System and Method For Verifying ADAS Calibration Target Selection

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A vehicle service system including at least one camera disposed to view objects within a vehicle service area, a set of available vehicle-specific targets and/or fixtures configured for observation by vehicle onboard ADAS sensors, and a processing system configured with a user interface and operatively coupled to said at least one camera, comprising: wherein said processing system is configured with software instructions to access a database of vehicle-specific information to select a vehicle-specific target and/or fixture for placement within a vehicle service area in response to an identification of a vehicle undergoing an ADAS sensor service procedure; acquiring, with said at least one camera, an image of at least a portion of a vehicle-specific target and/or fixture placed within said vehicle service area; wherein said processing system is configured with software instructions to evaluate said acquired image to detect data identifying said positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture visible within said acquired image; and wherein said processing system is further configured with software instructions to compare said identifying data with said selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture to verify an operator's selection of said vehicle-specific target or fixture from said set.

2. The vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said identifying data associated with said positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture is an alpha-numeric sequence, a graphical pattern, a symbol, or a combination thereof.

3. The vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said identifying data associated with said positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture is discrete from features of said vehicle-specific target utilized by a vehicle onboard ADAS sensor during an inspection or calibration procedure.

4. The vehicle service system of claim 3 wherein said identifying data associated with said positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture is not visible to said vehicle onboard ADAS sensor.

5. The vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said identifying data associated with said positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture is defined by features of said vehicle-specific target utilized by a vehicle onboard ADAS sensor during an inspection or calibration procedure.

6. The vehicle service system of claim 1 wherein said processing system is configured with software instructions to direct an operator, to position said selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture within said vehicle service area prior to acquiring said image.

7. The vehicle service system of claim 6 wherein said processing system is configured with software instructions to do at least one of generating a record in response to said comparison verifying said operator's selection of said selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture from said set, and generating a warning in response to said comparison failing to verify said operator's selection of said required vehicle-specific target or fixture from said set.

8. The vehicle service system of claim 1 further including a bar-code scanner configured to scan a portion of said vehicle-specific target and/or fixture having either a 2D bar code or a 3D bar code identifying said vehicle-specific target and/or fixture.

9. A method for verifying an operator's selection of a vehicle-specific target and/or fixture from a set of available vehicle-specific targets and/or fixtures during a vehicle onboard ADAS sensor inspection or calibration procedure requiring placement of a vehicle-specific target and/or fixture relative to a vehicle within a service bay, comprising: retrieving, from an accessible data store, data identifying a vehicle-specific target and/or fixture required for use during said vehicle onboard ADAS sensor inspection or calibration procedure; acquiring an image of at least a portion of a positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture within said vehicle service bay; evaluating, with a processing system, said acquired image to extract data identifying said positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture; and comparing said extracted identifying data to said retrieved identifying data to verify said positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture matches said required vehicle-specific target and/or fixture from said set of available vehicle-specific targets and/or fixtures.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein retrieving, from said accessible data store, data identifying said vehicle-specific target and/or fixture further includes initially identifying said vehicle within said service bay by at least one of a VIN, make, model, and year.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein evaluating said acquired image to extract identifying data includes decoding at least one of an alpha-numeric sequence, a 2D barcode, and a 3D barcode observed within said acquired image on a surface of said placed vehicle-specific target and/or fixture.

12. The method of claim 9 further including at least one of (a) generating a record in response to said comparison verifying said positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture matches said required vehicle-specific target and/or fixture, and (b) generating a warning in response to said comparison failing to verify a match between said positioned vehicle-specific target and/or fixture and said required vehicle-specific target and/or fixture.

13. A method for detecting an incorrect selection of a vehicle-specific target and/or fixture by an operator from a set of available vehicle-specific targets and/or fixtures during a vehicle onboard ADAS sensor inspection or calibration procedure requiring placement of a vehicle-specific target and/or fixture relative to a known vehicle within a service bay, comprising: retrieving, from an accessible data store, data identifying a required vehicle-specific target and/or fixture for use during said vehicle onboard ADAS sensor inspection or calibration procedure associated with said known vehicle; identifying said required vehicle-specific target and/or fixture to said operator to enable placement of a selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture by said operator relative to said known vehicle within said service bay; obtaining data identifying said selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture following said placement within said service bay by said operator; and comparing said obtained data with said retrieved data to generate a warning to said operator responsive to a mismatch between said obtained data and said retrieved data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein retrieving said identifying data from said accessible data store further includes initially identifying said known vehicle by at least one of a VIN, make, model, and year, and utilizing said identification of said known vehicle to locate said identifying data within said accessible data store.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein obtaining data identifying said selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture includes acquiring an image of said selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture; and evaluating said acquired image to locate said identifying data associated with said selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein obtaining data identifying said selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture includes scanning a barcode associated with said selected vehicle-specific target and/or fixture, and decoding said scanned barcode to extract said identifying data.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art camera and target support structure configured with a pair of gimbal-mounted projection systems;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the system of FIG. 1 illustrating projected visible indicia for placement guidance, and an additional camera system located independent of the support structure for observing the placed target and/or fixture;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the system of FIG. 1 illustrating projected visible indicia for placement guidance and an additional camera system located on the support structure for observing the placed target and/or fixture;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a procedure of the present disclosure;

[0020] FIGS. 5A-5E are illustrations of exemplary targets for use during a vehicle onboard ADAS sensor inspection or calibration procedure; and

[0021] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an exemplary radar reflective fixture including identifying indicia.

[0022] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. It is to be understood that the drawings are for illustrating the concepts set forth in the present disclosure and are not to scale.

[0023] Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description enables one skilled in the art to make and use the present disclosure, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the present disclosure, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the present disclosure.

[0025] An exemplary vehicle service system 100, suitable for inspecting or calibrating a vehicle ADAS sensor, includes a structure 102 supporting a set of laterally spaced camera modules 104a, 104b and optical projectors 500a, 500b. The camera modules 104a, 104b are configured with cameras providing fields of view (FOV) oriented to observe regions on laterally opposite sides of a vehicle 10 undergoing service positioned with a vehicle service area. The structure 102 may include components to adjust elevation and rotation of the camera modules 104a, 104b as necessary accommodate positioning of the vehicle 10 on an adjustable lift rack (not shown), or to accommodate changes in the placement of the vehicle service system 100 relative to the vehicle 10. Additional details of the vehicle service system 100 are set forth and described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0249985 A1 to Stieff et al., which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0026] As seen in FIG. 2, an optional camera module 104c associated with the vehicle service system 100 is disposed as needed to provide a supplemental field of view (sFOV) for observing the vehicle service area, and configured as required with optical elements to optimize images of the sFOV. The camera module 104c, may be mounted either independent of the support structure 102, or on the support structure 102 but separate from the vehicle measurement camera modules 104a, 104b, as seen in FIG. 3.

[0027] The vehicle service system 100 is operatively controlled by a suitably programmed processing system 300, which may be disposed within an associated console 302 carried by the structure 102, in proximity to the structure 102, or at a remote location from the structure 102. The processing system 300 is configured with suitable logic circuit components, software instructions, and input/output hardware to provide an operator interface, such as a graphical user interface (GUI), for operator interaction. The processing system 300 is further configured to operate the various components of the vehicle service system 100 necessary to perform various vehicle service/inspection/measurement procedures, including the camera modules 104a-c. Each of the camera modules 104a-c is operatively connected to the processing system 300 via a suitable communications pathway, either wired or wireless. For example, the processing system 300 is configured to receive and process image data from the camera modules 104a-c to identify relative spatial positions of observed surfaces, such as optical targets coupled to the vehicle wheels or placed on surfaces of a vehicle 10, to determine spatial transformations between various individual frames of reference, and to compute associated vehicle characteristics such as wheel alignment angles or vehicle spatial positions and orientations. It will be understood that the configuration of the processing system 300, camera modules 104a-c, and console 302 are generally known in the art of machine vision vehicle wheel alignment systems, and may vary from the configuration described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the processing system 300 may be configured with software instructions to function as an interface to exchange data with one or more remote processing systems implementing software instructions to perform required calculations and/or store data, such as may be found in a cloud-based vehicle service system.

[0028] In various configurations, the vehicle service system 100 includes a target mount 400 affixed to the support structure 102. The target mount 400 is configured for securing one or more observable target panels 400a, 400b in a forward orientation relative to the fixture or support structure 102 (i.e., towards the vehicle location within the vehicle service area), at an elevation generally suitable for observation by the safety system sensors onboard the vehicle 10 during a realignment or recalibration procedure. The specific configuration of the target mount 400 and the observable target panels 400a, 400b, is related to, and will vary with, the specific vehicle and type of safety system sensor for which the targets will be used.

[0029] The vehicle service system 100 optionally includes one or more gimbal-mounted optical projectors 500a, 500b operatively coupled to, and under control of, the processing system 300. Each optical projector 500a, 500b is configured for the projection of visible indicia 501 along a projection axis P onto surfaces within the vehicle service area, such as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The projected visible indicia may be of any form suitable, such as an illuminated point or illuminated line. Exemplary surfaces onto which visible indicia may be projected include the vehicle 10, targets mounted to the wheels 12, fixture targets, or locations on the vehicle service area surfaces.

[0030] In a further embodiment, the vehicle service system 100 includes an optical bar-code scanning device (not shown) operatively coupled to the processing system 300 for acquiring and communicating data encoded in visible bar-codes, such as vehicle identification numbers (VINs), serial numbers, part numbers, or other elements of encoded data. As is well known in the automotive service industry, the optical bar-code scanning device may consist of a portable or hand-held unit to enable an operator to quickly and easily scan bar code stickers or markings at various locations about a vehicle undergoing service.

[0031] The processing system 300 is configured with software instructions to identify, during a vehicle onboard ADAS sensor service or inspection procedure, the specific type of target 475 or fixture which the operator should utilize for the specific vehicle (and specific procedure being performed), as well as the proper placement location for the target 475 or fixture in relation to the vehicle. A variety of exemplary vehicle-specific target patterns are illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5E, and an exemplary radar-reflective fixture 477 is illustrated in FIG. 6. It will be understood that the term “vehicle-specific” as used herein is not intended require that a target 475 or fixture 477 be limited to use with a single vehicle. Rather, a vehicle-specific target 475 or fixture 477 shall be understood to merely refer to the target 475 or fixture 477 which is required to carry out the inspection, measurement, or calibration procedure currently being conducted by the processing system 300, and any given target 475 or fixture 477 may be utilized with a variety of different vehicles, makes, or models, if required by the manufacturer of each vehicle. Vehicle-specific (and/or procedure-specific) target 475 or fixture 477 selection and placement requirements associated with vehicle onboard ADAS sensor procedures for may be stored in a vehicle-indexed database 476 accessible to the processing system 300, either locally or remotely via a communications network. A variety of methods may be utilized to enable the processing system 300 to identify the specific type of target 475 or fixture 477.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the processing system 300 is configured with a set of software instructions to utilize vehicle identifying information acquired at a prior stage of a vehicle service or inspection procedure to identify a specific type of target 475 or fixture 477 required to complete a selected procedure associated with a vehicle onboard ADAS sensor. For example, a vehicle VIN number acquired with the aid of the optional bar-code scanner, via a license plate recognition—VIN lookup procedure, retrieved from a vehicle on-board processor or data store, or manually input by an operator at the start of a vehicle inspection, may be decoded as is known in the industry to identify sufficient vehicle identifying information for cross-referencing against a list of targets 475 or fixtures 477. Vehicle identifying information may include one or more of the following items: vehicle make, model, year of manufacture, vehicle identification code, and configuration. In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the processing system 300 is configured with a set of software instructions to query an operator, such as through the GUI, to provide vehicle identifying information when needed during a vehicle service or inspection procedure. It will be understood that regardless of the source of the vehicle identifying information, sufficient information must be provided to enable the processing system 300 to present the operator with an identification of the specific target 475 or fixture 477 required to be utilized to complete the current vehicle onboard ADAS sensor inspection or calibration procedure.

[0033] Once the proper vehicle-specific target 475 or fixture 477 is identified by the processing system 300, the information is communicated to the operator together with any accompanying placement instructions, via an suitable interface, such as the GUI, and the inspection or calibration procedure is paused to permit the operator to retrieve the identified vehicle-specific target 475 or fixture 477 from a storage location. After the operator has placed a selected target 475 or fixture 477 within the vehicle service area, such as on a floor surface adjacent to the vehicle, or within a field of view of the camera modules 104, or has scanned an associated target identifying marking 404 with the bar-code scanning device 175, the operator provides a notification to the processing system 300 to resume the inspection or calibration procedure, at which time the operator's target selection, and optionally the target placement, is verified by the processing system.

[0034] Verification of vehicle-specific target 475 selection, and optionally, the target placement, is required to ensure that the vehicle onboard safety system sensors observe the proper target (at the proper relative location) during an inspection or calibration procedure. Failure to provide the proper vehicle-specific target 475 may result in a failure of the inspection or calibration procedure. Failure to properly place the vehicle-specific target 475 may result in either a failure of the procedure, or inaccurate results which may adversely affect vehicle safety system performance.

[0035] In a method of the present disclosure, shown generally in the flowchart of FIG. 4, selection of a proper vehicle-specific target 475 is verified by a process of direct target observation and a cross-checking of visible target-specific markings. Initially, the vehicle is identified (Box 500) to the processing system. Vehicle identification can be completed manually by operator input through a GUI or other suitable interface, by communication of previously captured vehicle identifying data, or automatically by acquiring an image of the vehicle, a license plate, or other identifying marking, and referencing an appropriate look-up database. Following identification of the vehicle undergoing the service or inspection, a vehicle-specific target or fixture 477 is selected (Box 502) by accessing the vehicle-indexed target and fixture database 476. The selected target and/or fixture 477 is identified to the operator (Box 504) to enable the operator to retrieve the selected target 475 and/or fixture 477 from storage. Vehicle-specific targets 475 and fixture 477 available to the vehicle service system 100 each include at least one identifying marking 404 on a surface visible to at least one of the camera modules 104 when the vehicle-specific target 475 is located at the proper placement location. Once the selected target and/or fixture is retrieved from storage, the processing system provides the operator with placement instructions (Box 506) such as on a GUI, and/or provides the operator with placement guidance in the form of projected indicia. Following placement of the selected target and/or fixture by the operator, the processing system operates the camera modules 104 to acquire images (Box 508) of the placement location at which the selected target and/or fixture is expected to have been placed. The resulting images are evaluated by the processing system using conventional image processing techniques to confirm that a target and/or fixture is present and to obtain visible identifying data from the imaged target and/or fixture (Box 510).

[0036] The identifying markings 404 associated with the imaged target 475 and/or fixture 477 may be in the form of an alpha-numeric sequence, such as a serial number or part number, or may be in the form of a graphical pattern or symbol, such as a 2D or 3D bar code which is representative of a serial number or part number. In one embodiment, the identifying markings 404 are discrete from any features of the vehicle-specific target 475 which are utilized by a vehicle onboard ADAS sensor during an inspection or calibration procedure, so as to avoid interference with such procedures. For example, the identifying markings 404 may be located on a separate surface of the vehicle-specific target 475 or fixture 477 from any utilized features, or may be formed using a color, shade, hue, or contrast having a reduced visibility to the vehicle onboard ADAS sensor, but which remain visible to the observing camera modules 104. The size of the identifying markings may be below an observation threshold for the vehicle onboard ADAS sensor. In a further configuration, the identifying markings 404 may be configured in the form of a visible feature which is ignored by the vehicle onboard ADAS sensor.

[0037] Alternatively, in place of unique identifying markings 404 which are discrete from any features of the vehicle-specific target 475 utilized by a vehicle onboard ADAS sensor during an inspection or calibration procedure, the processing system 300 may be configured to utilize the markings present on the target surface intended for use by the vehicle onboard ADAS sensor as the identifying mark 404.

[0038] In an optional step, shown at Box 510a, particularly suitable for use with vehicle-specific targets 475 or fixtures 477 which are not disposed within the field of view of the camera modules 104, an optical bar-code scanning device is utilized by the operator to directly scan a 2D or 3D bar code identifying marking 404 located on a surface of the target or fixture before or after placement of the selected target and/or fixture.

[0039] Once the identifying markings 404 from a selected target 475 and/or fixture 477 are acquired, the processing system 300 compares the located or scanned identifying markings 404 (or the information represented or encoded by the located identifying mark 404) with ID data associated with the vehicle-specific target 475 previously identified to the operator for placement during the vehicle service or inspection procedure (Box 512). In the event an operator has selected and placed an incorrect vehicle-specific target 475 or fixture 477, the located identify mark 404 will be a mismatch to the ID data associated with the vehicle-specific target previously identified to the operator. The processing system 300 is configured to generate appropriate warnings to the operator via the GUI, and will repeat the process of directing the operator (Box 504) to locate and place the correct vehicle-specific target 475 or fixture 477, after which the target and/or fixture verification procedures (Boxes 508 and 510, or 510a) are repeated.

[0040] In the event that the comparison by the processing system 300 establishes a match between the located identifying mark 404 and the ID data for the vehicle-specific target 475 or fixture 477 previously identified to the operator, the selection of the correct vehicle-specific target 475 or fixture 477 from the available inventory of targets and/or fixture is verified (Box 514). Verification of the vehicle-specific target selection (and proper placement) is required before the processing system 300 continues with the ongoing vehicle service or inspection procedure. Optionally, verification of the vehicle-specific target 475 or fixture 477 may be recorded by the processing system as part of a service or inspection record for the vehicle, and/or communicated to a remote records storage or monitoring system via a suitable communications pathway, such as the Internet.

[0041] When combined with procedures for verifying correct target placement, verification of the correct selection of a vehicle-specific target 475 and/or fixture 477 reduced the risks associated with operator error during vehicle onboard ADAS sensor inspection and calibration procedures, and established a record of operator actions, as may be required to validate vehicle OEM warranty repairs.

[0042] The present disclosure can be embodied in-part in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The present disclosure can also be embodied in-part in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, or another computer readable non-transitory storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into, and executed by, an electronic device such as a computer, micro-processor or logic circuit, the device becomes an apparatus for practicing the present disclosure.

[0043] The present disclosure can also be embodied in-part in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a non-transitory storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the present disclosure. When implemented in a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.

[0044] As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.