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US 2022/0012912 A1Published application
Method and Apparatus For Placement of ADAS Fixtures During Vehicle Inspection and Service
AssigneeHunter Engineering Company
InventorsBrian M. Cejka, Asher L. Haggard, Daniel R. Dorrance
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A machine-vision vehicle service system, and methods of operation, incorporating at least one gimbaled sensor module configured with at least an optical range finder to acquire measurements associated with physical floor surfaces in proximity to a vehicle undergoing service for guiding corrected placement of ADAS target components relative to an established vehicle floor plane.
Claims15
A method for facilitating placement of vehicle service fixtures relative to a vehicle undergoing service or inspection, comprising:
- establishing a spatial reference frame;
- identifying a location of said vehicle within said spatial reference frame;
- identifying, within said spatial reference frame, a three-dimensional location and spatial orientation of a multi-axis gimbal supporting at least an optical time-of-flight sensor configured to measure distance along a measurement axis;
- selecting within said spatial frame of reference, a location for placement of said vehicle service fixture relative to said vehicle;
- utilizing said multi-axis gimbal three-dimensional location, calculating a spatial orientation for said multi-axis gimbal to align said measurement axis with said selected placement location;
- driving said multi-axis gimbal to said calculated spatial orientation;
- acquiring a measurement of distance to a surface along said measurement axis of said time-of-flight sensor;
- comparing said acquired measurement of distance to said surface with an expected distance between said optical time-of-flight sensor and said selected placement location along said measurement axis;
- responsive to a difference between said acquired measurement of distance and said expected distance exceeding a tolerance, calculating a corrected placement location on said surface by adjusting a vertical elevation of said selected placement location within said spatial reference frame;
- and
- positioning said vehicle service fixture at said corrected placement location.
8 more elements
A method for locating a vehicle service fixture in three-dimensional space relative to a vehicle, comprising:
- establishing a three-dimensional spatial reference frame associated with said vehicle, said three-dimensional spatial reference frame including a two-dimensional floor plane defined relative to said vehicle;
- identifying, within said established spatial reference frame, a three-dimensional location and spatial orientation of a multi-axis gimbal supporting at least an optical time-of-flight sensor configured to measure distance along a measurement axis using a projected point of illumination;
- locating a placement position on said floor plane for placement of a vehicle service fixture base;
- directing placement of said vehicle service fixture base at said located placement position by orienting said optical time-of-flight sensor to project said point of illumination at said located placement position;
- identifying a position within said three-dimensional spatial reference frame for a selected point on said vehicle service fixture when said vehicle service fixture is aligned to a selected orientation relative to said floor plane;
- guiding an orientation of said vehicle service fixture at said placement position to align said selected point with said identified position;
- calculating a vertical elevation for a target element on said vehicle service fixture at said placement position and orientation of said vehicle service fixture within said established spatial frame of reference;
- and
- guiding an adjustment of said target element on said vehicle service fixture to said calculated vertical elevation.
6 more elements
A vehicle ADAS sensor calibration target fixture comprising:
- a base adapted for placement on a floor surface, said base having at least one base reference feature to facilitate positioning;
- a support column operatively coupled to said base by a multi-axis pivoting coupling, said support column having at least one reference surface at a known location;
- an adjustable component carried on said support column, said adjustable component configured for adjustable positioning along said support column and including at least one component reference feature at a known position;
- and
- a target carried by said adjustable component, said target oriented in a facing direction relative to said base.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.