Vehicle Service Procedures
First Claim
1. A method for evaluating the condition of a vehicle prior to conducting a primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure in a vehicle service bay, comprising:
- receiving the vehicle in the vehicle service bay in operative proximity to a multi-function vehicle service system for conducting said primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure;
identifying said vehicle to said multi-function vehicle service system;
prior to beginning said primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure, acquiring two or more sets of measurements and/or data associated with the vehicle in said vehicle service bay, at least one of said acquired sets of measurements and/or data associated with the vehicle including vehicle wheel alignment angle measurements;
communicating said sets of acquired measurements and/or data to said multi-function vehicle service system; and
evaluating said acquired measurements and/or data at said multi-function vehicle service system to generate a vehicle condition report associated with said identified vehicle, said vehicle condition report identifying optional vehicle maintenance or repair procedures associated with said acquired measurements which may be performed on said vehicle in addition to said primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for carrying out a set of vehicle inspections including, but not limited to, wheel alignment measurement, brake testing, tire tread depth measurement, tire pressure monitoring, vehicle battery testing, and a review of vehicle diagnostic trouble codes in an efficient manner using a multi-function vehicle service system and a single vehicle service bay or inspection lane. Results of the vehicle inspections are incorporated into customized reports generated for a customer or for a technician, and which may be utilized to obtain approval from the customer to conduct necessary repairs and/or provide beneficial vehicle services.
143 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for evaluating the condition of a vehicle prior to conducting a primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure in a vehicle service bay, comprising:
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receiving the vehicle in the vehicle service bay in operative proximity to a multi-function vehicle service system for conducting said primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure; identifying said vehicle to said multi-function vehicle service system; prior to beginning said primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure, acquiring two or more sets of measurements and/or data associated with the vehicle in said vehicle service bay, at least one of said acquired sets of measurements and/or data associated with the vehicle including vehicle wheel alignment angle measurements; communicating said sets of acquired measurements and/or data to said multi-function vehicle service system; and evaluating said acquired measurements and/or data at said multi-function vehicle service system to generate a vehicle condition report associated with said identified vehicle, said vehicle condition report identifying optional vehicle maintenance or repair procedures associated with said acquired measurements which may be performed on said vehicle in addition to said primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for evaluating the condition of a vehicle prior to conducting a primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure, comprising:
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receiving the vehicle in a vehicle service bay; identifying said vehicle to a vehicle inspection system; prior to beginning said primary vehicle maintenance or repair procedure, acquiring measurements and/or data associated with at least two characteristics of the vehicle in said vehicle service bay, wherein at least one of said characteristics is wheel alignment measurement; communicating said acquired measurements and/or data to said vehicle inspection system; and evaluating said acquired measurements and/or data associated with said at least two characteristics of the vehicle at said vehicle inspection system to generate at least one comprehensive vehicle condition report associated with said at least two characteristics of the vehicle, and which is adapted for review by either a customer or by a service technician. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification