Vehicle wheel alignment apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A dynamically configurable vehicle wheel alignment system, comprisinga plurality of vehicle wheel mounted alignment heads providing wheel alignment data and configured to be mounted on the vehicle wheels in predetermined orientation relative thereto,a system bus,communication means coupled between said plurality of alignment heads and said system bus,display means for visually presenting alignment data and operating instructions,display control means coupled between said display means and said bus,a controller in each of said alignment heads, communications means and display control means, andmain processor means coupled to said bus for providing system calculations and sequencing control and for downloading decision making and communications routines from said communications and display control means controllers at system initialization, whereby the system is configured in accordance with said means which are present and coupled to said system bus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel alignment system includes either four wheel mountable alignment heads or two alignment heads and two retroreflectors or two alignment heads alone together with a control console and display. A main processing unit is included in the console for performing calculations and for controlling systems function control components communications sequences. Each console function control component includes its own controller. The control console further includes a CRT display module and optional voice instruction and printer output modules. A bar code reader is available for quick specifications entry. Communications and decision making instructions are downloaded from the controller in each console function control component to the main processing unit at initialization. Communication between the heads and the console is accomplished either through the use of conducting cords or infrared transmission and reception. Each alignment head also includes a controller which controls collection of alignment data in parallel at each head as well as serial transmission from each head to the console during discrete transmission periods as required by the main processing unit.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A dynamically configurable vehicle wheel alignment system, comprising
a plurality of vehicle wheel mounted alignment heads providing wheel alignment data and configured to be mounted on the vehicle wheels in predetermined orientation relative thereto, a system bus, communication means coupled between said plurality of alignment heads and said system bus, display means for visually presenting alignment data and operating instructions, display control means coupled between said display means and said bus, a controller in each of said alignment heads, communications means and display control means, and main processor means coupled to said bus for providing system calculations and sequencing control and for downloading decision making and communications routines from said communications and display control means controllers at system initialization, whereby the system is configured in accordance with said means which are present and coupled to said system bus.
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11. A dynamically configurable vehicle wheel alignment system, comprising
a plurality of vehicle wheel alignment heads configured to be mounted on vehicle wheels in predetermined orientation relative thereto, a system bus, communications means coupled between said plurality of alignment heads and said system bus, at least one system functional means, a functional means control module coupled between each one of said functional means and said system bus, a controller in each of said functional means control modules and said communications means, and main processor means coupled to said bus for providing system calculations and sequencing control and for downloading decision making and communications routines from said functional means controllers, whereby the system is configured in accordance with functional means control modules present.
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24. In a vehicle wheel alignment system having alignment heads for mounting on two or more wheels, the improvement comprising
a plurality of functional control modules, a controller in each of said functional control modules and each of said alignment heads, and main processor means for providing system calculations and operational sequence control coupled to said controller in each of said functional control modules for downloading decision making and communications routines from said functional control modules, whereby the system is configured in accordance with functional control modules present.
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30. In a vehicle wheel alignment system having alignment heads for obtaining wheel alignment data and configured for mounting on vehicle wheels, the improvement comprising
a plurality of functional control modules, a controller in each of said functional control modules and in each of said alignment heads operating to control performance of a dedicated function for each module and to control parallel acquisition of alignment data in each head, means in each of said alignment heads for transmitting and receiving data, main processor means coupled to said controller in each alignment head and control module for directing serial transmission of data from said alignment heads during separate periods of time.
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33. A method of aligning wheels on a vehicle utilizing an intelligent alignment measurement system having a plurality of wheel mounted alignment heads and a remote console including a main processor and a plurality of functional modules including a communications module, comprising the steps of
initializing the system by downloading digitized decision making and communications instructions from the plurality of functional modules to the main processor, whereby the system is automatically configured in accordance with the specific functional modules present in the system, measuring wheel alignment parameters and head status signals at separate ones of the vehicle wheels, digitizing the parameter and status measurements to obtain digital alignment data, storing digitized data at separate ones of the vehicle wheels, and serially transmitting and receiving instructions and digitized data between the communications module and different ones of the alignment heads.
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40. A method of aligning wheels on a vehicle utilizing an intelligent alignment system having a plurality of wheel mounted alignment heads and a remote console including a main processor and a plurality of digitally communicating functional modules including a communications module, comprising the steps of
individually controlling each of the functional modules and alignment heads to perform a dedicated function, measuring wheel alignment and head status signals at separate ones of the vehicle wheels, digitizing the parameter and status measurements to obtain digital alignment data, storing the digitized data at separate ones of the vehicle alignment heads, and serially transmitting and receiving instructions and digitized data between the communications module and different ones of the alignment heads during separate periods of time.
Specification