The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 15, 1995
Filed:
Jun. 08, 1993
Timothy A Larson, Ferguson, MO (US);
Hunter Engineering Company, Bridgeton, MO (US);
Abstract
A diagnostic vehicle alignment system includes an electronic controller for guiding a user through a series of diagnostic steps to determine probable causes for particular vehicle symptoms. Vehicle wheel alignment measuring instruments determine the alignment of at least one wheel of the vehicle. An input device is manually operable by a user for providing symptom identification and answers to diagnostic questions. A digital memory stores a set of possible causes for each selectable symptom and also stores diagnostic questions and an identification of diagnostic procedures. The stored diagnostic questions and procedures are preselected to eliminate possible causes of the selected symptom from consideration. A display is provided for displaying diagnostic questions and procedures to the user. The electronic controller is responsive to the selection of a particular symptom to cause the display to display diagnostic questions associated with that symptom to the user as well as the display of instructions to the user to perform diagnostic procedures, and the user uses the input device to interactively supply answers to the diagnostic questions and diagnostic procedure results to the electronic controller. The electronic controller is responsive to user provided input and to information from the vehicle wheel alignment measuring instruments to eliminate at least one possible cause of a symptom from consideration and identify any remaining possible causes of the symptom.