UNIVERSAL TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM TOOL AND METHODS
First Claim
1. A hand held universal tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tool for use with a vehicle including an electronic control unit (ECU) in communication with a plurality of TPMS tire sensors operable to detect a condition of a vehicle tires and transmit the tire condition data, the tool comprising:
- a housing;
a processor and a memory storage device positioned within the housing;
a key pad positioned on the housing in communication with the processor for input of commands;
an electronic communication port positioned on the housing in communication with the processor;
an antenna for transmission and receipt of electronic information from the plurality of TPMS tire sensors.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an improved universal TPMS tool. According to one aspect of the tool, the tool can include a housing and a processor and a memory storage device positioned within the housing. The tool can optionally include a key pad positioned on the housing in communication with the processor for input of commands from a user, an electronic communication port positioned on the housing in communication with the processor, and an antenna for transmission and receipt of electronic information from the plurality of TPMS tire sensors. The tool can also include an optical scanner for reading indicia connected to the vehicle.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A hand held universal tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tool for use with a vehicle including an electronic control unit (ECU) in communication with a plurality of TPMS tire sensors operable to detect a condition of a vehicle tires and transmit the tire condition data, the tool comprising:
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a housing; a processor and a memory storage device positioned within the housing; a key pad positioned on the housing in communication with the processor for input of commands; an electronic communication port positioned on the housing in communication with the processor; an antenna for transmission and receipt of electronic information from the plurality of TPMS tire sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of processing TPMS tire sensor data of a vehicle using a hand held portable universal TPMS tool having a housing, an antenna, a data processor, a memory device, a keypad and a communication port connected to the processor and memory, the method comprising the steps of:
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optically scanning electronic data embedded in indicia connected to the vehicle through an optical sensor positioned on the universal tool in communication with the tool processor and memory; storing the optically scanned data in the tool memory device; and comparing the scanned electronic data to prestored electronic data in the tool memory device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of communicating data between a hand held universal TPMS tool and the electronic control unit (ECU) of a passenger vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
selectively placing in communication with the universal TPMS tool and the vehicle ECU an OBD device adaptable to communicate at least TPMS data from the universal tool to the vehicle ECU. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of generating a power source to provide power to a TPMS tire sensor using a universal hand-held TPMS tool, the method comprising the steps of:
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connecting a power source to the TPMS tool, the power source capable of activating a TPMS tire sensor permitting the TPMS sensor to receive and transmit data to the TPMS tool; generating the power to activate the TPMS tire sensor; and transmitting the power to the TPMS tire sensor. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification