Contactless wheel measurement system and method
First Claim
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1. 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.
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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.
67 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method of measuring an attribute of a wheel having a first side and a second side, the method comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A wheel measurement system for measuring an attribute of a wheel having a first side and a second side, the wheel measurement system comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A wheel measurement system for measuring an attribute of a wheel having a first side and a second side, the wheel measurement system comprising:
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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 wheel 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. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. 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:
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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 time that the wheel is detected by the first magnetic sensor;
determining a second time that the wheel is detected by the second magnetic sensor; and
calculating the start time for measuring using the first time, the second time and the known distance from the measuring device. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A method of measuring an attribute of a wheel using a path of light, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining a brightness of the wheel;
adjusting a brightness of a path of light based on the brightness of the wheel;
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. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. 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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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Specification