Patents by Inventor Darwin Y. CHEN
Darwin Y. CHEN has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20200320739Abstract: A wheel alignment system includes a side-to-side reference including an active reference pod and a passive reference pod disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle. The active reference pod includes a reference image sensor fixedly attached to a reference target, for mounting on a first side of the vehicle such that the reference image sensor produces image data including a perspective representation of the passive reference pod disposed on a second/opposite side of the vehicle. In operation, alignment cameras on the opposite sides of the vehicle capture perspective representations of targets mounted to vehicle wheels and of targets of the active and passive reference pods. A computer processes the image data to compute an alignment measurement of the vehicle based on a spatial relationship between the active reference pod and the passive reference pod determined according to the image data produced by the reference image sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2020Publication date: October 8, 2020Applicant: Snap-On IncorporatedInventors: Joel A. KUNERT, Darwin Y. CHEN, George M. GILL, Brian K. GRAY, Steven W. ROGERS, Ronald D. SWAYNE, David A. JACKSON, Rodney HARRELL, Robert J. D'AGOSTINO, Bryan C. MINOR, Eric R. SELLERS, Sean P. LECRONE, Larry D. KLOTZ, Jonathan A. SPERRY
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Patent number: 10692241Abstract: A wheel alignment system includes a side-to-side reference including an active reference pod and a passive reference pod disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle. The active reference pod includes a reference image sensor fixedly attached to a reference target, for mounting on a first side of the vehicle such that the reference image sensor produces image data including a perspective representation of the passive reference pod disposed on a second/opposite side of the vehicle. In operation, alignment cameras on the opposite sides of the vehicle capture perspective representations of targets mounted to vehicle wheels and of targets of the active and passive reference pods. A computer processes the image data to compute an alignment measurement of the vehicle based on a spatial relationship between the active reference pod and the passive reference pod determined according to the image data produced by the reference image sensor.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2019Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Joel A. Kunert, Darwin Y. Chen, George M. Gill, Brian K. Gray, Steven W. Rogers, Ronald D. Swayne, David A. Jackson, Rodney Harrell, Robert J. D'Agostino, Bryan C. Minor, Eric R. Sellers, Sean P. Lecrone, Larry D. Klotz, Jonathan A. Sperry
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Publication number: 20190279396Abstract: A wheel alignment system includes a side-to-side reference including an active reference pod and a passive reference pod disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle. The active reference pod includes a reference image sensor fixedly attached to a reference target, for mounting on a first side of the vehicle such that the reference image sensor produces image data including a perspective representation of the passive reference pod disposed on a second/opposite side of the vehicle. In operation, alignment cameras on the opposite sides of the vehicle capture perspective representations of targets mounted to vehicle wheels and of targets of the active and passive reference pods. A computer processes the image data to compute an alignment measurement of the vehicle based on a spatial relationship between the active reference pod and the passive reference pod determined according to the image data produced by the reference image sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Joel A. Kunert, Darwin Y. Chen, George M. Gill, Brian K. Gray, Steven W. Rogers, Ronald D. Swayne, David A. Jackson, Rodney Harrell, Robert J. D'Agostino, Bryan C. Minor, Eric R. Sellers, Sean P. Lecrone, Larry D. Klotz, Jonathan A. Sperry
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Publication number: 20190279395Abstract: A wheel alignment system includes a side-to-side reference including an active reference pod and a passive reference pod disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle. The active reference pod includes a reference image sensor fixedly attached to a reference target, for mounting on a first side of the vehicle such that the reference image sensor produces image data including a perspective representation of the passive reference pod disposed on a second/opposite side of the vehicle. In operation, alignment cameras on the opposite sides of the vehicle capture perspective representations of targets mounted to vehicle wheels and of targets of the active and passive reference pods. A computer processes the image data to compute an alignment measurement of the vehicle based on a spatial relationship between the active reference pod and the passive reference pod determined according to the image data produced by the reference image sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Joel A. KUNERT, Darwin Y. CHEN, George M. GILL, Brian K. GRAY, Steven W. ROGERS, Ronald D. SWAYNE, David A. JACKSON, Rodney HARRELL, Robert J. D'AGOSTINO, Bryan C. MINOR, Eric R. SELLERS, Sean P. LECRONE, Larry D. KLOTZ, Jonathan A. SPERRY
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Publication number: 20190222723Abstract: A portable vehicle alignment system is provided having two base tower assemblies, each having a pedestal, a columnar tower removably attachable to the top of the pedestal, and a camera pod movable along a length of the tower; and a data processor with a wireless communication device for processing image data from the camera pods. Each camera pod includes a camera for capturing image data of a target mounted on a vehicle, and a communication device for wirelessly communicating with the data processor. One pod has a calibration target and the other pod has a calibration camera for capturing images of the calibration target. The pedestals each have a manually-operated clamp for removably fixedly attaching the tower to the pedestal in one of a plurality of positions such that the orientation of the camera pod to the pedestal is angularly adjustable, allowing horizontal rotation of the camera pod.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2019Publication date: July 18, 2019Inventors: James Rodney Harrell, Brian K. Gray, David A. Jackson, Ronald D. Swayne, Darwin Y. Chen, Bryan C. Minor
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Patent number: 10347006Abstract: A wheel alignment system includes a side-to-side reference including an active reference pod and a passive reference pod disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle. The active reference pod includes a reference image sensor fixedly attached to a reference target, for mounting on a first side of the vehicle such that the reference image sensor produces image data including a perspective representation of the passive reference pod disposed on a second/opposite side of the vehicle. In operation, alignment cameras on the opposite sides of the vehicle capture perspective representations of targets mounted to vehicle wheels and of targets of the active and passive reference pods. A computer processes the image data to compute an alignment measurement of the vehicle based on a spatial relationship between the active reference pod and the passive reference pod determined according to the image data produced by the reference image sensor.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2017Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Joel A. Kunert, Darwin Y. Chen, George M. Gill, Brian K. Gray, Steven W. Rogers, Ronald D. Swayne, David A. Jackson, Rodney Harrell, Robert J. D'Agostino, Bryan C. Minor, Eric R. Sellers, Sean P. Lecrone, Larry D. Klotz, Jonathan A. Sperry
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Patent number: 10298814Abstract: A portable vehicle alignment system is provided having two base tower assemblies, each having a pedestal, a columnar tower removably attachable to the top of the pedestal, and a camera pod movable along a length of the tower; and a data processor with a wireless communication device for processing image data from the camera pods. Each camera pod includes a camera for capturing image data of a target mounted on a vehicle, and a communication device for wirelessly communicating with the data processor. One pod has a calibration target and the other pod has a calibration camera for capturing images of the calibration target. The pedestals each have a manually-operated clamp for removably fixedly attaching the tower to the pedestal in one of a plurality of positions such that the orientation of the camera pod to the pedestal is angularly adjustable, allowing horizontal rotation of the camera pod.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2014Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: SNAP-ON IncorporatedInventors: Rodney Harrell, Brian K. Gray, David A. Jackson, Ronald D. Swayne, Darwin Y. Chen, Bryan C. Minor
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Publication number: 20180053320Abstract: A wheel alignment system includes a side-to-side reference including an active reference pod and a passive reference pod disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle. The active reference pod includes a reference image sensor fixedly attached to a reference target, for mounting on a first side of the vehicle such that the reference image sensor produces image data including a perspective representation of the passive reference pod disposed on a second/opposite side of the vehicle. In operation, alignment cameras on the opposite sides of the vehicle capture perspective representations of targets mounted to vehicle wheels and of targets of the active and passive reference pods. A computer processes the image data to compute an alignment measurement of the vehicle based on a spatial relationship between the active reference pod and the passive reference pod determined according to the image data produced by the reference image sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2017Publication date: February 22, 2018Inventors: Joel A. KUNERT, Darwin Y. CHEN, George M. GILL, Brian K. GRAY, Steven W. ROGERS, Ronald D. SWAYNE, David A. JACKSON, Rodney HARRELL, Robert J. D'AGOSTINO, Bryan C. MINOR, Eric R. SELLERS, Sean P. LECRONE, Larry D. KLOTZ, Jonathan A. SPERRY
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Publication number: 20150049188Abstract: A portable vehicle alignment system is provided having two base tower assemblies, each having a pedestal, a columnar tower removably attachable to the top of the pedestal, and a camera pod movable along a length of the tower; and a data processor with a wireless communication device for processing image data from the camera pods. Each camera pod includes a camera for capturing image data of a target mounted on a vehicle, and a communication device for wirelessly communicating with the data processor. One pod has a calibration target and the other pod has a calibration camera for capturing images of the calibration target. The pedestals each have a manually-operated clamp for removably fixedly attaching the tower to the pedestal in one of a plurality of positions such that the orientation of the camera pod to the pedestal is angularly adjustable, allowing horizontal rotation of the camera pod.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2014Publication date: February 19, 2015Inventors: Rodney HARRELL, Brian K. GRAY, David A. JACKSON, Ronald D. SWAYNE, Darwin Y. CHEN, Bryan C. MINOR
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Patent number: 8693286Abstract: A position measurement apparatus and methodology is provided. Embodiments include a probe including an acoustic signal source, an optical signal source, and a probe processor for driving the signal sources such that the signals of the acoustic source and the optical source have a known temporal relationship to each other. A receiver receives the optical and acoustic signals, and a processor communicates with and controls the probe and the receiver, and processes data from the receiver. The acoustic signal source is a sinusoidally varying acoustic energy source, and the acoustic signal received by the receiver comprises a sinusoidal signal. The processor correlates the received sinusoidal signal to a mathematical reference sinusoidal signal, and determines a specific cycle and a specific phase as a time of flight measurement point based on the correlation.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2010Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Snap-On IncorporatedInventors: Steve W. Rogers, Darwin Y. Chen, Eric F. Bryan, Adam C. Brown
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Publication number: 20130191771Abstract: A vehicle measurement system that provides highly realistic guidance to perform a vehicle measurement procedure is described. An exemplary system includes a data storage device configured to store vehicle data for a plurality of vehicles. The vehicle data corresponding to each respective vehicle includes an image of the vehicle and information of predefined points on the vehicle to which emitters or targets should be attached for performing a vehicle measurement procedure. A user interface is provided to receive a user input identifying a vehicle under test. After the user identifies a vehicle under test, the system retrieves vehicle data corresponding to the vehicle under test from the data storage device; and displays the image of the vehicle under test on the display with the predefined points on the vehicle identified.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2013Publication date: July 25, 2013Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Darwin Y. CHEN, Joel A. KUNERT, Brian A. WALESA, Rajani K. PULAPA
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Patent number: 8413341Abstract: A vehicle measurement system that provides highly realistic guidance to perform a vehicle measurement procedure is described. An exemplary system includes a data storage device configured to store vehicle data for a plurality of vehicles. The vehicle data corresponding to each respective vehicle includes an image of the vehicle and information of predefined points on the vehicle to which emitters or targets should be attached for performing a vehicle measurement procedure. A user interface is provided to receive a user input identifying a vehicle under test. After the user identifies a vehicle under test, the system retrieves vehicle data corresponding to the vehicle under test from the data storage device; and displays the image of the vehicle under test on the display with the predefined points on the vehicle identified.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2009Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Snap-On IncorporatedInventors: Darwin Y. Chen, Joel A. Kunert, Brian A. Walesa, Rajani K. Pulapa
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Publication number: 20100328060Abstract: A vehicle measurement system that provides highly realistic guidance to perform a vehicle measurement procedure is described. An exemplary system includes a data storage device configured to store vehicle data for a plurality of vehicles. The vehicle data corresponding to each respective vehicle includes an image of the vehicle and information of predefined points on the vehicle to which emitters or targets should be attached for performing a vehicle measurement procedure. A user interface is provided to receive a user input identifying a vehicle under test. After the user identifies a vehicle under test, the system retrieves vehicle data corresponding to the vehicle under test from the data storage device; and displays the image of the vehicle under test on the display with the predefined points on the vehicle identified.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Darwin Y. CHEN, Joel A. KUNERT, Brian A. WALESA, Rajani K. PULAPA