[54] VEHICLE INFORMATION
COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND VEHICLE
INFORMATION COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
[75] Inventors: Toshihiro Uchida; Hiroshi Honda;
Akihiro Tanaka; Kazunori Sakai;
Norimasa Hiramatsu, all of Aichi-ken,
Japan
[73] Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisa,
Toyota, Japan
[21] Appl. No.: 09/297,963
[22] PCT Filed: Nov. 13, 1997
[86] PCT No.: PCT/JP97/04147
§ 371 Date: Jul. 12, 1999
§ 102(e) Date: Jul. 12, 1999 [87] PCT Pub. No.: WO98/21077
PCT Pub. Date: May 22, 1998
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data
Nov. 13, 1996 [JP] Japan 8-302164
Nov. 25, 1996 [JP] Japan 8-313908
[51] Int. C I. B60Q 1/00
[52] U.S. CI 340/999; 340/439; 340/539;
701/24; 455/420
[58] Field of Search 340/639, 539,
340/531, 999; 73/116; 701/24; 770/338;
455/420; 702/122
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,853,850 8/1989 Krass, Jr. et al 701/35
5,278,759 1/1994 Berra et al 701/1
5,442,553 8/1995 Parrillo 455/420
5,499,181 3/1996 Smith 455/456
5,513,107 4/1996 Gormley 701/48
A vehicle onboard device having characteristics capable of being changed communicates with a vehicle to set a characteristic value to an optimum value. Parameters for setting conditions of an electronic device are called out of an E2PR0M 14,- of the vehicle 10,- and are transmitted to a technology center 40 via a dealer 201; and an information center 30r Each dealer 201; the information center 301; and the technology center 40 accumulate the parameters. The technology center 40 can collect the parameters of numerous vehicles and characteristic values for electronic control of each of the vehicles and can calculate newest and optimum parameters. The technology center 40 transmits this newest and optimum vehicle information to the vehicle 10,-, and each vehicle updates the parameters thereof to these newest and optimum parameters. Accordingly, the parameters of the vehicle are set as the newest parameters.
13 Claims, 15 Drawing Sheets
