Integrated automated vehicle analysis
First Claim
1. An integrated automotive diagnosis, repair and invoicing system comprising:
- a technician terminal including means for displaying a plurality of inspection screens, means for inputting inspection results, and means for generating an inspection report;
a point-of-sale terminal coupled to the technician terminal, the point-of-sale terminal including means for generating a cost estimate report in response to the generation of the inspection report;
a printer coupled to the point-of-sale terminal for printing the cost estimate report; and
a database system coupled to the technician terminal and to the point-of-sale terminal, the data base system comprising;
an inspection guidelines database comprising inspection guidelines, said technician terminal including means for selectively displaying the inspection guidelines,a specifications database comprising vehicle specifications, the technician terminal including means for comparing the vehicle specifications with the inspection results, and means for generating the inspection report in response to the means for comparing,a parts and labor database comprising part costs, the means for generating the cost estimate report accessing the parts and labor database in response to the inspection report and generating the cost estimate report in response to the accessing of the parts and labor database.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated highly automated vehicle analysis system employs a technician terminal for displaying a plurality of inspection screens, and for entering inspection results. The technician terminal generates an inspection report after the inspection results have been input. A point-of-sale terminal is used to generate a cost estimate report in response to the generation of the inspection report and also generates an invoice report. The system includes a plurality of databases, including an inspection guideline database, a specifications database (containing vehicle specifications), a customer/inspection database (containing prior inspection records), and a parts catalog database (containing part numbers and part costs).
204 Citations
35 Claims
-
1. An integrated automotive diagnosis, repair and invoicing system comprising:
-
a technician terminal including means for displaying a plurality of inspection screens, means for inputting inspection results, and means for generating an inspection report; a point-of-sale terminal coupled to the technician terminal, the point-of-sale terminal including means for generating a cost estimate report in response to the generation of the inspection report; a printer coupled to the point-of-sale terminal for printing the cost estimate report; and a database system coupled to the technician terminal and to the point-of-sale terminal, the data base system comprising; an inspection guidelines database comprising inspection guidelines, said technician terminal including means for selectively displaying the inspection guidelines, a specifications database comprising vehicle specifications, the technician terminal including means for comparing the vehicle specifications with the inspection results, and means for generating the inspection report in response to the means for comparing, a parts and labor database comprising part costs, the means for generating the cost estimate report accessing the parts and labor database in response to the inspection report and generating the cost estimate report in response to the accessing of the parts and labor database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An integrated automotive diagnosis, repair and invoicing system comprising:
-
a first terminal located in a garage area where a vehicle may be parked for inspection, said first terminal including first computer means for processing and displaying a plurality of inspection screens, input means for inputting inspection results, and report means for generating an inspection report; a second terminal networked to the first terminal located within a point-of-sale area proximate the garage area, said second terminal including second computer means for generating a cost estimate report responsive to said inspection report and for generating an invoice report, input means for inputting selection data and repair data, and print means for printing the cost estimate report; a database system networked to the first and second terminals comprising inspection guidelines, vehicle specifications, part and labor costs, and memory storage; program control means for controlling and coordinating the operation of said first and second terminals and database system in a way that; (a) prompts a user of the first terminal to identify a vehicle to be inspected by make, model number and year, and further prompts the user what to inspect on the identified vehicle, requires the user to input inspection results, compares the inspection results to vehicle specifications, and generates the inspection report based on differences between the inspection results and vehicle specifications, the inspection report including a list of (i) mandatory repairs that must be made to correct problems with the vehicle that are not within specification, and (ii) recommended repairs that address problems that are still within specification but which are within a specified tolerance of not being in specification, (b) in response to the inspection report, generates the cost estimate report, which cost estimate report provides a cost estimate of how much it should cost to perform the mandatory and recommended repairs, and thereby helps an owner of the vehicle to decide which of the mandatory and recommended repairs should be performed, and (c) allows a user of the first terminal to selectively retrieve repair information from the database system that prompts the user of the first terminal how to perform repairs indicated by the selection data for the identified vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. In an integrated diagnosis, repair and invoicing system, a method including:
-
selecting a make, model and year of a vehicle using a first computer system; retrieving a measurement/specification for the vehicle, having been selected, from a measurements/specifications database; prompting a user of the first computer system to conduct an inspection of the vehicle and to enter an inspection result into the first computer system; comparing the inspection result with the measurement/specification, having been retrieved, so as to determine whether the inspection result is outside a first prescribed tolerance of the measurement/specification, having been retrieved; generating an inspection report that indicates whether the inspection result is outside the first prescribed tolerance of the measurement/specification; communicating the inspection report to a second computer system; generating, within the second computer system, a cost estimate report in response to the inspection report in the event the inspection result is outside the first prescribed tolerance of the measurement/specification, the cost estimate report indicating an expected cost of repair; and generating, within the second computer system, an invoice report indicating a cost charged for repair of the vehicle, the invoice report being generated in response to the cost estimate report. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. An integrated inspection system for self-propelled vehicles comprising:
-
a video display; a computer coupled to the video display, the computer including means for causing display information to be displayed on the video display; an input means for inputting input information into the computer, the input means being coupled to the computer; a housing enclosing the computer; a database system coupled to the computer, the data base system comprising; a specifications database comprising vehicle specifications, the computer including means for comparing the specifications with the input information, and means for generating an inspection report in response to the means for comparing; and a shop manual database comprising instructions for making selected repairs on specified vehicles, the computer including means for signaling the video display to display the instructions on the video display. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
Specification