Granted Patent B2

US 12,259,233 · App. 17/331,882 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Inventor: Yixiong Su (Guangdong, CN)

Assignee: AUTEL INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CORP., LTD.

G01B11/2755G06T7/74H04N23/90G01B2210/143G01B2210/303

Abstract

Claims (69)

1. A method for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner, wherein:

the wheel aligner comprises at least one image sensor and a computer communicatively connected to the at least one image sensor;

the method comprises the following steps:

controlling, by the computer, the at least one image sensor to image a vehicle-mounted target on the vehicle, and processing the obtained image to determine a position of the vehicle;

controlling, by the computer, the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device, and processing the obtained image to determine a position of the calibration device; and

determining, by the computer, an adjusting mode of the calibration device based on the position of the vehicle and the position of the calibration device, so that the calibration device is aligned with the vehicle according to an anticipated position or direction;

wherein the at least one image sensor comprises at least one first image sensor and at least one second image sensor; and wherein:

the step of controlling, by the computer, the at least one image sensor to image a vehicle-mounted target on the vehicle, and processing the obtained image to determine a position of the vehicle comprises: controlling, by the computer, the at least one first image sensor to capture a first image from the vehicle-mounted target on the vehicle, and processing the first image to determine the position of the vehicle; and

the step of controlling, by the computer, the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device, and processing the obtained image to determine a position of the calibration device comprises: controlling, by the computer, the at least one second image sensor to capture a second image from the reference target on the calibration device, and processing the second image to determine the position of the calibration device;

wherein the wheel aligner comprises a bracket; and the at least one first image sensor and the at least one second image sensor are mounted on the bracket;

wherein the at least one first image sensor is disposed at both ends of the bracket, and the at least one second image sensor is disposed at middle of the bracket; and

the reference target on the calibration device is disposed on the side of the calibration device departed from the vehicle and facing the bracket.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wheel aligner comprises a bracket, and the at least one image sensor is disposed at two ends of the bracket; and

two ends of the transverse support shaft of the calibration device are respectively provided with two reference targets, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is used for bearing the calibration component.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the step of controlling, by the computer, the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device, and processing the obtained image to determine a position of the calibration device comprises:

determining, by the computer, positions of the reference targets on two ends of the transverse support shaft of the calibration device; and

determining, by the computer, a center point of the calibration device and/or a position of the transverse support shaft of the calibration device according to the positions of the reference targets on the two ends.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the step of determining, by the computer, a center point of the calibration device and/or a position of the transverse support shaft according to the positions of the reference targets on the two ends comprises:

determining, by the computer, positions of the two ends of the transverse support shaft of the calibration device according to the positions of the reference targets on the two ends of the transverse support shaft; and

determining, by the computer, the center point of the calibration device and/or the position of the transverse support shaft according to the positions of the two ends of the transverse support shaft.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of controlling, by the computer, the at least one second image sensor to capture a second image from the reference target on the calibration device, and processing the second image to determine the position of the calibration device comprises:

determining, by the computer, a position of a reference point in the second image of the reference target relative to the second image sensor; and

determining, by the computer, a position of a center of the calibration device relative to the second image sensor according to the position of the reference point in the second image of the reference target relative to the second image sensor and a position correspondence between the reference point and a center of the calibration device.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the step of controlling, by the computer, the at least one first image sensor to capture a first image from the vehicle-mounted target on the vehicle, and processing the first image to determine the position of the vehicle comprises:

determining, by the computer, a position of the vehicle-mounted target relative to the first image sensor according to the first image of the on-mounted target;

determining, by the computer, the position of the vehicle relative to the first image sensor according to the position of the on-mounted target relative to the first image sensor; and

determining, by the computer, the position of the vehicle relative to the second image sensor according to the position of the vehicle relative to the first image sensor and the position of the first image sensor relative to the second image sensor.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the step of controlling, by the computer, the at least one second image sensor to capture a second image from the reference target on the calibration device, and processing the second image to determine the position of the calibration device comprises:

controlling, by the computer, the at least one second image sensor to image different position states of the reference target on the calibration device to obtain at least two second images of the reference object; and

determining a position of a transverse support shaft of the calibration device based on the at least two second images of the reference target;

wherein the reference target presents different position states around the transverse support shaft of the calibration device, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is configured to bear a calibration component.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of controlling, by the computer, the at least one second image sensor to capture a second image from the reference target on the calibration device, and processing the second image to determine the position of the calibration device comprises:

controlling, by the computer, the at least one second image sensor to image different position states of the reference target on the calibration device to obtain at least two second images of the reference object; and

determining a position of a transverse support shaft of the calibration device based on the at least two second images of the reference target;

wherein the reference target presents different position states around the transverse support shaft of the calibration device, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is configured to bear a calibration component.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the step of controlling, by the computer, the at least one first image sensor to capture a first image from the vehicle-mounted target on the vehicle, and processing the first image to determine the position of the vehicle comprises:

determining, by the computer, a position of the vehicle-mounted target relative to the first image sensor according to the first image of the on-mounted target;

determining, by the computer, the position of the vehicle relative to the first image sensor according to the position of the on-mounted target relative to the first image sensor; and

determining, by the computer, the position of the vehicle relative to the second image sensor according to the position of the vehicle relative to the first image sensor and the position of the first image sensor relative to the second image sensor.

10. A calibration system, comprising:

a wheel aligner, comprising at least one image sensor and a computer communicatively connected to the at least one image sensor; and

a calibration device, comprising a reference target; wherein:

the computer is configured to control the at least one image sensor to image a vehicle-mounted target on a vehicle, and process the obtained image to determine a position of the vehicle;

the computer is further configured to control the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device, and process the obtained image to determine a position of the calibration device; and

the computer is further configured to determine an adjusting mode of the calibration device based on the position of the vehicle and the position of the calibration device, so that the calibration device is aligned with the vehicle according to an anticipated position or direction;

wherein the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

the at least one image sensor comprises at least two first image sensors and at least one second image sensor;

the at least two first image sensor are disposed at two ends of the bracket;

the at least one second image sensor is disposed in the middle of the bracket; and

the reference target on the calibration device is disposed on the side of the calibration device departed from the vehicle and facing the bracket.

11. The calibration system according to claim 10 , wherein the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

the two image sensors are respectively disposed at two ends of the bracket;

a transverse support shaft of the calibration device is provided with a reference target;

the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is configured to bear a calibration component; and

the reference target presents different position states around the transverse support shaft of the calibration device.

12. The calibration system according to claim 10 , wherein the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

the two image sensors are respectively disposed at two ends of the bracket;

two ends of a transverse support shaft of the calibration device are respectively provided with two reference targets, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is configured to bear a calibration component.

13. The calibration system according to claim 10 , wherein the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

the at least one image sensor is disposed at the bracket and is movable with respect to the bracket; and

the reference target on the calibration device is disposed on the side of the calibration device departed from the vehicle and facing the bracket.

14. The calibration system according to claim 10 , wherein the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

the at least one image sensor is disposed at the bracket and is movable with respect to the bracket;

a transverse support shaft of the calibration device is provided with a reference target;

the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is configured to bear a calibration component; and

the reference target presents different position states around the transverse support shaft of the calibration device.

15. The calibration system according to claim 10 , wherein the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

the at least one image sensor is disposed at the bracket and is movable with respect to the bracket; and

two ends of a transverse support shaft of the calibration device are respectively provided with two reference targets, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is configured to bear a calibration component.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (16)