Diagnosis of wheel alignment using GPS
First Claim
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1. Method to monitor alignment of wheels of a vehicle through analysis of a GPS signal, the method comprising:
- monitoring the GPS signal;
employing a processor to determine an actual trajectory of the vehicle based upon the GPS signal;
monitoring a vehicle sensor indicating an expected change in vehicle heading;
determining an expected trajectory of the vehicle based upon the vehicle sensor; and
indicating misalignment of the wheels of the vehicle based upon a comparison of the trajectories.
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Abstract
A method to monitor alignment of wheels of a vehicle through analysis of a GPS signal includes monitoring the GPS signal, determining an actual trajectory of the vehicle based upon the GPS signal, monitoring a vehicle sensor indicating an expected change in vehicle heading, determining an expected trajectory of the vehicle based upon the vehicle sensor, and indicating misalignment of the wheels of the vehicle based upon a comparison of the trajectories.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. Method to monitor alignment of wheels of a vehicle through analysis of a GPS signal, the method comprising:
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monitoring the GPS signal; employing a processor to determine an actual trajectory of the vehicle based upon the GPS signal; monitoring a vehicle sensor indicating an expected change in vehicle heading; determining an expected trajectory of the vehicle based upon the vehicle sensor; and indicating misalignment of the wheels of the vehicle based upon a comparison of the trajectories. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Method to monitor alignment of wheels of a vehicle through analysis of a GPS signal, the method comprising:
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monitoring the GPS signal; periodically correcting a signal output from a yaw rate sensor based upon the GPS signal; employing a processor to determine an actual yaw rate of the vehicle based upon the corrected signal output from the yaw rate sensor; monitoring a vehicle sensor indicating an expected change in vehicle heading; determining an expected yaw rate of the vehicle based upon the vehicle sensor indicating the expected change in vehicle heading; comparing the expected yaw rate and the actual yaw rate; and indicating misalignment of the wheels of the vehicle based upon the comparing.
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15. Apparatus to monitor alignment of wheels of a vehicle through analysis of a GPS signal, the apparatus comprising:
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a steering wheel angle sensor; a vehicle speed sensor; a GPS device; a control module; monitoring a GPS signal from the GPS device; determining an actual trajectory of the vehicle based upon the GPS signal; monitoring the steering wheel angle sensor; monitoring the vehicle speed sensor; determining an expected trajectory of the vehicle based upon the steering wheel angle sensor and the vehicle speed sensor; and indicating misalignment of the wheels of the vehicle based upon comparison of the trajectories. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification