Method and related apparatus for determining the geometrical dimensions of a wheel, or at least one part of a wheel, with particular reference to vehicle wheels, in the context of a wheel maintenance process. This method uses contactless sensors which comprise a scanning radar system, preferably a millimeter-wave radar system, to scan the wheel, or at least one part of the wheel, quickly and accurately, moving said contactless sensors along a trajectory lying in at least one plane which is perpendicular to a central axis of the wheel.

A two-line laser emitter is provided. The two-line laser emitter includes a housing, a laser emitter base mounted inside the housing, an elastic clamping member, a laser emitter and a pair of rotation adjustment screws. The laser emitter base has a laser emitter mounting hole. The laser emitter is mounted in the laser emitter mounting hole, and one end of the laser emitter is inserted into the elastic clamping member. A pair of rotation adjustment screws are disposed in the laser emitter base and located on the same side of a central axial plane of the laser emitter. The pair of rotation adjustment screws abut against a side wall of the laser emitter in opposite directions on the same straight line. Each of the rotation adjustment screws is adjustable to slightly adjust a rotation angle of the planar ray of light emitted by the laser emitter.

A three-dimensional target, a wheel positioning system, and a wheel positioning method are provided. The three-dimensional target includes a base body. The base body is provided with at least three target surfaces which are all in different planes. Each of the at least three target surfaces is provided with target elements. Each of the at least three target surfaces is used for wheel positioning. Two of the at least three target surfaces form a group of calculation units, and the spatial position relationship between the target elements of at least two groups of calculation units is used for determining the position of a wheel. By using two target surfaces as a group, the at least three target surfaces can be configured into multiple groups, and calibration is performed according to the multiple target surfaces; thus, the accuracy of calibration calculation is improved.

A target alignment system for calibrating a safety sensor mounted on a vehicle with front and rear wheels by locating an optimum target position upon a horizontal surface for accurate calibration of the sensor. The target alignment system comprises a plurality of visual guide projectors and a pair of target assemblies which project a visible guide line perimeter around the vehicle, the perimeter including parallel longitudinal lines on either side of the vehicle, a lateral alignment guide line crossing the longitudinal lines in front of the vehicle, and a center guide line colinear with the vehicle center line. The front and rear wheels of the vehicle are longitudinally aligned causing the vehicle thrust line to match the vehicle center line. One of the visual guide projectors projects a transverse line across the center guide line, creating an intersection point which marks the optimum target position.

A target alignment system for calibrating a safety sensor mounted on a vehicle with front and rear wheels by locating an optimum target position upon a horizontal surface for accurate calibration of the sensor. The target alignment system comprises a plurality of visual guide projectors and a pair of target assemblies which project a visible guide line perimeter around the vehicle, the perimeter including parallel longitudinal lines on either side of the vehicle, a lateral alignment guide line crossing the longitudinal lines in front of the vehicle, and a center guide line colinear with the vehicle center line. The front and rear wheels of the vehicle are longitudinally aligned causing the vehicle thrust line to match the vehicle center line. One of the visual guide projectors projects a transverse line across the center guide line, creating an intersection point which marks the optimum target position.

Method and related apparatus for determining the geometrical dimensions of a wheel, or at least one part of a wheel, with particular reference to vehicle wheels, in the context of a wheel maintenance process. This method uses contactless sensors which comprise a scanning radar system, preferably a millimeter-wave radar system, to scan the wheel, or at least one part of the wheel, quickly and accurately.

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 support structure having a vertical element supporting a set of cameras associated with a vehicle measurement or inspection system together with at least one target structure required for realignment or recalibration of onboard vehicle safety system sensors. A camera crossbeam carried by the support structure locates the set of cameras as required to view a vehicle undergoing measurement or inspection. The target structure is affixed to the vertical element of the support structure, at an elevation suitable for observation by at least one vehicle onboard sensors during a realignment or recalibration procedure. A set of rollers facilitates positioning of the target structure on a supporting floor surface during a realignment or recalibration procedure.

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.

Systems and methods for determining an angle of a movement path of a trailer. The system for determining an angle of a movement path of a trailer comprises a camera; and an electronic controller communicatively coupled to the camera and configured to receive first data from the camera, determine an absolute angle of the trailer based on matching one portion of an image received in the first data to a template, receive second data from the camera, estimate a change in the angle of the trailer based on tracking one or more points on the trailer received in the second data, and determine the angle of the movement path of the trailer based upon the trailer angle and the change in the angle of the trailer.