A sensing device and a motor vehicle

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of sensing device and motor vehicle, wherein sensing device includes: guide rail, with first position and second position;Box, movably connected to the guide rail;Sensing module, in the box;And first drive component, connected to the box, for driving the box movement along the guide rail, to switch between first position and second position.Wherein, when the box is in first position, the sensing module starts;When the box is in second position, the sensing module is closed.The present application can integrate various sensors together, clever structure, facilitate the flexible combination and disassembly of sensor, to reduce the cost of whole vehicle, facilitate cleaning and maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of intelligent assisted driving, and more specifically, to a sensing device and a motor vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of autonomous driving technology, an increasing number of sensors are being deployed on vehicles. These sensors are located in various positions both inside and outside the vehicle, forming the vehicle's perception system. However, due to the current maturity of autonomous driving algorithms and legal and regulatory limitations, most advanced autonomous driving algorithms are still in the testing phase, and most sensors have not been effectively utilized. Currently, these sensors are pre-installed on vehicles and cannot be flexibly removed. For car owners who do not need autonomous driving functions, this represents a significant waste of resources and greatly increases the overall cost of the vehicle. Furthermore, the existing sensors are exposed in various locations on the vehicle, making them susceptible to rain, snow, mud, and other contaminants, which are difficult to clean and affect detection accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a freely extendable sensing device and a motor vehicle.

[0004] A sensing device includes: a guide rail; a housing movably connected to the guide rail; a sensing module disposed within the housing; and a first driving assembly connected to the housing for driving the housing to move along the guide rail to switch between a first position and a second position; wherein, when the housing is in the first position, the sensing module is activated, and when the housing is in the second position, the sensing module is deactivated.

[0005] In the above technical solution, various sensors are centrally arranged in a sensing module, which is housed within a housing. When the autonomous driving function is activated, the housing is moved to a first position via a first drive component, causing the sensing module to move to the roof and activate, thereby achieving the sensing function. When the autonomous driving function is not required, the housing moves to a second position, placing the sensing module at the rear windshield to reduce wind resistance. Compared to autonomous driving sensor solutions that rely on pre-embedded hardware, the sensors in this application can be centrally arranged, allowing for flexible selection of sensor combinations and configurations based on application requirements. When upgrading autonomous driving software functions, hardware upgrades can be freely combined; when autonomous driving functions are not needed, sensors can be flexibly removed, thereby reducing overall vehicle costs. Furthermore, centralized arrangement facilitates cleaning and protection, as well as future sensor replacement and maintenance.

[0006] Furthermore, the first drive assembly includes a first drive member and a wheel. The first drive member is disposed on the outer surface of the housing, and its output end is connected to the wheel to drive the wheel to roll along the guide rail.

[0007] In the above technical solution, the first drive component can drive the wheel to rotate, thereby driving the box to move along the guide rail, so that the box can switch between the first position and the second position. The structure is simple and reasonable and easy to implement.

[0008] Furthermore, the sensing module includes a processor, at least one camera component, and several radar units, wherein the camera component and radar units are connected to the processor.

[0009] In the above technical solution, the camera component and radar unit can perceive the road conditions and transmit the sensed signals to the processor for analysis, thereby meeting the needs of autonomous driving.

[0010] Furthermore, the camera assembly includes a camera and a second drive assembly for driving the camera to extend or retract into the housing.

[0011] In the above technical solution, when the housing moves to the first position and the sensing device is activated, the camera can extend out of the housing under the drive of the second drive assembly to capture images of the area in front of the vehicle, thus meeting the needs of autonomous driving. When the autonomous driving function is not required, the camera retracts into the housing under the drive of the second drive assembly, thereby protecting the camera and preventing it from getting dirty.

[0012] Furthermore, the second drive assembly includes a second drive member, a linkage group, a bracket, and a guide rod, wherein the output end of the second drive member is connected to one end of the guide rod through the linkage group, the bracket controls the directional telescopic movement of the guide rod, and the camera is located at the other end of the guide rod.

[0013] In the above technical solution, the second driving component drives the guide rod to move through the linkage group, and drives the camera to move through the guide rod, thereby realizing the extension and retraction of the camera in the straight line direction, and the movement process is stable and reliable.

[0014] Furthermore, the radar unit includes at least one of lidar, microwave radar, and ultrasonic radar.

[0015] In the above technical solution, the radar unit can be an existing radar, such as one or more combinations of lidar, microwave radar, and ultrasonic radar.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a convertible cover, which is foldably disposed at one end of the guide rail near the second position.

[0017] In the above technical solution, when the enclosure moves to the second position, the canopy can automatically or manually cover the enclosure, thereby keeping the enclosure clean and extending the service life of the enclosure and the sensing module.

[0018] In one embodiment, the convertible cover includes a box body and a flexible cover housed within the box body. The flexible cover, when unfolded, can enclose the box body, and is fixedly connected to the box body. This design is convenient and cost-effective.

[0019] A motor vehicle includes a body and the aforementioned sensing device, wherein the guide rail is disposed on the body, the first position is located at the top of the body, and the second position is located at the rear windshield of the body.

[0020] In the above technical solution, by installing sensing devices on the vehicle body, various sensors can be centrally arranged, thereby reducing the overall vehicle cost and facilitating cleaning and maintenance.

[0021] Furthermore, a rearview camera is installed at the rear of the vehicle body. This rearview camera can capture images of the area behind the vehicle, thus preventing the rear windshield from being obstructed when the container moves to its second position. Furthermore, a streaming rearview mirror is installed inside the vehicle body, and this mirror is connected to the rearview camera. By installing a streaming rearview mirror inside the vehicle body, the images captured by the rearview camera can be played in real time, further preventing the rear windshield from being obstructed by the container. The onboard driver assistance system performs driver assistance functions based on the streaming rearview mirror, the rearview camera, and the sensing modules of the sensing device.

[0022] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: various sensors can be centrally arranged in a sensing module, which is housed within a housing. When the autonomous driving function is activated, the housing is moved to a first position via a first drive component, causing the sensing module to move to the roof and activate, thereby achieving the sensing function. When the autonomous driving function is not required, the housing can be moved to a second position, placing the sensing module at the rear windshield to reduce wind resistance. Compared to autonomous driving sensor solutions that rely on pre-embedded hardware, the sensors in this application can be centrally arranged, allowing for flexible selection of sensor combinations and configurations based on application requirements. When upgrading autonomous driving software functions, hardware upgrades can be freely combined; when autonomous driving functions are not required, sensors can be flexibly removed, thereby reducing overall vehicle costs. Furthermore, centralized arrangement facilitates cleaning and protection, as well as subsequent sensor replacement and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the sensing device in the first position according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a front view of the sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the sensing device in the second position according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of the sensing module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the camera component according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a motor vehicle with the sensing device in the first position according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a motor vehicle with the sensing device in the second position according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Explanation of icon numbers: 1. Guide rail, 2. Housing, 3. Sensing module, 31. Processor, 32. Camera assembly, 321. Second drive assembly, 322. Second drive component, 3221. Linkage group, 3222. Bracket, 3223. Guide rod, 3224. Radar unit, 33. Gateway, 34. Deserializer, 35. Autonomous driving system, 36. First drive assembly, 41. First drive component, 42. Wheel, 5. Convertible cover, 6. Body, 61. Rearview camera, 62. Streaming media rearview mirror. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0032] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 In a preferred embodiment, the sensing device of the present invention mainly includes a guide rail 1, a housing 2, a sensing module 3, and a first driving component 4. The guide rail 1 consists of two parallel tracks, with the two ends of the guide rail 1, or near the two ends, defined as a first position and a second position, respectively. The housing 2 is a hollow structure and is movably connected to the guide rail 1. The sensing module 3 is located inside the housing 2 and may include existing sensing devices such as a camera 321 and radar to perceive external road conditions on the vehicle body 6 to meet the needs of autonomous driving. The first driving component 4 is connected to the housing 2 and is used to drive the housing 2 to move along the guide rail 1 between the first and second positions. When the housing 2 is in the first position, the sensing module 3 is activated; when the housing 2 is in the second position, the sensing module 3 is deactivated. The control circuit for controlling the start and stop of the sensing module 3 can be built into the housing 2 or placed outside the housing 2. The control circuit can determine the position of the housing 2 by the control signal output by the first drive component 4, or by the output signal of the sensor set at the first and second positions of the guide rail 1, or by calculating the movement distance of the housing.

[0033] Please refer to Figure 2 The first drive assembly 4 includes a first drive member 41 and a wheel 42. The first drive member 41 is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 2, and the output end of the first drive member 41 is connected to the wheel 42. The first drive member 41 can drive the wheel 42 to move along the guide rail 1.

[0034] For example, the first driving member 41 can be an existing driving device, such as a motor, which is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the housing 2, near one of the wheels (first wheel) 42. Its output shaft is connected to the first wheel 42, which can directly drive the first wheel 42 to roll, while the other wheel (second wheel) 42 can passively roll along with the first wheel 42. In this embodiment, a ridge extending along the guide rail 1 is formed on the upper end surface of the guide rail 1, and a groove matching the ridge is formed in the middle of the wheel 42. The groove and the ridge cooperate to allow the wheel 42 to roll along the guide rail 1. To prevent the wheel 42 from detaching from the guide rail 1, two hooks can extend from the bottom of the housing 2 to the guide rail 1, and a receiving groove is formed on the outer side of the guide rail 1. The ends of the two hooks extend into the receiving groove, which securely and slidably connects the housing 2 and the guide rail 1 together. In other embodiments, the hook portion described above can be omitted. Grooves can be formed on the opposing inner sides of the two tracks of the guide rail 1, and the wheel 42 is embedded in these grooves, so that the wheel 42 will not slip off the guide rail 1 under external force or inertia when moving on the guide rail 1. In other embodiments, two driving devices can be provided to drive the two wheels 42 to rotate respectively, or the two wheels 42 can be driven to rotate synchronously via a drive wheel and a timing belt. With the above solutions, the first driving member 41 can drive the wheel 42 to rotate, thereby causing the housing 2 to reciprocate along the extension direction of the guide rail 1.

[0035] The sensing module 3 may include one or more of various existing sensors to perform corresponding detection functions. For example, when the sensing device of the present invention is used in a motor vehicle, the sensing module 3 (see reference) Figure 4 The device may include a processor (control circuit) 31, at least one camera component 32, and several radar units 33, wherein the camera component 32 and the radar units 33 are connected to the processor 31.

[0036] For example, the sensing module 3 also includes a gateway 34 and a deserializer 35. Meanwhile, the camera component 32 is connected to the processor 31 via the deserializer 35, and the radar unit 33 is connected to the processor 31 via the gateway 34. The processor 31, gateway 34, and deserializer 35 can all be connected to an onboard driver assistance system, such as the autonomous driving system 36 of an onboard domain controller, via an interface. The camera component 32 and radar unit 33 can perceive road conditions and transmit the sensed signals to the processor 31 for analysis, thereby meeting the requirements of autonomous driving.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 5The camera assembly 32 includes a camera 321 and a second drive assembly 322 for driving the camera 321 to extend or retract into the housing 2. The second drive assembly 322 includes a second drive member 3221, a linkage group 3222, a bracket 3223, and a guide rod 3224. The bracket 3223 restricts the directional telescopic movement of the guide rod 3224. The output end of the second drive member 3221 is connected to the guide rod 3224 via the linkage group 3222. In this embodiment, the linkage group 3222 includes a first link and a second link. The first link is connected to the output end of the second drive member 3221. One end of the second link is hinged to one end of the first link, and the other end is hinged to the guide rod 3224. The guide rod 3224 is horizontally positioned, and the camera 321 is located at one end of the guide rod 3224. The second drive member 3221 drives the guide rod 3224 to reciprocate in a directional manner, thereby causing the camera 321 to extend or retract into the housing.

[0038] When the housing 2 moves to the first position and the sensing device is activated, the camera 321 can extend out of the housing 2 under the drive of the second drive assembly 322 to capture images of the front of the vehicle, thus meeting the requirements of autonomous driving. When the autonomous driving function is not needed, the camera 321 retracts into the housing 2 under the drive of the second drive assembly 322, thereby protecting the camera 321 and preventing it from getting dirty. It should be noted that in specific implementations, multiple camera assemblies 32 can be provided. For example, camera assemblies 32 can be provided at the front end and both sides of the housing 2 to capture images of the front and sides of the vehicle body 6. In other embodiments, the camera can also extend from the top of the housing, and the second drive assembly can also drive the camera to rotate to capture images at any desired location.

[0039] In this embodiment, the radar unit 33 includes at least one of lidar, microwave radar, and ultrasonic radar. In other embodiments, the radar unit 33 may also be other existing sensors, which are not limited herein.

[0040] Please refer to this again. Figure 1 and Figure 3 The sensing device in this embodiment also includes a convertible cover 5, which is foldably disposed at one end of the guide rail 1 near the second position. When the housing 2 moves to the second position, the convertible cover 5 can automatically or manually cover the housing 2, thereby keeping the housing 2 clean and extending the service life of the housing 2 and the sensing module 3. In this embodiment, the convertible cover 5 is manually operated and includes foldable and extendable folding frames located on both sides and a canvas connected between the folding frames. The folding frames can be made of metal or plastic. When the convertible cover 5 is needed, the end of the folding frame is manually pulled to unfold the convertible cover 5 and cover the housing 2. When it is not needed, the folding frame is manually restored to its original position. The structure of the folding frame is similar to that of existing folding carports / awnings and will not be described in detail here.

[0041] In other embodiments, the convertible canopy may include a box with a lid, inside which is housed a flexible cover that, when extended, can cover the upper part and side walls of the box 2. The flexible cover may be made of dustproof and waterproof Oxford cloth. The flexible cover can be secured to the box with ropes to prevent loss. When the flexible cover is needed, the lid can be opened, the cover pulled out, and placed over the box 2; when not needed, the cover can be removed and returned to the box.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 This application also provides a motor vehicle, including a vehicle body 6 and the aforementioned sensing device. A guide rail 1 is disposed on the vehicle body 6, with a first position located at the top of the vehicle body 6 and a second position located at the rear windshield of the vehicle body 6. In a specific implementation, the guide rail 1 has an arc that matches the vehicle body 6 to fit snugly against the top of the vehicle body 6, making the overall structure more stable and aesthetically pleasing. By setting the sensing device on the vehicle body 6, various sensors can be centrally arranged, thereby reducing overall vehicle costs and facilitating cleaning and maintenance.

[0043] A rearview camera 61 is located at the rear of the vehicle body 6, and a streaming rearview mirror 62 is installed inside the vehicle body 6, connected to the rearview camera 61. The rearview camera 61 can capture the situation behind the vehicle body 6, and the streaming rearview mirror 62 inside the vehicle body 6 can display the image captured by the rearview camera 61 in real time, replacing the traditional rearview mirror and thus avoiding the inconvenience caused by the rear windshield being obstructed when the housing 2 moves to the second position. In addition, an onboard driver assistance system, such as the autonomous driving system 36 of the onboard domain controller, can perform driver assistance functions based on the streaming rearview mirror 62, the rearview camera 61, and the sensing module 3 of the sensing device.

[0044] As can be seen from the above technical solution, various sensors can be centrally arranged in the sensing module 3, which is housed within the housing 2. When the autonomous driving function is activated, the first drive component 4 drives the housing 2 to a first position, causing the sensing module 3 to move to the roof and activate, thus achieving the sensing function. When the autonomous driving function is not needed, the housing 2 can be moved to a second position, placing the sensing module 3 at the rear windshield to reduce wind resistance. Compared to autonomous driving sensor solutions that are pre-embedded in hardware, the sensors in this application can be centrally arranged, allowing for flexible selection of sensor combinations and configurations according to application requirements. When the autonomous driving software function needs to be upgraded, hardware upgrades can be freely combined; when the autonomous driving function is not needed, sensors can be flexibly removed, thereby reducing the overall vehicle cost. In addition, the centralized arrangement facilitates cleaning and protection, as well as future sensor replacement and maintenance.

[0045] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that terms such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0046] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0047] Although the description of the invention has been given in conjunction with the specific embodiments described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many substitutions, modifications, and variations can be made based on the foregoing. Therefore, all such substitutions, modifications, and variations are included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a body and sensing devices. A rearview camera is located at the rear of the body, and a streaming rearview mirror and an in-vehicle driver assistance system are located inside the body. The sensing devices include: Guide rails are provided on the vehicle body; The housing is movably connected to the guide rail; The sensing module is located inside the housing; A first drive assembly is connected to the housing and is used to drive the housing to move along the guide rail to switch between a first position and a second position. The first drive assembly includes a first drive member and a wheel. The first drive member is disposed on the outer surface of the housing and its output end is connected to the wheel to drive the wheel to roll along the guide rail. The first position is located on the top of the vehicle body, and the second position is located on the rear windshield of the vehicle body. When the box is in the first position, the sensing module is activated, and when the box is in the second position, the sensing module is deactivated. The rearview camera captures the situation behind the vehicle body, and the captured image is simultaneously displayed on the streaming media rearview mirror. The vehicle-mounted driver assistance system performs driver assistance functions based on the streaming media rearview mirror, the rearview camera, and the sensing module of the sensing device.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensing module includes a processor, at least one camera component, and several radar units, wherein the camera component and radar units are connected to the processor.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The camera assembly includes a camera and a second drive assembly for driving the camera to extend or retract into the housing.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second drive assembly includes a second drive member, a linkage group, a bracket, and a guide rod. The output end of the second drive member is connected to one end of the guide rod through the linkage group. The bracket controls the directional telescopic movement of the guide rod. The camera is located at the other end of the guide rod.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The radar unit includes at least one of lidar, microwave radar, and ultrasonic radar.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a convertible cover, which is foldably disposed at the end of the second position of the guide rail.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that: The convertible cover includes a box and a flexible cover that can be housed within the box. The flexible cover can wrap around the box when unfolded, and the flexible cover is fixedly connected to the box.

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