Hands free automotive service system
First Claim
1. In combination with a vehicle wheel alignment system having a central processing unit for controlling the operation of the system, the improvement which comprises:
- a microphone; and
means for converting voice commands received by the microphone into operation instructions which can be processed by the central processing unit;
to control the operation of a component of the wheel alignment system through voice commands.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voice control system for an automotive service system includes a microphone, through which a technician can communicate voice commands to an item of automotive service equipment within the automotive service system, a speech processor module for converting the voice commands into digital instructions which can be processed by a system controller and for converting data from the system controller into synthesized voice audio, and a speaker for communicating the synthesized voice audio to the technician. The system of the present invention may also include a pair of goggles incorporating a heads-up display which displays the data from the system controller by virtual image in the technician'"'"'s forward field of vision without blocking his general forward field of view.
128 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In combination with a vehicle wheel alignment system having a central processing unit for controlling the operation of the system, the improvement which comprises:
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a microphone; and means for converting voice commands received by the microphone into operation instructions which can be processed by the central processing unit; to control the operation of a component of the wheel alignment system through voice commands. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A vehicle wheel alignment system having a central processing unit for controlling the operation of the system, which comprises:
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means in communication with the central processing unit for producing data indicative of the operational steps required to make an adjustment to a vehicle component; means for converting the data into electrical voice audio signals indicative of spoken procedural instructions that vocally guide an operator to perform the adjustment; and a speaker for converting the electrical voice audio signals into voice audio messages that comprise spoken procedural instructions that vocally guide an operator to perform the adjustment; a microphone; and means for converting voice commands received by the microphone into operation instructions which can be processed by the central processing unit to control the operation of a component of the wheel alignment system through voice commands. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In combination with a vehicle wheel alignment system having a controller for controlling the operation of at least one component of the wheel alignment system, the improvement which comprises:
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a microphone; means for converting voice commands received by the microphone into operation instructions for controlling operation of the at least one component of the wheel alignment system, which instructions can be processed by the controller; wearable display for visually displaying data received from the controller; the wearable display comprising goggles which can be worn by a technician; the goggles including means for projecting an image of the data into a forward field of view of the technician; whereby a technician can control the operation of the at least one component of the wheel alignment system through voice commands and receive data therefrom via the wearable display. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A vehicle wheel aligner for guiding an operator in making adjustments to a vehicle in order to bring an alignment measurement of the vehicle to within a known specification, which comprises:
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at least one angle measuring instrument mountable relative to at least one wheel of the vehicle for generating signals representative of the relative angular orientation of the at least one wheel; controller means for determining the alignment measurement from the signals generated by the at least one angle measuring instrument and for producing data indicative of a difference between the alignment measurement and the known specification; means responsive to the data from the controller means for generating electrical voice audio signals indicative of the difference between the alignment measurement and the known specification and further indicative of spoken procedural instructions that vocally guide an operator to perform the adjustment; and a speaker for converting the electrical voice audio signals into audible voice audio messages that comprise spoken procedural instructions that vocally guide an operator to perform the adjustment; wherein the wheel aligner generates voice audio messages indicative of the difference between the alignment measurement and the specification to thereby guide the operator in making the adjustments to bring the alignment measurement to within specification. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for guiding an operator in making adjustments to a vehicle in order to bring an alignment measurement of the vehicle to within a known specification, which comprises:
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measuring the relative angular orientation of at least one wheel of the vehicle; determining the alignment measurement from the angular orientation of the at least one wheel; determining a difference between the alignment measurement and the known specification; and electrically generating a voice audio message indicative of the difference between the alignment measurement and the known specification, such that the voice audio message guides the operator in performing the adjustments by providing spoken procedural instructions. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. In combination with a vehicle wheel alignment having a controller for controlling the operation of the system, the improvement which comprises:
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a microphone; means for converting voice commands received by the microphone into operation instructions for controlling operation of at least one component of the wheel alignment system, which instructions can be processed by the controller; and a wearable display for visually displaying data received from the controller; whereby a technician can control the operation of the wheel alignment system through voice commands and receive data therefrom via the wearable display. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification