US 11,704,830 B2
Method and apparatus for placement of ADAS fixtures during vehicle inspection and service
Brian M. Cejka, Des Peres, MO (US); and Michael T. Stieff, Epworth, GA (US)
Assigned to HUNTER ENGINEERING COMPANY, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed by Hunter Engineering Company, Bridgeton, MO (US)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/719,929.
Application 17/147,896 is a division of application No. 16/538,245, filed on Aug. 12, 2019, granted, now 11,145,084, issued on Oct. 12, 2021.
Application 17/719,929 is a continuation of application No. 17/147,896, filed on Jan. 13, 2021, granted, now 11,610,335.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/725,023, filed on Aug. 30, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0237821 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. G06T 7/73 (2017.01); G06T 7/246 (2017.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/90 (2023.01); H04N 23/695 (2023.01); G01S 7/40 (2006.01); G01S 7/497 (2006.01)
CPC G06T 7/74 (2017.01) [G06T 7/248 (2017.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/695 (2023.01); H04N 23/90 (2023.01); G01S 7/4026 (2013.01); G01S 7/4972 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30252 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for guiding placement of a vehicle service external fixture relative to a vehicle undergoing service or inspection, comprising:
positioning a vehicle service system support structure having at least one camera module at an initial location within a vehicle service area;
establishing a location of said initial location within a vehicle reference frame using images of optical targets secured to the vehicle captured by a camera module disposed on said vehicle service system support structure;
repositioning the vehicle service system support structure within said vehicle service area relative to said vehicle to a new position, said new position located outside of an external fixture placement region within said vehicle service area, while maintaining at least one of said observed optical targets within a field of view of said camera module;
determining said new position of said vehicle service system support structure within said vehicle reference frame from an image of said at least one optical target maintained within said camera module field of vision;
locating a placement location relative to said vehicle for said vehicle service external fixture within said external fixture placement region;
projecting visible indicia from said vehicle service system support structure to visually identify said placement location for said external fixture; and
directing an operator to position said vehicle service external fixture at said visually identified placement location.