Contactless wheel measurement system and method
AssigneeInternational Electronic Machines Corp.
InventorsZahid F. Mian, Ronald W. Gamache, Robert MacAllister
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a wheel measurement method and system to measure an attribute of a wheel. Light illumination devices and light sensing devices provide wheel data. A computer then performs a calculation on the wheel data to measure the attribute of the wheel.
Claims50
A method of measuring an attribute of a wheel having a first side and a second side, the method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining wheel data by:
- illuminating a first portion of the first side of the wheel with a first plurality of paths of light from a first light illumination device;
- and
- sensing wheel data based on a first reflection of the first plurality of paths of light from the wheel;
- and
- performing a calculation on the wheel data to measure the attribute of the wheel.
A wheel measurement system for measuring an attribute of a wheel having a first side and a second side, the wheel measurement system comprising:
- a light measuring system for obtaining wheel data with light, the light measuring system including:
- a first light illumination device on the first side of the wheel for illuminating a first portion of the wheel with a first plurality of paths of light;
- and
- a first light sensing device for sensing a first reflection of the first plurality of paths of light from the wheel and generating the wheel data;
- and
- a control unit, in communication with the light measuring system, for measuring the attribute of the wheel from the wheel data.
A wheel measurement system for measuring an attribute of a wheel having a first side and a second side, the wheel measurement system comprising:
- means for obtaining wheel data with light, the means for obtaining wheel data including:
- means for illuminating a first portion of the first side of the wheel with a first plurality of paths of light from a single light illumination device;
- and
- means for sensing heel data based on a first reflection of the first plurality of paths of light from the wheel;
- and
- means for measuring an attribute of the wheel using the wheel data, wherein the means for measuring includes:
- means for determining if the wheel data includes a bad data point;
- and
- means for ignoring the determined bad data point to measure the attribute of the wheel.
A method of determining a start time for measuring an attribute of a wheel on a rail that supports the wheel with a measuring device, the method comprising the steps of:
- attaching a first magnetic sensor to the rail;
- attaching a second magnetic sensor to the rail wherein the second magnetic sensor is a known distance from the first magnetic sensor and a known distance from the measuring device;
- determining a first period that the wheel is detected by the first magnetic sensor;
- determining a second period that the wheel is detected by the second magnetic sensor;
- and
- calculating the start time for measuring using the first period, the second period and the known distance from the measuring device.
A method of measuring an attribute of a wheel using a path of light, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a brightness of the wheel using a first system;
- adjusting a brightness of a path of light based on the brightness of the wheel, wherein the path of light is generated using a second system that is independent of the first system;
- illuminating a portion of the wheel with the path of light;
- sensing wheel data based on a reflection of the path of light from the wheel;
- and
- performing a calculation on the wheel data to measure the attribute of the wheel.
A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for measuring an attribute of a wheel, the program product comprising:
- program code configured to control a light illumination device for illuminating the wheel with a plurality of paths of light;
- program code configured to control a light sensing device that obtains wheel data based on a sensed reflection;
- and
- program code configured to perform a calculation on the wheel data to measure the attribute of the wheel, wherein the program code configured to perform a calculation includes:
- program code configured to determine if the wheel data includes a bad data point;
- and
- program code configured to ignore the determined bad data point to measure the attribute of the wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.