Vehicle service system with variable-lens imaging sensors
First Claim
1. An improved vehicle service system having a processing system and at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to the processing system for acquiring images associated with a vehicle component, the improvement comprising:
- wherein the at least one imaging sensor includes at least one variable lens assembly having at least one selectively alterable optical characteristic;
wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to acquire, through said at least one variable lens assembly, a first image associated with a field of view during a vehicle service procedure;
wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to alter said optical characteristic of said at least one variable lens assembly during said vehicle service procedure; and
wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to acquire, through said at least one variable lens assembly having an altered optical characteristic, at least a second image, said second image associated with an altered field of view.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A optical imaging sensor assembly for a machine-vision vehicle service system comprising a variable lens optical assembly. The variable lens optical assembly is controlled in response to direction from a vehicle service software application to alter an optical characteristic such as a field of view, a lens focal length, or an optical axis alignment to acquire images for use in a vehicle service procedure such as a vehicle wheel alignment procedure, vehicle tire balancing procedure, or tire changing procedure.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An improved vehicle service system having a processing system and at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to the processing system for acquiring images associated with a vehicle component, the improvement comprising:
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wherein the at least one imaging sensor includes at least one variable lens assembly having at least one selectively alterable optical characteristic; wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to acquire, through said at least one variable lens assembly, a first image associated with a field of view during a vehicle service procedure; wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to alter said optical characteristic of said at least one variable lens assembly during said vehicle service procedure; and wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to acquire, through said at least one variable lens assembly having an altered optical characteristic, at least a second image, said second image associated with an altered field of view. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An improved vehicle service system having a processing system and at least one imaging sensor operatively coupled to the processing system for acquiring images associated with a vehicle component, the improvement comprising:
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wherein the at least one imaging sensor includes at least one variable lens assembly having at least one selectively alterable optical characteristic; wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to acquire, through said at least one variable lens assembly, a first image associated with a field of view during a vehicle service procedure; wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to alter said optical characteristic of said at least one variable lens assembly during said vehicle service procedure; wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to acquire, through said at least one variable lens assembly having an altered optical characteristic, at least a second image, said second image associated with an altered field of view; and wherein said alterable optical characteristic is an optical axis.
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15. An imaging sensor for use with a vehicle service system, comprising:
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a photoreceptor array responsive to incident radiation reflected from at least one vehicle component within a field of view to generate an image of said field of view; at least one variable lens optical element disposed along an optical path between said photoreceptor array and said at least one vehicle component, said at least one variable lens optical element defining said field of view; and a processor operatively coupled to said at least one variable lens optical element and to said photoreceptor array to selectively alter a characteristic of said at least one variable lens optical element between the generation of a first image and at least one subsequent image in response to directions from a vehicle service software application during a vehicle service procedure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An imaging sensor for use with a vehicle service system, comprising:
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a photoreceptor array responsive to incident radiation reflected from at least one vehicle component within a field of view to generate an image of said field of view; at least one variable lens optical element disposed along an optical path between said photoreceptor array and said at least one vehicle component, said at least one variable lens optical element defining said field of view; a processor operatively coupled to said at least one variable lens optical element and to said photoreceptor array to selectively alter a characteristic of said at least one variable lens optical element between the generation of a first image and at least one subsequent image in response to directions from a vehicle service software application during a vehicle service procedure; and wherein said processor is configured to alter an optical axis of said at least one variable lens optical element.
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23. An improved vehicle wheel alignment system having a processing system and at least two alignment sensors attached to the wheels of a vehicle, the alignment sensors being operatively coupled to the processing system for acquiring alignment angle data associated with a vehicle, the improvement comprising:
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wherein each of the alignment sensors includes at least one imaging sensor configured with a first variable lens optical element for acquiring images, said first variable lens optical element configured to respond to the processing system to selectively alter an optical characteristic of said at least one imaging sensor between the acquisition of at least two images during a vehicle service procedure; and wherein each of the alignment sensors further includes at least one optical emitter configured with a second variable lens optical element, said second variable lens optical element configured to respond to the processing system to alter a characteristic of optical energy emitted by said associated alignment sensor during a vehicle service procedure.
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24. An improved vehicle service system having a processing system and at least one variable lens imaging sensor operatively coupled to the processing system for acquiring images associated with a vehicle component during a vehicle service procedure, the improvement comprising:
a control means configured to alter at least one variable characteristic of the variable lens imaging sensor during a vehicle service procedure between the acquisition of a first image and at least one subsequent image associated with the vehicle component present in a field of view of the variable lens imaging sensor. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
Specification