System and method for generating vehicle data report with tool measurement

• US 10,580,226 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Merg, Patrick S., Costantino, David, Johnson, Lester B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jha, Abdhesh K
• Application Number:
  US15/194,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20170372533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/06 in graphical form
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/12 in graphical form

Abstract

A computing system can register a measurement tool. The computing system can determine a selected vehicle for a vehicle data report and a selected measurement tool to perform a first tool measurement that excludes determining data from a vehicle data message. The computing system can determine a selected vehicle component for the first tool measurement by the selected measurement tool. The computing system can determine a spatial identifier for the first tool measurement. The computing system can determine the first tool measurement performed by the selected measurement tool. A radio transceiver of the computing system can receive radio signals carrying the first tool measurement from the selected measurement tool. The first tool measurement received by the radio transceiver can be provided to one or more processors of the computing system. The computing system can generate and output the vehicle data report that includes the first tool measurement.

Claims

1. A method performed by a client computing system including at least one processor, at least one radio transceiver, a user interface including a display, and a system bus that communicatively couples the at least one radio transceiver and the user interface to the at least one processor, the method comprising:

capturing, by a capture device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor for generating registration data, an image showing a first measurement tool or a multi-dimensional code on or associated with the first measurement tool, wherein the registration data is indicative of the first measurement tool;

determining, by the at least one processor, a selected vehicle and a selected component or system of the selected vehicle;

receiving, by the at least one radio transceiver from the first measurement tool, a communication including data indicating the first measurement tool is selected to perform a first tool measurement;

determining, by the at least one processor based on the registration data and the data indicating the first measurement tool is selected to perform a first tool measurement, the first measurement tool is selected to perform the first tool measurement on the selected component or system of the selected vehicle, wherein the first tool measurement excludes determining data from a vehicle data message;

determining, by the at least one processor, a prior tool measurement;

displaying, on the display before receiving a radio signal, a notification based on the prior tool measurement;

receiving, by the at least one radio transceiver, the radio signal transmitted directly from the first measurement tool to the client computing system over a wireless network established between the client computing system and the first measurement tool, the radio signal carrying the first tool measurement on the selected component or system of the selected vehicle;

determining, by the at least one processor, the first tool measurement on the selected component or system of the selected vehicle from the radio signal carrying the first tool measurement;

generating, by the at least one processor, a vehicle data report including the first tool measurement on the selected component or system of the selected vehicle, data indicative of the selected component or system, and data indicative of the selected vehicle; and

outputting, by the client computing system, the vehicle data report.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the at least one processor, a spatial identifier for the first tool measurement,

wherein generating the vehicle data report includes associating the first tool measurement with the spatial identifier.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein determining the selected vehicle includes receiving data indicating the selected vehicle from the capture device connected to the at least one processor, and

wherein the capture device obtains the data indicating the selected vehicle by capturing an image of data indicating the selected vehicle or scanning data indicating the selected vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering, by the at least one processor, the first measurement tool,

wherein registering the first measurement tool includes storing, within a computer-readable medium, registration data including a first measurement tool identifier associated with the first measurement tool, and

wherein the vehicle data report includes the first measurement tool identifier associated with the first measurement tool.

5. The method of claim 4,

wherein the registration data includes at least a second measurement tool identifier associated with a second measurement tool, and

wherein the method further comprises outputting for display on the display the first measurement tool identifier and the second measurement tool identifier, and

wherein determining the first measurement tool includes receiving a selection of the first measurement tool identifier from among the first measurement tool identifier and the second measurement tool identifier displayed on the display.

6. The method of claim 4,

wherein determining the first measurement tool includes receiving, from a radio transceiver at the first measurement tool, a communication from the first measurement tool for establishing a radio communication session between the client computing system and the first measurement tool, and

wherein the communication includes the first measurement tool identifier to indicate the first measurement tool has been selected to perform the first tool measurement.

7. The method of claim 4,

wherein determining the first measurement tool includes determining, by the at least one processor, the first measurement tool shown in the captured image or the multi-dimensional code matches at least a part of the registration data including the first measurement tool identifier associated with the first measurement tool.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

outputting, by the at least one processor to the display, a list of measurement tool identifiers associated with measurement tools registered with the client computing system,

wherein the list includes at least the first measurement tool identifier and the second measurement tool identifier, and

wherein determining the first measurement tool includes receiving, by the at least one processor, an indication the first measurement tool identifier was selected from the list.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the

prior tool measurement is performed by a second measurement tool.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the display, a service procedure indicating at least one measurement tool for performing the service procedure on the selected vehicle,

wherein determining the first measurement tool comprises at least one of (i) receiving an indication the first measurement tool was selected from the service procedure, (ii) receiving a selection of the service procedure that causes the at least one processor to output the service procedure, and (iii) determining, by the at least one processor, a particular step in the service procedure requiring use of the first measurement tool is being performed.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first measurement tool comprises a torque wrench, and

wherein the first tool measurement comprises a torque measurement.

12. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first measurement tool comprises a vehicle brake lathe, and

wherein the first tool measurement comprises at least one of a thickness of a vehicle brake rotor and a diameter of a vehicle brake drum.

13. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first measurement tool comprises a wheel alignment machine, and

wherein the first tool measurement comprises at least one of a caster measurement, a camber measurement, a toe-in measurement, a toe-out measurement, and a steering axis inclination measurement.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the first measurement tool includes at least one of:

a thermistor, a transducer, a thermocouple a potentiometer, an accelerometer, or a strain gauge.

28. The method of claim 1,

wherein outputting the vehicle data report includes:

(1) the at least one processor providing the vehicle data report to the display, and

(2) the display showing the vehicle data report.

29. The method of claim 1,

wherein outputting the vehicle data report includes:

(1) the at least one processor providing the vehicle data report to the at least one radio transceiver, and

(2) the at least one radio transceiver transmitting the vehicle data report onto a communication network for transmission to a server.

14. A client computing system comprising:

at least one radio transceiver;

a user interface including a display;

at least one processor;

a system bus that communicatively couples the at least one radio transceiver and the user interface to the at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable memory storing computer-readable program instructions, wherein execution of the computer-readable program instructions cause the client computing system to perform functions including;

capturing, by a capture device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor for generating registration data, an image showing a first measurement tool or a multi-dimensional code on or associated with the first measurement tool, wherein the registration data is indicative of the first measurement tool;

determining, by the at least one processor, a selected vehicle and a selected component or system of the selected vehicle;

receiving, by the at least one radio transceiver from the first measurement tool, a communication including data indicating the first measurement tool is selected to perform a first tool measurement;

determining, by the at least one processor based on the registration data and the data indicating the first measurement tool is selected to perform a first tool measurement, the first measurement tool is selected to perform the first tool measurement on the selected component or system of the selected vehicle, wherein the first tool measurement excludes determining data from a vehicle data message;

determining, by the at least one processor, a prior tool measurement;

displaying on the display before receiving a radio signal, a notification based on the prior tool measurement;

receiving, by the at least one radio transceiver, the radio signal transmitted directly from the first measurement tool to the client computing system over a wireless network established between the client computing system and the first measurement tool, the radio signal carrying the first tool measurement on the selected component or system of the selected vehicle;

determining, by the at least one processor, the first tool measurement on the selected component or system of the selected vehicle from the radio signal carrying the first tool measurement;

generating, by the at least one processor, a vehicle data report including the first tool measurement on the selected component or system of the selected vehicle, data indicative of the selected component or system, and data indicative of the selected vehicle; and

outputting the vehicle data report.

15. The client computing system of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining, by the at least one processor, a spatial identifier for the first tool measurement,

wherein generating the vehicle data report includes associating the first tool measurement with the spatial identifier.

16. The client computing system of claim 14,

wherein determining the selected vehicle for the vehicle data report includes receiving data indicating the selected vehicle from the capture device connected to the at least one processor, and

wherein the capture device obtains the data indicating the selected vehicle by capturing an image of data indicating the selected vehicle or scanning data indicating the selected vehicle.

17. The client computing system of claim 14, wherein the functions further include:

registering, by the at least one processor, the first measurement tool,

wherein registering the first measurement tool includes storing, within the at least one computer-readable memory, registration data including a first measurement tool identifier associated with the first measurement tool, and

wherein the vehicle data report includes the first measurement tool identifier associated with the first measurement tool.

18. The client computing system of claim 17,

wherein the registration data includes at least a second measurement tool identifier associated with a second measurement tool, and

wherein the functions further include outputting for display on the display the first measurement tool identifier and the second measurement tool identifier, and

wherein determining the first measurement tool includes receiving a selection of the first measurement tool identifier from among the first measurement tool identifier and the second measurement tool identifier displayed on the display.

19. The client computing system of claim 17,

wherein the communication including data indicating the first measurement tool is selected to perform the first tool measurement is received from a radio transceiver at the first measurement tool and is used to establish a radio communication session between the client computing system and the first measurement tool.

20. The client computing system of claim 17, wherein determining the first measurement tool includes the at least one processor receiving, from the capture device connected to the at least one processor, data indicating the first measurement tool captured by the capture device.

21. The client computing system of claim 18, wherein the functions further include:

outputting, by the at least one processor to the display, a list of measurements tool identifiers associated with measurement tools registered with the client computing system,

wherein the list includes at least the first measurement tool identifier and the second measurement tool identifier, and

wherein determining the first measurement tool includes receiving, by the at least one processor, an indication the first measurement tool identifier was selected from the list.

22. The client computing system of claim 14, wherein the

prior tool measurement is performed by a second measurement tool.

23. The client computing system of claim 14, wherein the functions further include:

displaying, on the display, a service procedure indicating at least one measurement tool for performing the service procedure on the selected vehicle,

wherein determining the first measurement tool comprises at least one of (i) receiving an indication the first measurement tool was selected from the service procedure, (ii) receiving a selection of the service procedure that causes the at least one processor to output the service procedure, and (iii) determining, by the at least one processor, a particular step in the service procedure requiring use of the first measurement tool is being performed.

24. The client computing system of claim 14,

wherein the first measurement tool comprises a torque wrench, and

wherein the first tool measurement comprises a torque measurement.

25. The client computing system of claim 14,

wherein the first measurement tool comprises a vehicle brake lathe, and

wherein the first tool measurement comprises at least one of a thickness of a vehicle brake rotor and a diameter of a vehicle brake drum.

26. The client computing system of claim 14,

wherein the first measurement tool comprises a wheel alignment machine, and

wherein the first tool measurement comprises at least one of a caster measurement, a camber measurement, a toe-in measurement, a toe-out measurement, and a steering axis inclination measurement.