Method and apparatus for wheel alignment system target projection and illumination

• US 7,454,841 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Original Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Inventors: Colarelli, Nicholas J. III, Shylanski, Mark S., Voeller, David A., Strege, Timothy A., Dorrance, Daniel R., Burns, Leigh R. Jr., Friton, Gerald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton; Christopher W
• Application Number:
  US11/555,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 332/88, 332/031.8
• US Class Current: 33/288
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2509 Color coding
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2513 with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2545 with one projection direction and several detection directions, e.g. stereo
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2755 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/146 Two or more cameras imaging the same area
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/28 Beam projector and related sensors, camera, inclinometer or other active sensing or projecting device
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/286 Projecting a light pattern on the wheel or vehicle body

Abstract

A machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system configured with at least one cameras for acquiring images of the wheels of a vehicle, and an associated light projectors configured to project a pattern image onto the surfaces of vehicle components such as vehicle wheel assemblies. Images of the projected patterns acquired by the camera, are processed by the vehicle wheel alignment system to facilitate a determination of the relative orientation and position of the surfaces such as wheel assemblies in three dimensional space, from which vehicle parameters such as wheel alignment measurements can be subsequently determined.

Claims

1. A vehicle service system having a processing system configured with image processing software and vehicle service software, comprising:

a light projector configured to project at least one light pattern onto a surface associated with a vehicle, said light pattern including at least one geometric shape having a plurality of identifiable vertex points;

at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to said processing system and configured to acquire an image of said projected light pattern on said surface;

wherein said processing system is configured to identify said vertex points within image data received from said at least one imaging sensor; and

wherein said processing system is configured to utilize said identified vertex points to determine at least one parameter associated with said surface.

2. The vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said surface is associated with a vehicle body panel;

and

wherein said parameter is a vehicle ride height measurement.

3. The vehicle service system of claim 2 wherein said surface is removably coupled to said vehicle body panel.

4. The vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said surface is associated with a vehicle wheel assembly;

and wherein said at least one parameter is associated with at least one vehicle wheel alignment angle.

5. The vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said light pattern includes at least one component of data for visual display to an operator.

6. A vehicle service system having a processing system configured with image processing software and vehicle service software, comprising:

a light projector configured to project at least one light pattern onto a surface associated with a vehicle component other than a vehicle wheel, said vehicle component selected from a set of vehicle components including a steering system component and a suspension system component;

at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to said processing system and configured to acquire an image of said projected light pattern on said surface; and

wherein said processing system is configured to utilize image data received from said at least one imaging sensor to determine a measurement associated with said vehicle component.

7. The vehicle service system of claim 6 wherein said surface is removably coupled to said vehicle component.

8. The vehicle service system of claim 6 wherein said at least one measurement represents a spatial position of said vehicle component.

9. The vehicle service system of claim 6 wherein said at least one measurement represents a spatial orientation of said vehicle component.

10. A vehicle service system having a processing system configured with image processing software and vehicle service software, comprising:

a light projector configured to project at least one light pattern onto a surface associated with a vehicle, said light pattern including at least one geometric shape having at least one identifiable edge and further including at least one component of data for visual display to an operator;

at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to said processing system and configured to acquire an image of said projected light pattern on said surface;

wherein said processing system is configured to identify said edges within image data received from said at least one imaging sensor; and

wherein said processing system is configured to utilize said identified edges to determine at least one parameter associated with said surface.

11. The vehicle service system of claim 10 wherein said component of data for visual display to an operator includes at least one alphanumeric symbol.

12. A vehicle service system having a processing system configured with image processing software and vehicle service software, comprising:

a light projector configured to project a light pattern onto a surface associated with a vehicle, said light pattern having a known configuration;

at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to said processing system and configured to acquire an image of said projected light pattern on said surface;

wherein said processing system is configured to compare said acquired image of said projected light pattern with said known configuration of said light pattern during an iterative procedure for altering said projected light pattern, said processing system continuing said iterative procedure until said acquired image of said projected light pattern matches said known configuration of said light pattern to within a tolerance; and

wherein said processing system utilizes a measure of said alteration of said projected light pattern to identify a parameter of said surface.

13. The vehicle service system of claim 12 wherein said surface is associated with a vehicle wheel assembly.

14. The vehicle service system of claim 12 wherein said parameter of said surface includes a spatial orientation of said surface.

15. The vehicle service system of claim 12 wherein said parameter n of said surface includes a spatial position of said surface.

16. The vehicle service system of claim 12 wherein said known configuration of said light pattern includes at least one linear component;

and wherein said measure of said alteration of said projected light pattern includes a representation of curvature of said linear component in said projected light pattern.

17. A machine-vision vehicle wheel alignment system including a processor configured with vehicle wheel alignment software and image processing software, comprising:

a light projector configured to project a light pattern onto a surface associated with a vehicle;

at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to said processing system and configured to acquire an image of said projected light pattern on said surface;

wherein said processing system is configured to select an initial light pattern for projection onto said surface from a set of light patterns; and

wherein said processing system is further configured to select at least one subsequent light pattern for projection onto said surface responsive to an evaluation of said acquired image of said initial projected light pattern.

18. The machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 17 where said initial light pattern is a flood illumination of said surface.

19. The machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 18 wherein said at least one subsequent light pattern is selected to facilitate measurement of at least one parameter of said surface from an acquired image of said subsequent light pattern projected onto said surface.

20. The machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 17 wherein said processing system is configured to select at least one subsequent light pattern responsive to characteristics of said surface identified from said evaluation of said acquired image of said initial projected light pattern.

21. The machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 17 where said initial light pattern contains more than 1 color.

22. The machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 17 where said imaging sensor is configured to obtain distance information for each pixel.

23. A vehicle service system including a processing system configured with vehicle service software and with image processing software, comprising:

a light projector configured to project at least one light pattern onto a vehicle wheel assembly, said at least one light pattern including a plurality of image components each having an associated identifying code;

at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to said processing system and configured to acquire an image of said projected light pattern;

wherein said processing system is configured to utilize said acquired image and at least one visible image component having an associated identifying code to determine at least one parameter associated with said vehicle wheel assembly.

24. A method for determining a vehicle measurement parameter for use with a vehicle service system having a processing system configured with image processing software and vehicle service software, comprising:

projecting at least one light pattern onto a surface associated with a vehicle, said at least one light pattern having a plurality of features, said plurality of features including a plurality of identifiable vertex points;

acquiring an image of said projected light pattern on said surface;

processing said acquired image to identify at least a portion of said plurality of features within said acquired image;

utilizing said portion of identified features to determine at least one parameter associate with said surface; and

storing, in an electronic memory, a representation of said at least one parameter.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said plurality of features further include at least one identifiable edge.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said surface is associated with a vehicle wheel assembly;

and wherein said at least one parameter is associated with at least one vehicle wheel alignment angle.

27. A vehicle service system having a processing system configured with image processing software and vehicle service software, comprising:

a light projector configured to project at least one light pattern onto a surface associated with a vehicle, said light pattern including a plurality of geometric shapes each having at least one identifiable edge, said plurality of geometric shapes selected from a set of shapes including curvilinear lines and polygons, and wherein each plurality of geometric shapes includes an identifying code;

at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to said processing system and configured to acquire an image of said projected light pattern on said surface;

wherein said processing system is configured to identify said edges within image data received from said at least one imaging sensor; and

wherein said processing system is configured to utilize said identified edges to determine at least one parameter associated with said surface.