Patents by Inventor Timothy G. Ruther

Timothy G. Ruther 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).

  • Patent number: 8560168
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for transmitting obtained vehicle diagnostic data to a separate display device. The method includes a first vehicle diagnostic device obtaining vehicle diagnostic data via a vehicle interface to a diagnostic port of a vehicle, determining whether a direct wireless connection with one or more display devices is available, and determining whether an indirect wireless connection with the one or more display devices is available via a second separate vehicle diagnostic device. Responsive to a further determination, the vehicle diagnostic device may transmit the obtained diagnostic data to the one or more display devices via the second separate vehicle diagnostic device. The further determination may be based on one or more of wireless connectivity status, power level status, transmission power requirements, or other facts or determinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy G. Ruther, Carl J. Krzystofczyk
  • Patent number: 8463953
    Abstract: A system comprising multiple devices that are operable when servicing a device-under service is described. A data acquisition (DAQ) device and a scanner device of the system are operable to acquire data from the device-under-service and to transmit the acquired data to a display device of the system. The DAQ device can operate in a local-control mode in which selection of DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the DAQ device. The DAQ device can operate in a remote-control mode in which selection of a DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the display device. The multiple devices may communicate with each other via one or more wireless network via one or more air interface protocols. Each device of the system may operate as a stand-alone device or in combination with multiple devices of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert E. Davis, Michel B. Alberry, Timothy G. Ruther, Anthony J. Cichy
  • Publication number: 20120046824
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for transmitting obtained vehicle diagnostic data to a separate display device. The method includes a first vehicle diagnostic device obtaining vehicle diagnostic data via a vehicle interface to a diagnostic port of a vehicle, determining whether a direct wireless connection with one or more display devices is available, and determining whether an indirect wireless connection with the one or more display devices is available via a second separate vehicle diagnostic device. Responsive to a further determination, the vehicle diagnostic device may transmit the obtained diagnostic data to the one or more display devices via the second separate vehicle diagnostic device. The further determination may be based on one or more of wireless connectivity status, power level status, transmission power requirements, or other facts or determinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Timothy G. Ruther, Carl Krzystofczyk
  • Publication number: 20120044052
    Abstract: A system comprising multiple devices that are operable when servicing a device-under service is described. A data acquisition (DAQ) device and a vehicle scanner device of the system are operable to acquire data from the device-under-service and to transmit the acquired data to a display device of the system. The DAQ device can operate in a local-control mode in which selection of DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the DAQ device. The DAQ device can operate in a remote-control mode in which selection of a DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the display device. The multiple devices may communicate with each other via one or more wireless network via one or more air interface protocols. Each device of the system may operate as a stand-alone device or in combination with multiple devices of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert E. Davis, Michel B. Alberry, Timothy G. Ruther, Anthony J. Cichy
  • Publication number: 20120044086
    Abstract: A system comprising multiple devices that are operable when servicing a device-under service is described. A DAQ device is operable to generate input data from input signals received from the device-under-service and to transmit the input data to a display device via a wireless network. The DAQ device comprises multiple buffers to store the input data. One of the buffers stores two frames of the input data, which can be live input data or historical input data. At any one time, a display at the display device visually presents one frame of input data for each respective input channel of the DAQ device. At any one time, a display at the DAQ device visually presents a half-frame of input data for each respective input channel of the DAQ device. Another buffer at the DAQ device can store more than two frames of input data including historical input data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy G. Ruther, Ronald A. Lattanzi
  • Publication number: 20120047291
    Abstract: A system comprising multiple devices that are operable when servicing a device-under service is described. A data acquisition (DAQ) device and a scanner device of the system are operable to acquire data from the device-under-service and to transmit the acquired data to a display device of the system. The DAQ device can operate in a local-control mode in which selection of DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the DAQ device. The DAQ device can operate in a remote-control mode in which selection of a DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the display device. The multiple devices may communicate with each other via one or more wireless network via one or more air interface protocols. Each device of the system may operate as a stand-alone device or in combination with multiple devices of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert E. Davis, Michel B. Alberry, Timothy G. Ruther, Anthony J. Cichy
  • Publication number: 20120046825
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for retrieving and transmitting vehicle diagnostic data from a vehicle to a display device. The method includes receiving vehicle diagnostic data via a vehicle interface to a diagnostic port of a vehicle and monitoring a status of a wireless interface for transmitting the vehicle diagnostic data to a display device. Responsive to detecting a break in wireless connectivity with the display device via the wireless interface, stopping routing of the vehicle diagnostic data from the vehicle interface to the wireless interface and instead beginning routing of the vehicle diagnostic data to a local storage. An external indication of a break in connectivity may also be provided. Once wireless connectivity is restored, incoming vehicle diagnostic data may be stored in the local storage while simultaneously reading stored vehicle diagnostic data from the local storage and transmitting it via the wireless interface to the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Timothy G. Ruther, Carl Krzystofczyk
  • Publication number: 20120046807
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for detecting and responding to a potential theft of a display device and/or vehicle diagnostic device in a modular vehicle diagnostic system. Display devices and/or vehicle diagnostic devices may monitor a status of a wireless communications link between them and, responsive to detecting a break in the link, execute one or more anti-theft responses. Furthermore, a display device may maintain a whitelist and/or be in communications with an authentication and anti-theft server, and may determine whether to execute an anti-theft response and/or accept a connection request from a new vehicle diagnostic device based on the whitelist contents and/or based on a response from the server. Anti-theft responses may include sounding an alarm, ceasing function and/or locking up, reporting a potential theft, transmitting a location of the potentially stolen device, or other responses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Timothy G. Ruther, Carl Krzystofczyk
  • Patent number: 6879919
    Abstract: Peak capture circuitry for measuring a peak value of a waveform characterized by a first portion having a first rate of change and a second portion having a relatively faster rate of change. Peak stretching circuitry stretches a portion of the waveform as a function of time. Digital signal processing circuitry samples an output waveform of the peak stretching circuitry for determining the peak value. Thus, despite any steeply sloped portion, samples can be reliably taken throughout the waveform for calculation of peak value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas D. Loewe, Yosuf M. Taraki, James A. Panko, Timothy G. Ruther
  • Publication number: 20030163265
    Abstract: Peak capture circuitry for measuring a peak value of a waveform characterized by a first portion having a first rate of change and a second portion having a relatively faster rate of change. Peak stretching circuitry stretches a portion of the waveform as a function of time. Digital signal processing circuitry samples an output waveform of the peak stretching circuitry for determining the peak value. Thus, despite any steeply sloped portion, samples can be reliably taken throughout the waveform for calculation of peak value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas D. Loewe, Yosuf M. Taraki, James A. Panko, Timothy G. Ruther