Method and apparatus for networked wheel alignment communications and services

• US 20020029101A1
• Filed: 04/19/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Original Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Inventors: Smith, James M., Strege, Timothy A., Larson, Timothy A., Voeller, David
• Granted Patent: US 6,442,460 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A wheel alignment system including at least one sensing device for acquiring automotive data, interface circuitry in communication with the sensing device for transferring data representative of automotive data acquired by the sensing device, and a host computer in communication with the interface circuitry for performing a sequence of operations on the data transferred by the interface circuitry. The host computer provides integrated Internet access to allow for transmission to the vehicle wheel alignment system, from a remote server, via the Internet, updated information and software applications and components necessary to accurately diagnose a vehicle, and the return of diagnostic, statistical, and log information associated with the vehicle wheel alignment system. The host computer provides integrated Internet access to allow for transmission of electronic commerce and statistical information, alignment logs, error messages, status messages, or diagnostic information to a remote system, and for the receipt of information including updated software applications, diagnostic commands, and remote information queries therefrom.

Claims

1. An improved vehicle wheel alignment system having a wheel alignment computer, an associated display, and at least one vehicle wheel alignment sensor in communication with the wheel alignment computer for communicating wheel alignment data, said improvement comprising:

said wheel alignment computer configured to utilize at least one NET Web Services software component to provide at least one service associated with a vehicle wheel alignment.

2. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 1 wherein said wheel alignment system is in communication with at least one remote computer, and wherein at least one NET Web Services software component is a remote software component located on said remote computer.

3. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 2 wherein said wheel alignment computer is further configured to exchange payment information with at least one networked remote computer.

4. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 1 where said NET Web Services software component provides vehicle-specific information.

5. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 1 where said NET Web Services software component provides alignment angle calculations.

6. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 1 where said NET Web Services software component provides language translations.

7. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 1 where said NET Web Services software component interprets said wheel alignment data communicated to said wheel alignment computer from said wheel alignment sensor.

8. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 1 where said NET Web Services software component provides user authentication.

9. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 8 wherein said user authentication is facilitated with biometric input.

10. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 1 where said NET Web Services software component provides a set of configuration preferences.

11. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 10 wherein said set of configuration preferences are associated with an alignment system configuration.

12. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 10 wherein said set of configuration preferences are associated with an alignment system operator.

13. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 10 wherein said set of configuration preferences are associated with a vehicle service shop.

14. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 10 wherein said set of configuration preferences are associated with a customer.

16. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 15 wherein said NET personal information storage space is associated with an technician.

17. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 15 wherein said NET personal information storage space is associated with a customer.

18. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 15 wherein said NET personal information storage space is associated with a vehicle.

19. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 15 wherein said NET personal information storage space is associated with a Original Equipment Manufacturer.

20. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 15 wherein said NET personal information storage space is associated with a wheel alignment adjustment component.

21. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 15 wherein said NET personal information storage space is associated with a vehicle service center.

22. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 15 wherein said NET personal information storage space is associated with said vehicle wheel alignment system.

23. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 15 wherein said NET personal information storage space is isolated storage.

24. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 15 wherein said NET personal information storage space is located remote from said vehicle wheel alignment system, and said vehicle wheel alignment system is configured to communicate with said NET personal information storage space via a communications network.

26. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 25 wherein said wheel alignment computer is further configured to utilize said one or more retrieved software components to provide output data to said at least one output device.

27. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 26 wherein said output device is a display, and said output data includes vehicle wheel alignment measurements.

28. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 26 wherein said output device is an audio component, and said output data includes speech audio signals.

29. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 25 wherein said wheel alignment computer is further configured to utilize said one or more retrieved software components to receive input data from at least one input device.

30. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 29 wherein said input device is an audio component, and said input data includes speech audio signals.

15. An improved vehicle wheel alignment system having a wheel alignment computer, an associated display, and at least one vehicle wheel alignment sensor in communication with the wheel alignment computer for communicating wheel alignment data, said improvement comprising:

said wheel alignment computer configured to utilize at least one NET Web Services software component to provide at least one service associated with a vehicle wheel alignment;

said NET Web Services software component configured to communicate with at least one NET personal information storage space.

25. An improved vehicle wheel alignment system having a wheel alignment computer, an associated output device, at least one vehicle wheel alignment sensor in communication with the wheel alignment computer for communicating wheel alignment data, and at least one networked remote computer in communication with said wheel alignment computer, said improvement comprising:

said wheel alignment computer configured to communicate with said at least one networked remote computer via a communications network to retrieve one or more selected NET Web Services software components from said networked remote computer; and

said wheel alignment computer further configured to utilize said one or more retrieved NET Web Services software components to provide at least one service associated with a vehicle wheel alignment.

31. An improved vehicle wheel alignment system having a wheel alignment computer, an associated display, at least one vehicle wheel alignment sensor in communication with the wheel alignment computer for communicating wheel alignment data, and at least one networked remote computer in communication with said wheel alignment computer, said improvement comprising:

said wheel alignment computer configured to utilize a NET Web Services software component to exchange information with said networked remote computer.

32. An improved vehicle wheel alignment system having a wheel alignment computer, an associated display, at least one vehicle wheel alignment sensor in communication with the wheel alignment computer for communicating wheel alignment data, and at least one networked remote computer in communication with said wheel alignment computer, said improvement comprising:

said wheel alignment computer configured to utilize a NET Web Services software component to relay information from said wheel alignment computer to at least one recipient.

33. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 32 wherein said at least one recipient is a customer.

34. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 32 wherein said at least one recipient is a vehicle manufacturer.

35. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 32 wherein said information includes said vehicle wheel alignment data.

36. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 32 wherein said information includes vehicle alignment status data.

37. The improved vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 32 wherein said information includes alignment equipment data.

38. A improved vehicle wheel alignment system having a wheel alignment computer, an associated display, and at least one vehicle wheel alignment sensor in communication with the wheel alignment computer for communicating wheel alignment data, said improvement comprising:

said wheel alignment computer configured with user-centric software architecture and including a set of NET software components which exchange information through a communications network with at least one of the following;

a user, software running on a user'"'"'s behalf, or devices working for a user.