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Fault tolerant wheel alignment head and system

  • US 7,684,026 B2
  • Filed: 07/27/2007
  • Issued: 03/23/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A sensing head for use in a wheel alignment system, comprising:

  • one or more functional modules, each of which is configured to perform a function usable in obtaining measurements for calculating wheel alignment parameters of a vehicle, wherein the functional modules include at least one of;

    a wireless communication interface module configured to communicate in a wireless manner with a computer system or a companion sensing head attached to the vehicle;

    a spatial relationship sensing module configured to measure a spatial relationship between the sensing head and the companion sensing head;

    an image sensing module configured to producing image data representing an image taken of a target associated with a vehicle wheel; and

    an illumination module configured to illuminate the target;

    a data processor configured to calculate the measurements based on data received from the one or more functional modules;

    wherein the one or more functional modules provide operation redundancy by utilizing at least one of;

    providing multiple sets of illumination devices in the illumination module, wherein at least one set is independent from another set and is configured to illuminate the target independently;

    providing multiple sets of illumination devices to the spatial relationship sensing module, wherein at least one set is independent from another set and is configured to independently generate a signal to the companion sensing head; and

    providing multiple processing units for implementing the data processor, wherein each processing unit is configured to independently perform the functions of the data processor.

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