Wheel servicing method and system

• US 10,437,904 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2018
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexion S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Nexion S.p.A.
• Inventors: Corghi, Giulio
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Habib, Asifa
• Application Number:
  US15/963,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20180314763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/275 for testing wheel alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/26 Algorithms, instructions, databases, computerized methods and graphical user interfaces employed by a user in conjunction with the wheel aligner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

A wheel servicing method, for a wheeled vehicle with tires coupled to respective rims, comprises a step of receiving, in a control unit provided with a processor and a memory, reference data uniquely correlated with the vehicle. The method also comprises a step of processing the reference data and generating image data representing a QR code and a step of transmitting the QR code to an output peripheral in order to make the code available to a user for subsequent displaying.

Claims

1. A wheel servicing method for a wheeled vehicle with tyres coupled to respective rims, the method comprising:

receiving, in a control unit provided with a processor and a memory, reference data uniquely correlated with the vehicle;

capturing first measurement data relating to at least one wheel of the vehicle, the first measurement data being obtained at a first diagnosis time;

capturing second measurement data relating to said at least one wheel of the vehicle, the second measurement data being obtained at a second diagnosis time subsequent to the first diagnosis time;

processing the reference data and generating image data representing a QR code containing the reference data;

processing the first and second measurement data as a function of the reference data;

including at least part of the first measurement data and at least part of the second measurement data in the image data representing the QR code, for keeping track of measurement data obtained at successive diagnosis times; and

transmitting the QR code to an output peripheral in order to make the code available to a user for subsequent displaying.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising printing the QR code on an adhesive substrate by means of the output peripheral.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second measurement data include one or more of the following parameters:

wheel toe;

wheel camber;

wheel caster.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit receives the reference data by reading the QR code and then derives the image data representing at least the reference data.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the reference data are characteristic vehicle parameters and comprise one or more of the following parameters:

car code;

wheel size;

customer code;

manufacturer, marque and model of vehicle;

wheel parameters;

tolerance range for wheel measurement data;

vehicle identification code.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference data refer to a location in an electronic database containing one or more of the characteristic vehicle parameters from the following list:

car code;

wheel size;

customer code;

manufacturer, marque and model of vehicle;

wheel parameters;

tolerance range for wheel measurement data;

vehicle identification code.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the electronic database also contains at least part of the first and second measurement data comprising one or more of the following parameters:

wheel toe;

wheel camber;

wheel caster.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image data representing the QR code are integrated with other image data representing a logo in such a way as to form a QR code representing at least the reference data and depicting the logo.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the output peripheral makes the QR code visible on a digital device through a user interface.

15. A computer-readable medium storing operating instructions for performing the steps of the method according to claim 1 when executed by a processor provided to a wheel servicing system, the wheel servicing system comprising:

a control unit comprising the processor and a memory;

a user interface connected to the control unit and configured to receive reference data uniquely correlated with a vehicle and to transmit them to the control unit;

one or more measuring devices configured to capture, at a first diagnosis time, first measurement data relating to at least one wheel of the vehicle, and, at a second diagnosis time subsequent to the first diagnosis time, second measurement data relating to said at least one wheel of the vehicle, wherein said one or more measuring devices are connected to the control unit to transmit the first measurement data and the second measurement data to the control unit

an output peripheral connected to the control unit;

wherein the control unit is configured to process the reference data, and to process the first and second measurement data as a function of the reference data, to generate image data representing a QR code, the QR code including the reference data, at least part of the first measurement data and at least part of the second measurement data, for keeping track of measurement data obtained at successive diagnosis times;

and wherein the control unit is configured to transmit the QR code to the output peripheral, which is configured to make the QR code available to a user for subsequent displaying.

10. A wheel servicing system for a wheeled vehicle with tyres coupled to respective rims, comprising:

a control unit provided with a processor and a memory;

a user interface connected to the control unit and configured to receive reference data uniquely correlated with the vehicle and to transmit them to the control unit;

one or more measuring devices configured to capture, at a first diagnosis time, first measurement data relating to at least one wheel of the vehicle, and, at a second diagnosis time subsequent to the first diagnosis time, second measurement data relating to said at least one wheel, wherein said one or more measuring devices are connected to the control unit to transmit the first measurement data and the second measurement data to the control unit;

an output peripheral connected to the control unit;

wherein the control unit is programmed to process the reference data, and to process the first and second measurement data as a function of the reference data, to generate image data representing a QR code, the QR code including the reference data, at least part of the first measurement data and at least part of the second measurement data, for keeping track of measurement data obtained at successive diagnosis times;

and wherein the control unit is configured to transmit the QR code to the output peripheral, which is configured to make the QR code available to a user for subsequent displaying.

11. The wheel servicing system according to claim 10, wherein the output peripheral is a printer configured to print the QR code on an adhesive substrate.

12. The wheel servicing system according to claim 10, comprising a reader configured to read the QR code and to derive the image data representing the reference data.

13. The wheel servicing system according to claim 10, wherein the output peripheral is configured to make the QR code visible on a digital device through a user interface.

14. The wheel servicing system according to claim 10, comprising a memory used to store an electronic database containing one or more of the items from the following list:

car code;

wheel size;

customer code;

manufacturer, marque and model of vehicle;

wheel parameters;

tolerance range for wheel measurement data;

vehicle identification code;

measurement data relating to wheel toe;

measurement data relating to wheel camber;

measurement data relating to wheel caster.