Intelligent vehicle lift network with distributed sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12227400-B2
Application number	US-201917289388-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2019
Priority date	Nov 9, 2018
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

An automation system uses cameras ( 134 ) and sensors ( 136 ) to identify a set of vehicle wheels within a lift area ( 118 ), then virtualizes the position and orientation of the vehicle relative to the lift posts ( 122, 130 ). Lift arms ( 124, 132 ) extending from the lift posts are moved to a first position that places a profile camera near the predicted position of lift points, and image analysis is used to positively identify the lift points. The lift arms are then moved to a second position that places an adapter camera below the identified lift points, and image analysis is used to confirm safe positioning below the lift point. Captured images and feedback from image analysis are used to improve and refine the system's ability to identify wheels, profile view lift points, and plan view lift points. The system may be integrated with lift arms allowing for automated rotation, extension, and elevation of lift adapters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle lift operable to lift a vehicle within a lift area, the vehicle lift comprising:
a lift post that is operable to raise and lower a lift arm assembly;
a set of lift arms, wherein each arm of the set of lift arms is attached to the lift post by a post connection at a proximal end of the lift arm, and the system is operable to automatically position a distal end of the lift arm;
a set of lift area detectors operable to determine physical characteristics of objects in the lift area, the set of lift area detectors comprising one or more cameras configured to capture one or more images of the vehicle; and
a lift controller configured to:
access an identification dataset that comprises data usable by artificial intelligence software to perform image analysis to identify objects within the one or more images of the vehicle;
control the position of the distal end of each lift arm in the set of lift arms;
using information from the set of lift area detectors, determine a virtualized position of the vehicle within the lift area;
using the set of lift area detectors, capture a set of one or more images of each lift point in a set of one or more lift points on the vehicle;
using artificial intelligence software, perform an image analysis on the set of one or more images of each lift point using the identification dataset to produce a set of results; and
automatically position the distal end of each lift arm of the set of lift arms at a different lift point of the set of lift points based on the virtualized position of the vehicle and the set of results;

wherein the lift controller is further configured to, when performing the image analysis:
capture a profile view image of the vehicle and perform a profile image analysis on the profile view image using the identification dataset to identify a lift point within the profile view image;
capture, after capturing the profile view image, a plan view image of the vehicle and perform a plan view image analysis on the plan view image using the identification dataset to identify a lift point within the plan view image;
determine whether the lift point within the profile view image is contained within a target envelope of one of the set of lift arms;
determine whether the lift point within the plan view image is contained within the target envelope; and
cause a lift monitor device to display the profile view image, the plan view image, the lift point, and the target envelope.

2. A vehicle lift operable to lift a vehicle within a lift area, the vehicle lift comprising:
a lift post that is operable to raise and lower a lift arm assembly;
a set of lift arms, wherein each arm of the set of lift arms is attached to the lift post by a post connection at a proximal end of the lift arm, and wherein the system is operable to automatically position a distal end of the lift arm;
a set of lift area detectors operable to determine physical characteristics of objects in the lift area, the set of lift area detectors comprising one or more cameras configured to capture one or more images of the vehicle; and
a lift controller configured to:
access an identification dataset that comprises data usable by artificial intelligence software to perform image analysis to identify objects within the one or more images of the vehicle;
control the position of the distal end of each lift arm in the set of lift arms;
using information from the set of lift area detectors, determine a virtualized position of the vehicle within the lift area;
using the set of lift area detectors, capture a set of one or more images of each lift point in a set of one or more lift points on the vehicle;
using artificial intelligence software, perform an image analysis on the set of one or more images of each lift point using the identification dataset to produce a set of results; and
automatically position the distal end of each lift arm of the set of lift arms at a different lift point of the set of lift points based on the virtualized position of the vehicle and the set of results;

wherein the lift controller is further configured to, when determining the virtualized position of the vehicle:
capture an image of the vehicle using a camera in the set of lift area detectors;
perform an image analysis on the image using the identification dataset to identify a position of a first target point in the image;
determine a position of the vehicle in a first dimension and in a second dimension as a function of
the location of the first target point within the image,
a distance between the first target point on the vehicle and one or more proximity sensors in the set of lift area detectors, and
an angle of one of the one or more proximity sensors relative to the first target point; and

determine an orientation of the vehicle within the lift area as a function of the position in the first dimension and output from the one or more proximity sensors of the set of lift area detectors.

3. The vehicle lift of claim 2 , wherein the lift controller is further configured to provide an identification dataset update an identification server, where the identification dataset update comprises information from the set of lift area detectors.

4. The vehicle lift of claim 3 , wherein the lift controller is further configured to receive a new identification dataset from the identification server, wherein the new identification dataset is configured based at least in part upon the identification dataset update.

5. The vehicle lift of claim 1 , wherein the lift controller is further configured to:
receive a confirmation from the lift monitor device indicating that the lift point is positioned within the target envelope;
create an identification dataset update comprising the profile view image and the lift point; and
provide the identification dataset update to an identification server.

6. The vehicle lift of claim 1 , wherein the lift controller is further configured to:
receive a confirmation from the lift monitor device indicating that the lift point is positioned within the target envelope;
create an identification dataset update comprising the plan view image and the lift point; and
provide the identification dataset update to the identification server.

7. The vehicle lift of claim 2 , wherein the lift controller is further configured to:
for each lift arm of the set of lift arms, cause a lift monitor device to display a plan view image of a lift point above an adapter of that lift point;
receive a confirmation from the lift monitor device indicating that the set of lift arms is correctly positioned;
create an identification dataset update comprising each plan view image and an identified lift point within each plan view image; and
provide the identification dataset update to an identification server.

8. The vehicle lift of claim 7 , wherein the lift controller is further configured to receive a new identification dataset from the identification server, and wherein the new identification dataset is based at least in part upon the identification dataset update.

9. The vehicle lift of claim 1 , wherein the lift controller is further configured to provide an identification dataset update an identification server, where the identification dataset update comprises information from the set of lift area detectors.

10. The vehicle lift of claim 9 , wherein the lift controller is further configured to receive a new identification dataset from the identification server, wherein the new identification dataset is configured based at least in part upon the identification dataset update.

11. The vehicle lift of claim 2 , wherein the lift controller is configured

Assignees

• Vehicle Service Group Llc

Inventors

• Taylor Steven H
• Elliott Robert William
• Lauderbaugh Gerry

Classifications

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• G06T2207/30252

  Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle · CPC title

• B66F7/20

  by several jacks with means for maintaining the platforms horizontal during movement · CPC title

• G06V2201/08

  Detecting or categorising vehicles · CPC title

• G06V20/10

  Terrestrial scenes (scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59) · CPC title