferring, and wirelessly transmitting data is performed at a configurable, predetermined or random interval, wherein the interval is a mileage or time interval, and wherein the interval is responsive to an input of a third party entity;
• (d) wirelessly receiving a schema configured to change the interval;
• and
• (e) wirelessly transmitting GPS data associated with the vehicle,
• wherein generating data comprises summing a property to derive a processed property,
• wherein generating data comprises multiplying at least one property or processed property by a time interval prior to the summing,
• wherein the summed property includes at least one property or processed property,
• wherein the vehicle is at a location remote from a service or diagnostic entity, and
• wherein transferring the data includes serially transferring the data through an OBD-II connector in the vehicle to the wireless appliance.

A programmed apparatus, programmed to execute a method comprising:

• (a) generating data comprising at least one property or processed property of a vehicle, wherein a property comprises at least one of vehicle speed, odometer calculation, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, and manifold air pressure, and wherein a processed property is derived from at least one property;
• (b) transferring the data to a wireless appliance comprising,
• (i) a microprocessor, and
• (ii) a wireless transmitter interfaced with the microprocessor;
• and
• (c) wirelessly transmitting the data.

A machine-readable medium encoded with a plurality of processor-executable instructions for:

• (a) wirelessly receiving, by a computer system and from a vehicle, data comprising at least one property or processed property, wherein a property comprises at least one of vehicle speed, odometer calculation, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, and manifold air pressure, and wherein a processed property is derived from at least one property;
• (b) analyzing the received data to determine the vehicle's fuel efficiency;
• and
• (c) outputting the vehicle's fuel efficiency.

A machine-readable medium encoded with a plurality of processor-executable instructions for:

• (a) generating data comprising at least one property or processed property of a vehicle, wherein a property comprises at least one of vehicle speed, odometer calculation, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, and manifold air pressure, and wherein a processed property is derived from at least one property;
• (b) transferring the data to a wireless appliance comprising,
• (i) a microprocessor, and
• (ii) a wireless transmitter interfaced with the microprocessor;
• and
• (c) wirelessly transmitting the data.