# US 12,761,018 B2 · System and method for identification of spatial locations for vehicle ADAS calibration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,761,018 B2 - Document ID: US12761018B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/611,959 - Filed: 2024-03-21 - Published: 2025-06-05 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-05 - Assignees: Hunter Engineering Company - Applicants: Hunter Engineering Company - Inventors: Brian M. Cejka; Daniel R. Dorrance; Michael T. Stieff; Patrick G.J. Callanan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12761018B2 ## CPC - G01B 11/2755: {using photoelectric detection means} - G01S 7/4086: {in a calibrating environment, e.g. anechoic chamber} - G01S 7/497: Means for monitoring or calibrating - G01B 2210/143: One or more cameras on each side of a vehicle in the main embodiment - G01B 2210/283: Beam projectors and related sensors - G01S 13/931: of land vehicles - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A vehicle service system incorporating a pair of gimbal-mounted optical projection systems enables an operator to selectively orient each optical emitter of the optical projection system to illuminate a location on a surface in proximity to the system. Signals indicative of an orientation of each optical emitter about three-axes of rotation are received at a controller programmed with software instructions to utilize the received signals, together with known locations for the systems, to calculate a three-dimensional coordinate for the illuminated location within an established frame of reference. The controller is further programmed to utilize the calculated three-dimensional coordinate of the illuminated location as an origin point for determining one or more placement locations within the established frame of reference for ADAS sensor calibration or alignment targets. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a vehicle service system having a base unit, a support structure affixed to said base unit, and a pair of optical projection systems carried in a spaced arrangement in a common reference frame by said support structure, each optical projection system including an optical projector carried by a multi-axis gimbal mounting structure located at a known location within a common reference frame of a vehicle service area containing a vehicle undergoing a service or inspection, comprising: determining a position and/or orientation of said vehicle within said common reference frame; selecting an origin point on a surface in operative proximity to said pair of optical projection systems, said selected origin point having an unknown position within said common reference frame; projecting a first illuminating beam of light from a first optical projector in said pair along a first projection axis; orienting said first optical projection system by driving a first associated multi-axis gimbal mounting structure to align said first projection axis with said selected origin point such that said first illuminating beam of light illuminates said selected origin point; projecting a second illuminating beam of light from a second optical projector in said pair along a second projection axis; orienting said second optical projection system by driving a second associated multi-axis gimbal mounting structure to align said second projection axis with said selected origin point, such that said second illuminating beam of light illuminates said selected origin point; identifying vectors defined by each of said multi-axis gimbal mounting structures and orientations of said first and second projection axes within said common reference frame; calculating a position of said selected origin point within said common reference frame as an intersection point of said identified vectors; calculating a placement location for an ADAS calibration fixture or target in said common reference frame relative to said vehicle using said determined vehicle position and/or orientation and said position of said selected origin point in said common reference frame; orienting said projection axis of at least one of said optical projection systems by driving said associated multi-axis gimbal mounting structure to align said projection axis with said calculated placement location; illuminating said calculated placement location with at least one of said first and second illuminating beams of light; and placing said ADAS calibration fixture or target at said illuminated placement location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further including receiving, from an operator input, commands selectively directing changes in orientation of said first and second projection axes of said associated optical projection systems to intersect said first and second illuminating beams of light at said selected origin point. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further including observing, with a machine vision optical sensor and a processing system, said selected origin point on said surface; and receiving, from a processing system, commands directing said first and second optical projection systems to alter orientations of said first and second associated projection axes to intersect said first and second illuminating beams of light at said selected origin point. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 further including receiving, at said processing system, data representative of observed points of illumination projected onto said surface by said illuminating beams of light; and utilizing said representative data to refine said directed orientation of at least one of said first and second associated projection axes to intersect said first and second illuminating beams of light to within a tolerance. ### Claim 5 A method for operating a vehicle measurement system consisting of a base unit, a support structure affixed to said base unit, and a pair of optical projection systems carried in a spaced arrangement in a common reference frame by said support structure, each optical projection system including an optical projector carried by a multi-axis gimbal mounting structure located at a known location within a common reference frame, comprising: selecting an origin point on a vehicle undergoing a service or inspection in operative proximity to said vehicle measurement system, said selected origin point having an unknown position within said common reference frame; projecting a first illuminating beam of light from a first optical projector in said pair along a first projection axis; orienting said first optical projection system by driving a first associated multi-axis gimbal mounting structure to align said first projection axis with said selected origin point such that said first illuminating beam of light illuminates said selected origin point; projecting a second illuminating beam of light from a second optical projector in said pair along a second projection axis; orienting said second optical projection system by driving a second associated multi-axis gimbal mounting structure to align said second projection axis with said selected origin point, such that said second illuminating beam of light illuminates said selected origin point; identifying vectors defined by each of said multi-axis gimbal mounting structures and orientations of said first and second projection axes within said common reference frame; calculating a position of said selected origin point within said common reference frame as an intersection point of said identified vectors; determining an orientation of said vehicle; calculating a placement location for an ADAS calibration fixture or target in said common reference frame relative to said vehicle using said determined vehicle orientation and said position of said selected origin point on said vehicle in said common reference frame; orienting said projection axis of at least one of said optical projection systems by driving said associated multi-axis gimbal mounting structure to align said projection axis with said calculated placement location; illuminating said calculated placement location with at least one of said first and second illuminating beams of light; and placing said ADAS calibration fixture or target at said illuminated placement location. ### Claim 6 A method for guiding placement of an ADAS calibration fixture or target relative to a vehicle undergoing an ADAS inspection or calibration, comprising: positioning said vehicle within operative proximity to a pair of optical projectors, wherein each optical projector is carried by an associated multi-axis gimbal mounting structure and located at a determined position within a common reference frame determining an orientation of said vehicle or an axis associated with said vehicle within said common reference frame; selecting an origin point associated with said vehicle, said selected origin point having an unknown position within said common reference frame; projecting a first illuminating beam of light from a first optical projector in said pair along a first projection axis aligned with said selected origin point such that said first illuminating beam of light illuminates said selected origin point; projecting a second illuminating beam of light from a second optical projector in said pair along a second projection axis aligned with said selected origin point, such that said second illuminating beam of light illuminates said selected origin point; identifying vectors defined by said determined positions of said optical projectors and said orientations of said first and second projection axes within said common reference frame; calculating a position of said selected origin point within said common reference frame as an intersection point of said identified vectors; calculating a placement location for an ADAS calibration fixture or target in said common reference frame relative to said vehicle using said determined vehicle orientation and said calculated position of said selected origin point; reorienting said projection axis of at least one of said optical projection systems by driving said associated multi-axis gimbal mounting structure to align said projection axis with said calculated placement location; illuminating said calculated placement location with at least one of said first and second illuminating beams of light; and placing said ADAS calibration fixture or target at said illuminated placement location.