Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-09
2002-12-10
Chin, Gary (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
C701S035000, C340S438000, C340S460000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06493615
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for facilitating the diagnosis and servicing of vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for facilitating the diagnosis and servicing of automotive vehicles wherein a user can access audio data from a storage media via a computer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Traditionally, vehicle owners when concerned about the performance of their vehicle, arrange to bring the subject vehicle to a repair shop. At the repair shop, the vehicle owner is asked to explain to the shop representative the type and location of the suspected problem with the vehicle. All too often however, the owner is unable to replicate in any decipherable manner, the noise or sound that the vehicle is making. Accordingly, time must be spent by shop repairman to first locate and identify the problem, then to repair the problem.
Innovations have been made to reduce the amount of owner input in diagnosing vehicle problems, however, the innovations have involved extremely high tech equipment which must be positioned, and once again, involve the time of the repairman to set up, apply, and interpret the equipment.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for facilitating the diagnosing of vehicle repairs, which is simple to use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system which is inexpensive.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system which minimizes the time required of a repairman.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system which is accurate and reliable.
Numerous innovations for crutches have been provided in the prior art. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a system for facilitating the diagnosis and servicing of vehicles. The system includes a computer in communication with a keyboard and or mouse, a CRT, and a data storage medium. The data storage medium is preferably a CD, although other mediums can be used as well, which contain information specific to the same of similar vehicle as the user. The CD further includes data pertaining to various noises or sounds that the vehicle can make when it is in need of repair. For example, one sound contained on the CD is the grinding sound brakes make when worn. The computer includes at least one speaker for producing audio sounds, such as the grinding of brakes, for listening by the user.
The computer includes an internal memory housing a resident program of instructions. The program presents a series of menu screens displayed on the CRT which allow the user to “point and click” to change screens and select the noise or sound the user wants to listen to. The initial screen displayed on the CRT displays perspective views of a vehicle which, together, allows the user to see the entire exterior of the vehicle, except parts of the undercarriage. The user can point to various positions on the vehicle and click to go to another page providing more detail regarding that area of the vehicle. The areas of the vehicle which can be “pouint and clicked” by the user include the: front right wheel, front left wheel, rear left wheel, rear right wheel, left front door, left rear door, right front door, and right rear door. In addition to the point and click options on the vehicle, the, the initial screen displays a list of selectable links to other screens pertaining to specific areas of the vehicle, including: “Exit”, “Menu of Sounds”, “Engine”, “Exhaust”, “Transmission”, “Front End”, “Rear End”, “Braking”, “Interior”, “Front”, “Middle”, and “Rear”.
Through user seclection, the user can narrow down the area of the vehicle he is interested in, then once the area is located, point and click on the screen to have the a noise produced. The user listens to the noise selected to match the computer generated noise to that which the user heard previously and sought to have inspected for repair. Finally, the user can use the program to clearly relate to the shop the area and noise of the vehicle which may require repair, thereby reducing the amount of time that the repairman is required to locate and diagnose the problem.
The novel features which are considered characteristic for the device are set forth in the appended description. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING
10
—system
12
—computer
14
—program
16
—disk drive
18
—CD
20
—CRT
22
—keyboard
24
—mouse
52
—right front wheel
54
—right rear wheel
56
—left front wheel
58
—left rear wheel
60
—right front door
62
—right rear door
64
—left front door
66
—left rear door
68
—Exit button
70
—Menu of sounds button
74
—Engine button
76
—Exhaust button
78
—Transmission button
80
—Front end button
82
—Rear End button
84
—Braking button
86
—Interior button
88
—Front button
90
—Middle button
92
—Rear button
101
—exhaust manifold leak button
102
—fan belt squeal button
103
—heat shield rattle button
104
—timing tensioner button
105
—exhaust rattle button
106
—transmission rumble button
107
—front wheel bearing roar button
108
—tire noise button
109
—front shock noise button
110
—front end steering stop noise button
111
—rear shock noise button
112
—brake squeal button
113
—brake moan button
114
—brake grind button
115
—squeaky pedal button
116
—glove box rattle button
117
—radio rattle button
118
—window noise button
119
—door window regular loose button
120
—opening door noise
200
—turn page forward button
202
—turn page back button
204
—Braking button
206
—Engine button
208
—Exhaust button
300
—Return to Main Menu button
502
—Main Menu
503
—Menu of Sounds Page
1
504
—Menu of Sounds Page
2
505
—Menu of Sounds Page
3
506
—Menu of Sounds Page
4
507
—Right Front Wheel screen
508
—Right Rear Wheel screen
509
—Left Front Wheel screen
510
—Left Rear Wheel screen
511
—Right Front Door screen
512
—Right Rear Door screen
513
—Left Front Door screen
514
—Left Rear Door screen
515
—Engine Exhaust screen
516
—Transmission screen
517
—Front End screen
518
—Rear End screen
519
—Braking screen
520
—Interior screen
521
—Under Car Front screen
522
—Under Car Middle screen
523
—Under Car Rear screen
REFERENCES:
patent: 4348653 (1982-09-01), Tsuzuki et al.
patent: 4426691 (1984-01-01), Kawasaki
patent: 4839749 (1989-06-01), Franklin
patent: 5436612 (1995-07-01), Aduddell
patent: 5604479 (1997-02-01), Chang
patent: 6072388 (2000-06-01), Kyrtsos
patent: 6198388 (2002-03-01), Chen et al.
Chin Gary
Galgano & Burke
LandOfFree
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