Method and apparatus for wheel alignment
AssigneeSnap-on Incorporated
InventorsThomas L. Kassouf, Stephen L. Glickman, David A. Jackson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle wheel alignment method and system is provided. A three-dimensional target is attached to a vehicle wheel known to be in alignment. The three-dimensional target has multiple target elements thereon, each of which has known geometric characteristics and 3D spatial relationship with one another.
Claims20
A method for determining the alignment of a motor vehicle wheel, comprising the steps of:
- attaching a three-dimensional target on the vehicle wheel, wherein the three-dimensional target has thereon a plurality of target elements having known geometric characteristics and being configured in 3D space in accordance with known three-dimensional relationships with each other;
- detecting, from a 2D image of the three-dimensional target acquired by at least one camera, a plurality of target element images corresponding to the plurality of target elements;
- and
- determining the alignment of the wheel based on a spatial orientation of the three-dimensional target determined based on the target element images and the three-dimensional relationships among the target elements.
A method for determining the alignment of a motor vehicle wheel, comprising the steps of:
- attaching a three-dimensional target on a vehicle, wherein the three-dimensional target has thereon a plurality of target elements having known geometric characteristics and being configured in 3D space in accordance with known three-dimensional relationships with each other;
- acquiring a 2D image of the three-dimensional target using at least one camera;
- and
- utilizing the 2D image of the three-dimensional target to determine wheel alignment based on the three-dimensional target.
A system for determining the alignment of a motor vehicle wheel, comprising:
- a three-dimensional target for attachment to a vehicle wheel, wherein the three-dimensional target has thereon a plurality of target elements having known geometric characteristics and being configured in 3D space in accordance with known three-dimensional relationships with each other;
- a 2D imaging system for acquiring a 2D image of the three dimensional target;
- a target element feature detecting system for detecting, from the 2D image, a plurality of target element images corresponding to the plurality of target elements;
- and
- a wheel alignment determination system for determining the alignment of the vehicle wheel based on a spatial orientation of the three-dimensional target determined in accordance with the detected target element images and the three-dimensional relationships among the target elements.
A system for determining the alignment of a motor vehicle wheel, comprising:
- a three-dimensional target attachable to a wheel to be aligned, wherein the three-dimensional target has thereon a plurality of target elements having known geometric characteristics and being configured in 3D space in accordance with known three-dimensional relationships with each other;
- an imaging system, having at least one camera, capable of acquiring a 2D image of the three dimensional target;
- and
- a wheel orientation determination system configured for utilizing the 2D image of the three-dimensional target to determine wheel orientation based on the three-dimensional target.
A method for determining a measurement relating to an object, comprising the steps of:
- associating a three-dimensional target with the object, wherein the three-dimensional target has thereon a plurality of target elements having known geometric characteristics and being configured in 3D space in accordance with known three-dimensional relationships with each other;
- detecting, from a 2D image of the three-dimensional target acquired by at least one camera, a plurality of target element images corresponding to the plurality of target elements;
- and
- determining the measurement relating to the object based on a spatial orientation of the three-dimensional target determined based on the target element images and the three-dimensional relationships among the target elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.