HIGH VOLUME VEHICLE INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHODS

• US 20140129076A1
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATEQ Corporation (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ATEQ Corporation (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mouchet, Jacques, Jaffray, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,539,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/04 mounted on the wheel or tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules

Abstract

An inspection system for use in measuring several vehicle conditions in a high volume vehicle inspection line. A plurality of sensors are installed on a vehicle for measuring a plurality of vehicle conditions to assist in the rapid evaluation of critical vehicle conditions or parameters. At least one tool is positioned along a vehicle path in a monitoring station. As the vehicle passes through the monitoring station, the tool received electronic data from the plurality of sensors and displays one or more signals to alert an inspector of acceptable or unacceptable vehicle conditions. In one example, the plurality of sensors includes tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) data from the vehicle tires to rapidly assess the condition of the tire air pressure and other monitored tire conditions.

Claims

1. A high volume inspection system for use in inspecting one or more conditions of a plurality of transportation vehicles, the system comprising:

a path of travel for the plurality of vehicles;

at least one sensor mounted on each of the plurality of vehicles, the sensor operable to measure at least one operating condition of the vehicle;

a monitoring station positioned along the path of travel; and

at least one tool in selective data communication with the sensor to receive and communicate the measured vehicle operating conditions to a user.

2. The inspection system of claim 1 wherein the tool further comprises:

a data storage device having stored operating condition data;

a processor for comparing presently measured vehicle conditions by the tool against the stored operating condition data in the storage device; and

a display unit for visually communicating the presently measured and stored operating condition date in the data storage device.

3. The inspection system of claim 2 wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor mounted to each pneumatic wheel of a passenger vehicle, the TPMS sensor operable to selectively measure a plurality of conditions of the pneumatic tire and transmit the measured conditions data; and

the at least one tool comprises at least one TPMS tool stationarily mounted in the monitoring station on each side of the path of travel to respectively communicate with the TPMS sensors in the pneumatic tires on a left side and a right side of a vehicle as the vehicle travels through the monitoring station.

4. The inspection device of claim 3 wherein the at least one sensor further comprises at least one:

a vehicle identification sensor to positively identify the specific vehicle in the monitoring station;

a vehicle tire tread sensor;

or

a vehicle vital fluids sensor, the tool operable to receive data from the sensors.

5. The inspection device of claim 4 wherein the vehicle identification sensor further comprises a sensor to image at least one of each of the plurality of vehicle'"'"'s vehicle identification number (VIN), license plate or license indicia.

6. The inspection device of claim 2 wherein the stored operating condition data comprises historical measured vehicle conditions data for each of the plurality of vehicles, the processor operable to compare the presently measured condition data against the historical conditions data to identify variances.

7. The inspection device of claim 2 wherein the stored operating conditions data comprises predetermined acceptable levels, the processor operable to compare the presently measured condition data against the predetermined acceptable levels.

8. A high volume vehicle condition inspection system comprising:

a monitoring station having a path of travel for the plurality of vehicles;

a plurality of sensors for measuring a plurality of conditions of a vehicle, the plurality of sensors including a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor mounted to each pneumatic tire of each of the plurality of vehicles;

a tool in electronic data communication with the TPMS sensors;

a data storage device having stored vehicle operating condition data in electronic data communication with the tool, the stored vehicle operating condition data comprising at least one of an historical measured TPMS vehicle conditions data for each of the plurality of vehicles or predetermined acceptable TPMS condition levels;

a processor for comparing the presently measured TPMS condition data against at least one of the historical TPMS data or acceptable TPMS condition levels; and

a display indicator for visually displaying an acceptable or unacceptable TPMS condition to a user.

9. The inspection system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of sensors further comprises at least one of:

a vehicle identification sensor operative to image vehicle identification indicia on the vehicle to positively identify the specific vehicle in the monitoring station;

a vehicle tire tread sensor for measuring a tire tread condition;

or

a vehicle vital fluids sensor for measuring the level of one or more fluids in the vehicle.

10. The inspection system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of sensors is housed in a single unit, the single unit in communication with the tool.

11. A high volume method of inspecting one or more conditions of a plurality of transportation vehicles, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a tool on at least one side of a path of travel through a vehicle monitoring station;

connecting a plurality of vehicle condition sensors on a vehicle for measuring a plurality of predetermined vehicle conditions;

sequentially moving a plurality of vehicles through the monitoring station;

sending electronic data measured by the sensors to the tool;

comparing the measured conditions to at least one of predetermined acceptable condition values or stored historical condition data of a vehicle; and

signaling a user of at least one of the measured vehicle conditions or comparison of vehicle conditions.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the sensor is a tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) sensor, the method further comprising the steps of:

activating the TPMS sensor;

identifying the specific TPMS sensor based on the TPMS sensor identification;

measuring the tire air pressure; and

sending the measured tire air pressure to the tool for display to the user.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprises the steps of:

comparing the identified TPMS sensor identification against a stored TMPS sensor identification; and

comparing the measured tire air pressure to stored historical measured tire air pressure data for the specific TPMS sensor to identify a faulty tire condition.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

identifying the specific vehicle in the monitoring station through imaging of vehicle identification indicia positioned on the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

comparing the measured TPMS sensor identifications against the historical TPMS sensor identification for the identified vehicle; and

identifying any deviation from the measured TPMS sensor identification from stored historical TPMS sensors for the identified vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of identifying the specific vehicle further comprises at least one of the steps of:

reading the vehicle identification number (VIN);

reading the vehicle license plate indicia;

or

reading a tag positioned on the vehicle including specific vehicle identification indicia.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of condition sensors further comprises:

positioning a tire tread sensor along each side of the path of travel in the monitoring station;

measuring a tire tread condition of each vehicle tire; and

transmitting the measured tire tread condition to the tool for display to the user.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein plurality of condition sensors further comprises at least one fluid level sensor, the method further comprising the steps of:

measuring the level of a fluid in a vehicle positioned in the monitoring station;

sending the measured fluid level data to the tool for display to a user.