초록 ▼

An apparatus is provided for guiding a vehicle onto a service lift having a pair of runways for receiving the wheels of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a machine vision wheel alignment system including an image sensor, a processor, and a display provides a visual display of the vehicle and the runwa

An apparatus is provided for guiding a vehicle onto a service lift having a pair of runways for receiving the wheels of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a machine vision wheel alignment system including an image sensor, a processor, and a display provides a visual display of the vehicle and the runways to guide an operator of the vehicle to drive the vehicle wheels onto the runways. In other embodiments, a pair of runway targets and a vehicle target are viewed by a pair of image sensors of a machine vision wheel alignment system. Image signals from the image sensors are processed to determine respective positions of the runways and to monitor a position of the vehicle relative to the runways, and a visual reference is displayed to guide an operator of the vehicle.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for guiding a vehicle onto a service lift having a pair of runways for receiving the wheels of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a machine vision wheel alignment system having a first image sensor mounted to view a target on a first wheel of the vehicle, a first portion of the v

1. An apparatus for guiding a vehicle onto a service lift having a pair of runways for receiving the wheels of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a machine vision wheel alignment system having a first image sensor mounted to view a target on a first wheel of the vehicle, a first portion of the vehicle, and a first one of the runways; a processor for receiving and processing a first image signal from the first image sensor, and a monitor operably connected to the processor;wherein the processor is for processing the first image signal to generate a first image of the first portion of the vehicle and the first one of the runways, and displaying the first image on the monitor, to provide a visual reference to guide an operator of the vehicle to drive the vehicle wheels onto the runways. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the machine vision alignment system comprises a second image sensor mounted to view a target on a second wheel of the vehicle opposing the first wheel, a second portion of the vehicle, and a second one of the runways, and; wherein the processor is for receiving and processing a second image signal from the second image sensor to generate a second image of the second portion of the vehicle and the second one of the runways, and displaying the second image on the monitor. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor displays only one of the first and second images on the monitor at a time, the apparatus further comprising a switch for switching between display of the first and second images. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is for displaying the first and second images on the monitor simultaneously. 5. An apparatus for guiding a vehicle onto a service lift having a pair of runways for receiving the wheels of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a pair of runway targets, each attached to one of the runways;a vehicle target attached to the vehicle;a machine vision wheel alignment system having a pair of image sensors for respectively viewing the pair of runway targets, wherein one of the image sensors is also for viewing the vehicle target, a processor for receiving and processing image signals from the image sensors, and a monitor operably connected to the processor;wherein the processor is for processing image signals resulting from the image sensors viewing the pair of runway targets to determine and store respective positions of the runways, for processing image signals resulting from the one of the image sensors viewing the vehicle target to monitor a position of the vehicle relative to the runways, and for causing the monitor to display a visual reference to guide an operator of the vehicle to drive the vehicle wheels onto the runways. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, comprising a pair of vehicle targets; wherein the pair of image sensors is for respectively viewing the pair of vehicle targets;wherein the processor is for processing image signals resulting from the pair of image sensors viewing the pair of vehicle targets to monitor the position of the vehicle relative to the runways. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the visual reference displayed on the monitor comprises graphical animations indicating the position of the vehicle relative to the runways. 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the visual reference displayed on the monitor comprises a video image of the vehicle relative to the runways. 9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the visual reference displayed on the monitor comprises directional arrows for providing feedback to guide the operator. 10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the image sensors each include a vehicle orientation directional indicator having selectively illuminated directional arrows, and the processor is for causing the directional arrows to illuminate responsive to the position of the vehicle relative to the runways, for providing feedback to guide the operator. 11. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising sonic indicators, wherein the processor IS for causing the sonic indicators to operate responsive to the position of the vehicle relative to the runways, for providing feedback to guide the operator.