Patent classifications
G01S2013/93273
Model for excluding vehicle from sensor field of view
The technology relates to developing a highly accurate understanding of a vehicle's sensor fields of view in relation to the vehicle itself. A training phase is employed to gather sensor data in various situations and scenarios, and a modeling phase takes such information and identifies self-returns and other signals that should either be excluded from analysis during real-time driving or accounted for to avoid false positives. The result is a sensor field of view model for a particular vehicle, which can be extended to other similar makes and models of that vehicle. This approach enables a vehicle to determine when sensor data is of the vehicle or something else. As a result, the detailed modeling allowing the on-board computing system to make driving decisions and take other actions based on accurate sensor information.
CLEANING OF A SENSOR LENS OF A VEHICLE SENSOR SYSTEM
Systems, devices, system-implemented methods, computer-implemented methods and/or computer program products are provided that can facilitate movement and/or cleaning of a sensor lens of a sensor system for a vehicle body. In one embodiment, the sensor system can comprise a sensor lens having a retractable portion that is moveable at least partially into and out of a chamber. The sensor system also can comprise a cleaning assembly configured to clean the retractable portion disposed within the chamber and at least partially separated from airflow exterior to the chamber. According to another embodiment, a sensor system for a vehicle body can comprise a moveable sensor lens, a cover, and a cleaning assembly configured to clean the sensor lens at least partially concealed by the cover from an environment about the vehicle body.
LIDAR SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VEHICLE CORNER MOUNT
A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanning system for at least partial integration with a vehicle roof is disclosed. The system comprises one or more optical core assemblies at least partially integrated with the vehicle roof and positioned proximate to one or more pillars of the vehicle roof. At least one optical core assembly comprises an oscillating reflective element, an optical polygon element, and transmitting and collection optics. At least a portion or a side surface of the at least one optical core assembly protrudes outside of a planar surface of the vehicle roof to facilitate scanning of light. The portion of the at least one optical core assembly that protrudes outside of the planar surface of the vehicle roof also protrudes in a vertical direction by an amount corresponding to a lateral arrangement of the optical polygon element, the oscillating reflective element, and the transmitting and collection optics.
Method and System for Self-Calibrating a Scanning System Using Inertial Measurement Spatial and Temporal Data
A self-calibrating scanning system and method provides a novel way to eliminate errors in scanning systems, such as lidar or radar detection, using an inertial measurement unit. The system includes an energy transmission source configured to transmit an energy signal through a transmittal area. A detector receives a return energy signal of at least one target object of the energy transmitter source within the transmittal area. The system calculates at least one of the range and position of an object from information relating to at least one of the time and phase of the return energy signal relative to the transmittal energy signal. The spatial or angular displacement of the detector relative to the light source is measured using data from the inertial measurement unit, and at least one of calculated range and position of the object is adjusted based on the spatial or angular displacement of the detector.
METHOD, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR ENABLING A SENSOR SYSTEM FOR DETECTING OBJECTS IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF A VEHICLE
A method for obtaining approval of a sensor system for detecting objects in a vehicle's environment includes providing a combined probability distribution for deviations between output data from a sensor system and reference data at the programming level for detecting objects by the sensor system, at the sensor level and/or at the fusion level, sampling deviation combinations and calculating occurrence probabilities for the sampled deviation combinations using the combined probability distribution, subjecting the reference data to the sampled deviation combinations, processing these reference data with a fusion unit, and obtaining fusion results, removing occurrence probabilities from the combined probability distribution from which those fusion results are obtained that satisfy a predefined condition, and obtaining a residual probability distribution, taking the integral of the residual probability distribution and obtaining an absolute error probability, and obtaining approval of the sensor system based on the absolute error probability.
VEHICLE-MOUNTED MEASUREMENT DEVICE UNIT AND INTEGRATED DATA GENERATION METHOD IN VEHICLE-MOUNTED MEASUREMENT DEVICE UNIT
A vehicle-mounted measurement device unit includes a data processing device. The data processing device includes: a plurality of detector input units, each of which being connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of detectors having respective predetermined detection areas; an output unit configured to be connected to a vehicle control device arranged in a vehicle; an overlapping detection area setting unit configured to dynamically set an overlapping detection area between a plurality of arbitrary detectors among the plurality of detectors; and an integrated data generation unit configured to, in accordance with the set overlap detection area, generate integrated data using detection data corresponding to the detection areas input from the plurality of detectors via the plurality of detector input units and output the integrated data via the output unit.
Radar Interference Reduction Techniques for Autonomous Vehicles
Example embodiments relate to methods and systems for implementing radar electronic support measure operations. A vehicle's processing unit may receive information relating to electromagnetic energy radiating in an environment of the vehicle that is detected using a vehicle radar system. The electromagnetic energy originated from one or more external emitters, such as radar signals transmitted by other vehicles. The processing unit may determine a spectrum occupancy representation that indicates spectral regions occupied by the electromagnetic energy and subsequently adjust operation of the vehicle radar system based on the spectrum occupancy representation to reduce or mitigate interference with the external emitters in the vehicle's environment. In some examples, the vehicle radar system may be switched to a passive receive-only mode to measure the electromagnetic energy radiating in the environment from other emitters.
Systems and methods for laser power interlocking
Systems and methods are described that relate to a scanning laser system configured to emit laser light and an interlock circuit communicatively coupled to the scanning laser system. The interlock circuit may carry out certain operations. The operations include, as the scanning laser system emits laser light into one or more regions of an environment around the scanning laser system, determining a respective predicted dosage amount for each region based on the emitted laser light. The operations further include detecting an interlock condition. The interlock condition includes a predicted dosage amount for at least one region being greater than a threshold dose. In response to detecting the interlock condition, the operations include controlling the scanning laser system to reduce a subsequent dosage amount in the at least one region.
Automatic autonomous vehicle and robot LiDAR-camera extrinsic calibration
Extrinsic calibration of a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensor and a camera can comprise constructing a first plurality of reconstructed calibration targets in a three-dimensional space based on physical calibration targets detected from input from the LiDAR and a second plurality of reconstructed calibration targets in the three-dimensional space based on physical calibration targets detected from input from the camera. Reconstructed calibration targets in the first and second plurality of reconstructed calibration targets can be matched and a six-degree of freedom rigid body transformation of the LiDAR and camera can be computed based on the matched reconstructed calibration targets. A projection of the LiDAR to the camera can be computed based on the computed six-degree of freedom rigid body transformation.
VEHICLE SENSOR MOUNTING STRUCTURE
A vehicle sensor mounting structure includes a vehicle; and a long-range light detection and ranging (LiDAR) device mounted on a peripheral edge portion of a roof of the vehicle, the long-range LiDAR device having a detection range expanding diagonally downward as viewed from the roof, the detection range including a part of an outer peripheral face of the vehicle, the long-range LiDAR device being configured to detect an object within the detection range, and the long-range LiDAR device having a lower limit of detection distance that is not less than 10 cm and not more than 1 m.