A cleaning method, apparatus, intelligent driving device, and medium for lidar.

Abstract

This application provides a method, apparatus, intelligent driving device, and medium for cleaning a lidar (LiDAR). The method includes: acquiring an occlusion signal of the lidar's viewing area and generating corresponding cleaning information based on the occlusion signal; determining the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located; the driving mode includes a first driving mode where the lidar does not participate in assisted driving functions and a second driving mode where the lidar participates in assisted driving functions; when the driving mode is the first driving mode, or when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, sending the cleaning information to the cleaning apparatus, and controlling the cleaning apparatus to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar based on the cleaning information. This method not only cleans the lidar in a timely manner but also ensures driving safety when cleaning the lidar during driving.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent driving equipment technology, and in particular to a method, apparatus, terminal equipment, intelligent driving equipment, and computer-readable storage medium for cleaning lidar. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of autonomous driving technology, the accuracy requirements for autonomous driving perception systems and vehicle sensors such as LiDAR and millimeter-wave LiDAR are becoming increasingly stringent. Currently, LiDAR on autonomous driving devices is mainly installed in three locations: the front bumper, front corners, and left and right fenders. However, during the operation of autonomous driving devices, dust, insect remains, mud, and other obstructions will adhere to the LiDAR, obstructing its viewing area and affecting its normal operation. Therefore, the current technical solution is to install a cleaning device on the autonomous driving device. When an obstruction signal is detected in the LiDAR's viewing area, the cleaning device is activated to clean the LiDAR until the obstruction is removed. However, according to the current technical solution, the water mist generated during the cleaning process will also affect the normal operation of the LiDAR, seriously impacting driving safety.

[0003] Therefore, ensuring driving safety during lidar cleaning operations is a technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a method, apparatus, terminal device, intelligent driving device, and computer-readable storage medium for cleaning lidar, aiming to ensure driving safety when performing lidar cleaning operations during driving.

[0005] Firstly, this application provides a cleaning method for lidar. The method includes:

[0006] Obstruction signals of the viewport area of ​​the lidar are acquired, and corresponding cleaning information is generated based on the obstruction signals;

[0007] Determine the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located; the driving mode includes a first driving mode in which the lidar does not participate in the assisted driving function and a second driving mode in which the lidar participates in the assisted driving function.

[0008] When the driving mode is the first driving mode, or when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning information.

[0009] In one embodiment, sending the cleaning information to the cleaning device and controlling the cleaning device to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar based on the cleaning information includes:

[0010] The cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning program in the cleaning information.

[0011] After the cleaning device completes the cleaning procedure, if the occlusion signal is detected in the viewing area of ​​the lidar, the process returns to the step of sending the cleaning information to the cleaning device and controlling the cleaning device to perform the cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning procedure in the cleaning information, until the number of cyclic cleaning reaches a preset threshold.

[0012] In one embodiment, the occlusion signal includes a comprehensive occlusion signal and a partitioned occlusion signal. The comprehensive occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of the occlusion object in the viewport area. The partitioned occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of an occlusion object in each partition obtained by dividing the viewport area into regions.

[0013] When the driving mode is the first driving mode, the method further includes:

[0014] Obtain the real-time point cloud information collected by the lidar;

[0015] Based on the partition occlusion signal, delete the real-time point cloud information in the partition containing the occlusion object to obtain the updated real-time point cloud information;

[0016] The updated real-time point cloud information is used for assisted driving.

[0017] In one embodiment, when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, sending the cleaning information to the cleaning device and controlling the cleaning device to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar based on the cleaning information includes:

[0018] If the driving mode is the second driving mode, determine whether there is an obstacle within the collision range of the vehicle in front corresponding to the intelligent driving device, and obtain the first detection result;

[0019] Determine whether the obstacle exists in the adjacent lane corresponding to the intelligent driving device to obtain a second detection result;

[0020] Based on the first detection result and the second detection result, determine whether the obstacle exists around the intelligent driving device;

[0021] If there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar based on the cleaning information.

[0022] In one embodiment, if the washing water path is shared between cleaning the lidar and cleaning the windshield of the intelligent driving device, the method further includes:

[0023] If an operation command instructing the cleaning of the windshield is received at the same time as the cleaning information is generated, the response priorities corresponding to the cleaning information and the operation command are obtained respectively;

[0024] The cleaning information or operation instruction is responded to according to the response priority.

[0025] In one embodiment, the occlusion signal is determined by the lidar when the signal strength of the received echo signal is lower than a preset strength threshold.

[0026] Secondly, this application also provides a cleaning device for lidar. The device includes:

[0027] The acquisition module is used to acquire the occlusion signal of the view area of ​​the lidar and generate corresponding cleaning information based on the occlusion signal;

[0028] A determining module is used to determine the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located; the driving mode includes a first driving mode in which the lidar does not participate in the assisted driving function and a second driving mode in which the lidar participates in the assisted driving function.

[0029] The control module is used to send the cleaning information to the cleaning device when the driving mode is the first driving mode, or when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, and control the cleaning device to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning information.

[0030] Thirdly, this application also provides a terminal device. The terminal device includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the method described above.

[0031] Fourthly, this application also provides an intelligent driving device. The intelligent driving device includes an intelligent driving device body, an intelligent driving controller, and a cleaning device; both the intelligent driving controller and the cleaning device are mounted on the intelligent driving device body, and the intelligent driving controller and the cleaning device are communicatively connected.

[0032] The intelligent driving controller is used to perform the steps of the method described above;

[0033] The cleaning device is used to respond to the cleaning information and perform a cleaning operation on the lidar based on the cleaning information.

[0034] Fifthly, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method described above.

[0035] This application provides a method for cleaning a lidar, which acquires occlusion signals in the lidar's viewing area and generates corresponding cleaning information based on the occlusion signals. The method determines the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located. The cleaning device is only controlled to perform the corresponding cleaning operation when the driving mode is a first driving mode where the lidar does not participate in assisted driving functions, or a second driving mode where the lidar participates in assisted driving functions and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device. In other words, the lidar is only cleaned when it is not needed during driving or when it is determined that there are no obstacles around. This not only ensures timely cleaning of the lidar but also guarantees driving safety during lidar cleaning operations.

[0036] It is understood that the cleaning apparatus, terminal device, intelligent driving device and computer-readable storage medium for lidar provided in the embodiments of this application have the same beneficial effects as the lidar cleaning method described above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0038] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a cleaning method for a lidar system provided in this application embodiment;

[0039] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device for a lidar provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an intelligent driving device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a cleaning system for a lidar provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0043] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, devices, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0044] It should be understood that, when used in this application specification and the appended claims, the term "comprising" indicates the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or a collection thereof.

[0045] It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0046] As used in this application specification and the appended claims, the term "if" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "when," "once," "in response to determination," or "in response to detection." Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if detected [the described condition or event]" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as meaning "once determined," "in response to determination," "once detected [the described condition or event]," or "in response to detection [the described condition or event]."

[0047] Furthermore, in the description of this application and the appended claims, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0048] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. "A plurality" means "two or more."

[0049] The cleaning method for lidar provided in this application embodiment can be executed by the intelligent driving controller in the terminal device or intelligent driving device when running the corresponding computer program.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a lidar cleaning method provided in this application embodiment. For ease of explanation, only the parts relevant to this embodiment are shown. This embodiment uses the intelligent driving controller in an intelligent driving device as the execution subject for description. A lidar cleaning method includes the following steps:

[0051] S100: Acquire the occlusion signal of the lidar's viewing area and generate corresponding cleaning information based on the occlusion signal.

[0052] Among them, the viewing area of ​​the lidar refers to the area where the point cloud information collected by the lidar is distributed; the occlusion signal refers to the signal corresponding to the presence of occlusion objects such as dust, insect carcasses, mud and water on the lidar.

[0053] In actual operation, after the lidar collects point cloud information, it determines whether there are obstructions in the viewing area based on the collected point cloud information. If it is determined that there are obstructions in the viewing area, a corresponding obstruction signal is generated and sent to the intelligent driving controller. When the intelligent driving controller receives the obstruction signal, it generates corresponding cleaning information based on the obstruction signal. The cleaning information refers to the information used to control the cleaning device to perform the corresponding cleaning operation.

[0054] S200: Determine the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located; the driving mode includes a first driving mode in which the lidar does not participate in the assisted driving function and a second driving mode in which the lidar participates in the assisted driving function.

[0055] Among them, driver assistance functions refer to the functions corresponding to driver assistance, including driver assistance functions involving LiDAR and driver assistance functions not involving LiDAR.

[0056] Specifically, when the driver assistance function is not activated, or when the activated driver assistance function does not require the participation of LiDAR, the driving mode of the intelligent driving device is determined to be the first driving mode. For example, the automatic emergency braking system (AEB) is a driver assistance function that relies on cameras and front millimeter-wave LiDAR. The LiDAR is not involved in perception. Therefore, when the intelligent driving device activates the automatic emergency braking system, the driving mode of the intelligent driving device is determined to be the first driving mode.

[0057] Specifically, when an intelligent driving device activates its assisted driving function, and the activated assisted driving function requires the participation of LiDAR, then the driving mode of the intelligent driving device is determined to be the second driving mode.

[0058] S300: When the driving mode is the first driving mode, or when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning information.

[0059] Specifically, according to the method of this embodiment, the LiDAR cleaning operation is performed only under two conditions: one is when the driving mode of the intelligent driving device is the first driving mode, in which case the LiDAR does not participate in the assisted driving function, so the LiDAR cleaning operation can be performed directly; the other is when the driving mode of the intelligent driving device is the second driving mode and it is confirmed that there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device. This means that if the LiDAR cleaning is performed at this time, since there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the cleaning operation will not cause the intelligent driving device to collide with the obstacles, thus ensuring driving safety.

[0060] This application provides a method for cleaning a lidar, which acquires the occlusion signal of the lidar's viewing area and generates corresponding cleaning information based on the occlusion signal. The method determines the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located. The cleaning device is only controlled to perform the corresponding cleaning operation when the driving mode is a first driving mode where the lidar does not participate in assisted driving functions, or a second driving mode where the lidar participates in assisted driving functions and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device. In other words, the lidar is only cleaned when it is not needed during driving or when it is determined that there are no obstacles around. This not only ensures timely cleaning of the lidar but also guarantees driving safety during lidar cleaning operations.

[0061] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment further explains and optimizes the technical solution. Specifically, in this embodiment, cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning information, including:

[0062] The cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, which then controls the cleaning device to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning procedure in the cleaning information.

[0063] After the cleaning device completes the cleaning procedure, if an obstruction signal is detected in the viewing area of ​​the lidar, the cleaning information is sent back to the cleaning device, which then controls the cleaning device to perform the cleaning operation steps on the lidar according to the cleaning procedure in the cleaning information, until the number of cleaning cycles reaches the preset threshold.

[0064] The cleaning information may include a trigger command and a cleaning program. The trigger command is used to wake up the cleaning device, and the cleaning program is the cleaning steps that the cleaning device is instructed to perform in sequence. The cleaning device performs the corresponding operations according to the cleaning program, and the cleaning operation is completed after the cleaning program is completed.

[0065] Specifically, after the cleaning device completes the cleaning procedure, the LiDAR acquires point cloud information again and determines whether there is an obstruction signal in the viewing area based on the point cloud information. If the LiDAR detects an obstruction signal, it means that the obstacle of the LiDAR has not been cleaned. Therefore, the obstruction signal is sent to the intelligent driving controller again. After receiving the obstruction signal, the intelligent driving controller sends cleaning information to the cleaning device again and controls the cleaning device to perform the cleaning operation on the LiDAR according to the cleaning procedure in the cleaning information, that is, the cleaning operation is performed once in a cycle.

[0066] In practice, if the number of cleaning cycles reaches a preset threshold, the cleaning information will stop being sent, and the cleaning operation will cease, even if there are still obstructions in the lidar's viewing area. This embodiment does not limit the preset threshold for the number of cleaning cycles; it can be set according to actual needs.

[0067] In one specific embodiment, the cleaning procedure includes spraying water for 0.5 seconds, stopping for 1 second, and then spraying water for another 1 second. After completing one cleaning procedure, if an obstruction signal is received again from the LiDAR after 60 seconds, the cleaning operation is repeated once. If an obstruction signal is received again from the LiDAR after completing the second cleaning procedure, the obstruction corresponding to the obstruction signal is determined to be a persistent obstruction. To avoid repeatedly starting the cleaning procedure and wasting washing resources, the intelligent driving controller generates an obstruction prompt message and continuously sends the obstruction prompt message to the human-machine interaction device to remind the user that there is a persistent obstruction on the LiDAR and the user needs to manually remove the persistent obstruction. After the user removes the persistent obstruction, the obstruction prompt message is stopped.

[0068] As can be seen, the method described in this embodiment can avoid repeated cleaning operations of the LiDAR due to persistent obstructions, thus avoiding waste of water resources. Furthermore, if the windshield washer fluid is shared between cleaning the LiDAR and cleaning the intelligent driving equipment, and given the limited amount of windshield washer fluid, wasting a large amount during LiDAR cleaning will result in a situation where no water is available when the windshield needs to be cleaned, severely impacting the driver's driving experience.

[0069] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment further explains and optimizes the technical solution. Specifically, in this embodiment, the occlusion signal includes a comprehensive occlusion signal and a partitioned occlusion signal. The comprehensive occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of an occlusion object in the viewport area; the partitioned occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of an occlusion object in each partition obtained by dividing the viewport area.

[0070] When the driving mode is the first driving mode, the method also includes:

[0071] Acquire real-time point cloud information collected by lidar;

[0072] Based on the partition occlusion signal, delete the real-time point cloud information in the partition containing the occlusion object to obtain the updated real-time point cloud information;

[0073] Utilize updated real-time point cloud information for assisted driving.

[0074] Specifically, after acquiring real-time point cloud information corresponding to the view area, the lidar divides the view area into a preset number of partitions using a block-based approach. For each partition, it detects whether there are any obstructions. If an obstruction is found in the partition, the partition obstruction signal corresponding to that partition is determined. Then, based on the obstruction detection results of each partition, the comprehensive obstruction signal corresponding to the view area is determined.

[0075] In one specific embodiment, after detecting obstructions in each partition, if any partition has an obstruction (i.e., a partition obstruction signal exists), it is determined that the viewport area has an obstruction, i.e., a comprehensive obstruction signal corresponding to the viewport area is determined; if no partitions have obstructions, it is determined that the viewport area does not have an obstruction, i.e., no comprehensive obstruction signal exists in the viewport area. After determining the comprehensive obstruction signal and the partition obstruction signal, the LiDAR sends them to the intelligent driving controller.

[0076] In one specific embodiment, when the driving mode is the first driving mode, after acquiring the real-time point cloud information collected by the LiDAR, the real-time point cloud information in the partition with obstructions is deleted according to the partition occlusion signal to obtain updated real-time point cloud information; the updated real-time point cloud information is then used for assisted driving. For example, the view area is divided into 9 partitions (partition 1 to partition 9). When partition 1 has a partition occlusion signal, the intelligent driving controller, after acquiring the real-time point cloud information, deletes the real-time point cloud information in partition 1, retaining only the real-time point cloud information corresponding to partitions 2 to 9, and uses the real-time point cloud information in partitions 2 to 9 for analysis and calculation to realize the assisted driving function.

[0077] As can be seen, the method of this embodiment enables assisted driving even when the lidar is obstructed, thus ensuring driving safety.

[0078] In one specific embodiment, the occlusion signal is determined by the lidar when the signal strength of the received echo signal is lower than a preset strength threshold.

[0079] It should be noted that the point cloud information collected by lidar includes three-dimensional coordinates, echo signal strength (reflection intensity information), color information, and echo count information for each point. If there are obstructions on the lidar, the signal strength of the received echo signal will be affected.

[0080] This embodiment determines whether there is an obstruction signal in the viewing window area based on the signal strength of the echo signal received by the lidar. Specifically, after receiving the echo signal, the lidar determines the signal strength of the echo signal and compares the determined signal strength with a preset strength threshold. If the signal strength of the echo signal is lower than the preset strength threshold, it is determined that there is an obstruction signal for the lidar; otherwise, it indicates that there is no obstruction for the lidar.

[0081] As can be seen, the method of this embodiment can efficiently and conveniently determine the occlusion signal.

[0082] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment further explains and optimizes the technical solution. Specifically, in this embodiment, when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning information, including:

[0083] If the driving mode is the second driving mode, determine whether there is an obstacle within the collision range of the vehicle in front corresponding to the intelligent driving device, and obtain the first detection result;

[0084] Determine whether there are obstacles in the adjacent lanes corresponding to the intelligent driving equipment to obtain a second detection result;

[0085] Determine whether there are obstacles around the intelligent driving device based on the first and second detection results;

[0086] If there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, which then performs a cleaning operation on the lidar based on the cleaning information.

[0087] In other words, the process of determining whether there are obstacles around the intelligent driving device in this embodiment includes: determining whether there are obstacles within the collision range of the vehicle in front corresponding to the intelligent driving device, and obtaining a first detection result; determining whether there are obstacles in the adjacent lane corresponding to the intelligent driving device, and obtaining a second detection result; and determining whether there are obstacles around the intelligent driving device based on the first detection result and the second detection result.

[0088] First, it should be noted that the obstacles in this embodiment can be various types of vehicles, roadblocks, pedestrians, or animals, etc.

[0089] The preceding collision range refers to the area where a vehicle is in the same lane as the intelligent driving device and the distance to the intelligent driving device is less than a preset distance threshold. In this embodiment, the preset distance threshold is determined based on the time to collision (TTC) and the speed of the intelligent driving device. When an obstacle exists within the range corresponding to the product of the collision time and the speed of the intelligent driving device while the vehicle is in the same lane as the intelligent driving device, it indicates that an obstacle exists within the preceding collision range of the intelligent driving device; otherwise, it indicates that no obstacle exists within the preceding collision range of the intelligent driving device, and the first detection result is determined.

[0090] In this context, the adjacent lane corresponding to the intelligent driving device refers to the lane adjacent to the lane where the intelligent driving device is located; adjacent lanes may include one-way lanes, two-way lanes, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian lanes, etc., which are not limited in this embodiment. The corresponding second detection result is determined based on whether there are obstacles such as roadblocks, pedestrians, or animals in the adjacent lane corresponding to the intelligent driving device.

[0091] After obtaining the first and second detection results, a comprehensive judgment is made based on the first and second detection results. If the first detection result indicates that there are no obstacles within the collision range of the vehicle in front of the intelligent driving device, and the second detection result indicates that there are no obstacles in the adjacent lane corresponding to the intelligent driving device, it is determined that there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device; otherwise, it is determined that there are obstacles around the intelligent driving device.

[0092] In other words, when the driving mode of the intelligent driving device is the second driving mode, the conditions for performing the cleaning operation on the lidar are: there are no obstacles within the collision range of the vehicle in front of the intelligent driving device and there are no obstacles in the adjacent lanes.

[0093] As can be seen, according to the method of this embodiment, when the lidar participates in the assisted driving function, since there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the lidar cleaning operation will not cause the intelligent driving device to collide with the obstacle, thus ensuring driving safety.

[0094] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment further explains and optimizes the technical solution. Specifically, in this embodiment, if the windshield for cleaning the lidar and the windshield for cleaning the intelligent driving equipment share the same washing water path, the method further includes:

[0095] If an operation command to clean the windshield is received at the same time as the cleaning information is generated, the response priorities corresponding to the cleaning information and the operation command are obtained respectively;

[0096] Respond to cleaning information or operation instructions according to response priority.

[0097] In this embodiment, if the water circuit of the cleaning device used for cleaning the lidar is connected to the front washer water circuit of the intelligent driving device, that is, the cleaning devices for cleaning the lidar and cleaning the windshield of the intelligent driving device share a single washer water circuit; the cleaning of the lidar and the cleaning of the windshield are achieved by controlling the different directions of the washer motor. For example, controlling the washer motor to rotate forward sprays washer fluid to clean the windshield, and controlling the washer motor to rotate in reverse sprays washer fluid to clean the lidar.

[0098] Because the lidar washer and the windshield washer share the same washing water circuit, a signal conflict will occur if the driver manually generates an instruction to clean the windshield at the same time as generating the cleaning information. To avoid this, corresponding priorities are pre-set for the cleaning information and the instruction. If an instruction to clean the windshield is received at the same time as the cleaning information is generated, the response priorities corresponding to the cleaning information and the instruction are obtained respectively, and then the cleaning information or instruction is responded to according to the response priority.

[0099] In practice, to improve the driver's experience, the response priority of operation commands is generally set higher than that of cleaning information. That is, if both cleaning information and operation commands are obtained simultaneously, the operation commands are responded to first. After the operation corresponding to the operation command is completed, the cleaning information is then responded to, and the cleaning operation on the LiDAR is performed.

[0100] According to the method of this embodiment, signal conflicts can be avoided and cleaning information and operation instructions can be responded to efficiently at the same time as cleaning information is generated and operation instructions are received.

[0101] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the above embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0102] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a lidar cleaning device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the lidar cleaning device of this embodiment is applied to an intelligent driving controller, including an acquisition module 210, a determination module 220, and a control module 230; wherein,

[0103] The acquisition module 210 is used to acquire the occlusion signal of the view area of ​​the lidar and generate corresponding cleaning information based on the occlusion signal;

[0104] The determination module 220 is used to determine the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located; the driving mode includes a first driving mode in which the lidar does not participate in the assisted driving function and a second driving mode in which the lidar participates in the assisted driving function.

[0105] The control module 230 is used to send cleaning information to the cleaning device when the driving mode is the first driving mode, or when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, and control the cleaning device to perform cleaning operations on the lidar according to the cleaning information.

[0106] The lidar cleaning device provided in this application embodiment has the same beneficial effects as the lidar cleaning method described above.

[0107] In one embodiment, the control module 230 includes:

[0108] The control submodule is used to send cleaning information to the cleaning device and control the cleaning device to perform cleaning operations on the lidar according to the cleaning program in the cleaning information.

[0109] The detection submodule is used to call the control submodule if an obstruction signal is detected in the viewing area of ​​the lidar after the cleaning device has completed the cleaning program, until the number of cleaning cycles reaches a preset threshold.

[0110] In one embodiment, the occlusion signal includes a comprehensive occlusion signal and a partitioned occlusion signal. The comprehensive occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of the occlusion object in the viewport area. The partitioned occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of an occlusion object in each partition obtained by dividing the viewport area into regions.

[0111] When the driving mode is the first driving mode, a lidar cleaning device also includes:

[0112] The point cloud acquisition module is used to acquire real-time point cloud information collected by the lidar.

[0113] The point cloud update module is used to delete the real-time point cloud information in the partition containing occlusion based on the partition occlusion signal, and obtain the updated real-time point cloud information.

[0114] The driving control module is used to assist driving by utilizing updated real-time point cloud information.

[0115] In one embodiment, the determining module 220 includes:

[0116] The first detection submodule is used to determine whether there is an obstacle within the collision range of the vehicle in front corresponding to the intelligent driving device if the driving mode is the second driving mode, and to obtain the first detection result.

[0117] The second detection submodule is used to determine whether there are obstacles in the adjacent lanes corresponding to the intelligent driving device, and to obtain the second detection result;

[0118] The comprehensive determination submodule is used to determine whether there are obstacles around the intelligent driving device based on the first detection result and the second detection result; if there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the control submodule is invoked.

[0119] The control submodule is used to send cleaning information to the cleaning device and control the cleaning device to perform cleaning operations on the lidar based on the cleaning information.

[0120] In one embodiment, if the windshield for cleaning the lidar and the windshield for cleaning the intelligent driving device share the same washing water path, a lidar cleaning device further includes:

[0121] The priority acquisition module is used to acquire the response priorities corresponding to the cleaning information and the operation command respectively if an operation command to clean the windshield is received at the same time as the cleaning information is generated.

[0122] The response module is used to respond to cleaning information or operation instructions according to the response priority.

[0123] In one embodiment, the occlusion signal is determined by the lidar when the signal strength of the received echo signal is lower than a preset strength threshold.

[0124] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the above-mentioned devices / units are based on the same concept as the method embodiments of this application. For details on their specific functions and technical effects, please refer to the method embodiments section, and they will not be repeated here.

[0125] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0126] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 As shown, the terminal device 300 of this embodiment includes a memory 301, a processor 302, and a computer program 303 stored in the memory 301 and executable on the processor 302; when the processor 302 executes the computer program 303, it implements the steps of the cleaning method embodiments of the various lidars described above, for example... Figure 1 S100 to S300 are shown; or when the processor 302 executes the computer program 303, it implements the functions of each module / unit in the above-described device embodiments, for example... Figure 2 The functions of the acquisition module, determination module, and control module are shown.

[0127] For example, computer program 303 can be divided into one or more modules / units, one or more of which are stored in memory 301 and executed by processor 302 to implement the method of the embodiments of this application. One or more modules / units can be a series of computer program instruction segments capable of performing a specific function, which describe the execution process of computer program 303 in terminal device 300. For example, computer program 303 can be divided into an acquisition module, a determination module, and a control module, with the specific functions of each module as follows:

[0128] The acquisition module is used to acquire the occlusion signal of the LiDAR's viewing area and generate corresponding cleaning information based on the occlusion signal;

[0129] The determination module is used to determine the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located; the driving mode includes a first driving mode in which the lidar does not participate in the assisted driving function and a second driving mode in which the lidar participates in the assisted driving function.

[0130] The control module is used to send cleaning information to the cleaning device when the driving mode is the first driving mode, or when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, and control the cleaning device to perform cleaning operations on the lidar according to the cleaning information.

[0131] In applications, terminal device 300 can be a computing device such as a desktop computer, laptop, handheld computer, or cloud server. Terminal device 300 may include, but is not limited to, memory 301 and processor 302. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 3 This is merely an example of a terminal device and does not constitute a limitation on the terminal device. It may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or different components. For example, a terminal device may also include input / output devices, network access devices, buses, etc.; among which, input / output devices may include cameras, audio acquisition / playback devices, displays, etc.; network access devices may include communication modules for wireless communication with external devices.

[0132] In applications, the processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0133] In applications, memory can be an internal storage unit of a terminal device, such as its hard drive or RAM; it can also be an external storage device, such as a plug-in hard drive, Smart Media Card (SMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, or Flash Card; or it can include both internal and external storage units. Memory is used to store operating systems, applications, boot loaders, data, and other programs, such as computer program code. Memory can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0134] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an intelligent driving device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 As shown, an intelligent driving device 400 includes an intelligent driving device body 410, an intelligent driving controller 420, and a cleaning device 430; the intelligent driving controller 420 and the cleaning device 430 are both installed on the intelligent driving device body 410, and the intelligent driving controller 420 and the cleaning device 430 are communicatively connected.

[0135] The intelligent driving controller 420 is used to execute the steps in the above-described method embodiments;

[0136] The cleaning device 430 is used to respond to cleaning information and perform cleaning operations on the lidar based on the cleaning information.

[0137] The intelligent driving device body 410 refers to the main body of the intelligent driving device, including the driving assistance system, which may include various types of vehicle bodies and intelligent robot bodies. The driving assistance system includes at least LiDAR, and may also include millimeter-wave radar, a front-facing camera, a binocular camera device, a left rear wheel sensor, etc. The intelligent driving controller 420 analyzes and calculates the data collected by each driving assistance device, and controls the driving status of the intelligent driving device body 410, such as driving speed, driving direction, automatic overtaking, emergency braking, car horn, and lights.

[0138] In one specific embodiment, the intelligent driving device can be a vehicle, and the intelligent driving device itself can be the vehicle body.

[0139] Combination Figure 5 The diagram illustrates the structure of a lidar cleaning system. In one specific embodiment, the water circuit for cleaning the lidar is connected to the front washer water circuit of the intelligent driving device. That is, the lidar cleaning device and the windshield cleaning device for the intelligent driving device share the same washer water circuit. Cleaning of the lidar and the windshield is achieved by controlling the different directions of the washer motor. The intelligent driving controller is connected to the lidar via an in-vehicle Ethernet (EtherNet, ETH) connection. The intelligent driving controller is connected to a gateway via a CAN (Controller Area Network) cable. The gateway is connected to the body controller and the human-machine interface (HUT) via CAN cables. The body controller controls the washer motor to perform the cleaning operation via hardwired connections. The intelligent driving controller sends cleaning information to the body controller, which then controls the washer motor to reverse direction to spray washer fluid to clean the lidar.

[0140] The intelligent driving device provided in this application embodiment has the same beneficial effects as the aforementioned lidar cleaning method.

[0141] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, can implement the steps in the above-described method embodiments.

[0142] The computer-readable storage medium provided in this application embodiment has the same beneficial effects as the aforementioned cleaning method for lidar.

[0143] This application implements all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments, which can be accomplished by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable file, or some intermediate form. The computer-readable medium can include at least: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code to a terminal device, a recording medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium, such as a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0144] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0145] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the device and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0146] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interface, or the device may be indirectly coupled or communicated, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0147] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A cleaning method for lidar, characterized in that, The method includes: Obstruction signals of the viewport area of ​​the lidar are acquired, and corresponding cleaning information is generated based on the obstruction signals; Determine the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located; the driving mode includes a first driving mode in which the lidar does not participate in the assisted driving function and a second driving mode in which the lidar participates in the assisted driving function. When the driving mode is the first driving mode, or when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning information. The occlusion signal includes a comprehensive occlusion signal and a partitioned occlusion signal. The comprehensive occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of an obstruction in the viewing area. The partitioned occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of an obstruction in each partition obtained by dividing the viewing area into regions. The occlusion signal is determined by the lidar when the signal strength of the received echo signal is lower than a preset strength threshold. When the driving mode is the first driving mode, the method further includes: Obtain the real-time point cloud information collected by the lidar; Based on the partition occlusion signal, delete the real-time point cloud information in the partition containing the occlusion object to obtain the updated real-time point cloud information; The updated real-time point cloud information is used for assisted driving.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of sending the cleaning information to the cleaning device and controlling the cleaning device to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar based on the cleaning information includes: The cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning program in the cleaning information. After the cleaning device completes the cleaning procedure, if the occlusion signal is detected in the viewing area of ​​the lidar, the process returns to the step of sending the cleaning information to the cleaning device and controlling the cleaning device to perform the cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning procedure in the cleaning information, until the number of cyclic cleaning reaches a preset threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning information, including: If the driving mode is the second driving mode, determine whether there is an obstacle within the collision range of the vehicle in front corresponding to the intelligent driving device, and obtain the first detection result; Determine whether the obstacle exists in the adjacent lane corresponding to the intelligent driving device to obtain a second detection result; Based on the first detection result and the second detection result, determine whether the obstacle exists around the intelligent driving device; If there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, the cleaning information is sent to the cleaning device, and the cleaning device is controlled to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar based on the cleaning information.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the cleaning of the lidar and the cleaning of the windshield of the intelligent driving device share the same washing water circuit, the method further includes: If an operation command instructing the cleaning of the windshield is received at the same time as the cleaning information is generated, the response priorities corresponding to the cleaning information and the operation command are obtained respectively; The cleaning information or operation instruction is responded to according to the response priority.

5. A cleaning device for lidar, characterized in that, The device includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire the occlusion signal of the view area of ​​the lidar and generate corresponding cleaning information based on the occlusion signal; A determining module is used to determine the driving mode of the intelligent driving device where the lidar is located; the driving mode includes a first driving mode in which the lidar does not participate in the assisted driving function and a second driving mode in which the lidar participates in the assisted driving function. The control module is used to send the cleaning information to the cleaning device when the driving mode is the first driving mode, or when the driving mode is the second driving mode and there are no obstacles around the intelligent driving device, and control the cleaning device to perform a cleaning operation on the lidar according to the cleaning information. The occlusion signal includes a comprehensive occlusion signal and a partitioned occlusion signal. The comprehensive occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of an obstruction in the viewing area. The partitioned occlusion signal is the signal corresponding to the presence of an obstruction in each partition obtained by dividing the viewing area into regions. The occlusion signal is determined by the lidar when the signal strength of the received echo signal is lower than a preset strength threshold. The device further includes: The point cloud acquisition module is used to acquire real-time point cloud information collected by the lidar. The point cloud update module is used to delete the real-time point cloud information in the partition containing the occlusion based on the partition occlusion signal, and obtain the updated real-time point cloud information. The driving control module is used to assist driving by utilizing the updated real-time point cloud information.

6. A terminal device, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. An intelligent driving device, characterized in that, It includes an intelligent driving device body, an intelligent driving controller, and a cleaning device; the intelligent driving controller and the cleaning device are both installed on the intelligent driving device body, and the intelligent driving controller and the cleaning device are communicatively connected; The intelligent driving controller is used to perform the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 4; The cleaning device is used to respond to the cleaning information and perform a cleaning operation on the lidar based on the cleaning information.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

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