Sensor system and vehicle
By installing spaced lidar and cameras on the inside of the vehicle's windshield, the problems of externally mounted sensors being easily damaged and having high wind resistance are solved, thus achieving sensor protection and reducing energy consumption.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle sensors are usually located on the outside of the vehicle, which makes them vulnerable to damage and increases wind resistance, leading to higher energy consumption.
The lidar and camera are mounted on a bracket inside the vehicle's windshield, spaced apart horizontally or vertically. The windshield provides protection and reduces crosstalk, minimizing the impact of the glass on the field of view.
It effectively protects the sensor, reduces wind resistance and energy consumption, while also reducing noise interference and improving data acquisition accuracy.
Smart Images
Figure CN224117214U_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] This case is a divisional application of Chinese patent application filed on March 28, 2024, entitled "Sensor System and Vehicle" with application number 202420626148.5. Technical Field
[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle sensors, and in particular to a sensor system and vehicle. Background Technology
[0003] With the development of intelligent vehicles and autonomous driving technology, the number of on-board sensors is increasing and their functions are becoming more diverse. Among them, LiDAR is an important sensor in autonomous vehicles, used to detect objects in the environment around the vehicle.
[0004] Existing vehicle sensors are usually placed on the outside of the vehicle, such as the front, rear, or top. However, the location on the outside of the vehicle is not conducive to protecting the sensors and will increase wind resistance when the vehicle is in motion, thus increasing the vehicle's energy consumption.
[0005] The content of the background section is merely the technology known to the inventor and does not necessarily represent the prior art in this field. Utility Model Content
[0006] To address one or more deficiencies in the prior art, this disclosure provides a sensor system, comprising:
[0007] A bracket, configured to be fixedly mounted on the inside of the windshield of a vehicle;
[0008] A lidar, mounted on the bracket, is configured to collect point cloud data of the exterior of the vehicle; and
[0009] At least one camera, which is mounted on the bracket and configured to acquire image data of the exterior of the vehicle;
[0010] The lidar is spaced apart from the camera along at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions.
[0011] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the bracket is provided with a mounting position, in which the lidar and the camera are mounted.
[0012] The lower edge of the bracket is attached to the windshield or spaced apart from the windshield.
[0013] According to one aspect of this disclosure, there is an in-cabin restricted area between the lidar and the windshield, the in-cabin restricted area including the area where the lidar's field of view is located on the side of the windshield.
[0014] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the extent of the restricted area inside the cabin is determined based on the field of view of the lidar and the tilt angle of the windshield relative to the horizontal plane.
[0015] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the geometry and dimensions of the support frame, as well as the mounting positions of the lidar and the camera within the support frame, are determined based on the extent of the restricted area within the cabin.
[0016] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the dimensions of the support include the width and height of the support, the width and height of which are determined based on the extent of the restricted area within the cabin.
[0017] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the upper edge of the bracket is at least partially abutting or contacting the windshield, and the lower edge of the bracket is configured to absorb the beam of light formed by the reflection of the detection beam emitted by the lidar on the windshield.
[0018] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the lower edge of the bracket is also configured to block light beams reflected from objects inside the windshield from entering the cabin restricted area.
[0019] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the cabin restricted area is surrounded by the bracket and the windshield, the lower edge of the bracket extending to abut against the windshield.
[0020] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the lower edge of the bracket is spaced apart from the windshield to reduce the size of the bracket.
[0021] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the horizontal field of view of the laser radar is not less than 105°, and the vertical field of view is 20°-30°; the vertical field of view of the camera is not less than 30°.
[0022] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the lidar and the camera are spaced apart along a vertical direction.
[0023] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the field of view of the lidar inside the windshield does not overlap with the field of view of the camera inside the windshield.
[0024] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the vertical distance between the lidar and the camera is not less than 3 mm.
[0025] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the minimum distance between the front end of the lidar and the windshield is not less than 3 mm.
[0026] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the lidar and the camera are arranged at a distance along a horizontal direction, and the optical centers of the lidar and the camera are at the same horizontal height.
[0027] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the field of view of the lidar inside the windshield partially overlaps with the field of view of the camera inside the windshield.
[0028] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the sensor system includes a plurality of cameras, which are respectively disposed on both sides of the lidar.
[0029] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the sensor system further includes a housing disposed outside the bracket.
[0030] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the windshield is provided with an anti-reflective region, the position of which matches the field of view of the lidar, and the anti-reflective region is configured to improve the transmittance of the lidar's detection beam.
[0031] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the distance between the front end of the lidar and the windshield is determined based on the field of view of the lidar and the range of the anti-reflective zone.
[0032] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the disclosure also includes a vehicle comprising:
[0033] Windshield; and
[0034] The sensor system described above is located inside the windshield.
[0035] The present disclosure discloses a sensor system that uses a bracket to fix a lidar and a camera on the inside of a vehicle's windshield. This allows the lidar and camera to be spaced apart, which can suppress crosstalk between the lidar and the camera, reduce noise, and protect the lidar and camera from the windshield. Furthermore, the field of view of the lidar and camera is less affected by the windshield.
[0036] The embodiments of this disclosure also disclose a vehicle that uses the aforementioned sensor system, which can protect the sensors and help reduce wind resistance and energy consumption during vehicle operation. Attached Figure Description
[0037] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present disclosure to explain the disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:
[0038] Figure 1 These are schematic diagrams of sensor systems in some embodiments of this disclosure;
[0039] Figure 2 These are exploded views of sensor systems in some embodiments of this disclosure;
[0040] Figure 3A and Figure 3B This is a side cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the bracket and the windshield in different embodiments of this disclosure;
[0041] Figure 4A and Figure 4B This is a schematic diagram of the tilt angle of the windshield relative to the horizontal plane and the extent of the no-entry zone inside the cabin in different embodiments of this disclosure;
[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the lower edge of the support absorbing and blocking light beams in some embodiments of this disclosure;
[0043] Figure 6A yes Figure 3A The diagram shown is a schematic of the restricted area inside the cabin in the embodiment shown.
[0044] Figure 6B yes Figure 3B The diagram shown is a schematic of the restricted area inside the cabin in the embodiment shown.
[0045] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the horizontal spacing between the lidar and the camera in some embodiments of this disclosure;
[0046] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-reflective area of the windshield and the field of view of the lidar in some embodiments of this disclosure;
[0047] Figure 9A This is a front view of the vehicle in some embodiments of this disclosure;
[0048] Figure 9B This is a top view of a vehicle in some embodiments of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation
[0049] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be considered exemplary in nature and not restrictive.
[0050] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing this disclosure 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. 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 indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly and specifically defined.
[0051] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joint" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections, electrical connections, or connections that allow for communication; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.
[0052] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0053] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of this disclosure. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, various specific examples of processes and materials are provided in this disclosure, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.
[0054] The embodiments of this disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.
[0055] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the sensor system includes a bracket, a lidar, and at least one camera. The bracket is fixedly mounted on the inside of the vehicle's windshield, and the lidar and camera are mounted on the bracket. The lidar is configured to acquire point cloud data of the vehicle's exterior, and the camera is configured to acquire image data of the vehicle's exterior. The lidar and camera are spaced apart along at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions. This spaced arrangement of the lidar and camera suppresses crosstalk between them, reduces noise, and the fact that they are mounted inside the windshield provides protection, reducing interference from the external environment. The field of view of the lidar and camera is less affected by the windshield, allowing them to acquire data from the vehicle's exterior.
[0056] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The structure of sensor system 1 in some embodiments of this disclosure is shown below, in conjunction with... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The sensor system 1 will be described.
[0057] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the sensor system 100 includes a bracket 110, a lidar 120, and at least one camera 130. The bracket 110 is fixedly mounted on the inner side of the windshield 210 of the vehicle. The windshield 210 refers to the glass in front of the driver's cabin in the vehicle, and the inner side of the windshield 210 refers to the area of the windshield 210 closest to the driver's cabin. The bracket 110 can be positioned near the middle area of the upper edge of the windshield 210. A portion of the sensor system 100 can be positioned between the central rearview mirror and the windshield 210, and another portion of the sensor system 100 can be positioned above the central rearview mirror. For example, the lidar 120 in the sensor system 100 can be positioned in front of the central rearview mirror, and the camera 130 can be positioned above the central rearview mirror, avoiding obstruction of the central rearview mirror and the driver's view.
[0058] The bracket 110 can also be used in other locations on the windshield 210, such as the center and left and right sides of the windshield 210, above the dashboard, the rear windshield, the B-pillar, etc. The vehicle interior may include a mounting structure for the sensor system 100, which may be mounted on the sheet metal of the windshield or roof, or on the dashboard. The bracket 110 can be housed within the mounting structure or suspended from it. A shock-absorbing structure may also be provided between the bracket 110 and the mounting structure to prevent vibrations during vehicle operation from affecting the lidar 120 and the camera 130.
[0059] Both the lidar 120 and the camera 130 are mounted on the bracket 110. The lidar 120 can collect point cloud data of the vehicle's exterior. For example, the detection beam emitted by the laser in the lidar 120 can pass through the windshield 210, and after being reflected by objects outside the vehicle, it forms an echo. The echo passes through the windshield 210 and is received by the detector in the lidar 120. The lidar 120 obtains point cloud data of the vehicle's exterior based on the echo. The camera 130 can collect image data of the vehicle's exterior. For example, the camera 130 can capture pictures or videos of the exterior of the windshield 210. In embodiments with multiple cameras 130, different cameras 130 can be configured to perform different functions, such as RGB (three primary colors) cameras and infrared cameras, to meet the vehicle's usage needs under different operating conditions.
[0060] In some embodiments of this disclosure, both the lidar 120 and the camera 130 face forward of the cockpit, enabling them to acquire point cloud data and image data within a certain range in front of the vehicle. For example, the lidar 120 can serve as the vehicle's main radar. The horizontal field of view of the lidar 120 can be set to no less than 105°, such as 105° or 120°, and the vertical field of view is 20°-30°, such as 25° or 30°. The lidar 120 can have the same field of view or different field of view for different vehicles. The vertical field of view of the camera 130 can be set to no less than 30°, such as 30° or 45°. Similarly, the camera 130 can select different field of view angles depending on the vehicle.
[0061] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the main optical axis of the lidar 120 and the main optical axis of the camera 130 can be parallel to each other, for example, both the lidar 120 and the camera 130 face the front of the vehicle. The main optical axis of the lidar 120 and the main optical axis of the camera 130 can also have a certain angle, for example, the lidar 120 faces the front of the vehicle and the camera 130 faces the side front of the vehicle.
[0062] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the lidar 120 and the camera 130 are spaced apart in at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions, for example, the lidar 120 and the camera 130 are arranged horizontally or vertically. This horizontal or vertical spacing allows the field of view of the lidar 120 and the camera 130 to cover different areas outside the vehicle, for example, different arrangements can be selected depending on the vehicle.
[0063] Meanwhile, the arrangement of the lidar 120 and the camera 130 is also related to the size of the bracket 110. By changing the arrangement of the lidar 120 and the camera 130, it is beneficial to reduce the size of the bracket 110, thereby reducing or eliminating the impact of the sensor system 100 on the driver's line of sight.
[0064] This disclosure provides an embodiment in which a sensor system 100 is disposed inside a vehicle windshield 210. A lidar 120 and a camera 130 are both disposed on a bracket 110 and are spaced apart along at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions. The spaced arrangement of the lidar 120 and the camera 130 can reduce crosstalk between the lidar 120 and the camera 130 and reduce noise.
[0065] The LiDAR 120 is used to acquire point cloud data of the vehicle's exterior, while the camera 130 acquires image data of the vehicle's exterior. The combination of the LiDAR 120 and camera 130 meets the vehicle's operational needs. The windshield 210 protects the sensor system 100, and its impact on the field of view of both the LiDAR 120 and camera 130 is minimal. Furthermore, the sensor system 100 does not occupy external space within the vehicle, which helps reduce wind resistance and energy consumption during vehicle operation.
[0066] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the bracket 110 is provided with mounting positions, and the lidar 120 and the camera 130 are mounted in the mounting positions. For example Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the bracket 110 is provided with a first mounting position 111 and a second mounting position 112. The lidar 120 is mounted in the first mounting position 111, and the camera 130 is mounted in the second mounting position 112. In some embodiments of this disclosure, the surface of the bracket 110 in front of the first mounting position 111 and the second mounting position 112 can also be blackened to prevent ghosting caused by stray light from the outside of the sensor system.
[0067] When the sensor system 100 includes multiple cameras 130, multiple second mounting positions 112 can be provided on the bracket 110 for mounting the multiple cameras 130 respectively. Alternatively, only one second mounting position 112 can be provided. For example, multiple cameras 130 can be integrated into a single structure, and the integrated structure of multiple cameras 130 can be placed in the same second mounting position 112.
[0068] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the positional relationship between the lower edge of the bracket 110 and the windshield 210 is as follows: Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, where Figure 3A The lower edge of the bracket fits against the windshield 210, or as... Figure 3B There is a certain gap between the lower edge of the bracket and the windshield 210. In some embodiments of this disclosure, a restricted area (KOZ) is provided between the lidar 120 and the windshield 210. The restricted area (KOZ) includes the area where the field of view of the lidar 120 is located inside the windshield 210. A matting material can be provided around the restricted area (KOZ). For example, a matting layer can be formed on the surface of the bracket 110 around the restricted area (KOZ) or it can be blackened to prevent light beams from entering the lidar inside the cockpit and affecting the detection of the lidar 120.
[0069] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the range of the restricted area (KOZ) is determined based on the field of view of the lidar 120 and the tilt angle of the windshield 210 relative to the horizontal plane. For example, if the horizontal and vertical field of view of the lidar 120 are small, the range of the restricted area (KOZ) is correspondingly reduced.
[0070] like Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, the tilt angle of the windshield 210 relative to the horizontal plane also affects the range of the no-entry zone (KOZ) inside the cabin. For example... Figure 4A As shown, when the windshield 210 has a small tilt angle relative to the horizontal plane, the area of the no-entry zone (KOZ) inside the cabin is relatively large, such as... Figure 4B As shown, when the windshield 210 has a large tilt angle relative to the horizontal plane, the area of the no-entry zone (KOZ) inside the cabin is relatively small.
[0071] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the geometry and size of the support 110 are determined based on the extent of the restricted area (KOZ) inside the cabin, so that the structure of the support 110 does not obstruct the restricted area (KOZ).
[0072] The geometry of the bracket 110 can be roughly set as a wedge shape, and the wedge angle can be matched with the tilt angle of the windshield 210. At the same time, the geometry and size of the bracket 110 will also affect the space occupied by the sensor system 100. Based on the determined no-entry zone (KOZ) in the cabin, the size of the bracket 110 can be minimized to reduce the impact of the sensor system 100 on the driver's line of sight.
[0073] In this embodiment, the installation positions of the lidar 120 and camera 130 in the sensor system 100 on the bracket 110 can also be determined based on the no-entry zone (KOZ) inside the cabin. For example, the arrangement of the lidar 120 and camera 130 will be described in conjunction with the specific embodiments below.
[0074] The dimensions of bracket 110 include its width and height. The width of bracket 110 represents its horizontal dimension, and the height represents its vertical dimension. The width and height of bracket 110 are determined based on the area of the restricted area (KOZ). For example, if the KOZ is large, the width and height of bracket 110 are increased accordingly to avoid obstructing the detection beam and echo of lidar 120. The width of bracket 110 is related to the KOZ area and the arrangement of lidar 120 and camera 130. For example, if lidar 120 and camera 130 are spaced apart horizontally, the width of bracket 110 is increased. Similarly, the height of bracket 110 is related to the KOZ area and the arrangement of lidar 120 and camera 130. For example, if lidar 120 and camera 130 are spaced apart vertically, the height of bracket 110 is increased.
[0075] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the upper edge of the bracket 110 is at least partially attached to or abuts against the windshield 210. For example, the surface of the bracket 110 near the windshield 210 is configured to have the same tilt angle as the windshield 210 and is attached to the inner side of the windshield 210. This is beneficial to improving the stability of the sensor system 100 and also to reducing the space occupied by the sensor system 100 in the cockpit.
[0076] The lower edge of the bracket 110 is configured to absorb the beam of light reflected from the LiDAR 120 onto the windshield 210, and also to block the beam of light reflected from the vehicle's interior reflective surfaces. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the lidar 120 is located inside the windshield 210. A portion of the detection beam emitted by the lidar 120 can pass through the windshield 210 to detect objects outside the vehicle, while another portion is reflected by the windshield 210. The reflected beam L1 may be detected by the lidar 120, affecting the accuracy of the detection results. In this embodiment, as... Figure 5 As shown, the lower edge of the bracket 110 absorbs the light beam L1 formed by the reflection of the detection beam on the windshield 210. For example, a light-absorbing material is provided on the lower edge of the bracket 110, or a blackening treatment is performed to form a light-absorbing layer.
[0077] like Figure 5As shown, the detection beam emitted by the lidar 120 is reflected by objects outside the vehicle, generating an echo. This echo may pass through the windshield 210 and illuminate a reflective surface inside the vehicle, such as the surface above the dashboard. The reflected light may enter the restricted area (KOZ) inside the cabin, affecting the accuracy of the lidar 120's detection results. In some embodiments of this disclosure, the lower edge of the bracket 110 can be configured to block the light beam L2 reflected from objects inside the vehicle from being detected by the lidar 120, reducing the impact of stray light on the lidar 120 and preventing ghosting.
[0078] In some embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 3A As shown, the lower edge of the bracket 110 extends to abut against the windshield 210, and the tilt angle of the lower edge of the bracket 110 can also be set to match the range of the restricted area (KOZ) inside the cabin. For example, the bracket 110 and the windshield 210 surround the restricted area (KOZ), with the front side of the bracket 110 surrounding three surfaces of the restricted area (KOZ) and the windshield 210 corresponding to the surfaces of the restricted area (KOZ), forming a closed area. Beams transmitted from inside the cockpit are blocked by the bracket 110 outside the restricted area (KOZ), preventing beams from inside the vehicle from affecting the lidar 120.
[0079] Figure 3A The diagram shows the area corresponding to the vertical field of view of the lidar 120 on the windshield 210. The lidar 120 also has a horizontal field of view. The range of the horizontal field of view on the windshield 210 determines the range of the restricted area zone (KOZ) inside the cabin, and consequently, the size of the support frame 110. For example, when the horizontal field of view of the lidar 120 is larger, the width of the KOZ and the width of the support frame 110 increase accordingly. The KOZ of the lidar 120 is shown as follows: Figure 6A As shown in the shaded area, the lower edge of the bracket 110 extends to the windshield 210. In embodiments where the bracket 110 and the windshield 210 surround the restricted area (KOZ) within the cabin, the width of the lower edge of the bracket 110 is set to match the corresponding area of the horizontal field of view of the lidar 120 on the windshield 210.
[0080] In other embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 3B As shown, the lower edge of the bracket 110 is spaced apart from the windshield 210, and the bracket 110 and the windshield 210 form a non-enclosed area. The lower side of the restricted area KOZ is connected to the cockpit.
[0081] Figure 6B The restricted area (KOZ) inside the cabin of the lidar 120 in this embodiment is shown. The lower edge of the bracket 110 is spaced apart from the windshield 210, which helps to reduce the width of the bracket 110. According to Figure 6A and Figure 6B The comparison shows that the non-enclosed cabin restricted area KOZ can significantly reduce the width of the bracket 110, the sensor system 100 occupies less space, and has less impact on the driver's line of sight.
[0082] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the sensor system 100 is placed inside the vehicle. This not only needs to meet the usage requirements of the sensors, such as preventing the bracket 110 or the structure inside the vehicle from obstructing the field of view of the lidar 120 or the camera 130, but also needs to avoid affecting the driver and minimize the obstruction of the driver's line of sight by the sensor system 100.
[0083] For example Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the lidar 120 and the camera 130 can be arranged at intervals along the vertical direction. The horizontal interval between the lidar 120 and the camera 130 is not individually limited; they can be aligned or spaced apart in the horizontal direction. Arranging the lidar 120 and the camera 130 at intervals along the vertical direction helps to reduce the width of the bracket 110 in the horizontal direction, thus reducing the impact on the driver.
[0084] In some embodiments of this disclosure, for example Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown in the shaded area, when the lidar 120 and the camera 130 are arranged vertically at intervals, the field of view of the lidar 120 inside the windshield 210 and the field of view of the camera 130 inside the windshield 210 do not overlap. For example, they can be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, or they can be adjacent to each other, or they can be isolated by the bracket 110, which can reduce the mutual interference between the lidar 120 and the camera 130.
[0085] In some embodiments of this disclosure, taking a lidar 120 with a vertical field of view of 30° as an example, the vertical distance between the lidar 120 and the camera 130 is not less than 3mm, for example, 3mm-5mm. The vertical distance between the lidar 120 and the camera 130 represents the distance between the main structure of the lidar 120 and the main structure of the camera 130. For example, the camera 130 is located above the lidar 120, and the vertical distance between the lower surface of the camera 130 and the upper surface of the lidar 120 is set to not less than 3mm.
[0086] In some embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 3BAs shown, the front end of the lidar 120 is spaced apart from the windshield 210, with a minimum distance of not less than 3mm. Simultaneously, the lidar 120 has a field of view in the vertical direction, for example, 30°. The minimum distance between the front end of the lidar 120 and the windshield 210 can be determined based on the vertical field of view of the lidar 120 and the tilt angle of the windshield 210 relative to the horizontal plane, ensuring that the field of view of the lidar 120 inside the windshield 210 does not overlap with the field of view of the camera 130 inside the windshield 210. This minimum distance between the front end of the lidar 120 and the windshield 210 can be controlled by controlling the minimum distance between the sensor system 100 and the windshield 210, or by setting the bracket 110 to fit against the windshield 210, and controlling the minimum distance between the front end of the lidar 120 and the windshield 210 by the position of the first mounting position 111.
[0087] In some embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 As shown, the sensor system 100 also includes a housing 140, which is disposed on the outside of the bracket 110. The housing 140 can protect the lidar 120 and the camera 130 from displacement due to collisions, vibrations, etc., which would affect the accuracy of the detection results. At the same time, it can also decorate the sensor system 100 so that the appearance of the sensor system 100 is consistent with the interior of the vehicle.
[0088] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the windshield 210 is tilted at an angle of 20° relative to the horizontal plane. The sensor system 100 includes two cameras 130 arranged side-by-side in the horizontal direction, and the lidar 120 and cameras 130 are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The lidar 120 has a horizontal field of view of 105° and a vertical field of view of 25°. The two cameras 130 each have a vertical field of view of 30° and horizontal field of view of 120° and 30°, respectively. In this embodiment, the lower edge of the bracket 110 is spaced apart from the windshield 210, forming a non-enclosed area. The lower side of the restricted area (KOZ) is connected to the cockpit. The width of the bracket 110 can be set to no more than 600mm, thus reducing the size of the sensor system 100 and minimizing its impact on the driver's line of sight.
[0089] In other embodiments of this disclosure, the windshield 210 is tilted at an angle of 20° relative to the horizontal plane. The lidar 120 and camera 130 are arranged vertically at intervals. The lidar 120 has a horizontal field of view of 120° and a vertical field of view of 25°. In this embodiment, the lower edge of the bracket 110 is spaced apart from the windshield 210, forming a non-enclosed area. The lower side of the restricted area (KOZ) is connected to the cockpit. In this embodiment, the lidar 120 has a larger horizontal field of view, and the width of the bracket 110 can be increased accordingly, for example, not exceeding 800mm.
[0090] In other embodiments of this disclosure, the windshield 210 is tilted at an angle of 25° relative to the horizontal plane. The lidar 120 and camera 130 are arranged vertically at intervals; the lidar 120 has a horizontal field of view of 105° and a vertical field of view of 25°. In this embodiment, the restricted area (KOZ) is completely enclosed by the bracket 110 and the windshield 210, forming a closed area. In this embodiment, the windshield 210 has a relatively large tilt angle relative to the horizontal plane, allowing the width of the bracket 110 to be correspondingly reduced, for example, not exceeding 400mm.
[0091] In some other embodiments of this disclosure, the windshield 210 is tilted at an angle of 25° relative to the horizontal plane. The lidar 120 and camera 130 are arranged vertically at intervals, with the lidar 120 having a horizontal field of view of 120° and a vertical field of view of 25°. The lower edge of the bracket 110 can be spaced apart from the windshield 210, forming a non-enclosed area. The lower side of the restricted area (KOZ) is connected to the cockpit. In this embodiment, the windshield 210 has a relatively large tilt angle relative to the horizontal plane, and the bracket 110 is not used to form an enclosed area; therefore, the width of the bracket 110 can be correspondingly reduced, for example, not exceeding 300mm.
[0092] In other embodiments of this disclosure, the windshield 210 is tilted at an angle of 35° relative to the horizontal plane. The lidar 120 and camera 130 are arranged vertically at intervals; the lidar 120 has a horizontal field of view of 120° and a vertical field of view of 25°. In this embodiment, the restricted area (KOZ) inside the cabin is completely enclosed by the bracket 110 and the windshield 210, forming a closed area, for example, no larger than 300mm.
[0093] In other embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 7As shown, the lidar 120 and camera 130 are arranged at intervals along the horizontal direction, and the optical centers of the lidar 120 and camera 130 are at the same height. The optical center of the lidar 120 represents the optical center of the lens in the lidar 120, and the optical center of the camera 130 represents the optical center of the lens in the camera 130. In this embodiment, the lidar 120 and camera 130 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, which can reduce the height of the bracket 110.
[0094] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the sensor system 100 includes a plurality of cameras 130, which may be disposed on both sides of the lidar 120, for example... Figure 7 As shown, the sensor system 100 includes two cameras 130, a lidar 120 is located in the middle, and the two cameras 130 are located on both sides, for example, in a symmetrical arrangement.
[0095] The lidar 120 used in the vehicle is configured with a horizontal field of view greater than its vertical field of view. For example, the horizontal field of view of lidar 120 is 125° and the vertical field of view is 30°. Therefore, within the field of view inside the windshield 210, the horizontal width of lidar 120 is greater than its vertical height. In embodiments of this disclosure, the field of view of lidar 120 and camera 130 inside the windshield 210 can partially overlap to reduce the width of bracket 110 and decrease the impact on the driver. LiDAR 120 and camera 130 can reduce mutual interference by detecting beams of different wavelengths or by using filters.
[0096] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the windshield 210 is tilted at an angle of 25° relative to the horizontal plane. The lidar 120 and camera 130 are spaced apart horizontally, and the optical centers of the lidar 120 and camera 130 are at the same horizontal height. The lidar 120 has a horizontal field of view of 105° and a vertical field of view of 25°. In this embodiment, the restricted area (KOZ) inside the cabin is completely enclosed by the bracket 110 and the windshield 210, forming a closed area.
[0097] like Figure 8As shown, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, an anti-reflective region 211 is provided on the windshield 210 of a vehicle. The position of the anti-reflective region 211 corresponds to the field of view of the lidar 120, and the anti-reflective region 211 is configured to improve the transmittance of the detection beam emitted by the lidar 120. In this embodiment, providing the anti-reflective region 211 can increase the detection beam passing through the windshield 210, reduce the loss of the detection beam in the windshield 210, and improve the detection range of the lidar 120. For example, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the wavelength of the detection beam emitted by the lidar 120 is 905nm, 940nm, or 1550nm, and the anti-reflective region 211 can be formed on the windshield 210 based on the wavelength of the detection beam.
[0098] In some embodiments of this disclosure, an antireflective film can be provided to form an antireflective region 211, or the material of the windshield 210 can be changed to form an antireflective region 211. For example, the antireflective film or the material of the windshield 120 can be selected according to the wavelength of the detection beam of the lidar 120.
[0099] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the distance between the front end of the lidar 120 and the windshield 210 can be determined based on the field of view of the lidar 120 and the range of the anti-reflection region 211, so that the field of view of the lidar 120 on the windshield 210 is not greater than the range of the anti-reflection region 211. This can prevent the detection beam within the field of view of the lidar 120 from being blocked by the range outside the anti-reflection region 211 in the windshield, thus avoiding dark areas appearing in the point cloud data acquired by the lidar 120.
[0100] like Figure 9A and Figure 9B As shown, this disclosure also includes an embodiment of a vehicle 200, wherein the vehicle 200 includes a windshield 210 and the sensor system 100 described in the foregoing embodiments. The sensor system 100 is disposed on the inner side of the windshield 210. For example, the sensor system 100 is disposed in the middle, left and right sides, above the dashboard, rear windshield, B-pillar, etc. of the windshield 210, and can acquire point cloud data and image data of the exterior of the vehicle 200. The windshield 210 can protect the sensor system 100, and the sensor system 100 being disposed on the inner side of the windshield 210 can reduce the wind resistance of the vehicle 200 during driving.
[0101] Finally, it should be noted that the above descriptions are merely embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the protection scope of this disclosure.
Claims
1. A sensor system, characterized by include: A bracket, configured to be fixedly mounted on the inside of the windshield of a vehicle; A lidar, mounted on the bracket, configured to collect point cloud data of the exterior of the vehicle; and A camera, mounted on the bracket, configured to acquire image data of the exterior of the vehicle; The lidar and the camera are spaced apart vertically. The lidar and the camera are oriented towards the front or side-front of the vehicle; There is an in-cabin restricted area between the lidar and the windshield, and the in-cabin restricted area includes the area where the field of view of the lidar is located inside the windshield; The bracket and the windshield surround the restricted area inside the cabin, and the front side of the bracket surrounds three surfaces of the restricted area inside the cabin.
2. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein, The front side of the bracket, which surrounds the three surfaces of the restricted area inside the cabin, includes a bottom surface and two side surfaces, the two side surfaces being located on both sides of the bottom surface.
3. The sensor system of claim 2, wherein, The dimensions of the two sides gradually increase in the direction away from the windshield, and / or The dimensions of the bottom surface gradually decrease in the direction away from the windshield.
4. The sensor system of claim 2, wherein, The bottom surface slopes downwards in the horizontal direction.
5. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein, The bracket is provided with a mounting position, and the lidar and the camera are installed in the mounting position.
6. The sensor system of claim 5, wherein, The mounting positions include a first mounting position and a second mounting position, with the lidar installed in the first mounting position and the camera installed in the second mounting position.
7. The sensor system of claim 6, wherein, The sensor system includes a plurality of cameras, and the mounting position includes a plurality of second mounting positions, each of which is used to mount the plurality of cameras.
8. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein, The upper edge of the bracket is at least partially in contact with or abuts against the windshield.
9. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein, The lower edge of the bracket abuts against the windshield, or the lower edge of the bracket is spaced apart from the windshield.
10. The sensor system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The horizontal field of view of the lidar is not less than 105°.
11. The sensor system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The field of view of the lidar inside the windshield partially overlaps with the field of view of the camera inside the windshield.
12. The sensor system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The vertical distance between the lidar and the camera is not less than 3mm.
13. The sensor system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The minimum distance between the front end of the lidar and the windshield is not less than 3mm.
14. The sensor system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The overall geometry of the support is wedge-shaped.
15. The sensor system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, It also includes a housing disposed on the outside of the bracket.
16. A vehicle characterized by comprising: include: Windshield; and The sensor system as described in any one of claims 1-15, wherein the sensor system is disposed inside the windshield.