Device, Method and Computer Program Product for Inspecting Motor Vehicles

A method for inspecting a motor vehicle comprising:

• checking an identification of the motor vehicle to be inspected and authorizing access of the motor vehicle into a housing of the device when the motor vehicle is registered for access;
• substantially centering the motor vehicle in the housing of the device by means of first guide rails mounted on a bottom plate of the device on both sides of an entrance of the housing and second guide rails mounted on the bottom plate of the device on both sides of an exit of the housing, and thereby positioning the motor vehicle with respect to image capturing devices mounted to holders at a frame of the housing;
• detecting entry of the motor vehicle into the housing of the device, turning on at least one lighting means, and activating a plurality of image capturing devices;
• simultaneously capturing at least one image of at least a top side, a front side, a rear side, a left side and a right side of the motor vehicle in the housing of the device in each case by means of the plurality of image capturing devices which are divided into a plurality of groups;
• storing captured images of at least the top side, the front side, the rear side, the left side and the right side of the motor vehicle or storing the captured images of at least the top side, the front side, the rear side, the left side and the right side of the motor vehicle and comparing the captured images with previously stored images of the motor vehicle;
• and
• creating a report based on inspection of the captured images of the at least top side, front side, rear side, left side and right side of the motor vehicle or based on comparison between the captured images of the at least top side, front side, rear side, left side and right side of the motor vehicle and the previously stored images of the motor vehicle.

A computer program product provided on a non-transitory and computer -readable medium and causing a computer for a device for inspecting a motor vehicle to obtain data from the motor vehicle to be inspected by means of the device, the computer program product being configured to carry out the following steps:

• detecting an identification of the motor vehicle to be inspected at an entrance control of a housing of the device and comparing the identification with stored identifications in a database assigned to the computer;
• authorizing an entry of the motor vehicle into the housing of the device if the identification matches one of the stored identifications;
• forming captured images by capturing at least a top side, a front side, a rear side, a left side and a right side of the motor vehicle in the device by means of a plurality of image capturing devices, which are divided into a plurality of groups and mounted at a frame of the housing by holders for the plurality of the image capturing devices;
• transmitting at least the captured images to the compute to retrieve a data record of images from the database, wherein the data record is assigned to the motor vehicle, and wherein the computer compares or stores the data record of the images with the captured images of the motor vehicle;
• and
• issuing a report for comparison, and storing the report in the database.

A device for inspecting motor vehicles, the device comprising:

• a bottom plate;
• a housing comprise of a frame mounted on the bottom plate;
• image capturing devices mounted to the frame of the housing and being divided into a plurality of groups and being at least arranged such that:
• a first group of the image capturing devices images a top side of the motor vehicle,
• a second group of the image capturing devices images an underside of the motor vehicle, wherein the image capturing devices are arranged in a bottom plate between guide means,
• a third group of the image capturing devices images a front side of the motor vehicle, wherein the image capturing devices are located at an exit of the housing of the device,
• a fourth group of the image capturing devices images a rear side of the motor vehicle, wherein the image capturing devices are located at an entrance housing of the housing of the device;
• a fifth group of the image capturing devices images a left side of the motor vehicle,
• a sixth group of the image capturing devices images a right side of the motor vehicle;
• at least one lighting means arranged in the housing with respect to the image capturing devices to provide standardized illumination conditions for the motor vehicle;
• first guide rails mounted on the bottom plate so that they are arranged at both sides of an entrance of the housing;
• and
• second guide rails mounted on the bottom plate, so that they are arranged on both sides of an exit of the housing, wherein the first and the second guide rails form a lateral boundary of the device in order to center the motor vehicle in the housing and to position the motor vehicle with respect to the image recording devices.