Method and apparatus for information transfer in vehicle service systems

• US 6,917,417 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Original Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Inventors: Voeller, David A., Strege, Timothy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDREA, BRIAN K
• Application Number:
  US10/871,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20040227934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 700/279, 356/139.09, 356/155, 280/86.75, 332/88
• US Class Current: 356/139.09
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0221 Preprocessing measurements, e.g. data collection rate adjustment; Standardization of measurements; Time series or signal analysis, e.g. frequency analysis or wavelets; Trustworthiness of measurements; Indexes therefor; Measurements using easily measured parameters to estimate parameters difficult to measure; Virtual sensor creation; De-noising; Sensor fusion; Unconventional preprocessing inherently present in specific fault detection methods like PCA-based methods

Abstract

A vehicle service system having a vehicle service computer which is configured for communication with one or more on-board vehicle computers of a vehicle undergoing a vehicle service procedure, to retrieve or access information stored in a memory associated with the vehicle computer and/or to modify or store information in the vehicle computer associated memory.

Claims

1. An improved vehicle service system having a computing device, an associated display, and at least one sensor configured for communication with the computing device for communicating vehicle data, said improvement comprising:

a transceiver unit associated with said computing device, said transceiver configured to establish an active bi-directional communications link between said computing device and a vehicle computer associated with a vehicle in proximity to said improved vehicle service system; and

wherein said computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to receive data from said vehicle computer, and to store updated data in an onboard memory of said vehicle computer.

2. The improved vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said updated data includes one or more current vehicle measurements.

3. The improved vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to receive at least one stored error code from said vehicle computer.

4. The improved vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to direct said vehicle computer to reset at least one stored error code.

5. The improved vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to receive steering wheel position data from said vehicle computer.

6. The improved vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to update steering wheel position data stored in a memory associated with said vehicle computer.

7. The improved vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to direct the operation of at least one component of said vehicle.

8. The improved vehicle service system of claim 7 wherein said component is an electrically controlled ride-height system.

9. The improved vehicle service system of claim 7 wherein said component is a rear-wheel steering system.

10. The improved vehicle service system of claim 7 wherein said component is a vehicle braking system.

11. The improved service system of claim 1 wherein said transceiver unit associated with said computing device is configured to establish a wireless communications link between said computing device and a vehicle computer associated with a vehicle in proximity to the improved vehicle service system.

12. The improved service system of claim 1 further including a data communications cable;

and wherein said transceiver unit associated with said computing device is configured to establish a communications link over said data communications cable between said computing device and a vehicle computer associated with a vehicle in proximity to the improved vehicle service system.

13. A vehicle wheel alignment system having a computing device configured with at least one vehicle wheel alignment software application, an associated display, and at least one wheel alignment angle sensing device operatively coupled to the computing device, comprising:

a transceiver unit associated with said wheel alignment system computing device, said transceiver configured to establish a communications link between said wheel alignment system computing device and a vehicle electronic control module associated with a vehicle; and

wherein said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to receive data from said vehicle electronic control module.

14. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 where said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is further configured to utilize said communications link to convey data to said vehicle electronic control module.

15. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 where said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is further configured to utilize said communications link to direct operation of said vehicle electronic control module.

16. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 wherein said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to receive at least one error code from said vehicle electronic control module.

17. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 where said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is further configured to utilize said communications link to direct said vehicle electronic control module to reset at least one error code.

18. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 wherein said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to receive steering system data from said vehicle electronic control module.

19. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 18 wherein said steering system data includes a steering wheel position signal.

20. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 18 wherein said steering system data includes rear wheel steering information.

21. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 wherein said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is configured to utilize said communications link to receive ride-height system data from said vehicle electronic control module.

22. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 where said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is further configured to utilize said communications link to store data associated with a steering system in said vehicle electronic control module.

23. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 where said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is further configured to utilize said communications link to direct operation of a vehicle electrically controlled ride-height system through said vehicle electronic control module.

24. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 where said vehicle wheel alignment system computing device is further configured to utilize said communications link to direct operation of a vehicle steering system through said vehicle electronic control module.

25. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 wherein said transceiver unit associated with said wheel alignment system computing device is configured to establish a wireless communications link between said wheel alignment system computing device and a vehicle electronic control module associated with a vehicle.

26. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 13 further including a data communications cable;

and wherein said transceiver unit associated with said wheel alignment system computing device is configured to establish a communications link over said data communications cable between said wheel alignment system computing device and a vehicle electronic control module associated with a vehicle.

27. A method for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle computer, comprising:

establishing a communication link between the vehicle computer and the vehicle wheel alignment system;

transferring, on said established communications link, information from the vehicle computer to the vehicle wheel alignment system in response to at least one request from the vehicle wheel alignment system;

performing, with the vehicle wheel alignment system, one or more service procedures on a vehicle associated with the vehicle computer; and

transferring, on said established communications link, information from the vehicle wheel alignment system to the vehicle computer subsequent to a completion of said one or more service procedures on said vehicle.

28. The method of claim 27 further including the step of storing said information in a data storage device associated with the vehicle computer.

29. The method of claim 27 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle computer further comprising the step of:

operatively coupling the vehicle computer to at least one removable transceiver configured for wireless communication with the vehicle wheel alignment system prior to establishing said communications link; and

wherein said step of establishing a communication link includes establishing a wireless communications link between said at least one removable transceiver and the vehicle wheel alignment system.

30. The method of claim 27 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle computer further comprising the step of:

operatively coupling the vehicle computer to at least one data communications cable for communication with the vehicle wheel alignment system prior to establishing said communications link; and

wherein said step of establishing a communication link includes establishing a communications link between said vehicle computer and the vehicle wheel alignment system over said data communications cable.

31. A method for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module, comprising:

establishing a communication link between the vehicle electronic control module associated with a vehicle and the vehicle wheel alignment system; and

transferring, on said established communications link, diagnostic information from the vehicle electronic control module to the vehicle wheel alignment system in response to at least one request from the vehicle wheel alignment system.

32. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module further including the step of transferring, on said established communications link, at least one command from the vehicle wheel alignment system to the vehicle electronic control module, said at least one command configured to direct the operation of at least one vehicle component.

33. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle computer wherein said step of establishing a communication link includes establishing a wireless communications link between said vehicle electronic control module and the vehicle wheel alignment system.

34. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle computer wherein said step of establishing a communication link includes coupling a data communications cable between said vehicle electronic control module and the vehicle wheel alignment system.

35. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module further including the step of transferring data on said established communications link from said vehicle wheel alignment system to said vehicle electronic control module.

36. The method of claim 35 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module further including the step of storing said data in a data storage device associated with the vehicle electronic control module.

37. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module wherein said diagnostic information from the vehicle electronic control module to the vehicle wheel alignment system includes at least one stored error code.

38. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module wherein said diagnostic information from the vehicle electronic control module to the vehicle wheel alignment system includes steering system information.

39. The method of claim 38 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module wherein said diagnostic information from the vehicle electronic control module to the vehicle wheel alignment system includes steering wheel position data.

40. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module wherein said diagnostic information from the vehicle electronic control module to the vehicle wheel alignment system includes rear wheel steering system data.

41. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module wherein said diagnostic information from the vehicle electronic control module to the vehicle wheel alignment system includes electronic ride-height system information.

42. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module wherein said diagnostic information from the vehicle electronic control module to the vehicle wheel alignment system includes brake system information.

43. The method of claim 31 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module further including the step of transferring, on said established communications link, at least one command from the vehicle wheel alignment system to the vehicle electronic control module, said at least one command configured to direct the operation of the vehicle electronic control module.

44. The method of claim 43 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module where said at least one command is configured to direct the vehicle electronic control module to store data in an electronic memory associated with the vehicle electronic control module.

45. A method for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module, comprising:

establishing a communication link between the vehicle electronic control module associated with a vehicle and the vehicle wheel alignment system; and

transferring data on said established communications link from said vehicle wheel alignment system to said vehicle electronic control module.

46. The method of claim 45 transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module further including the step of storing said data in a data storage device associated with the vehicle electronic control module.

47. The method of claim 45 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module wherein said data includes at least one command, said at least one command configured to direct the operation of the vehicle electronic control module.

48. The method of claim 47 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle electronic control module where said at least one command is configured to direct the vehicle electronic control module to store data in an electronic memory associated with the vehicle electronic control module.

49. The method of claim 45 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle computer wherein said step of establishing a communication link includes establishing a wireless communications link between said vehicle electronic control module and the vehicle wheel alignment system.

50. The method of claim 45 for transferring information between a vehicle wheel alignment system and a vehicle computer wherein said step of establishing a communication link includes coupling a data communications cable between said vehicle electronic control module and the vehicle wheel alignment system.