Abstract: A method for ascertaining the axis of rotation of a vehicle wheel in which a light pattern is projected at least onto the wheel during the rotation of the wheel and the light pattern reflected from the wheel is detected by a calibrated imaging sensor system and analyzed in an analyzer device. Accurate and robust measurement of the axis of rotation and, optionally, of the axis and wheel geometry, in particular when the vehicle is passing by, is achieved in that a 3D point cloud with respect to the wheel is determined in the analysis and a parametric surface model of the wheel is adapted thereto; normal vectors of the wheel are calculated for different rotational positions of the wheel for obtaining the axes of rotation; and the axis of rotation vector is calculated as the axis of rotation from the spatial movement of the normal vector of the wheel.

Abstract: A method for ascertaining the axis of rotation of a vehicle wheel in which a light pattern is projected at least onto the wheel during the rotation of the wheel and the light pattern reflected from the wheel is detected by a calibrated imaging sensor system and analyzed in an analyzer device. Accurate and robust measurement of the axis of rotation and, optionally, of the axis and wheel geometry, in particular when the vehicle is passing by, is achieved in that a 3D point cloud with respect to the wheel is determined in the analysis and a parametric surface model of the wheel is adapted thereto; normal vectors of the wheel are calculated for different rotational positions of the wheel for obtaining the axes of rotation; and the axis of rotation vector is calculated as the axis of rotation from the spatial movement of the normal vector of the wheel.