Autonomous mobile robotic system for standardized, AI-supported vehicle condition assessment and automatic damage detection

Abstract

Autonomous mobile robotic system for standardized vehicle condition assessment, comprising a mobile robot platform, at least one camera system and / or sensor system, a navigation module for autonomously driving around a vehicle, an image processing and evaluation module, an AI module for automatic detection and assessment of damage, and a report generation module for creating a digital inspection report, wherein the system can be used in a vehicle workshop without structural modifications.

Description

1. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to robotics, computer vision, artificial intelligence, and digital documentation systems.

[0002] It is aimed particularly at car repair shops, fleet operators and service companies that need a fast, legally compliant solution. and require cost-effective documentation of the vehicle's condition. 2. State of the art

[0003] The current state of the art mainly includes: - manual photo documentation by workshop staff, - stationary drive-through scan portals, which are very expensive, - Systems that require extensive structural changes, - Inspection methods that are highly dependent on personnel, lighting conditions, and subjective perception.

[0004] Stationary scanning portals often cost several hundred thousand euros and require: - Foundation work, - electrical extensions, - structural modifications to the workshop, - large parking spaces, - specialized personnel.

[0005] For most workshops, this is not financially or spatially feasible. Furthermore, disputes regularly arise between customers and workshops regarding scratches, dents, and damage. whose origin cannot be clearly determined. This leads to mistrust, conflict, and wasted time. 3. Object of the invention

[0006] The invention is intended to: - Prevent or significantly reduce disputes between customers and repair shops, - enable objective, standardized and legally compliant documentation, - can be used without structural modifications and without training, - operate on the principle of "unpack, switch on, get started", - can be used at a fraction of the cost of stationary systems, - Additionally, measure the tire tread depth and issue a warning or recommendation when the wear limit is reached, - inspect the rims in particular, as there is little time for staff to perform a thorough visual inspection during seasonal tire change phases. 4. Solution to the task

[0007] This task is solved by a mobile, autonomous robot system ("ScanRover") that: - navigates independently around a vehicle - optionally drives under the vehicle, - captures standardized image perspectives, - transmits the image data to a central dashboard, - performs AI-based damage detection, - measures tire tread depth and automatically issues warnings when limits are reached, - the rims were inspected in detail to detect damage early, - automatically creates an unalterable inspection report (PDF format).

[0008] The dashboard enables: - Live monitoring of the scanning process, - Display of all image data, profile measurements and AI results, - Real-time warnings for wear or rim damage, - Download and archive the PDF report.

[0009] The robot requires no infrastructure whatsoever: - no alterations, - no assembly required, - no electrical adjustment.

[0010] This means the ScanRover is immediately ready for use and can be used in almost any workshop environment. 5. Advantages of the invention - Plug-and-play operation: unpack → switch on → get started immediately. - No structural changes are necessary. - Significantly lower costs compared to stationary portals. - Standardized, objective documentation. - AI-supported damage detection. - Automatic detection of tire wear and tread depth. - Precise rim analysis to relieve staff during seasonal tire change periods. - Reduction of conflicts between customers and workshops. Description of the explanations using the figures

[0011] The invention is described below with reference to six figures ( Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 to Fig. 6) explained in more detail: • Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a vehicle (1) which is placed within a predefined inspection area (2) for the start of the process. • Fig. Figure 2 illustrates the initial detection phase, in which the mobile robot system (3) detects the vehicle (1) from a front view using camera and sensor technology. • Fig. Figure 3 illustrates the analysis process of the vehicle body and rims. The mobile robot system (3) autonomously circles the vehicle (1) and takes images from various standardized positions for damage detection. • Fig. Figure 4 shows a side view of the vehicle (1) during tire testing. The mobile robot system (3) uses laser sensors to measure the tire tread depth on the vehicle component (4) or tire. • Fig. Figure 5 presents the detailed analysis. It shows the recording of a measurement point (5) on the tire profile and the resulting representation of an analysis cross-section (6) for evaluating the tread depth. • Fig.Figure 6 shows a flowchart of the overall system. The data from the camera system (7), sensors (8), and lighting unit (9) are combined in the control unit (10). Data is stored (11) and processed (13), after which the results are output via a user interface (12) in the form of an inspection report (14). Reference number list 1 vehicle 2 Inspection area 3 Mobile Robot System 4 Vehicle component 5 measuring points 6. Analysis cross-section 7-camera system 8 Sensors 9 lighting units 10 Control unit 11 Data storage 12 User interface 13 Data processing 14 Inspection report

Claims

Autonomous mobile robotic system for standardized vehicle condition assessment, comprising a mobile robot platform, at least one camera system and / or sensor system, a navigation module for autonomously driving around a vehicle, an image processing and evaluation module, an AI module for automatic detection and assessment of damage, and a report generation module for creating a digital inspection report, wherein the system can be used in a vehicle workshop without structural modifications. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the robot recognizes the vehicle contour and calculates a standardized, reproducible scan route from it. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the robot can drive under the vehicle to capture underbody or wheel area data. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the AI ​​module is designed for the detection and evaluation of body damage and rim damage. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an automatic measurement of the tire tread depth is carried out and a warning or renewal recommendation is issued when defined wear limits are reached. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recorded data and evaluations are displayed in real time via a central digital dashboard. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a digital inspection report in PDF format is automatically generated. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inspection report serves for the objective documentation of the vehicle's condition in order to avoid or reduce disputes between customers and workshops.

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