Patent ID: 7538864

Claim:
A machine-vision vehicle wheel alignment system having a processing system and at least one sensor for acquiring image data associated with a vehicle, the sensor operatively coupled to the processing system to communicate acquired image data there to, the comprising: wherein the at least one sensor is a scanned beam camera having at least one controlled source of directed illumination, said controlled source of illumination configured to selectively illuminate a region of interest on a stationary object associated with a vehicle by projecting an illuminated point within said region of interest to traverse over a selected pattern, and at least one detector means for receiving light reflected from said illuminated object at a plurality of discrete sample intervals during the traversing movement of the illuminated point within said region of interest, to acquire a plurality of associated image pixels defining a multi-dimensional image of said illuminated region of interest on said object; wherein said at least one imaging sensor is configured to illuminate a first region of interest within a field of view to facilitate detection of an object within said field of view by the processing system; and wherein said at least one imaging sensor is further configured to respond to instructions from said processing system following detection of said object within said field of view by the processing system to selectively illuminate a second region of interest within said unaltered field of view, said second region of interest being smaller than said first region of interest and encompassing said object.