Quotables
"There is practically no chance communications space satellites will be used to provide better telephone, telegraph, television, or radio service inside the United States."
T. Craven, FCC Commissioner ; 1961
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8111387 | Methods and systems for wheel profile measurement Methods and systems for determining a parameter of a vehicle wheel are provided. The vehicle wheel is mounted on a shaft having an axis of rotation. The method includes projecting a pattern onto the wheel wherein the pattern includes a plurality of discrete opticall... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8061200 | Method and apparatus for determining imbalance correction weight amounts for application during vehicle wheel balancing A method for reducing imbalance correction weight usage during a balancing operation of a vehicle wheel assembly. An imbalance of the vehicle wheel assembly is initially determined and utilized together with an established acceptable threshold of imbalance for the v... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8033028 | Method and apparatus for vehicle service system optical target assembly A method and apparatus for determining the alignment of a vehicle wheel using an optical target attached to the vehicle wheel, the optical target having a dimensionally stable shape and a plurality of visible features defining target elements arranged in a known geo... | 10/11/2011 |
| 7974806 | Method for rolling compensation with wheel-mounted sensors A method for compensating axial misalignment between wheel-mounted alignment sensors and an axis of rotation for an associated wheel. The method compensates sensors mounted to each wheel of a vehicle simultaneously, without requiring jacking of the vehicle wheels ab... | 07/05/2011 |
| D639837 | Machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system camera support structure | 06/14/2011 |
| 7930834 | Method and apparatus for vehicle service system optical target assembly A method and apparatus for determining the alignment of a vehicle wheel using an optical target attached to the vehicle wheel, the optical target having a dimensionally stable shape and a plurality of target elements arranged in a known geometric and spatial configu... | 04/26/2011 |
| D636003 | Vehicle wheel target mount assembly | 04/12/2011 |
| 7881879 | Methods and systems for wheel balancer matching and flat spot correction Methods and systems for a computer implemented method of analyzing a vehicle wheel assembly including a tire and a rim is provided. The method includes removably mounting a wheel assembly on a shaft having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about the longitudin... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7869018 | Method and apparatus for evaluating vehicle reference planes A method and apparatus for comparing reference planes during a vehicle wheel alignment procedure using a machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system. The machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system is configured to acquire position and orientation data associate... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7810244 | Vehicle wheel optical target mounting assembly A machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system optical target assembly which incorporates an adaptor for attachment of an optical target to a vehicle wheel assembly. The adaptor includes a circular sinusoidal edge for seating in a non-determined position against su... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7808627 | Method for directing a controlled movement of a vehicle component Methods for facilitating controlled movement of at least one vehicle wheel. The methods include the step of presenting a display of information, such as by visual display or audible signals, to an operator to direct a manual controlled-speed movement of the vehicle ... | 10/05/2010 |
| 7735367 | Vehicle wheel balancer system with projection display A wheel balancer includes a microprocessor configured to receive data associated with a vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly imbalance from at least one sensor, and to identify optimal correction weight plane locations, as well as to present the operator with the imb... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7703212 | Method and apparatus for vehicle service system optical target assembly A machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system optical target assembly incorporating an adaptor for attachment of an optical target to a vehicle wheel assembly. The adaptor includes at least three contact points for abutment against surfaces of a vehicle wheel asse... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7702126 | Vehicle lift measurement system A method and apparatus for utilizing a machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system to measure an orientation of one or more vehicle supporting surfaces of a vehicle lift system, and to measure and compensate one or more vehicle measurements relative to the vehicle... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7686403 | Methods and systems for balancing spoked wheels using weight behind a single spoke Methods and systems for reducing imbalance in a wheel assembly are provided. The method includes determining an imbalance characteristic associated with a first plane, determining an imbalance characteristic associated with a second plane, and translating a componen... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7681478 | Method and apparatus for resurfacing brake rotors The present invention relates to automotive vehicle brake lathes configured for resurfacing brake rotor components, and in particular, to an improved on-car brake lathe apparatus and a method for reducing vibrations during resurfacing of brake rotor components with ... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7658108 | Method and apparatus for selection of balancer static imbalance correction mode A method for measuring the imbalance characteristics of a rotating body, and for determining if an application of at least one imbalance correction weight in only one of two identified imbalance correction weight planes is sufficient to reduce the measured imbalance... | 02/09/2010 |
| 7640832 | Method and apparatus for resurfacing brake rotors The present invention relates to automotive vehicle brake lathes configured for resurfacing brake rotor components, and in particular, to an improved on-car brake lathe apparatus and a method for compensating for runout between an on-car brake lathe and a vehicle wh... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7617726 | Method and apparatus for vehicle wheel balancer imbalance correction weight type selection A method of operation of a vehicle wheel balancer system for identifying an imbalance correction weight mode which an operator desires to utilize during an imbalance correction procedure without requiring the operator to manually input or select an imbalance correct... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7594436 | Method for determining an imbalance condition of a rotating body A method for measuring imbalance forces in a rotating body, and for determining if an application of imbalance correction weights is required to compensate for the measured imbalance forces. ... | 09/29/2009 |
| 7583372 | Machine vision vehicle wheel alignment image processing methods A method of the present invention provides methods for processing images of vehicle wheel assemblies acquired during vehicle service procedures to determine vehicle wheel assembly pose components, from which vehicle wheel alignment angles may be calculated. ... | 09/01/2009 |
| 7538864 | Vehicle wheel alignment system scanned beam imaging sensor A vehicle wheel alignment sensor for a machine-vision vehicle wheel alignment system comprising a scanned beam camera incorporating an illumination source, a means for deflecting light emitted by the illumination source along a path within a field of view, and a det... | 05/26/2009 |
| 7536936 | Vehicle brake lathe with variable speed motor The present invention relates to on-car brake lathes configured for resurfacing brake rotor components, and in particular, to improved on-car brake lathes configured with a drive system for controlling a rotational direction of an output spindle during a brake rotor... | 05/26/2009 |
| 7518714 | Vehicle service system with variable-lens imaging sensors A optical imaging sensor assembly for a machine-vision vehicle service system comprising a variable lens optical assembly. The variable lens optical assembly is controlled in response to direction from a vehicle service software application to alter an optical chara... | 04/14/2009 |
| 7495755 | Vehicle tire changing system with imaging components An improved vehicle tire changing system for servicing a vehicle wheel assembly consisting of a tire and rim, configured with one or more imaging sensors to accurately measure distances, dimensions, and characteristics of features associated with a vehicle wheel ass... | 02/24/2009 |
| 7454841 | Method and apparatus for wheel alignment system target projection and illumination A machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system configured with at least one cameras for acquiring images of the wheels of a vehicle, and an associated light projectors configured to project a pattern image onto the surfaces of vehicle components such as vehicle whe... | 11/25/2008 |
| 7453559 | Vehicle lift reference system for movable machine-vision alignment system sensors A method for enabling a vehicle wheel alignment system to compensate an imaging sensor coordinate system for changes associated with adjustments to the pose of an imaging sensor, following movement of a vehicle lift mechanism supporting a vehicle undergoing a vehicl... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7444752 | Method and apparatus for vehicle service system optical target A machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system optical target assembly incorporating an adaptor for attachment of an optical target to a vehicle wheel assembly. The adaptor includes at least three contact points for abutment against surfaces of a vehicle wheel asse... | 11/04/2008 |
| 7404427 | Vehicle tire changer with integrated detector for tire pressure sensors An improved vehicle wheel tire changing system having a tire mount/dismount head coupled to an articulating tire mount/dismount arm assembly and a tire pressure sensor system which is configured to detect the presence of a tire pressure monitoring system sensor, mou... | 07/29/2008 |
| D570888 | Vehicle wheel balancer console bezel | 06/10/2008 |
| 7382913 | Method and apparatus for guiding placement of vehicle service fixtures A machine vision system is configured to facilitate placement of a vehicle service apparatus relative to an associated vehicle. The machine vision system is configured to utilize images of optical targets received from one or more cameras to guide the placement of t... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7359775 | Method and apparatus for information transfer in vehicle service systems A vehicle service system having a vehicle service computer which is configured for communication with at least one on-board vehicle computer of a vehicle undergoing a vehicle service procedure via a vehicle fault tolerant communication bus, to retrieve or access inf... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7355687 | Method and apparatus for vehicle service system with imaging components An improved vehicle wheel service system for servicing a vehicle wheel assembly, configured with one or more imaging sensors to accurately measure distances, dimensions, and characteristics of features associated with a vehicle wheel assembly undergoing a service. | 04/08/2008 |
| 7353610 | Wheel component centering system for vehicle service devices A system and method for centered mounting of a rotating body upon a spindle shaft. The system includes a set of double low-tapers cones arranged and identified according to size. A guide is provided to identify an appropriate cone from the set for a given rotating b... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7334510 | Vehicle brake lathe with variable speed motor The present invention relates to on-car brake lathes configured for resurfacing brake rotor components, and in particular, to improved on-car brake lathes configured with a controlled variable speed drive system. ... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7336350 | Wheel alignment apparatus and method utilizing three-dimensional imaging A vehicle wheel alignment system utilizing a non-contact range finding system in conjunction with one or more optical imaging sensors to acquire images of a fixed target, fixed random object, or the vehicle wheels, from which three-dimensional information related to... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7328614 | Vehicle wheel balancer system A method for providing a centering check for a rotating body mounted on a wheel balancer which is based on measuring at least one imbalance parameter or tire runout of the rotating body. The rotating body is mounted on a spindle of the wheel balancer and an imbalanc... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7328124 | Apparatus and method for measuring and compensating steering-angle sensitive alignment measurements A method for measuring and compensating steered-angle sensitive wheel alignment angle and distance measurements for the effects of steering a wheel from a straight ahead position, thereby enabling an operator to carry out a vehicle wheel alignment angle adjustment w... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7320248 | Method and apparatus for determining imbalance correction weights for a rotating body A method for measuring the imbalance characteristics of a rotating body, and for determining if an application of imbalance correction weights is required to reduce the measured imbalance characteristics to an acceptable residual imbalance level. ... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7308971 | Turn plate and slip plate centering and locking mechanism A vehicle support system runway with a movable surface for supporting the wheels of a vehicle in such a manner as to permit a limited range of translational motion about a centered position, having an automatic centering and locking system. The centering and locking... | 12/18/2007 |
