Method and system for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel alignment instrument

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of automobile calibration, and discloses a method and a calibration system for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner, wherein the wheel aligner includes an image sensor and a computer, and the method includes: the computer controls at least one image sensor to image a vehicle-mounted target on the vehicle, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle; the computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device; the computer determines the adjustment 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 in the expected position or direction. In the method, the position of the vehicle and the position of the calibration device are determined by means of the wheel aligner, and the computer determines the adjustment mode of the calibration device according to the position of the vehicle and the position of the calibration device, and guides the operator to accurately align the calibration device with the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of automobile calibration, and in particular to a method and a calibration system for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner. Background Art

[0002] Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) is an active safety technology that uses various sensors installed on the vehicle to collect environmental data inside and outside the vehicle at the first time, and perform technical processing such as identification, detection and tracking of static and dynamic objects, so that the driver can be aware of possible dangers as soon as possible to attract attention and improve safety. The sensors used by ADAS mainly include cameras, radars, lasers and ultrasound, which can detect light, heat, pressure or other variables used to monitor the status of the vehicle. They are usually located in the front and rear bumpers, side mirrors, inside the steering column or on the windshield of the vehicle.

[0003] When repairing a vehicle, it is necessary to place the calibration equipment in front of or behind the vehicle so that the calibration device is aligned with the vehicle, that is, the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle is perpendicular to the transverse axis of the calibration device, and the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle passes through the geometric center point of the calibration device, or the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle coincides with the longitudinal centerline of the calibration device. After the calibration device is aligned with the vehicle, the calibration device can be mounted with various calibration components to calibrate sensors such as on-board cameras, radars, lasers or ultrasonic waves. However, the current alignment of the calibration device with the vehicle lacks auxiliary equipment, making the calibration operation inconvenient and low in accuracy. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method and a calibration system for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner, which can conveniently and accurately align the calibration device with the vehicle.

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions to solve the technical problems:

[0006] A method for aligning a calibration device to a vehicle based on a wheel alignment instrument, wherein:

[0007] The wheel aligner includes at least one image sensor and a computer, wherein the computer is communicatively connected to the at least one image sensor;

[0008] The method comprises:

[0009] The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a target on the vehicle and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle;

[0010] The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device;

[0011] The computer determines an adjustment method 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 in a desired position or direction.

[0012] Optionally, the at least one image sensor includes at least one first image sensor and at least one second image sensor;

[0013] The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a vehicle-borne target on the vehicle, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle, including: the computer controls the at least one first image sensor to image a vehicle-borne target on the vehicle, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle;

[0014] The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image the reference target on the calibration device and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle, including: the computer controls the at least one second image sensor to image the on-board target on the vehicle and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle.

[0015] Optionally, the wheel aligner comprises a bracket, and the at least one first image sensor and the at least one second image sensor are mounted on the bracket.

[0016] Optionally, the at least one first image sensor is disposed at both ends of the bracket, and the at least one second image sensor is disposed in the middle of the bracket;

[0017] The reference target on the calibration device is arranged on a side of the calibration device that is away from the vehicle and faces the bracket.

[0018] Optionally, the computer controls the at least one second image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device, including:

[0019] The computer determines, based on the image of the reference target, a position of a reference point in the image of the reference target relative to the second image sensor;

[0020] The computer determines the position of the center of the calibration device relative to the second image sensor based on the position of a reference point in the image of the reference target relative to the second image sensor and the positional correspondence between the reference point and the center of the calibration device.

[0021] Optionally, the computer controls the at least one second image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device, including:

[0022] The computer controls the at least one second image sensor to image different position states of the reference target on the calibration device to obtain at least two reference target images;

[0023] determining a position of a lateral support axis of the calibration device based on the at least two reference target images;

[0024] Wherein, the reference target presents different position states around the transverse support axis of the calibration device, and the transverse support axis of the calibration device is used to carry the calibration element.

[0025] Optionally, the computer controls the at least one first image sensor to image a vehicle-borne target on the vehicle, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle, including:

[0026] The computer determines the position of the vehicle-borne target relative to the first image sensor based on the image of the vehicle-borne target;

[0027] The computer determines the position of the vehicle relative to the first image sensor based on the position of the vehicle-borne target relative to the first image sensor;

[0028] The computer determines the position of the vehicle relative to the second image sensor based on the position of the vehicle relative to the first image sensor and the position of the first image sensor relative to the second image sensor.

[0029] Optionally, the wheel aligner comprises a bracket, and the at least one image sensor is arranged at both ends of the bracket;

[0030] Two reference targets are respectively arranged at two ends of a transverse support shaft of the calibration device, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is used to carry a calibration element.

[0031] Optionally, the computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device, including:

[0032] The computer determines the positions of reference targets at both ends of the lateral support axis of the calibration device;

[0033] The computer determines the center point of the calibration device and / or the position of the lateral support axis according to the positions of the reference targets at both ends.

[0034] Optionally, the computer determines the center point of the calibration device and / or the position of the lateral support axis according to the positions of the reference targets at both ends, including:

[0035] The computer determines the positions of both ends of the lateral support shaft of the calibration device according to the positions of the reference targets at both ends;

[0036] The computer determines the center point of the calibration device and / or the position of the lateral support axis according to the positions of the two ends of the lateral support axis.

[0037] The embodiment of the present invention also adopts the following technical solutions to solve the technical problems:

[0038] A calibration system comprising:

[0039] A wheel aligner, the wheel aligner comprising at least one image sensor and a computer, the computer being communicatively connected to the at least one image sensor; and

[0040] a calibration device, the calibration device comprising a reference target;

[0041] The computer is used to control the at least one image sensor to image a vehicle-borne target on the vehicle, and process the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle;

[0042] The computer is also used to control the at least one image sensor to image the reference target on the calibration device and process the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device;

[0043] The computer is also used to determine an adjustment method 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 in an expected position or direction.

[0044] Optionally, the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

[0045] The at least one image sensor includes at least two first image sensors and at least one second image sensor;

[0046] The at least two first image sensors are arranged at two ends of the bracket;

[0047] The at least one second image sensor is disposed in the middle portion of the bracket;

[0048] The reference target on the calibration device is arranged on a side of the calibration device that is away from the vehicle and faces the bracket.

[0049] Optionally, the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

[0050] The two image sensors are respectively mounted at two ends of the bracket;

[0051] The lateral support axis of the calibration device is provided with one of the reference targets;

[0052] The lateral support shaft of the calibration device is used to carry the calibration element;

[0053] The reference target can assume different position states around a lateral support axis of the calibration device.

[0054] Optionally, the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

[0055] The two image sensors are respectively mounted at two ends of the bracket;

[0056] Two reference targets are respectively arranged at two ends of a transverse support shaft of the calibration device, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is used to carry a calibration element.

[0057] Optionally, the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

[0058] The at least one image sensor is mounted on the bracket and is movable relative to the bracket;

[0059] The reference target on the calibration device is arranged on a side of the calibration device that is away from the vehicle and faces the bracket.

[0060] Optionally, the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

[0061] The at least one image sensor is mounted on the bracket and is movable relative to the bracket;

[0062] The lateral support axis of the calibration device is provided with one of the reference targets;

[0063] The lateral support shaft of the calibration device is used to carry the calibration element;

[0064] The reference target can assume different position states around a lateral support axis of the calibration device.

[0065] Optionally, the wheel aligner comprises a bracket;

[0066] The at least one image sensor is mounted on the bracket and is movable relative to the bracket;

[0067] Two reference targets are respectively arranged at two ends of a transverse support shaft of the calibration device, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is used to carry a calibration element.

[0068] Compared with the prior art, in the method for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner provided in an embodiment of the present invention, the position of the vehicle and the position of the calibration device are determined with the help of the wheel aligner, and the computer determines the adjustment method of the calibration device according to the position of the vehicle and the position of the calibration device, which can guide the operator to conveniently and accurately align the calibration device with the vehicle according to the expected position or direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0069] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention, and for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0070] Figure 1 is a scene diagram of a method for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel alignment device provided by one embodiment of the present invention;

[0071] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a wheel alignment device provided by one embodiment of the present invention;

[0072] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a support assembly of a wheel aligner shown;

[0073] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a calibration device provided by one embodiment of the present invention;

[0074] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 The schematic diagram of the structure of the calibration device shown, wherein the calibration device is equipped with a radar calibration plate and a pattern plate;

[0075] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of the calibration device from another angle shown;

[0076] Figure 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a first target provided by one embodiment of the present invention;

[0077] Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a second target provided by one embodiment of the present invention;

[0078] Fig. 9is a scene diagram showing a method for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0079] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the calibration device in the scene diagram shown;

[0080] Fig.11 is a scene diagram showing a method for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner according to other embodiments of the present invention;

[0081] Fig.12 yes Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the structure of the calibration device in the scene diagram shown;

[0082] Fig.13 It is a flowchart of a method for aligning a calibration device to a vehicle based on a wheel aligner provided by one embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0083] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0084] In addition, the technical features involved in different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0085] Figure 1 It is a scene diagram of a method for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner provided in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] like Figure 1 As shown, the scene includes: a calibration system and a vehicle 30, wherein the calibration system includes a wheel aligner 10 and a calibration device 20. The calibration device 20 is placed in front of the vehicle 30 and between the wheel aligner 10 and the vehicle 30. The wheel aligner 10 is used to align the calibration device 20 with the vehicle 30 so that the calibration element mounted on the calibration device 20 can calibrate the on-board equipment on the vehicle 30.

[0087] The wheel aligner 10 includes a support assembly 11, a first image sensor 12, a second image sensor 14 and a computer 15. The first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14 are mounted on the support assembly 11, and the computer 15 can be connected to the first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14 for communication.

[0088] Please also read Figure 2 and Figure 3 The support assembly 11 includes a column 110 , a clamp 112 and a bracket 114 .

[0089] The column 110 can be fixed on the ground by four anchor screws. The column 110 can also be supported on other types of bases, as long as the column 110 can be fixed and can support the bracket 114.

[0090] The clamping member 112 is installed on the column 110. The clamping member 112 can move along the column 110 relative to the column 110, and the clamping member 112 can be fixed at a required horizontal height. For example, the clamping member 112 is sleeved on the column 110. The clamping member 112 includes a screw. The screw can abut against the column 110 so that the clamping member 112 is fixed to the column 110. The screw can be twisted to disengage from the column 110, so that the clamping member 112 can move along the column 110 relative to the column 110.

[0091] The bracket 114 is installed on the clamping member 112 . The bracket 114 is a columnar structure and is perpendicular to the column 110 .

[0092] In this embodiment, the bracket 114 is mounted on the column 110 through the clamp 112. The bracket 114 can move relative to the column 110 through the clamp 112, so as to facilitate the adjustment of its horizontal height. It is understandable that in some other embodiments, the clamp 112 can be omitted, and the bracket 114 is directly mounted on the column 110. The horizontal height of the bracket 114 can be adjusted by adjusting the horizontal height of the column 110.

[0093] The first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14 are both mounted on the bracket 114, wherein the two first image sensors 12 are respectively located at the two ends of the bracket 114, and the second image sensor 14 is located in the middle of the bracket 114. The first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14 can be any type of suitable image sensor, such as a digital camera based on CCD or CMOS. Each of the first image sensor 12 and / or the second image sensor 14 includes a two-axis or three-axis gimbal, which can receive a control signal to adjust its shooting angle; or, each of the first image sensor 12 and / or each of the second image sensor 14 is fixedly mounted on the bracket; or, each of the first image sensor 12 and / or each of the second image sensor 14 can adjust its shooting angle to a specific shooting angle through a mechanical structure that cooperates with the bracket 114.

[0094] In this embodiment, the middle portion of the bracket 114 is any portion between the two ends of the bracket 114, and the second image sensor 14 can be located at any position between the two first image sensors 12. For example, the second image sensor 14 is located between the two first image sensors 12, and the second image sensor 14 is equidistant from the two first image sensors 12.

[0095] The computer 15 can be connected to the first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14 in communication. For example, the computer 15 can be connected to the first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14 by wire through a data line, or the computer 15 can be connected to the first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14 in wireless communication through wireless communication methods such as WiFi and Bluetooth. The computer 15 can be an electronic device with computing functions such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a server, a smart phone, etc. The computer 15 includes a display 150 and an input control device 152 (see Figure 1 ). The input control device 152 is used to input user instructions, including a keyboard, a mouse and a touchpad. The computer 15 is installed with graphics processing software, such as SLAM software, which is used to process the image information obtained from the first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14, simulate three-dimensional graphics, and display them on the display 150 to guide the operator to perform corresponding operations. Alternatively, the computer 15 will further analyze the processed image to determine the current position of the calibration device 20 based on the image, to compare the current position and the expected position of the calibration device 20, and output adjustment suggestions based on the comparison results. It can be understood that the image processing software in the embodiment of the present application can be a self-made image processing software by the manufacturer to realize the above-mentioned image processing function, or it can be a commercially available image processing software on the market. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the image processing software.

[0096] See also Figure 4 The calibration device 20 includes a base bracket 21, a pole bracket 22, a bracket assembly 23 and a sliding member 24.

[0097] One end of the vertical pole bracket 22 is connected to the base bracket 21 , and the base bracket 21 supports the vertical pole bracket 22 .

[0098] The bracket assembly 23 is installed on the pole bracket 22 and can move relative to the pole bracket 22 along the vertical direction.

[0099] The sliding member 24 is installed on the bracket assembly 23 and can move relative to the bracket assembly 23 along a horizontal direction.

[0100] The base support 21 includes a support body 210, a roller 212 and a height adjustment member 214. The support body 210 is a rectangular flat plate and can be made of metal material. In order to reduce weight, multiple hollow areas are formed. The support body 210 has a central axis A, which can be used as the longitudinal center line of the calibration device 20.

[0101] The roller 212 is installed on the bottom surface of the bracket body 210 to facilitate the movement of the base bracket 21. In this embodiment, the roller 212 is a universal movable roller, so that the base bracket 21 can be moved forward, backward, left, and right at will. There are four rollers 212, which are respectively installed at the four corners of the bracket body 210. It can be understood that in some other embodiments, the shape of the bracket body 210 can be changed according to actual needs, and is not limited to being a rectangle. For example, the bracket body 210 can be circular; the number of the rollers 212 can be increased or decreased according to actual needs, as long as there are at least three.

[0102] The height adjustment member 214 is mounted on the bottom surface of the bracket body 210 and is used to adjust the height of the bracket body 210. In this embodiment, the height adjustment member 214 is an adjustment handwheel, and there are three of them. The three adjustment handwheels 214 are distributed in an isosceles triangle. The two adjustment handwheels 214 located at the base of the isosceles triangle are arranged on one side of the bracket body 210 and are symmetrically arranged relative to the central axis A of the bracket body 210. The other adjustment handwheel 214 is arranged on the other side of the bracket body 210 and is arranged on the central axis A of the bracket body 210 (that is, it is arranged at the vertex position of the vertex angle of the isosceles triangle). The three adjustment handwheels 214 can cooperate to adjust the horizontal angle of the entire bracket body 210. By adjusting the adjustment handwheel 214 located on the central axis A of the bracket body 210 separately, the pitch angle of the bracket body 210 can be adjusted.

[0103] It is understandable that the height adjustment member 214 may be other devices capable of adjusting the height; the number of the height adjustment members 214 may be increased according to actual needs, as long as there are at least three of them.

[0104] The upright support 22 is perpendicular to the plane where the support body 210 is located.

[0105] The support assembly 23 includes a transverse support shaft 230 and a mounting seat 232. The transverse support shaft 230 is mounted on the vertical pole support 22, and the transverse support shaft 230 is horizontally arranged. The mounting seat 232 is mounted on the transverse support shaft 230 for mounting a calibration element.

[0106] The sliding member 24 is mounted on the transverse support shaft 230 and can move horizontally relative to the transverse support shaft 230. In this embodiment, the sliding member 24 is movably mounted on the transverse support shaft 230 via a sliding bearing. The sliding member 24 includes a plurality of mounting points for mounting calibration elements.

[0107] It can be understood that there are many ways to mount the calibration element on the transverse support shaft 230. In addition to the above-mentioned calibration element being slidably installed on the transverse support shaft 230, it can also be mounted on the transverse support shaft 230 using a mounting part. In this regard, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the mounting method of the calibration element on the transverse support shaft 230.

[0108] See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the radar calibration plate 25 is mounted on the sliding member 24, which can be used to calibrate the vehicle-mounted radar, and the mounting rod of the pattern plate 26 is inserted into the mounting seat 232, which is used to calibrate the vehicle-mounted lane keeping system. A fixing seat 262 is provided on the back of the pattern plate 26 for mounting a target, and the center line of the pattern plate 26, the center line of the fixing seat 262, and the center line of the target surface mounted on the fixing seat 262 are located in the same vertical plane as the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20. The bracket assembly 23 is moved relative to the vertical pole bracket 22 in the vertical direction to adjust the horizontal height of the target mounted on the fixing seat 262. It can be understood that in some other embodiments, a structure for mounting a target can be set at any position of the calibration device 20 according to actual needs, as long as the target is away from the vehicle 30 and faces the bracket 114, for example, a fixing device is provided on the transverse support shaft 230 for mounting a target, and the target is away from the vehicle 30 and faces the bracket 114.

[0109] It can be understood that the calibration device 20 in the embodiment of the present application may include a universal bracket, a simple bracket, a special bracket, etc. For example, the calibration device is a universal bracket, which can support calibration elements such as radar calibration parts and pattern plates applicable to multiple vehicle models. The simple bracket is easy to move and can support calibration elements for one or more systems or sensors in the auxiliary system. The special bracket is only used to support calibration elements of specific vehicle models.

[0110] In the embodiments of the present application, the definitions of target and object are consistent.

[0111] Please refer to Figure 1In the scenario, the calibration device 20 is placed between the wheel aligner 10 and the vehicle 30. Before the calibration components mounted on the calibration device 20 are used to calibrate the on-board equipment such as the camera and the radar on the vehicle 30, the calibration device 20 needs to be positioned in front of or behind the vehicle 30 using the wheel aligner 10, or at other relative positions to the vehicle as indicated in the calibration manual.

[0112] At this time, four first targets 320 are respectively installed on the four tires 310 of the vehicle 30, and the first targets 320 can be understood as vehicle-mounted targets. In one implementation, each first target 320 has a reference point, and the four reference points of the four first targets 320 are equidistant from the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30, respectively. The two reference points of the two first targets 320 located at the front wheels are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30, and the two reference points of the two first targets 320 located at the rear wheels are also symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30, so that the four reference points of the four first targets 320 are respectively located at the four vertices of a rectangle, and the central axis of the rectangle coincides with the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30. Of course, each first target 320 in the embodiment of the present application can also include multiple reference points, which is not limited here.

[0113] A second target 220 is mounted on the calibration device 20 , and the second target can be understood as a reference target.

[0114] One of the first image sensors 12 is used to photograph the two first targets 320 located on one side of the vehicle 30, and the other first image sensor 12 is used to photograph the other two first targets 320 located on the other side of the vehicle 30. The computer 14 is used to process the images photographed by the two first image sensors 12, determine the positions of the four targets 320, and thus obtain the position information of the vehicle 30. Specifically, the position information of the vehicle 30 may include the positions of the reference points of the vehicle 30, for example, the positions of the centers of each wheel are calculated, and further, the overall position of the vehicle, for example, the position of the center axis or thrust line of the vehicle is determined according to the positions of these reference points; or, the position information of the vehicle 30 may include the position of the center axis or thrust line of the vehicle, and the position of the center axis or thrust line of the vehicle can be directly calculated according to the positions of the reference points on the first target 320. The second image sensor 14 is used to photograph the second target 220, and the computer 14 is used to process the images photographed by the second image sensor 14, determine the position of the second target 220, and thus obtain the position information of the calibration device 20. Specifically, the position information of the calibration device 20 may include the center position of the calibration device 20, the position of a certain axis of the calibration device 20, or position information used to assist in determining the position of a calibration element on the calibration device. The computer 15 is also used to determine the adjustment method of the calibration device 20 according to the position information of the vehicle 30 and the position information of the calibration device 20, so that the calibration device 20 is aligned with the vehicle 30 according to the expected position or direction.

[0115] In this embodiment, the position information of the vehicle 30 includes the position information of the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30. The computer 15 uses the four first targets 320 as vehicle-mounted targets for imaging, and the computer 15 obtains the positions of the central axes of the four reference points of the four first targets 320, and uses the positions of the central axes of the four reference points as the positions of the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30. In this embodiment, the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30 is located on the central axis plane of the vehicle 30 and is arranged horizontally. The central axis plane of the vehicle 30 is arranged vertically, and the vehicle 30 is arranged symmetrically with respect to its central axis plane.

[0116] In some embodiments, the position information of the vehicle 30 may further include position information of a point 300 between two front tires 310 of the vehicle 30 .

[0117] In this embodiment, the position information of the calibration device 20 includes the position information of the longitudinal center line of the calibration device 20. The second image sensor 14 uses the second target 220 as a reference target for imaging. The second target 320 has a reference point. The computer 15 uses the reference point of the second target 220 to calculate the position information of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20. For example, the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 320 is used as the reference point, and a straight line passing through the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 and perpendicular to the target surface of the second target 220 is used as the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20. The computer 15 uses the SLAM algorithm to calculate the position information of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 according to the target surface of the second target 220 in the coordinate system. The position of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 in the coordinate system is calculated; for another example, any point on the target surface of the second target 320 is used as a reference point, and the position of a straight line passing through the reference point and perpendicular to the target surface of the second target 220 is calculated. The relative position of the straight line passing through the reference point and perpendicular to the target surface of the second target 220 and the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 is preset. The computer 15 adopts a SLAM algorithm to calculate the position of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 in the coordinate system according to the position of the straight line passing through the reference point and perpendicular to the target surface of the second target 220.

[0118] The longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 is located on the mid-axis plane of the calibration device 20 and is arranged horizontally.

[0119] In this embodiment, the lateral distance between the longitudinal centerline A and the longitudinal centerline O is zero, that is, the calibration requirement is met when the longitudinal centerline A and the longitudinal centerline O coincide with each other, and the calibration device 20 is aligned with the vehicle 30 .

[0120] Furthermore, in some embodiments, while the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 is required to coincide with the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle, the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 needs to be corrected, that is, the intersection line of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 is adjusted to be perpendicular to the ground, so as to achieve the position adjustment requirement of the calibration device 20. The vertical plane of the calibration device 20 refers to the side of the calibration device 20 facing the vehicle and substantially perpendicular to the ground. Specifically, the angle of the intersection line of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 relative to the ground can be calculated based on the reference point on the second target 220; or, the angle of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 relative to the ground can be calculated based on the reference point on the second target 220, and the position of the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 can be calculated based on the reference point on the first target 320, and then the angle of the intersection line of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 relative to the ground can be calculated based on the angle of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 relative to the ground and the position of the mid-axis plane of the vehicle, and the operator is guided to adjust the calibration device 20 so that the intersection line of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 is perpendicular to the ground.

[0121] After the calibration device 20 is aligned with the vehicle 30 , the calibration device 20 can mount calibration components, such as radar calibration components, pattern plates, reflectors, etc., according to actual needs to calibrate the driving assistance system of the vehicle 30 .

[0122] In this embodiment, the computer 15 is installed with graphics processing software, such as SLAM software, which can simulate the three-dimensional image of the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30 and display it on the display 150. According to the first calibration target image and the second calibration target image, the computer 15 controls the display 150 to display the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 and the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30 in the three-dimensional image of the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30. At the same time, the display 150 displays the deviation value between the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30 and the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 in the three-dimensional image of the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30. In order to conveniently guide the operator to align the calibration device 20 with the vehicle 30, the computer 15 can display an error signal indicating the direction and the deviation size in the three-dimensional image. The operator can move the calibration device 20 relative to the vehicle 30 according to the indicated direction to reduce or eliminate the deviation between the vehicle 30 and the calibration device 20. During the movement of the calibration device 20 relative to the vehicle 30, the first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14 continue to capture new images, and the computer 15 repeatedly processes and analyzes the updated images and again indicates whether the indicated direction is as expected or whether there is an error. The calibration device 20 is repeatedly moved as needed until the computer 15 calculates that the deviation between the vehicle 30 and the calibration device 20 is eliminated.

[0123] See also Figure 7 Each of the first targets 320 includes a first target body 322 and a mounting post 324. The first target body 322 is mounted on one end of the mounting post 324. The first target body 322 has a target surface, and the target surface has a pattern, which is used to facilitate the determination of the position of the target surface of the first target body 322 in a coordinate when the computer 15 processes the pattern information of the target surface of the first target body 322. The center point of the pattern can be used as a reference point of the first target 320. The mounting post 324 is used to be mounted on the tire 310.

[0124] See also Figure 8The second target 220 includes a second target body 222 and a connecting rod 224. The second target body 222 is installed at one end of the connecting rod 224. The second target body 222 has a target surface. The target surface has a center point 2220. The target surface is provided with a pattern, which is used to facilitate the determination of the position of the target surface of the second target body 222 in a coordinate when the computer 15 processes the pattern information of the target surface of the second target body 222. The center point of the pattern is located at the center of the target surface and can be used as a reference point for the second target 220. The connecting rod 224 is used to be installed on the calibration device 20. Specifically, the connecting rod 224 is inserted into the fixing seat 262, and the center line B of the target surface of the second target 222 and the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 are located in the same vertical plane (see Figure 6 ) so that the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 is located on the central axis plane of the calibration device 20.

[0125] It can be understood that, in some embodiments, the second image sensor 14 can be omitted, and at least one of the two first image sensors 12 can slide along the bracket 114. After the two first image sensors 12 complete the shooting of the four first targets 320, the first image sensor 12 that can slide along the bracket 114 slides to the middle of the bracket 114 to shoot the second target 220; or, the second image sensor 14 can be omitted, and the two first image sensors 12 are fixedly installed at both ends of the bracket 114. After the two first image sensors 12 complete the shooting of the four first targets 320, at least one of the two first image sensors 12 uses its two-axis gimbal or three-axis gimbal to adjust the shooting angle to shoot the second target 220.

[0126] It is understood that in some embodiments, see Fig. 9 , the second image sensor 14 can be omitted, and the two first image sensors 12 are fixedly mounted on both ends of the bracket 114 .

[0127] Please also read Fig.10, the two ends of the transverse support shaft 230 are respectively provided with fixing devices 234, the fixing devices 234 are installed with the second targets 220, and the two second targets 220 are respectively located at the two ends of the transverse support shaft 230. According to the pre-set positional relationship between the two second targets 220 and the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20, the position of the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 can be determined. For example, it is pre-set that the line connecting the two reference points of the two second targets 220 is perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20, and the two reference points of the two second targets 220 are respectively at the same distance from the geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230. According to the pre-set positional relationship between the two reference points of the two second targets 220 and the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20, the computer 15 can obtain the position of the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20. The geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230 and the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 are located in the same vertical plane.

[0128] When the calibration device 20 is aligned with the vehicle 30 using the wheel aligner 10, one of the first image sensors 12 is used to photograph two of the first targets 320 and one of the second targets 220 located on one side of the vehicle 30, and another of the first image sensors 12 is used to photograph another two of the first targets 320 and another of the second targets 220 located on the other side of the vehicle 30.

[0129] The computer 14 is used to process the images captured by the two first image sensors 12, determine the positions of the four first targets 320 and the two second targets 220, and the computer 14 obtains the position information of the vehicle 30 according to the positions of the four targets 320, and obtains the position information of the calibration device 20 according to the positions of the two second targets 220. The computer 14 is also used to determine the adjustment method of the calibration device 20 according to the position information of the vehicle 30 and the position information of the calibration device 20, so that the calibration device 20 is aligned with the vehicle 30 according to the expected position or direction; or, in some alternative embodiments, one of the first image sensors 12 is used to capture the two first targets 320 located on one side of the vehicle 30, and the other first image sensor 12 is used to capture the other two first targets 320 located on the other side of the vehicle 30, and the computer 14 is used to process the images captured by the two first image sensors 12, determine the positions of the four targets 320, and thus obtain the position information of the vehicle 30. The two first image sensors 12 then photograph the two second targets 220 respectively, and the computer 14 is used to process the images of the second targets 220 and determine the positions of the second targets 220 , thereby obtaining the position information of the calibration device 20 .

[0130] Please also read Fig.11 and Fig.12 In some embodiments, a fixing device 234 is provided at one end of the transverse support shaft 230, and the fixing device 234 is installed with the second target 220, and the second target 220 can rotate around the transverse axis C of the transverse support shaft 230, so that the second target 220 is located in different positions. Specifically, the second target 220 includes a connecting rod 2200, the central axis of the connecting rod 2200 coincides with the transverse axis C, one end of the connecting rod 2200 is threadedly matched with the fixing device 234, and the connecting rod 2200 can rotate around the transverse axis C relative to the fixing device 234, thereby driving the second target 220 to rotate around the transverse axis C. The operator can adjust the second target 220 so that the second target 220 rotates around the transverse axis C.

[0131] Along the direction parallel to the transverse axis C, the reference point of the second target 220 is spaced a preset distance from the geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230 . The geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230 and the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 are located in the same vertical plane.

[0132] When the calibration device 20 is aligned with the vehicle 30 using the wheel aligner 10, one of the first image sensors 12 is used to photograph the two first targets 320 and the second target 220 located on one side of the vehicle 30, the second target 220 rotates around the transverse axis C to adjust to a different position state, and the first image sensor 12 photographs the second target 220 again; the other first image sensor 12 is used to photograph the other two first targets 320 located on the other side of the vehicle 30.

[0133] The computer 14 is used to process the first target images captured by the two first image sensors 12 to determine the positions of the four first targets 320 , and the computer 14 obtains the position information of the vehicle 30 according to the positions of the four first targets 320 .

[0134] The computer 14 is used to determine the position of the second target 220 and the position of the transverse axis C based on a second target image in different position states captured by the first image sensor 12, and obtain the position information of the calibration device 20 in combination with a preset distance between the reference point of the second target 220 and the geometric center point of the transverse support axis 230.

[0135] The computer 14 is further used to determine an adjustment method of the calibration device 20 according to the position information of the vehicle 30 and the position information of the calibration device 20, so that the calibration device 20 is aligned with the vehicle 30 according to the expected position or direction;

[0136] Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, one of the first image sensors 12 is used to photograph the two first targets 320 located on one side of the vehicle 30, and the other first image sensor 12 is used to photograph the other two first targets 320 located on the other side of the vehicle 30, and the computer 14 is used to process the images photographed by the two first image sensors 12, determine the positions of the four targets 320, and thus obtain the position information of the vehicle 30. The first image sensor 12 located on one side of the second target 220 then photographs the second targets 220 in at least two different positions, and the computer 14 is used to process the second target images in different positions, determine the position of the second target 220 and the position of the transverse axis C, and obtain the position information of the calibration device 20 in combination with the preset distance between the reference point of the second target 220 and the geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230.

[0137] In this embodiment, based on a preset distance between the reference point of the second target 220 and the geometric center point of the transverse support axis 230, the position of the geometric center point of the transverse support axis 230 can be determined, and a straight line passing through the geometric center point and perpendicular to the transverse axis C is used as the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20, and the position of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 can be obtained.

[0138] It can be understood that, in some other embodiments, the second target 220 can be set at any position of the calibration device 20, as long as the second target 220 can rotate around a rotation axis so that the second target 220 can be adjusted to different position states, the image sensor images the second target 220, and the computer 15 can determine the reference point position of the second target 220 and the position of the rotation axis according to the second target images in different states. The relative position of the rotation axis and the transverse axis C can be pre-set, and the computer 15 calculates the position of the transverse axis C according to the pre-set relative position of the rotation axis and the transverse axis C.

[0139] In this embodiment, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for descriptive purposes. When the image sensor is used to image the first target 320, the image sensor is used as the "first image sensor", and when the image sensor is used to image the second target 220, the image sensor is used as the "second image sensor". Fig. 9In the illustrated scenario, the image sensor 12 is used as both the first image sensor and the second image sensor to image the first target 320 and the second target 220. Fig.11 In the illustrated scenario, one of the image sensors 12 first functions as a first image sensor for imaging the first target 320 , and then functions as a second image sensor for imaging the second target 220 .

[0140] It can be understood that in some embodiments, the number of image sensors can be changed according to actual needs, as long as there is at least one. For example, one image sensor is installed on the bracket 114, and the image sensor can slide along the bracket 114 to different preset shooting points. When the image sensor slides to one side of the vehicle 30, it can image the two first targets 320 or the second targets 220 located on one side of the vehicle 30. When the image sensor slides to the middle of the bracket 114, it can image the second target 220. When the image sensor slides to the other side of the vehicle 30, it can image the other two first targets 320 or the second targets 220 located on the other side of the vehicle 30.

[0141] Fig.13 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel alignment device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 , Fig. 9 , Fig.11 As shown below, combined Figure 1 , Fig. 9 , Fig.11 and Fig.13 The method is described. The method comprises:

[0142] 410: The computer controls at least one image sensor to image a target on the vehicle, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle.

[0143] exist Figure 1 , Fig. 9 or Fig.11In the illustrated scenario, when the calibration device 20 needs to be aligned with the vehicle 30, the vehicle 30 is driven into the track platform 500. The track platform 500 can be a track platform in the prior art, which is used to adjust the horizontal height of the vehicle 30 and make the four tires 310 of the vehicle 30 be located in the same horizontal plane. A first target 320 is installed on each tire 310. Specifically, the mounting column 324 is installed on the wheel hub clamp on the tire 310, and the positions of the four first targets 320 are adjusted so that the four reference points of the four first targets 320 are equidistant from the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30, the two reference points of the two first targets 320 located on the front wheels are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30, and the two reference points of the two first targets 320 located on the rear wheels are also symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30, so that the four reference points of the four first targets 320 are located at the four vertices of a rectangle, and the central axis of the rectangle coincides with the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30.

[0144] The wheel aligner 10 and the calibration device 20 are moved to the front (or rear) of the vehicle 30, the calibration device 20 is located between the wheel aligner 10 and the vehicle 30, and both the wheel aligner 10 and the calibration device 20 are located substantially at the center in front of the vehicle 30 and substantially perpendicular to the front of the vehicle 30. The target surface of the first target body 322 faces the four-wheel aligner 10.

[0145] The target surface of the second target 220 faces away from the vehicle 30 and toward the wheel aligner 10 .

[0146] The wheel aligner 10 is spaced apart from the calibration device 20 by a preset distance, for example, 1.5 meters. The bracket 114 is disposed horizontally. The computer 15 adjusts the angle of the first image sensor 12 located on one side of the vehicle 30 so that the first image sensor 12 is aligned with the target surface of the two first targets 320 located on one side of the vehicle 30; similarly, the computer 15 adjusts the angle of another first image sensor 12 located on the other side of the vehicle 30 so that the first image sensor 12 is aligned with the target surface of the other two first targets 320 located on the other side of the vehicle 30. The operator adjusts the height of the wheel aligner 10 so that the two first image sensors 12 and the first targets 320 are substantially located on the same horizontal plane.

[0147] The two first image sensors 12 are started, and the computer 15 is used to control the two first image sensors 12 to respectively photograph the target surfaces of the four first targets 320 to obtain first image information and second image information respectively.

[0148] In this embodiment, the first target 320 is used as a vehicle-mounted target, which can facilitate the computer 15 to accurately and quickly determine the position of the first target 320 according to the first target image. It can be understood that in some other embodiments, other vehicle-mounted targets for auxiliary positioning can also be used.

[0149] The computer 15 processes the first image information and the second image information. For example, the computer 15 uses a SLAM algorithm to determine the positions of the four reference points of the four first targets 320 in a coordinate system according to the first image information and the second image information. The origin of the coordinate system can be any position, for example, the position of any one of the two first image sensors 12 or the position of the second image sensor 14 is used as the origin of the coordinate system. Figure 1 In the illustrated scenario, the computer 15 uses the position of the second image sensor 14 in the coordinate system as the origin of the coordinate system.

[0150] The computer 15 determines the position of the on-board target relative to the first image sensor 12 based on the image of the on-board target; the computer 15 determines the position of the vehicle 30 relative to the first image sensor 12 based on the position of the on-board target relative to the first image sensor 12; the computer 15 determines the position of the vehicle 30 relative to the second image sensor 14 based on the position of the vehicle 30 relative to the first image sensor 12 and the position of the first image sensor 12 relative to the second image sensor 14.

[0151] Specifically, the position information of the vehicle 30 includes the position information of the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30. The computer 15 uses the four first targets 320 as vehicle-mounted targets for imaging, and each first target 320 has a reference point. The computer 15 determines the position of the reference point relative to the first image sensor 12 according to the image of the vehicle-mounted target. The computer 15 obtains the position of the longitudinal centerline of the four reference points of the four first targets 320 relative to the first image sensor 12, and uses the position of the longitudinal centerline of the four reference points relative to the first image sensor 12 as the position of the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30 relative to the first image sensor 12. When the position of the second image sensor 14 in the coordinate system is used as the origin of the coordinate system, the computer 15 determines the position of the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30 relative to the second image sensor 14 according to the position of the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30 relative to the first image sensor 12 and the position of the first image sensor 12 relative to the second image sensor 14.

[0152] In this embodiment, the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30 is located on the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 and is arranged horizontally. The mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 is arranged vertically, and the vehicle 30 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the mid-axis plane.

[0153] The position information of the vehicle 30 may also include position information of a point 300 between two front tires 310 of the vehicle 30. The computer 15 may calculate the position of the point 300 according to the positions of the four reference points of the four first targets 320 in the coordinate system.

[0154] It can be understood that, in some embodiments, an image sensor is installed on the bracket 114, and the image sensor can slide along the bracket 114 to different preset shooting points. When the image sensor slides to the preset shooting point on one side of the vehicle 30, the two first targets 320 on one side of the vehicle 30 are imaged to obtain the first image information; when the image sensor slides to the preset shooting point on the other side of the vehicle 30, the other two first targets 320 on the other side of the vehicle 30 are imaged to obtain the second image information.

[0155] 420: The computer controls at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device.

[0156] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated scenario, the second target 220 is mounted on the calibration device 20. The target surface of the second target 220 faces away from the vehicle 30 and toward the four-wheel positioner 10, and is vertically arranged, and the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 is located on the mid-axis plane of the calibration device 20. The mid-axis plane of the calibration device 20 is vertically arranged, and the calibration device 20 is symmetrical with respect to its mid-axis plane. In this embodiment, the second target 220 serves as a reference target.

[0157] The second image sensor 14 is located in the middle between the two first image sensors 12, and the second image sensor 14 is equidistant from the two first image sensors 12. The computer 15 adjusts the angle of the second image sensor 14 so that the second image sensor 14 is aligned with the target surface of the second target 220. The operator adjusts the calibration device 20 so that the second image sensor 14 and the second target 220 are substantially located in the same horizontal plane.

[0158] The computer 15 determines the position of the reference point in the image of the reference target relative to the second image sensor 14 based on the image of the reference target; the computer 15 determines the position of the center of the calibration device 20 relative to the second image sensor 14 based on the position of the reference point in the image of the reference target relative to the second image sensor 14 and the positional correspondence between the reference point and the center of the calibration device 20.

[0159] Specifically, the second image sensor 14 is started, and the computer 15 is used to control the second image sensor 14 to photograph the target surface of the second target 220 , thereby obtaining the third image information.

[0160] The computer 15 processes the third image information, and determines the position of the reference point of the target surface of the second target 220 relative to the second image sensor 14 according to the third image information.

[0161] The position information of the calibration device 20 includes the position information of the longitudinal center line of the calibration device 20. The second image sensor 14 uses the second target 220 as a reference target for imaging. The second target 320 has a reference point. The computer 15 uses the reference point of the second target 220 to calculate the position information of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20. For example, the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 320 is used as the reference point, and the straight line passing through the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 and perpendicular to the target surface of the second target 220 is used as the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20. The computer 15 uses the SLAM algorithm to calculate the position information of the calibration device 20 according to the position of the reference point of the target surface of the second target 220 relative to the second image sensor 14. The position of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 relative to the second image sensor 14 (that is, the position in the coordinate system with the position of the second image sensor 14 as the origin); for another example, any point on the target surface of the second target 320 is used as a reference point, and the position of a straight line passing through the reference point and perpendicular to the target surface of the second target 220 is calculated. The relative position of the straight line passing through the reference point and perpendicular to the target surface of the second target 220 and the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 is preset. The computer 15 adopts a SLAM algorithm to calculate the position of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 in the coordinate system according to the position of the straight line passing through the reference point and perpendicular to the target surface of the second target 220.

[0162] The longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 is located on the mid-axis plane of the calibration device 20 and is arranged horizontally.

[0163] In this embodiment, the second image sensor 14 is located in the middle between the first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 13, and the distances between the second image sensor 14 and the two first image sensors 12 are equal. The distances between the two first image sensors 12 and the second image sensor 14 can be obtained in advance by manual measurement. When the computer 15 controls the second image sensor 14 to shoot and construct the coordinate system, the computer 15 determines the positions of the two first image sensors 12 in the coordinate system according to the pre-obtained distances between the first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14. When both the wheel aligner 10 and the calibration device 20 are substantially located at the center in front of the vehicle 30 and substantially perpendicular to the front of the vehicle 30, the two first image sensors 12 are substantially symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30, and the first image information and the second image information obtained by the two first image sensors 12 shooting the first targets 320 installed on the four tires 310 are similar. The computer 15 can process the first image information and the second image information more quickly, thereby reducing the amount of data processing.

[0164] It can be understood that in some other implementations, the second image sensor 14 can be located at any position between the two first image sensors 12. When the computer 15 controls the second image sensor 14 to shoot and construct the coordinate system, the computer 15 determines the positions of the two first image sensors 12 in the coordinate system according to the pre-obtained distances between the two first image sensors 12 and the second image sensor 14. The computer 15 can calculate the positions of the four reference points of the four first targets 320 in the coordinate system according to the first image information and the second image information obtained by the first image sensor 12 shooting the four first targets 320 respectively.

[0165] The center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 is located on the central axis plane of the calibration device 20. The computer 15 can use the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 as a reference point, and use a straight line passing through the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 and perpendicular to the target surface of the second target 220 as the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20. According to the position of the target surface of the second target 220 in the coordinate system, the position of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 in the coordinate system is directly calculated, thereby reducing the amount of data processing. It can be understood that, in some other embodiments, the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 is not limited to being located on the mid-axis plane of the calibration device 20, and can be set at any position of the calibration device 20 according to actual conditions. The distance between the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 and the mid-axis plane of the calibration device 20 can be obtained in advance through manual measurement. The computer 15 determines the position of the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 in the coordinate system based on the pre-obtained distance between the center point 2200 and the mid-axis plane of the calibration device 20, and the position of the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 in the coordinate system.

[0166] exist Fig. 9 In the scene shown, the computer 15 controls one of the first image sensors 12 to photograph two of the first targets 320 and one of the second targets 220 located on one side of the vehicle 30, and controls another of the first image sensors 12 to photograph another two of the first targets 320 and another of the second targets 220 located on the other side of the vehicle 30; the computer 14 processes the images photographed by the two first image sensors 12 to determine the positions of the two second targets 220; or, in some alternative embodiments, the computer 15 controls the two first image sensors 12 to image the two second targets 220 separately.

[0167] The computer 15 determines the position of the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 according to the preset positional relationship between the two second targets 220 and the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20. For example, it is preset that the line connecting the two reference points of the two second targets 220 is perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20, and the two reference points of the two second targets 220 are respectively at equal distances from the geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230. The computer 15 can obtain the position of the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 according to the preset positional relationship between the two reference points of the two second targets 220 and the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20. The geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230 and the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 are located in the same vertical plane.

[0168] exist Fig.11 In the scene shown, the first image sensor 12 located on one side of the second target 220 images the second target 220 in different position states to obtain second target images in different position states. The computer 14 determines the position of the second target 220 and the position of the transverse axis C according to the second target images in different position states, and obtains the position information of the calibration device 20 in combination with the preset distance between the reference point of the second target 220 and the geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230. Specifically, according to the preset distance between the reference point of the second target 220 and the geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230, the position of the geometric center point of the transverse support shaft 230 can be determined, and the straight line passing through the geometric center point and perpendicular to the transverse axis C is used as the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20, and the position of the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 can be obtained.

[0169] It can be understood that, in some embodiments, an image sensor is installed on the bracket 114, and the image sensor can slide along the bracket 114 to different preset shooting points. When the image sensor slides to the side of the second target 220, the computer 15 controls the image sensor to image the second target 220 in different position states to obtain the second target images in different position states.

[0170] In this embodiment, the second target 220 is used as a reference target, which can facilitate the computer 15 to accurately and quickly determine the position of the second target 220 according to the second target image. It can be understood that in some other embodiments, other reference targets for auxiliary positioning can also be used.

[0171] 430: The computer determines an adjustment method 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 in a desired position or direction.

[0172] The computer 15 compares the position of the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 with the position of the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30 to obtain a deviation value, wherein the deviation value includes a lateral distance and an angle between the longitudinal centerline A and the longitudinal centerline O. The lateral distance and the angle between the longitudinal centerline A and the longitudinal centerline O are both zero, that is, the calibration requirement is met when the longitudinal centerline A and the longitudinal centerline O coincide.

[0173] Furthermore, in some embodiments, while the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20 is required to coincide with the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle, the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 needs to be corrected, that is, the intersection line of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 is adjusted to be perpendicular to the ground, so as to achieve the position adjustment requirement of the calibration device 20. The vertical plane of the calibration device 20 refers to the side of the calibration device 20 facing the vehicle and substantially perpendicular to the ground. Specifically, the angle of the intersection line of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 relative to the ground can be calculated based on the reference point on the second target 220; or, the angle of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 relative to the ground can be calculated based on the reference point on the second target 220, and the position of the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 can be calculated based on the reference point on the first target 320, and then the angle of the intersection line of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 relative to the ground can be calculated based on the angle of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 relative to the ground and the position of the mid-axis plane of the vehicle, and the operator is guided to adjust the calibration device 20 so that the intersection line of the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the mid-axis plane of the vehicle 30 is perpendicular to the ground.

[0174] At this time, the calibration device 20 is aimed at the vehicle 30, and the operator can mount calibration elements, such as radar calibration elements, pattern plates, reflectors, etc. on the calibration device 20 to calibrate the driving assistance system of the vehicle 30, such as on-board radar, on-board camera, lane keeping system, etc.

[0175] In order to conveniently guide the operator to align the calibration device 20 with the vehicle 30 , the computer 15 includes a display 150 . The computer 15 can control the display 150 to display the position deviation between the vehicle and the calibration device.

[0176] The computer 15 is installed with graphic processing software, such as SLAM software, which can simulate the three-dimensional image of the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30 and display it on the display 150. According to the first target image and the second target image, the display 150 displays the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 and the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30 in the three-dimensional image of the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30. At the same time, the display 150 displays the deviation value between the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30 and the longitudinal center line A of the calibration device 20 in the three-dimensional image of the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30.

[0177] In order to conveniently guide the operator to align the calibration device 20 with the vehicle 30, the computer 15 may display an error signal indicating the direction and the magnitude of the deviation in the three-dimensional image. The operator may move the calibration device 20 relative to the vehicle 30 according to the indicated direction to eliminate the deviation between the vehicle 30 and the calibration device 20. During the movement of the calibration device 20 relative to the vehicle 30, the first image sensor 12 and the second image sensor 14 continue to capture new images, and the computer 15 repeatedly processes and analyzes the updated images and indicates again whether the indicated direction is as expected or whether there is an error. The calibration device 20 is repeatedly moved as needed until the computer 15 calculates that the deviation between the vehicle 30 and the calibration device 20 is eliminated.

[0178] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the display 150 displays the vertical plane of the calibration device 20, the center axis plane of the vehicle 30, and the intersection line between the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the center axis plane of the vehicle 30 in the three-dimensional image of the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30. In order to conveniently guide the operator to adjust the intersection line between the vertical plane of the calibration device 20 and the center axis plane of the vehicle 30 to be perpendicular to the ground, the computer 15 can display the angle value and indicated direction between the intersection line and the ground in the three-dimensional image, and the operator can adjust the pitch angle of the calibration device 20 according to the angle value and indicated direction until the intersection line is perpendicular to the ground.

[0179] After the calibration device 20 is aligned with the vehicle 30, the longitudinal centerline O of the vehicle 30 coincides with the longitudinal centerline A of the calibration device 20. In some cases, the distance between the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30 needs to be calibrated. For example, the calibration device 20 is a radar calibration device, and the radar calibration device needs to be separated from the vehicle 30 by a preset calibration distance in order to calibrate the vehicle-mounted radar of the vehicle 30. Therefore, in some other embodiments, the method further includes:

[0180] 440: The computer calculates the distance between the calibration device and the vehicle along the longitudinal center line of the vehicle, compares the distance between the calibration device and the vehicle with a preset calibration distance, and obtains a longitudinal distance deviation value; and

[0181] 450: The computer determines the adjustment direction of the calibration device according to the longitudinal distance deviation value so that the distance between the calibration device and the vehicle is a preset calibration distance.

[0182] exist Figure 1In the illustrated scenario, the distance L between the point 300 located between the two front tires 310 and the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 can be used as the distance between the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30 along the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30. The computer 15 can calculate the position of the point 300 according to the positions of the four reference points of the four first targets 320 in the coordinate system, and can calculate the distance L between the point 300 and the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220 according to the position of the point 300 and the position of the center point 2200 of the target surface of the second target 220. The preset calibration distance between the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30 can be determined according to the specification provided by the calibration device manufacturer. The computer 15 compares the preset calibration distance with the distance between the calibration device 20 and the vehicle 30 to obtain a longitudinal distance deviation value to guide the operator to move the calibration device 20 along the longitudinal center line O of the vehicle 30.

[0183] It can be understood that, in some embodiments, after step 450 is completed, repeating steps 410 to 450 can allow the calibration device 20 to be more accurately aligned with the vehicle 30 .

[0184] Compared with the prior art, in the method for aligning a calibration device with a vehicle based on a wheel aligner provided in the present embodiment, the position of the calibration device 20 and the position of the vehicle 30 can be determined with the aid of the wheel aligner 10, and the computer 15 determines the adjustment method of the calibration device 20 according to the position of the vehicle 30 and the position of the calibration device 20, so as to guide the operator to conveniently and accurately align the calibration device 20 with the vehicle 30 in the expected position or direction.

[0185] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit them. Under the concept of the present invention, the technical features in the above embodiments or different embodiments may also be combined, the steps may be implemented in any order, and there are many other changes in different aspects of the present invention as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of simplicity. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they may still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for aligning a calibration device to a vehicle based on a wheel alignment instrument, characterized in that: The wheel aligner includes at least one image sensor and a computer, wherein the computer is communicatively connected to the at least one image sensor; The method comprises: The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a target on the vehicle and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle; The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device; The computer determines, according to the position of the vehicle and the position of the calibration device, an adjustment method of the calibration device so that the calibration device is aligned with the vehicle in a desired position or direction; The at least one image sensor comprises at least one first image sensor and at least one second image sensor; The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a vehicle-borne target on the vehicle, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle, including: the computer controls the at least one first image sensor to image a vehicle-borne target on the vehicle, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle; The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image the reference target on the calibration device, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device, including: the computer controls the at least one second image sensor to image the reference target on the calibration device, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device; The wheel aligner comprises a bracket, and the at least one first image sensor and the at least one second image sensor are mounted on the bracket; The at least one first image sensor is disposed at both ends of the bracket, and the at least one second image sensor is disposed in the middle of the bracket; The reference target on the calibration device is arranged on a side of the calibration device that is away from the vehicle and faces the bracket.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The computer controls the at least one second image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device, including: The computer determines, based on the image of the reference target, a position of a reference point in the image of the reference target relative to the second image sensor; The computer determines the position of the center of the calibration device relative to the second image sensor based on the position of a reference point in the image of the reference target relative to the second image sensor and the positional correspondence between the reference point and the center of the calibration device.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The computer controls the at least one second image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device, including: The computer controls the at least one second image sensor to image different position states of the reference target on the calibration device to obtain at least two reference target images; determining a position of a lateral support axis of the calibration device based on the at least two reference target images; Wherein, the reference target presents different position states around the transverse support axis of the calibration device, and the transverse support axis of the calibration device is used to carry the calibration element.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The computer controls the at least one first image sensor to image a vehicle-borne target on the vehicle, and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle, including: The computer determines the position of the vehicle-borne target relative to the first image sensor based on the image of the vehicle-borne target; The computer determines the position of the vehicle relative to the first image sensor based on the position of the vehicle-borne target relative to the first image sensor; The computer determines the position of the vehicle relative to the second image sensor based on the position of the vehicle relative to the first image sensor and the position of the first image sensor relative to the second image sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wheel aligner comprises a bracket, and the at least one image sensor is arranged at both ends of the bracket; Two reference targets are respectively arranged at two ends of a transverse support shaft of the calibration device, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is used to carry a calibration element.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The computer controls the at least one image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device and processes the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device, including: The computer determines the positions of reference targets at both ends of the lateral support axis of the calibration device; The computer determines the center point of the calibration device and / or the position of the lateral support axis according to the positions of the reference targets at both ends.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The computer determines the center point of the calibration device and / or the position of the lateral support axis according to the positions of the reference targets at both ends, including: The computer determines the positions of both ends of the lateral support shaft of the calibration device according to the positions of the reference targets at both ends; The computer determines the center point of the calibration device and / or the position of the lateral support axis according to the positions of the two ends of the lateral support axis.

8. A calibration system, characterized in that: include: A wheel aligner, the wheel aligner comprising at least one image sensor and a computer, the computer being communicatively connected to the at least one image sensor; The at least one image sensor includes at least two first image sensors and at least one second image sensor; as well as a calibration device, the calibration device comprising a reference target; The computer is used to control the at least one first image sensor to image a vehicle-borne target on the vehicle, and process the obtained image to determine the position of the vehicle; The computer is also used to control the at least one second image sensor to image a reference target on the calibration device and process the obtained image to determine the position of the calibration device; The computer is also used to determine an adjustment method 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 the expected position or direction; The wheel aligner comprises a bracket, and the at least one first image sensor and the at least one second image sensor are mounted on the bracket; The at least one first image sensor is disposed at both ends of the bracket, and the at least one second image sensor is disposed in the middle of the bracket; The reference target on the calibration device is arranged on a side of the calibration device that is away from the vehicle and faces the bracket.

9. The calibration system according to claim 8, characterized in that The lateral support axis of the calibration device is provided with one of the reference targets; The lateral support shaft of the calibration device is used to carry the calibration element; The reference target can assume different position states around a lateral support axis of the calibration device.

10. The calibration system according to claim 8, characterized in that Two reference targets are respectively arranged at two ends of a transverse support shaft of the calibration device, and the transverse support shaft of the calibration device is used to carry a calibration element.

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