Wheel aligner with advanced diagnostics and no-stop positioning

• US 10,670,392 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2019
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Rogers, Steven W., Jackson, David A., Lewis, Bradley, Brown, Adam C., D'Agostino, Robert J., Sellers, Eric R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US16/656,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20200049494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 228 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/00 Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 17/00 Means on vehicles for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/275 for testing wheel alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2755 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/12 Method or fixture for calibrating the wheel aligner
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/14 One or more cameras or other optical devices capable of acquiring a two-dimensional image
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/26 Algorithms, instructions, databases, computerized methods and graphical user interfaces employed by a user in conjunction with the wheel aligner
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/30 Reference markings, reflector, scale or other passive device
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/013 Wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30164 Workpiece; Machine component
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/00 Scenes; Scene-specific elements control of digital cameras H04N23/60
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicle wheel alignment system has a plurality of cameras, each camera for viewing a respective target disposed at a respective wheel of the vehicle and capturing image data of the target as the wheel and target are continuously rotated a number of degrees of rotation without a pause. The image data is used to calculate a minimum number of poses of the target of at least one pose for every five degrees of rotation as the wheel and target are continuously rotated the number of degrees of rotation without a pause. At least one of the cameras comprises a data processor for performing the steps of preprocessing the image data, and calculating an alignment parameter for the vehicle based on the preprocessed image data.

Claims

1. A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising:

at least one camera for viewing a respective set of a plurality of three-dimensional points on a respective wheel of the vehicle and capturing image data of the set of points as the wheel is continuously rotated a number of degrees of rotation without a pause,

wherein the image data is used to calculate a plural minimum number of poses of the wheel as the wheel is continuously rotated the number of degrees of rotation without a pause; and

wherein the at least one camera comprises a data processor for performing the steps of preprocessing the image data, and calculating an alignment parameter for the vehicle based on the preprocessed image data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processor is for serving a user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processor is for calculating a change in an alignment parameter for the vehicle wheel based on the preprocessed image data, and for analyzing the change in the alignment parameter to detect an error.

4. The system of claim 3, where the detected error includes at least one of (a) vehicle wheel axis precession;

(b) surface flatness errors of a surface of an alignment rack on which the vehicle wheels rotate;

(c) plate slipping errors of a plate which comprises part of the surface of the alignment rack; and

(d) stress in a suspension of the vehicle beyond predetermined rest conditions.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the data processor is for attempting to correct or compensate for detected problems (a)-(d).

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the data processor is for alerting a user of the system if the processor cannot correct the detected problems.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processor is for:

detecting, at least in part based on the image data, at least one of (e) instability of the at least one camera; and

(f) excessive vehicle thrust angle changes.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the data processor is for attempting to correct or compensate for detected problems (e)-(f).

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the data processor is for alerting a user of the system if the processor cannot correct the detected problems.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein calculating the poses comprises (g) acquiring, as a first wheel is rotating, a first pose of the first wheel, (h) storing the first pose when the first pose is different from previously stored poses of the first wheel to a predetermined degree, (i) repeating steps (g) and (h) when the first wheel has been rotated less than a minimum number of degrees of rotation;

and (j) performing steps (g) through (i) for all the wheels of the vehicle having a set of three-dimensional points.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the minimum number of poses of the wheel is stored.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the minimum number of poses of the wheel comprises at least one pose for every five degrees of rotation captured by the at least one camera as the wheel is continuously rotated the number of degrees of rotation without a pause.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of three-dimensional points are rigidly attached to a respective wheel.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the three-dimensional points comprises textured features on the wheel.

15. A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising:

at least one camera for viewing a respective target disposed at a respective wheel of the vehicle and capturing image data of the target as the wheel and target are continuously rotated a number of degrees of rotation without a pause,

wherein the image data is used to calculate a minimum number of poses of the target as the wheel and target are continuously rotated the number of degrees of rotation without a pause; and

wherein the at least one camera comprises a data processor for performing the steps of;

preprocessing the image data; and

calculating an alignment parameter for the vehicle based on the preprocessed image data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data processor of the at least one camera is for serving a user interface.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the data processor is for calculating a change in an alignment parameter for the vehicle wheel based on the preprocessed image data, and for analyzing the change in the alignment parameter to detect an error.

18. The system of claim 17, where the detected error includes at least one of (a) vehicle wheel axis precession;

(b) surface flatness errors of a surface of an alignment rack on which the vehicle wheels and targets rotate;

(c) plate slipping errors of a plate which comprises part of the surface of the alignment rack; and

(d) stress in a suspension of the vehicle beyond predetermined rest conditions.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the data processor is for attempting to correct or compensate for detected problems (a)-(d).

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the data processor is for alerting a user of the system if the processor cannot correct the detected problems.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the data processor is for:

detecting, at least in part based on the image data, at least one of (e) instability of the at least one camera; and

(f) excessive vehicle thrust angle changes.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the data processor is for attempting to correct or compensate for detected problems (e)-(f).

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the data processor is for alerting a user of the system if the processor cannot correct the detected problems.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein calculating the poses comprises (g) acquiring, as a first wheel is rotating, a first pose of the target at the first wheel, (h) storing the first pose when the first pose is different from previously stored poses of the first wheel to a predetermined degree, (i) repeating steps (g) and (h) when the first wheel has been rotated less than a minimum number of degrees of rotation;

and (j) performing steps (g) through (i) for all the wheels of the vehicle having a target.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the minimum number of poses of the target is stored.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the minimum number of poses of the target comprises at least one pose for every five degrees of rotation captured by the at least one camera as the wheel and target are continuously rotated the number of degrees of rotation without a pause.