A method for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner and a calibration system are provided. The wheel aligner includes an image sensor and a computer. The computer controls at least one image sensor to image a vehicle-mounted target on a vehicle, and processes the obtained image to determine a position of the vehicle. The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on a calibration device, and processes the obtained image to determine a position of the calibration device. The computer determines an adjusting mode of the calibration device according to 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. The method can guide an operator to accurately align the calibration device with the vehicle.

An image-recording device for aligning vehicles has at least one camera; at least one illumination device; and at least one color-selective beam splitter that is designed to channel light from different directions into the at least one camera and/or to color-selectively direct light from the at least one illumination device into different directions. The color-selective beam splitter has at least one optical marker that is able to be captured by a camera of another image-recording device, in order to determine the position of the color-selective beam splitter in relation to the camera of the other image-recording device.

A vehicle service system including a set of cameras and a processing system configured to access a database of vehicle-specific information, which includes data identifying vehicle-specific targets and/or service fixtures. The processing system is configured with a user interface to convey instructions to an operator, including the identification of vehicle-specific targets and/or service fixtures required to carry out a selected vehicle service. The processing system subsequently evaluates images acquired from the set of cameras to identify features present within the images, including placed vehicle-specific targets, from which identification of, and verification of correctly selected, vehicle-specific targets is made.

A wheel image acquisition assembly includes a base, a motor assembly and a camera module. One end of the base is for being connected to a support body in a wheel positioning apparatus, and the other end of the base is for being connected to the camera module. The motor assembly is mounted in the base and includes a motor for driving the camera module to rotate around the horizontal axis so as to adjust a pitch angle of the camera module. The camera module is used for acquiring image of wheels so as to determine the position of the wheels relative to a vehicle. The wheel image acquisition assembly can drive the camera module to rotate by means of the motor, so as to adjust the visual field range of the camera module, which is more flexible, and facilitates wheel alignment positioning in a complex environment.

A vehicle service system incorporating a pair of gimbal-mounted optical projection systems enables an operator to selectively orient each optical emitter of the optical projection system to illuminate a location on a surface in proximity to the system. Signals indicative of an orientation of each optical emitter about three-axes of rotation are received at a controller programmed with software instructions to utilize the received signals, together with known locations for the systems, to calculate a three-dimensional coordinate for the illuminated location within an established frame of reference. The controller is further programmed to utilize the calculated three-dimensional coordinate of the illuminated location as an origin point for determining one or more placement locations within the established frame of reference for ADAS sensor calibration or alignment targets.

Vehicle alignment systems and methods are disclosed which operate based on a calculation of drive direction, or the direction in which a vehicle is moving. Since a vehicle can be assumed to be a rigid body, each wheel has the same drive direction. Consequently, an alignment parameter of one wheel can be compared to the same parameter of another wheel by equating their drive direction, eliminating the need for the aligner to see both sides of the vehicle at the same time. Embodiments include a system having one or more cameras on a fixture carrying a calibration element for an ADAS system, and one or more targets placed on the vehicle to measure the drive direction of the vehicle. The drive direction is assumed to be parallel to the vehicle thrust line and can be used as the line for orientation of the fixture to the vehicle.

A machine-vision vehicle wheel alignment measurement system configured with at least one optical sensor to acquire images of optical targets disposed within an operative field of view. The system further includes a processing system configured with software instructions to determine relative spatial positions and orientations of one or more optical targets visible within images acquired by the optical sensor. The processing system is further configured with software instructions to automatically identify an axle count and axle configuration for a vehicle undergoing an alignment inspection or service using the determined relative spatial positions and orientations of the visible optical targets.

The present application provides a four-wheel aligner, which includes a first detection device, a second detection device and a control device; the first detection device includes a first position detection module and a first image acquisition module, the second detection device includes a second position detection module and a second image acquisition module, the first image acquisition module and the second image acquisition module are respectively configured to acquire image information on four wheels, in the first position detection module and the second position detection module, one includes a fifth calibration member, and another one includes an image acquisition member, the image acquisition member is configured to capture image information of the fifth calibration member; the control device analyzes the four-wheel alignment information of the vehicle according to the acquired image information.

The present application provides a four-wheel alignment method and a four-wheel alignment system. The four-wheel alignment system includes at least two calibration units, at least one measuring unit, and a computing unit, and the method includes: fixing the at least two calibration units to wheels of the vehicle to be measured, and fixing the at least one measuring unit to a same side of the vehicle to be measured where the at least two calibration units are fixed; respectively collecting, through the at least one measuring unit, images of at the least two calibration units to obtain a first image; and receiving the first image through the calculation unit, and calculating to obtain four-wheel alignment parameters of the vehicle to be measured based on the first image.

Vehicle alignment systems and methods are disclosed which operate based on a calculation of drive direction, or the direction in which a vehicle is moving. Since a vehicle can be assumed to be a rigid body, each wheel has the same drive direction. Consequently, an alignment parameter of one wheel can be compared to the same parameter of another wheel by equating their drive direction, eliminating the need for the aligner to see both sides of the vehicle at the same time. Embodiments include a system having one or more cameras on a fixture carrying a calibration element for an ADAS system, and one or more targets placed on the vehicle to measure the drive direction of the vehicle. The drive direction is assumed to be parallel to the vehicle thrust line and can be used as the line for orientation of the fixture to the vehicle.