# US 2010/0165332 A1 · Method and Apparatus For Vehicle Service System Optical Target Assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0165332 A1 - Document ID: US20100165332A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/720,453 - Filed: 2010-03-09 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2005-09-28 - Assignees: Hunter Engineering Company - Inventors: Michael T. Stieff; Daniel R. Dorrance; Thomas J. Golab; Mark S. Shylanski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100165332A1 ## CPC - H04N 7/18: Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast - B60R 11/04: Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle - G01B 11/275: for testing wheel alignment - G01B 11/2755: {using photoelectric detection means} - G01B 2210/12: Method or fixture for calibrating the wheel aligner - G01B 2210/14: One or more cameras or other optical devices capable of acquiring a two-dimensional image - G01B 2210/30: Reference markings, reflector, scale or other passive device - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract A method and apparatus for determining the alignment of a vehicle wheel using an optical target attached to the vehicle wheel, the optical target having a dimensionally stable shape and a plurality of target elements arranged in a known geometric and spatial configuration relative to each other. A two-dimensional image of the optical target is acquired by an imaging system to detect a plurality of target element images corresponding to the plurality of target elements arranged on the optical target. A spatial orientation of the optical target and an alignment of the vehicle wheel is then determined from the plurality of target element images and the known geometric and spatial configuration of the plurality of target elements on the optical target. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for determining the alignment of a vehicle wheel, comprising the steps of: attaching an optical target with a dimensionally stable shape to the vehicle wheel, wherein the optical target has thereon a plurality of target elements arranged in a known geometric and spatial configuration relative to each other, and wherein said dimensionally stable shape is a three dimensional shape which includes at least one non-planar surface or smoothly curved surface upon which said plurality of target elements is arranged; detecting, from a two-dimensional image of the optical target acquired by an imaging system, a plurality of target element images corresponding to the plurality of target elements arranged on the surface of the optical target; and determining the alignment of the vehicle wheel based on a spatial orientation of the optical target identified from the plurality of target element images and the known geometric and spatial configuration of the plurality of target elements on the optical target. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the alignment of the vehicle wheel comprises the step of detecting an image feature of at least one target element image. ### Claim 3 A method for determining the alignment of a vehicle wheel, comprising the steps of: securing an optical target with a dimensionally stable shape to said vehicle wheel, said optical target having thereon a plurality of target elements arranged in a known geometric and spatial configuration relative to each other on at least two surfaces; acquiring a two-dimensional image of the optical target using at least one imaging sensor; utilizing the acquired image of the optical target to determine wheel alignment based on the optical target. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 for determining the alignment of a vehicle wheel wherein said at least two surfaces are angled relative to each other, and wherein said acquired two-dimensional image includes images of at least one target element arranged on each of said two surfaces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 for determining the alignment of a vehicle wheel wherein said acquired two-dimensional image of the optical target includes target element images of target elements on at least two separate surfaces of said optical target; and wherein said step of utilizing the acquired image of the optical target further utilizes said target element images to determine wheel alignment based on the optical target. ### Claim 6 A system for determining the alignment of a vehicle wheel, comprising: an optical target for attachment to a vehicle wheel, wherein the optical target has at least two surfaces with a plurality of target elements arranged thereon in geometric and spatial configurations relative to each other; an imaging system for acquiring two-dimensional images of the optical target; a target element feature detecting system for detecting, from said acquired images, a plurality of target element image corresponding to at least some of the plurality of target elements, including at least one target element from a first surface, and at least one target element from a second surface; and a wheel alignment system processing unit for determining the alignment of the vehicle wheel based on a spatial orientation of the optical target determined in accordance with the detected target element images and the geometric and spatial configuration of the target elements on the optical target surfaces. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein said target elements are arranged in known geometric and spatial configurations relative to each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein said wheel alignment system processing unit is configured to determine the geometric and spatial configurations of the target elements on the optical target surfaces from said acquired images prior to determining the spatial orientation of the optical target. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein said imaging system includes a plurality of imaging sensors configured to acquire said images of the optical target. ### Claim 10 A method for determining a measurement relating to an object, comprising the steps of: associating an optical target with the object, wherein the optical target has at least two surfaces with a plurality of target elements arranged thereon in geometric and spatial configurations relative to each other; detecting, from at least one two-dimensional image of the optical target acquired by at least one imaging sensor, a plurality of target element images corresponding to at least some of the plurality of target elements, including at least one target element from a first surface, and at least one target element from a second surface; and determining the measurements relating to the object based on a spatial orientation of the optical target identified from the target element images and the geometric and spatial configuration of the target elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein said target elements are arranged in known geometric and spatial configurations relative to each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further including the step of determining the geometric and spatial configurations of the target elements on the optical target surfaces from said detected plurality of target element images prior to determining the measurements relating to the object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein said plurality of target element images are detected from a plurality of two-dimensional images of the optical target acquired by at least one imaging sensor, said optical target images representative of at least two different rotational positions of the optical target.