Patent ID: 7982766
Filing Date: 2011-07-19
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
1. Method for determining characteristic angles and characteristic parameters of alignment of a vehicle situated at a measurement location comprising the following steps: equipping each of the wheels of the vehicle with a flat target carrying any design; determining relationship between the position of the target and each of the wheels; arranging at least one pair of television cameras such that said at least one pair of television cameras have a known relative position and together form a stereo system, said at least one pair of television cameras being arranged in a position such that said at least one pair of television cameras view at least the target associated with each wheel along two different viewing paths; taking two 2 dimensional images of the target associated with the wheel, by respective television cameras of said at least one pair of television cameras; comparing the two 2 dimensional images, to put points of the image taken by a television camera in relation to corresponding points of the image taken by the other television camera, resorting to epipolar mathematics; creating a three-dimensional image of the target by means of the comparison of the images taken by said at least one pair of television cameras; creating a spatial reference system W to which said three-dimensional image of the target refers; processing the three-dimensional image of the target collected by the at least two television cameras and determining the angular orientation and the position of the target in a spatial reference system W; and using said position and angular orientation to determine the alignment of the wheel relative to the spatial reference system.