Patents by Inventor Jacob G. Foreman
Jacob G. Foreman 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: 20250232619Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a computing device, textual vehicle service content. The method further includes identifying, by the computing device, a vehicle scan tool function relevant to associated text at a location within the textual vehicle service content. The method additionally includes modifying, by the computing device, the textual vehicle service content to include a selectable link at the location of the associated text, wherein the selectable link is selectable to initialize a vehicle scan tool to perform the identified vehicle scan tool function on a vehicle. The method also includes providing, by the computing device, the modified textual vehicle service content including the selectable link.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2025Publication date: July 17, 2025Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Brett A. Kelley
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Publication number: 20250147970Abstract: An example method includes receiving a first service procedure including a plurality of procedural steps for servicing a vehicle, identifying at least one procedural step of the plurality of procedural steps to supplement with supplemental service information, receiving information about vehicles sharing one or more attributes with the vehicle, determining at least one piece of supplemental service information to supplement the at least one identified procedural step, and providing a supplemented service procedure comprising the first service procedure with the at least one piece of supplemental service information included with the at least one identified procedural step.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2025Publication date: May 8, 2025Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Jacob G. Foreman, Todd Mercer
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Patent number: 12293616Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a computing device, textual vehicle service content. The method further includes identifying, by the computing device, a vehicle scan tool function relevant to associated text at a location within the textual vehicle service content. The method additionally includes modifying, by the computing device, the textual vehicle service content to include a selectable link at the location of the associated text, wherein the selectable link is selectable to initialize a vehicle scan tool to perform the identified vehicle scan tool function on a vehicle. The method also includes providing, by the computing device, the modified textual vehicle service content including the selectable link.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2022Date of Patent: May 6, 2025Assignee: Snap-on IncorporatedInventors: Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Brett A. Kelley
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Publication number: 20250118118Abstract: A method and system for servicing a vehicle using PID facet selectors. The method includes outputting a GUI including a PID facet selector and a first PID group container including sub-containers corresponding to a respective PID. The method includes requesting PIDs and outputting, within the GUI, parameter values received in response to the request(s). Each parameter corresponds to one of the PIDs. The method includes outputting, within the GUI in response to the selection of the PID facet selector, a second set of containers including a second PID group container including sub-containers corresponding to a respective PID. The method includes outputting, within the GUI, parameter values received in response to a second portion of the requests. Each parameter value received in response to the second portion of the requests corresponds to one of the PIDs within the second PID group.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2023Publication date: April 10, 2025Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Jacob G. Foreman, Brett A. Kelley
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Patent number: 12259699Abstract: A method includes determining a test drive script (TDS) to perform while a tool monitors an electronic system in a mobile machine during a test drive of the mobile machine. The TDS includes an ordered sequence of drive cycle procedures (DCPs). The ordered sequence of DCPs begins with an initial DCP and ends with a final DCP. Each DCP is indicative of a respective mobile machine state. The TDS includes a first particular DCP associated with both a first particular mobile machine state and a first condition pertaining to the first particular mobile machine state. The method also includes outputting a representation of at least a portion of the TDS. Additionally, the method includes determining and outputting one or more of: status information corresponding to achieving the first particular mobile machine state or status information corresponding to achieving the first condition pertaining to the first particular mobile machine state.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2022Date of Patent: March 25, 2025Assignee: Snap-on IncorporatedInventors: Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Kahlil H. Cacabelos, Joseph R. Grammatico, Brett A. Kelley, Joshua C. Covington
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Publication number: 20250095422Abstract: An example method includes determining identifying information for a vehicle to be serviced. The method further includes receiving at least one symptom identifier for the vehicle. The method further includes sending a request over a communication network to a remote server for a PID filter list for the vehicle, the request comprising the identifying information for the vehicle and the at least one symptom identifier for the vehicle. The method additionally includes receiving a response to the request over the communication network from the remote server, the response comprising the PID filter list for the vehicle. The method further includes determining, based on the PID filter list for the vehicle, a symptom-based subset of PIDs for the vehicle from a set of available PIDs. The method additionally includes displaying, on a display interface, the symptom-based subset of PIDs for the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2024Publication date: March 20, 2025Inventors: Bradley R. Lewis, Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Joshua C. Covington, Brett A. Kelley, Steven E. Miskovic
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Publication number: 20250069450Abstract: A method performed by a first computing system includes receiving, from a second computing system, a message identifying a symptom of a first vehicle; and sending a repair tip to the second computing system. The repair tip includes a first phrase describing a first procedure performed on a second vehicle that exhibited the symptom, wherein the first procedure performed on the second vehicle yielded a result insufficient to determine that a component of the second vehicle associated with the symptom is defective. The repair tip also includes a second phrase describing a second procedure performed on a given vehicle, wherein the given vehicle is either (i) the second vehicle or (ii) a third vehicle that also exhibited the symptom, wherein the second procedure performed on the given vehicle yielded a result sufficient to determine that a component of the given vehicle associated with the symptom is defective.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2024Publication date: February 27, 2025Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Jacob G. Foreman
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Patent number: 12229149Abstract: An example method includes receiving a first service procedure including a plurality of procedural steps for servicing a vehicle, identifying at least one procedural step of the plurality of procedural steps to supplement with supplemental service information, receiving information about vehicles sharing one or more attributes with the vehicle, determining at least one piece of supplemental service information to supplement the at least one identified procedural step, and providing a supplemented service procedure comprising the first service procedure with the at least one piece of supplemental service information included with the at least one identified procedural step.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Patrick S. Merg, Jacob G. Foreman, Todd Mercer
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Publication number: 20250053147Abstract: A method includes determining a test drive script (TDS) to perform while a tool monitors an electronic system in a mobile machine during a test drive of the mobile machine. The TDS includes an ordered sequence of drive cycle procedures (DCPs). The ordered sequence of DCPs begins with an initial DCP and ends with a final DCP. Each DCP is indicative of a respective mobile machine state. The TDS includes a first particular DCP associated with both a first particular mobile machine state and a first condition pertaining to the first particular mobile machine state. The method also includes outputting a representation of at least a portion of the TDS. Additionally, the method includes determining and outputting one or more of: status information corresponding to achieving the first particular mobile machine state or status information corresponding to achieving the first condition pertaining to the first particular mobile machine state.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2024Publication date: February 13, 2025Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Kahlil H. Cacabelos, Joseph R. Grammatico, Brett A. Kelley, Joshua C. Covington
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Publication number: 20250029073Abstract: Methods and systems for using natural language processing and machine-learning algorithms to process vehicle-service data to generate metadata regarding the vehicle-service data are described herein. A processor can discover vehicle-service data that can be clustered together based on the vehicle-service data having common characteristics. The clustered vehicle-service data can be classified (e.g., categorized) into any one of a plurality of categories. One of the categories can be for clustered vehicle-service data that is tip-worthy (e.g., determined to include data worthy of generating vehicle-service content (e.g., a repair hint). Another category can track instances of vehicle-service data that are considered to be common to an instance of vehicle-service data classified into the tip-worthy category. The vehicle-service data can be collected from repair orders from a plurality of repair shops. The vehicle-service content generated by the systems can be provided to those or other repair shops.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2024Publication date: January 23, 2025Inventors: Bradley R. Lewis, Patrick S. Merg, Brett A. Kelley, Jacob G. Foreman
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Publication number: 20250014399Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a vehicle scan tool, a request for automated vehicle scan tool initialization, the request comprising a function identifier for a vehicle scan tool function and a vehicle identifier for a vehicle, where the vehicle scan tool is configured to display at least one navigable menu. The method additionally includes determining a current operating state of the vehicle scan tool. Based on the current operating state of the vehicle scan tool, the method further includes making a determination to initialize the vehicle scan tool according to the request for automated vehicle scan tool initialization. In response to making the determination, the method also includes using the function identifier and the vehicle identifier to initialize the vehicle scan tool to perform the vehicle scan tool function on the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2024Publication date: January 9, 2025Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Brett A. Kelley
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Method and system for configuring user-selectable controls corresponding to certified user functions
Publication number: 20250005125Abstract: A method comprising determining a user interface (e.g., a GUI) selected to be used at a computer includes a user-selectable control (USC) corresponding to a certified user function (CUF). The computer includes program instructions executable to perform the CUF. The method includes determining whether a user identifier, received at the computer, corresponds to a certification credential for the CUF. The method also includes configuring the USC based on whether the user identifier corresponds to the certification credential. Configuring the USC includes enabling the USC if the user identifier corresponds to the certification credential, or deprecating the USC if the user identifier does not correspond to the certification credential. Enabling the USC configures the USC to be usable to trigger execution of the program instructions to perform the CUF. Deprecating the USC configures the USC to be unusable to trigger execution of the program instructions to perform the CUF.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2023Publication date: January 2, 2025Inventors: Damien J. Coleman, Joshua C. Covington, Jacob G. Foreman -
Patent number: 12175812Abstract: A method performed by a first computing system includes receiving, from a second computing system, a message identifying a symptom of a first vehicle; and sending a repair tip to the second computing system. The repair tip includes a first phrase describing a first procedure performed on a second vehicle that exhibited the symptom, wherein the first procedure performed on the second vehicle yielded a result insufficient to determine that a component of the second vehicle associated with the symptom is defective. The repair tip also includes a second phrase describing a second procedure performed on a given vehicle, wherein the given vehicle is either (i) the second vehicle or (ii) a third vehicle that also exhibited the symptom, wherein the second procedure performed on the given vehicle yielded a result sufficient to determine that a component of the given vehicle associated with the symptom is defective.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2023Date of Patent: December 24, 2024Assignee: Snap-on IncorporatedInventors: Patrick S. Merg, Jacob G. Foreman
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Patent number: 12175814Abstract: An example method includes determining identifying information for a vehicle to be serviced. The method further includes receiving at least one symptom identifier for the vehicle. The method further includes sending a request over a communication network to a remote server for a PID filter list for the vehicle, the request comprising the identifying information for the vehicle and the at least one symptom identifier for the vehicle. The method additionally includes receiving a response to the request over the communication network from the remote server, the response comprising the PID filter list for the vehicle. The method further includes determining, based on the PID filter list for the vehicle, a symptom-based subset of PIDs for the vehicle from a set of available PIDs. The method additionally includes displaying, on a display interface, the symptom-based subset of PIDs for the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2023Date of Patent: December 24, 2024Assignee: Snap-on IncorporatedInventors: Bradley R. Lewis, Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Joshua C. Covington, Brett A. Kelley, Steven E. Miskovic
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Publication number: 20240420521Abstract: An example method for outputting a PID filter list (PFL) includes: receiving RO data from one or more ROs that indicate particular vehicle identifying information (PVII), at least one symptom identifier, and a particular vehicle component; determining, symptom-to-parameter-identifier (PID) mapping data (MD) based on the received RO data and component-to-PID MD; determining, based on the set of available PIDs for the SOV and the symptom-to-PID MD, a PFL, wherein the PFL is associated with the PVII and the at least one symptom identifier, and wherein the PFL indicates a symptom-based subset of PIDs from the set of available PIDs for the SOV; receiving, a request sent over a communication network from a display device, wherein the request comprises the PVII and the at least one symptom identifier; and transmitting, over the communication network to the display device, a response to the request, the response comprising the PFL.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2024Publication date: December 19, 2024Inventors: Bradley R. Lewis, Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Joshua C. Covington, Brett A. Kelley, Steven E. Miskovic
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Patent number: 12141761Abstract: Methods and systems for using natural language processing and machine-learning algorithms to process vehicle-service data to generate metadata regarding the vehicle-service data are described herein. A processor can discover vehicle-service data that can be clustered together based on the vehicle-service data having common characteristics. The clustered vehicle-service data can be classified (e.g., categorized) into any one of a plurality of categories. One of the categories can be for clustered vehicle-service data that is tip-worthy (e.g., determined to include data worthy of generating vehicle-service content (e.g., a repair hint). Another category can track instances of vehicle-service data that are considered to be common to an instance of vehicle-service data classified into the tip-worthy category. The vehicle-service data can be collected from repair orders from a plurality of repair shops. The vehicle-service content generated by the systems can be provided to those or other repair shops.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2023Date of Patent: November 12, 2024Assignee: Snap-on IncorporatedInventors: Bradley R. Lewis, Patrick S. Merg, Brett A. Kelley, Jacob G. Foreman
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Publication number: 20240354717Abstract: A method and system for generating and outputting a real-fix tip (RFT) augmented with a pointer to additional content. The additional content may be relevant to any of a complaint, vehicle, cause of complaint, how the cause for complaint was discovered, and service-operation performed on the vehicle to resolve the complaint. The RFT may include a complaint, cause, and correction, and may be stored within a database containing repair orders that include complaints, causes, and corrections regarding various vehicles. A processor may generate the RFT after determining a threshold number of RO with a common complaint, vehicle, cause, and correction. A processor may search the database for the RFT based on a complaint and vehicle, display a list of RFT located during the search, display an RFT selected from the list, obtain additional content pointed to by a pointer in the RFT, and output the additional content to a display.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2024Publication date: October 24, 2024Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Jacob G. Foreman, Joshua C. Covington
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Patent number: 12112589Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a vehicle scan tool, a request for automated vehicle scan tool initialization, the request comprising a function identifier for a vehicle scan tool function and a vehicle identifier for a vehicle, where the vehicle scan tool is configured to display at least one navigable menu. The method additionally includes determining a current operating state of the vehicle scan tool. Based on the current operating state of the vehicle scan tool, the method further includes making a determination to initialize the vehicle scan tool according to the request for automated vehicle scan tool initialization. In response to making the determination, the method also includes using the function identifier and the vehicle identifier to initialize the vehicle scan tool to perform the vehicle scan tool function on the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2018Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: Snap-on IncorporatedInventors: Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Brett A. Kelley
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Publication number: 20240331463Abstract: A diagnostic tool includes a processor, display, and memory storing instructions to perform scan tool functions (STF) including transmitting a message to a vehicle. The STF include first STF for a first system of the vehicle. Additional stored instructions are executable to display a first user-interface screen (UIS) including a first user-selectable control (USC) including an indicator of a first scanner job performable on the vehicle, and to display a second UIS instead of the first UIS in response to a selection of the first USC. The second UIS incudes: a second USC including an indicator of the first STF for the first system of the vehicle, and guidance for performing a procedure of the first scanner job. The stored instructions are executable to transmit a first vehicle data message to a component of the first system in response to a selection of the second USC.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2024Publication date: October 3, 2024Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Jacob G. Foreman, Roy S. Brozovich, Joseph R. Grammatico, Joshua C. Covington
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Patent number: 12106615Abstract: An example method for outputting a PID filter list (PFL) includes: receiving RO data from one or more ROs that indicate particular vehicle identifying information (PVII), at least one symptom identifier, and a particular vehicle component; determining, symptom-to-parameter-identifier (PID) mapping data (MD) based on the received RO data and component-to-PID MD; determining, based on the set of available PIDs for the SOV and the symptom-to-PID MD, a PFL, wherein the PFL is associated with the PVII and the at least one symptom identifier, and wherein the PFL indicates a symptom-based subset of PIDs from the set of available PIDs for the SOV; receiving, a request sent over a communication network from a display device, wherein the request comprises the PVII and the at least one symptom identifier; and transmitting, over the communication network to the display device, a response to the request, the response comprising the PFL.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2023Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: Snap-on IncorporatedInventors: Bradley R. Lewis, Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Joshua C. Covington, Brett A. Kelley, Steven E. Miskovic