Radio frequency identification automotive service systems
AssigneeHunter Engineering Company
InventorsDavid Voeller, Joel Clasquin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved automotive vehicle service system incorporating an RFID interrogator to exchange data with one or more RFID transponders or tags associated with a vehicle undergoing service, or with a component of a vehicle undergoing service. The automotive vehicle service system is configured to utilize data received through the RFID interrogator from the RFID transponders or tags during a vehicle service procedure. Optionally, the automotive vehicle service system is configured to store data associated with a vehicle service procedure in an RFID transponder or tag associated with a vehicle undergoing service, or with a component of a vehicle undergoing service.
Claims38
An improved automotive service system having a computer configured with at least one software application to carry out one or more vehicle service procedures, one or more input devices operatively coupled to the computer, one or more display devices operatively coupled to the computer, and one or more vehicle service devices coupled to the computer, the improvement comprising:
- at least one RFID interrogator operatively coupled to the computer, said RFID interrogator including an antenna configured to receive data over a wireless communications link with one or more RFID transponders;
- wherein the computer is further configured to control said RFID interrogator;
- and
- wherein the computer is further configured to utilize said RFID interrogator to retrieve stored data from the one or more RFID transponders to facilitate the completion of one or more vehicle service procedures.
An improved method for servicing an automotive vehicle utilizing an automotive service system having a computer configured with at least one software application to carry out one or more vehicle service procedures, one or more input devices operatively coupled to the computer, one or more display devices operatively coupled to the computer, one or more vehicle service devices coupled to the computer, and at least one RFID interrogator operatively coupled to the computer, the RFID interrogator including an antenna configured to receive data over a wireless communications link with one or more RFID transponders, comprising the steps of:
- utilizing the RFID interrogator to retrieve stored data from one or more RFID transponders in proximity to the automotive service system;
- and
- utilizing the retrieved stored data to facilitate the completion of one or more automotive service procedures.
An improved automotive service system having a computer, one or more input devices operatively coupled to the computer, one or more display devices operatively coupled to the computer, and one or more vehicle service devices coupled to the computer, the improvement comprising:
- at least one RFID interrogator configured to exchange data with said computer, said RFID interrogator adapted to retrieve, over a wireless communications link, stored data from one or more RFID transponders;
- and
- wherein the computer is configured to utilize stored data from said RFID interrogator to facilitate the completion of one or more vehicle service procedures.
An improved method for servicing an automotive vehicle utilizing an automotive service system having a computer, one or more input devices operatively coupled to the computer, one or more display devices operatively coupled to the computer, one or more vehicle service devices coupled to the computer, and at least one RFID interrogator operatively coupled to the computer, the RFID interrogator including an antenna configured to exchange data over a wireless communications link with one or more RFID transponders, comprising the steps of:
- utilizing the RFID interrogator to retrieve data from one or more RFID transponders;
- conveying the retrieved data from the RFID interrogator to the computer;
- and
- utilizing, in the computer, the retrieved data to facilitate the completion of one or more automotive service procedures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.