Patent ID: 7065462
Filing Date: 2006-06-20
Classification: G01B,H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a vision sensor having a field of vision, the vision sensor capable of determining spatial coordinates of a group of points within the field of vision; a motor to rotate the vision sensor through a plurality of angular positions with respect to a wheel to be characterized during a first measurement cycle and a second measurement cycle so that the fields of vision associated with the plurality of angular positions together form at least a portion of a torus; a positional recorder to collect, for each of the plurality of angular positions, spatial coordinates of a plurality of points located on a surface of the wheel and within the torus during the first measurement cycle and to collect, for each of the plurality of angular positions, spatial coordinates of a plurality of points located on the surface and within the torus during the second measurement cycle; a moveable plate, with which the wheel interfaces, to rotate the wheel from a first position to a second position between the first measurement cycle and the second measurement cycle; and a computer to determine one or more characteristics of the wheel based upon the spatial coordinates collected during the first measurement cycle and the spatial coordinates collected during the second measurement cycle.