Vehicle and method for controlling the same

Abstract

Vehicle (1) which has: a side mirror (100, 100a, 100b), at least one sensor (110, 110a, 110b) provided in the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and arranged to send a signal (a) to an object (400) and to receive a signal (b) reflected by the object (400), and a control unit (200) configured to generate driving information based on the signal (b) received by the sensor (110, 110a, 110b), wherein the control unit (200) is arranged to correct a distortion of the signal (b) generated by the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) to generate the driving information, wherein the control unit (200) is arranged to correct the distortion of the signal (b) generated by at least one of a cover (130) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and a mirror (120) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b), and wherein the control unit (200) is configured to correct the distortion of the signal (b) based on a thickness of the cover (130) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and an angle of incidence of the signal (a) sent from the sensor (110, 110a, 110b).

Description

BackgroundField of the invention

[0001] The present invention / disclosure relates to a vehicle and a method for controlling the same, and more particularly to a technique of acquiring (e.g., obtaining) information about the surroundings of a vehicle using a sensor installed within a side mirror and correcting the distortion of signals caused by the side mirror to provide a user with more accurate driving information. Description of the technology used

[0002] With the ongoing development of vehicle technologies, various types of electronic devices for vehicles are also being developed, such as hands-free devices, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a Bluetooth device, a high-pass device, etc. In many vehicles, a communication device that communicates with a user terminal, a charging device for charging the user terminal, etc. are also provided within the vehicle.

[0003] Recently, various devices for driving assistance and improving driving comfort have been installed in many vehicles. In particular, an autonomous driving control device has been developed to enable a vehicle to recognize a road environment, determine a driving situation, and control the vehicle's driving based on a planned driving path (e.g., route) to autonomously drive to a destination. Research on the autonomous driving control device is actively conducted.

[0004] The autonomous driving control device detects the current position and speed of the vehicle, the surrounding environment and obstacles, etc., generates a driving path (e.g., a route) in real time based on the acquired information, and drives the vehicle autonomously. Accordingly, a vehicle equipped with the autonomous driving control device essentially requires technology for accurately recognizing topography and peripheral objects, i.e., technology for acquiring accurate information regarding three-dimensional space.

[0005] To acquire accurate information regarding three-dimensional space, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is often used. The LiDAR is configured to detect objects around the vehicle by sending signals toward objects that exist within a 360° radius of the vehicle and receiving the signals reflected from the objects. The LiDAR has the advantage of being able to precisely scan a space. The LiDAR is generally mounted on the roof of the vehicle to prevent the light emitted by the LiDAR from being blocked or interfered with by the vehicle body.

[0006] However, if the LiDAR is mounted on the roof, it is exposed to the outside and directly affected by external environments such as snow, rain, dust, etc. Similarly, mounting the LiDAR on the roof requires an additional bracket installed on the vehicle's roof, which may degrade the vehicle's exterior appearance. Furthermore, since the bracket is on the vehicle's roof, the vehicle experiences more air resistance while driving, resulting in a deterioration in fuel efficiency.

[0007] US 2015 / 0 192 677 A1 discloses a distributed LIDAR sensing system for three-dimensional mapping with a wide field of view and a method using the same.

[0008] US 2011 / 0 128 142 A1 discloses a vehicle mirror device and a method for displaying driving information.

[0009] CN 2 01 095 337 Y discloses a rearview mirror with blind spot elimination and vehicle induction alarm function.

[0010] JP 2007 - 106 200 A discloses a vehicle environment monitoring device. Explanation of the invention

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle capable of providing a user with effective driving information by more accurately recognizing a surrounding environment and peripheral objects without degrading the vehicle's external appearance. Additional objects of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description and in part will be apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention.

[0012] To achieve the object, the invention provides a vehicle comprising: a side mirror, at least one sensor provided in the side mirror and configured to send a signal to an object and receive a signal reflected by the object, and a control unit configured to generate driving information based on the signal received by the sensor, wherein the control unit is configured to correct a distortion of the signal generated by the side mirror to generate the driving information, wherein the control unit is configured to correct the distortion of the signal generated by at least one of a cover of the side mirror and a mirror of the side mirror, and wherein the control unit is configuredto correct the distortion of the signal based on a thickness of the cover of the side mirror and an angle of incidence of the signal sent from the sensor.

[0013] The control unit may be further configured to correct the refraction of the signal generated when the signal is transmitted through the cover or mirror of the side mirror. The control unit may also be configured to correct the distortion of the signal based on a thickness of the side mirror mirror and an angle of incidence of the signal transmitted by the sensor.

[0014] The cover and the mirror may further have a material provided thereon that allows the signal to be transmitted through the cover and the mirror. The mirror transmits light of infrared wavelengths and reflects light of visible wavelengths. The vehicle may further have a filter configured to transmit light of infrared wavelengths, and the filter may be coated on the outer surface of the cover. The control unit may be configured to generate the driving information based on information received by the sensor provided in the side mirror and the further sensor provided at the front part (e.g., front part) and the rear part (e.g., rear part, tail part) of the vehicle.

[0015] To achieve the object, the invention further provides: a method for controlling a vehicle having at least one sensor provided in a side mirror, comprising: sending, by means of a control unit, a signal to an object and receiving a signal reflected by the object, and generating, by means of the control unit, driving information based on the signal received by means of the sensor, wherein generating the driving information comprises correcting a distortion of the signal generated by the side mirror to generate the driving information, wherein correcting the distortion of the signal comprises correcting, by means of the control unit, the distortion of the signal generated by at least one of a cover of the side mirror and a mirror of the side mirror,and wherein correcting the distortion of the signal comprises correcting based on a thickness of the cover of the side mirror and an angle of incidence of the signal sent from the sensor.

[0016] Correcting signal distortion may also include correcting refraction (e.g., light refraction) of the signal that is generated when the signal is transmitted through the cover or mirror of the side view mirror. The mirror may transmit light of infrared wavelengths and reflect light of visible wavelengths. The filter configured to transmit light of infrared wavelengths may be coated on the outer surface of the cover.

[0017] Generating the driving information may comprise receiving raw data from the sensor provided in the side mirror and merging (e.g., joining) the raw data to thereby generate the driving information. Furthermore, generating the driving information may comprise performing a coordinate transformation on the raw data with respect to the reference point of the vehicle and then merging (e.g., joining) the resultant data to thereby generate the driving information. The coordinate transformation may comprise performing a rotation transformation on the raw data. Furthermore, the coordinate transformation may comprise performing a translation transformation on the raw data. Generating the driving information may comprise generating the driving information with respect to the sensor and then merging (e.g., joining) the generated driving information with respect to the reference point of the vehicle. Brief description of the drawings

[0018] These and / or other aspects of the invention / disclosure will become apparent and more readily understood from the following description of the embodiments together with the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 illustrates the external appearance of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 2 illustrates the interior of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a part of the internal configuration of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 4 illustrates the external structure of a sensor installed in the vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 5 illustrates an area that can be recorded (e.g., detected, scanned) by the sensor installed in a side mirror, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate the features (e.g., characteristics, characteristics) of a cold mirror mounted on the side mirror according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 7 illustrates a wavelength range passing through a bandpass filter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 8 illustrates a principle in which the sensor installed in the side mirror detects (e.g., detects) an external obstacle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 9 illustrates the distortion of signals caused by the mirror or the cover of the side mirror, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, FIGS. 10A-10B illustrate a principle of correcting the distortion of signals caused by the mirror or the cover of the side mirror, Fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 12 illustrates the relationship between raw data acquired by the sensor and generated driving information according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 13 illustrates an equation for performing rotation transformation based on raw data acquired by the sensor, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 14 illustrates a process of merging (e.g., merging) data based on raw data acquired by the sensor, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, and Fig. 15 illustrates an area that can be recorded (e.g., detected, scanned) by the sensor according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure. Detailed description

[0019] It is to be understood that the terms “vehicle” or “vehicle...” or other similar terms as used herein include motor vehicles in general, such as passenger cars, which include sports utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft, which include a variety of boats and ships, aircraft and the like, and which include hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, internal combustion vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., powered by fuels derived from resources other than petroleum).

[0020] Although an exemplary embodiment is described using a plurality of units to perform the exemplary method, it is to be understood that the exemplary methods may also be performed by one or a plurality of modules. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the term controller / controller refers to a hardware device including a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store the modules, and the processor is specifically configured to operate said modules to perform one or more processes, which are further described below.

[0021] Furthermore, control logic of the present invention may be embodied as a non-transitory computer-readable medium on a computer-readable medium having executable program instructions executed by a processor, a controller, or the like. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, compact disk (CD)-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, memory sticks, memory cards, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable recording medium may also be distributed in network-coupled computer systems such that the computer-readable medium is stored and executed in a distributed manner, e.g., by a telematics server or a Controller Area Network (CAN).

[0022] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a" and "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprising" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more of further features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements.

[0023] Unless expressly stated or clear from the context, as used herein, the term "about" is understood to mean within a range of normal tolerance in the art, for example, within 2 standard deviations of the mean. "About" may be understood to mean within 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05%, or 0.01% of the stated value. Unless otherwise clear from the context, all numerical values provided herein are qualified by the term "about."

[0024] Configurations illustrated in the exemplary embodiments and the drawings described in the present specification are only the exemplary embodiments of the present invention / disclosure, and therefore, it is to be understood that various modified examples that can replace the exemplary embodiments and the drawings described in the present specification are possible upon filing the present application.

[0025] The terms used in this specification are used to describe exemplary embodiments of the present invention / disclosure. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention / disclosure is provided for illustrative purposes only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention / disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various components, these components are not intended to be limited by these terms.

[0026] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention / disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the present invention / disclosure can be readily implemented by those skilled in the art. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted for simplicity of description.

[0027] Fig. 1 illustrates the external appearance of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure and Fig. Figure 2 illustrates the interior of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure. The following description will be given by referring to Figures 1 and 2 together to avoid redundant description of the same content.

[0028] Referring to Fig. 1, a vehicle 1 may comprise a body 80, which forms the external appearance of the vehicle 1, and a plurality of wheels 93 and 94 to move the vehicle 1. The body 80 may comprise a hood 81, front fenders 82, doors 84, a trunk lid 85, and side rear panels (e.g., rear fenders) 86. Furthermore, the body 80, as in Fig. 1, have a sunroof 97. The sunroof 97 is also referred to as a sliding roof and in the following description the sunroof 97 is referred to as a sliding roof for ease of description. The body 80 may include a front window (e.g., windshield) 87 installed at the front part (e.g., at the front part, at the front) of the body 80 to provide a front view (e.g., forward view) of the vehicle 1, a plurality of side windows (e.g., side windows) 88 to provide side views (e.g., side views) of the vehicle 1, a plurality of side mirrors 100a and 100b installed in the doors 84 to provide rear views (e.g., rear views) and side views (e.g., side views) of the vehicle 1, and a rear window (e.g., a rear window) 90 installed in the rear part of the body 80 to provide a rear view (e.g.,rear view) of vehicle 1.

[0029] Each of the side mirrors 100a and 100b (100 in Fig. 3) may comprise a mirror 120 (see Fig. 3) to provide a user with rear and side views of the vehicle 1, and a cover 130 (see Fig. 3), which forms the external appearance of the side mirror 100. Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a sensor 110 (see Fig. 3), which is configured to record (e.g., detect, scan) the surroundings of the vehicle 1, may be installed in the side mirror 100. The sensor 110 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0030] Furthermore, the body 80 may include a plurality of headlights (e.g., headlamps) 95 and 96 installed at the head portion (e.g., at the front, at the front part) of the vehicle 1 to emit front light (e.g., headlight light) to provide visibility in front of the vehicle 1. The body 80 may further include a plurality of taillights (e.g., rear lights) (not shown) installed at the rear portion (e.g., at the rear part) of the vehicle 1 to emit tail light to provide visibility behind the vehicle 1 or to help another vehicle behind the vehicle 1 detect the position of the vehicle 1. The operations of the sunroof 97, the headlights 95 and 96, and the taillights of the vehicle 1 may be operated based on a user control command. The interior of the vehicle 1 will be described below.

[0031] Specifically, an air conditioning system 150 may be provided inside the vehicle 1. The air conditioning system 150, described below, may be configured to automatically adjust an air conditioning environment including the indoor / outdoor ambient condition of the vehicle 1, the supply / discharge of air, the air circulation, a cooling / heating status, etc., or to adjust the air conditioning environment according to a user control command. For example, the air conditioning system 150 may be configured to perform both heating and cooling, and to discharge heated or cooled air through a vent 151 to adjust the interior temperature of the vehicle 1.

[0032] Furthermore, a navigation terminal 170 may be provided within the vehicle. The navigation terminal 170 may be configured to provide a navigation function for guiding a vehicle toward a destination. The navigation terminal 170 may also provide an audio function and a video function. Furthermore, the navigation terminal 170 may be configured to generate control signals based on user control commands received via various input devices to operate various devices installed within the vehicle 1. For example, the navigation terminal 170 may be configured to selectively display at least one of an audio screen, a video screen, and a navigation screen through a display 171. The navigation terminal 170 may also be configured to display various control screens related to the control of the vehicle 1.

[0033] The display 171 may be positioned in (e.g., on) a central instrument panel 11 corresponding to the central (e.g., middle, central) area of an instrument panel 10. According to an exemplary embodiment, the display 170 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED), a plasma display panel (PDP), an organic light emitting diode display (OLED), or a cathode ray tube display (CRT), although not limited to these. If the display 171 is a touch-sensitive screen type, the display 171 may be configured to receive various control commands from a user through various touch operations, such as touching, clicking, dragging, etc.

[0034] Furthermore, a center console 40 may include a central (e.g., middle) input part 43 of a jog shuttle type or a hard key type. The center console 40 may be positioned between the driver's seat 21 and a passenger seat 22 and may include a gearshift lever 41 and a compartment (e.g., a storage compartment) 42. Furthermore, a cluster display 144 may be provided within the vehicle 1. The cluster display 144 may also be referred to as an instrument panel. In the following description, the cluster display 144 is referred to as an "instrument cluster" for convenience of description. The cluster display 144 may be configured to display a traveling speed of the vehicle 1, revolutions per minute (rpm) of the internal combustion engine, an amount of oil (e.g., the oil level), etc.

[0035] A voice input part 190 may also be provided in the vehicle 1. For example, the voice input part 190 may be a microphone. To effectively receive a voice, the voice input part 190 may, as shown in Fig. 2, may be mounted on a roof panel (e.g., a roof lining, a headliner) 13, although not limited thereto. The voice input part 190 may be mounted on (e.g., on) the dashboard 10 or a steering wheel 12. A speaker 143 may also be provided within the vehicle 1 to output sound. Accordingly, the vehicle 1 may be configured to output sound required to perform the audio function, the video function, the navigation function, and other additional functions through the speaker 143. Further, in addition to the navigation terminal 170 and the central input part 43 as described above, various input devices for receiving control commands for the above-described devices may be provided within the vehicle 1.

[0036] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a part of the internal configuration of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 4 illustrates the external structure of a sensor installed in the vehicle as an example of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 5 illustrates an area that can be recorded (e.g., detected, scanned) by the sensor installed in a side mirror according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 6 illustrates the features (e.g., characteristics, characteristics) of a cold mirror mounted on the side mirror according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure and Fig. Figure 7 illustrates a wavelength range passing through a bandpass filter.

[0037] Referring to Fig. 3, the vehicle 1 may comprise the side mirror 100 and a control unit 200. The side mirror 100 may comprise at least one sensor 110 configured to record (e.g., detect, scan) the surroundings of the vehicle 1 (e.g., the surrounding environment), a mirror 120 providing a user with rear and side views (e.g., rear and side views) of the vehicle 1, and a cover 130 forming the external appearance of the side mirror 100. The sensor 110 may be configured to record (e.g., detect) the current position and driving speed of the vehicle 1 and may simultaneously be configured to record (e.g., detect, scan) the surroundings of the vehicle 1 in order to transmit the recorded / detected information to (e.g., to) the control unit 200.

[0038] In general, the sensor 110 may include various types of sensors, and a three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor may be used in a device for providing autonomous driving information. The three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor may be a sensor configured to detect a signal from the reflected light when light emitted from a light source is reflected by an object and then returns to the sensor, and then determine a distance to the object using a series of numerical calculations. A method of recording the surrounding environment in this way is referred to as time of flight (TOF), a calculation using the time of receiving and reflecting infrared light, e.g., time of flight, transit time).In general, the three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor can be configured to measure a distance three-dimensionally by the rotation, vertical vibration and pitch angle vibration (e.g., longitudinal tilt angle vibration) of a reflector installed on the reflection and incidence path of the light.

[0039] Referring to Fig. 4, the three-dimensional laser range finder sensor 110 may include a laser range finder (LRF) structure 112 configured with a light source, a sensor, etc., a reflector 111 configured to reflect emitted light and incident light, a rotation unit (not shown) including a unit for rotating the reflector 111, and a vertically moving unit (not shown) for adjusting the inclination (e.g., slant) of the reflector 111. Furthermore, the three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor 110 may include a plurality of actuators (e.g., drives) 113a and 113b configured to adjust the inclination (e.g., skew) of the rotation unit of the reflector 111 and the inclination (e.g., skew) of the reflector 111. The three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor 110 may, as shown in Fig. 4, rotate with respect to an axis (e.g., shaft) to ensure a two-dimensional field of view of 360 degrees, and when the three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor 110 has a plurality of light emitters and a plurality of light receivers, the three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor 110 ensures a three-dimensional field of view of 360 degrees.

[0040] Fig. 5 illustrates an area that can be recorded (e.g., detected, scanned) by the sensor 110 installed in a side mirror according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure. Referring to Fig. 5, since (a total of) two sensors 110 can be installed respectively within both side mirrors 100, a fan-shaped field of view can be ensured with respect to each side mirror 100. If the sensor 110 is installed within the side mirror 100 rather than on / at the roof of the vehicle 1, blind spots (e.g., blind spots) may exist in the front and rear areas (e.g., the areas in front of and behind) of the vehicle 1. Nevertheless, the sensor 110 can be configured to capture (e.g., detect, scan) an extended area in all directions to ensure a relatively extended detection range compared to when the sensor 110 is mounted on / at the roof.

[0041] The mirror 120 of the side mirror 100 provides a user with side and rear views (e.g., views to the side and rear) of the vehicle 1. Although the side mirror 100 is a component essentially required to provide side and rear views (e.g., views to the side and rear) of the vehicle 1 to the user, the mirror 120 of the side mirror 100 may block or refract (e.g., deflect) signals sent or received by the sensor 110 installed within the side mirror 100. Accordingly, a mirror configured to transmit light of infrared wavelengths through the mirror 120 and reflect light of visible wavelengths through the mirror 120 may be mounted on / at the mirror 120 of the side mirror 100.

[0042] In other words, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 6A, when the mirror 120 transmits infrared wavelength light, infrared wavelength light from the light emitted or received by the sensor 110 can be transmitted through the mirror 120, and accordingly, a distance to an object can be measured using the infrared wavelength light. Furthermore, since the mirror 120 reflects visible wavelength light, the mirror 120 can provide the user with information regarding the environment at the side and rear areas of the vehicle 1. In particular, the mirror 120 of the side mirror 100 may include a cold mirror. The cold mirror is a mirror that reflects visible wavelength light by passing the light through hot wires.

[0043] When the cold mirror is installed in the side mirror 100, the side mirror 100 may be configured to reflect light of visible wavelengths outward and transmit light of infrared wavelengths, thereby enabling transmission / reception to / from objects, as shown in Fig. 6B. The cover 130 of the side mirror 100 can provide the exterior appearance of the side mirror 100 while protecting electronic components within the side mirror 100. The outer structure of the side mirror 100 can be formed from a light-transmitting material, such as transparent acrylic or polycarbonate, to increase optical transmittance. However, if the outer structure of the side mirror 100 is formed from a light-transmitting material, the electronic components are exposed to the exterior.

[0044] Accordingly, a bandpass filter configured to transmit infrared wavelengths and block visible wavelengths may be coated onto the cover 130 of the side mirror 100. In particular, the bandpass filter may have a characteristic to transmit specific wavelengths. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, when a bandpass filter configured to transmit infrared wavelengths is coated on the cover 130 of the side mirror 100, the electronic components are no longer susceptible to exposure. Furthermore, since light of infrared wavelengths can be transmitted through the cover 130, light emitted from the sensor 110 can reach objects more stably. Furthermore, the control unit 200 may be configured to correct errors generated by the mirror 120 and the cover 130 based on a value measured by the sensor 110, then generate driving information suitable for autonomous driving, and operate the vehicle 1 based on the driving information. Errors generated by the mirror 120 and the cover 130 of the side mirror 100 and a method for correcting the errors will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] Fig. 8 is a view illustrating a principle in which the sensor 110 installed in the side mirror 100 detects (e.g., detects) an external obstacle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, Fig. 9 illustrates the distortion of signals caused by the mirror 120 or the cover 130 of the side mirror 100, and Fig. 10 is a view illustrating a principle of correcting the distortion of signals caused by the mirror 120 or the cover 130 of the side mirror 100.

[0046] Referring to Fig. 8, the sensor 110 installed in the side mirror 100 may include a transmitter 111 configured to emit signals (light) and a receiver 112 configured to receive signals reflected from an object. In particular, the transmitter 110 may be configured to transmit a signal a to an object 400, and the receiver 112 may be configured to receive a signal b reflected from the object 400. As described above with reference to Fig. 4, since the sensor 110 can rotate 360 degrees with respect to the central (e.g., central) axis, the sensor 110 can be effectively configured to capture (e.g., detect, scan) a plurality of objects 300 and 400 in a short period of time.

[0047] In Fig. Figure 8 shows a case in which light emitted from the sensor 110 is transmitted and received in a linear manner without being refracted (e.g., deflected), due to the dimensional limitation of the drawing. However, signals may be refracted (e.g., deflected) when transmitted through the mirror 120 or the cover 130 to be distorted, as shown in Fig. 9, since light is refracted when transmitted through another medium.

[0048] Referring to Fig. 9, when light emitted by the sensor 110 is transmitted vertically through the mirror 120, no refraction (e.g., light diffraction) can occur and therefore no correction is required. However, since the sensor 110 rotates 360 degrees in a short period of time and the vehicle 1 is also moving, light emitted by the sensor 110 can be obliquely (e.g., diagonally) incident (e.g., impinging) on the mirror 120, as in Fig. 9, and therefore the light may be refracted (e.g., deflected). Accordingly, the refraction may need to be corrected for more adequate measurements.

[0049] Fig. Figure 10A illustrates the refracted (e.g., deflected) state of light emitted by the sensor when transmitted through the mirror, and Fig. 10B provides an equation for calculating an error d. Referring to Fig. 10, light emitted from sensor 110 may be transmitted through mirror 120, travel back to the exterior of side mirror 100, and continue to travel with an offset (e.g., an offset) of d in the same direction as the incident direction. Accordingly, the sequence of media through which the light is transmitted may be the sequence of air (n1) → mirror (n2) → air (n1). The error d can be calculated by equation (1) below. d=h−sinθ1[1−cos θ1(n2n1)2−sin2θ1] Since the variables n1 and n2 are known constants and the incident angle of light can be calculated from the rotational position of a motor installed in the sensor 110, the offset d can be calculated according to Equation (1). Accordingly, the error caused by signal distortion can be corrected.

[0050] Likewise, FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 relate to a method of correcting errors caused by the mirror 120 of signals emitted by the sensor 110, but the method described above can also be applied in the same way to the case where light is transmitted through the cover 130.

[0051] Fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure. The method described below may be executed by a control unit having a processor and a memory. Referring to Fig. 11, the sensor 110 installed in the side mirror 100 can transmit a signal to an object and receive the signal reflected by the object in operations S100 and S200.

[0052] Although driving information can be directly generated based on the received signal, since the sensor 110 is installed inside the side mirror 100, refraction (e.g., light refraction) may occur due to a change of media when the signal is transmitted to or received from the outside. Accordingly, when the signal is received, an error of the signal generated by the mirror 120 and the cover 130 of the side mirror 100 can be corrected in operation S300. The error can be corrected using equation (1) formulated above. After the error of the signal is corrected, driving information can be generated based on the corrected signal, and the vehicle 1 can be operated by the control unit based on the driving information in operations S400 and S500.

[0053] Fig. 12 is a view illustrating the relationship between raw data acquired by the sensor and generated driving information according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure, and Fig. Figure 13 provides the equation for performing a rotation transformation based on raw data acquired from the sensor. Fig. 14 is a view illustrating a process of combining (e.g., merging) data based on raw data acquired from the sensor.

[0054] Methods of generating driving information of the vehicle 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention / disclosure can be classified into two methods. The first method may be a method of generating driving information based on information acquired by each sensor 110, merging (e.g., combining) the driving information in the control unit 200, and providing the merged (e.g., combined) driving information to a user. In other words, the control unit 200 may be configured to merge (e.g., combine) driving information acquired with respect to the left side mirror 100a of the vehicle 1 with driving information acquired with respect to the right side mirror 100b of the vehicle 1 to generate final driving information to be provided to the user.In particular, the sensor 110 may further comprise a separate control unit (not shown) configured to generate driving information, and the control unit 200 may be configured to aggregate (e.g., merge) the driving information generated by the control unit of the sensor 110 to provide the aggregated (e.g., merged) driving information to the user.

[0055] The second method may be a method for transmitting raw data acquired by the sensor 110 to the control unit 200 and generating driving information in the control unit 200 based on the received raw data. In other words, the control unit 200 may be configured to combine (e.g., merge) raw data acquired with respect to the left side mirror 100a of the vehicle 1 with raw data acquired with respect to the right side mirror 100b of the vehicle 1 and generate driving information based on the combined (e.g., merged) data. In particular, referring to Fig. 12, the left side mirror 100a of the vehicle 1 may be configured to receive raw data x i and y i with respect to the left side mirror 100a, and the right side mirror 100b of the vehicle 1 may be configured to acquire raw data x r and y rwith reference to the right side mirror 100b. Although not in Fig. 11, raw data for the z-axis direction, which is the upward direction from the vehicle 1, can be received.

[0056] The received raw data may need to be transformed with respect to the center coordinates of vehicle 1, since the reference axes of the raw data are different. Accordingly, as in Fig. 13, the coordinate transformation can be performed by a rotation transformation. Fig. 13 may be the equation of the coordinate transformation, where an offset in the upward direction of the vehicle 1 is assumed to be dz. In addition, Fig. 13 illustrates a process of transforming raw data received with respect to the left side mirror 100a, however, a process of transforming raw data received with respect to the right side mirror 100b may be performed in the same manner.

[0057] The rotationally transformed data may be subjected to a translational transformation and then combined (e.g., merged) to produce final driving information to be provided to the user. In other words, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 14, raw data may be received from the left sensor 110a, and a rotation transformation (210a) and a translation transformation (210b) may be performed on the raw data to generate data. At the same time, raw data may be received from the right sensor 110b, and a rotation transformation (210b) and a translation transformation (220b) may be performed on the raw data to generate data. The generated data may be combined (e.g., merged) to generate driving information based on the center coordinates of the vehicle 1, and the generated driving information may be provided to a user.Accordingly, it is unnecessary to install a signal processing control unit in the sensor 110, thereby simplifying the system and providing driving information to a user more quickly. It is also unnecessary to install a control unit in the sensor 110, resulting in a reduction in manufacturing costs. The raw data may include information about vehicles acquired by the sensor.

[0058] Fig. 15 illustrates an area that can be captured (e.g., detected) by the sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention / disclosure. As described above with reference to Fig. 5, since the three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor 110 is installed in the vehicle 1, blind spots may exist in the front and rear areas of (e.g., in the areas in front of and behind) the vehicle 1. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 15, if a sensor is additionally installed in the rear part (e.g., the rear part) of the vehicle 1 to record (e.g., detect, sense) the blind spots, a disadvantage due to the blind spots can be prevented. The sensor installed in the rear part (e.g., the rear part) of the vehicle 1 can also be installed inside the vehicle 1, and an error caused by the external structure of the vehicle 1 can also be corrected by the principle described above. Fig. 15 concerns the case where a sensor is installed in the rear part (e.g., the rear part) of the vehicle 1, however, another sensor may be additionally installed in the front part (e.g., the front part) of the vehicle 1 to compensate for the disadvantages due to blind spots.

[0059] The features and effects of the present invention / disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. An autonomous driving vehicle according to the typical technique has a disadvantage that a three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor configured to record (e.g., detect, scan) the surrounding environment of the vehicle is directly exposed to the external environment because the sensor is mounted on the roof of the vehicle, and a fixture mounted on / on the roof of the vehicle deteriorates the exterior appearance of the vehicle. Meanwhile, in the vehicle 1 according to the present invention / disclosure, since the three-dimensional laser rangefinder sensor is installed inside (e.g., within) the side mirror of the vehicle 1 and not on the roof of the vehicle 1, the exterior appearance of the vehicle 1 is preserved while preventing deterioration in fuel efficiency due to an increase in weight (e.g.,Mass) and an increase in aerodynamic drag due to the addition of a sensor mount are prevented. Furthermore, by correcting signal measurement errors caused by installing the sensor inside (e.g., inside) the side mirrors, autonomous driving can be performed based on more adequate information.

Claims

[1] Vehicle (1) which has: a side mirror (100, 100a, 100b), at least one sensor (110, 110a, 110b) provided in the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and arranged to send a signal (a) to an object (400) and to receive a signal (b) reflected by the object (400), and a control unit (200) configured to generate driving information based on the signal (b) received by the sensor (110, 110a, 110b), wherein the control unit (200) is arranged to correct a distortion of the signal (b) generated by the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) to generate the driving information, wherein the control unit (200) is arranged to correct the distortion of the signal (b) generated by at least one of a cover (130) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and a mirror (120) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b), and wherein the control unit (200) is configured to correct the distortion of the signal (b) based on a thickness of the cover (130) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and an angle of incidence of the signal (a) sent from the sensor (110, 110a, 110b). [2] Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (200) is arranged to correct the refraction of the signal (b) which is generated when the signal (b) is transmitted through the cover (130) or the mirror (120) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b). [3] Vehicle (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (200) is arranged to correct the distortion of the signal (b) based on a thickness of the mirror (120) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and the angle of incidence of the signal (a) sent from the sensor (110, 110a, 110b). [4] The vehicle (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cover (130) and the mirror (120) further comprise a material provided thereon to enable the signal (a, b) to be transmitted through the cover (130) and the mirror (120). [5] Vehicle (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mirror (120) transmits light of infrared wavelengths and reflects light of visible wavelengths. [6] Vehicle (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a filter arranged to transmit light of infrared wavelengths is coated on the outer surface of the cover (130). [7] A vehicle (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising another sensor provided in a front part and a rear part of the vehicle (1). [8] The vehicle (1) according to claim 7, wherein the control unit (200) is arranged to generate the driving information based on information received by means of the sensor (110, 110a, 110b) provided in the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and the further sensor provided in the front part and the rear part of the vehicle (1). [9] A method for controlling a vehicle (1) having at least one sensor (110, 110a, 110b) provided in a side mirror (100, 100a, 100b), comprising: Sending (S100) by means of a control unit (200) a signal (a) to an object (400) and receiving (S200) a signal (b) which is reflected by the object (400), Generating (S400) by means of the control unit (200) driving information based on the signal (a) received by means of the sensor (110, 110a, 110b), wherein generating (S400) the driving information comprises correcting (S300) a distortion of the signal (b) generated by the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) to generate the driving information, wherein correcting (S300) the distortion of the signal (b) comprises correcting by means of the control unit (200) the distortion of the signal (b) which is generated by at least one of a cover (130) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and a mirror (120) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b), and wherein correcting (S300) the distortion of the signal (b) comprises correcting based on a thickness of the cover (130) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b) and an angle of incidence of the signal (a) sent from the sensor (110, 110a, 110b). [10] The method according to claim 9, wherein correcting (S300) the distortion of the signal (b) comprises correcting, by means of the control unit (200), refraction of the signal (b) which is generated when the signal (b) is transmitted through the cover (130) or the mirror (120) of the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b). [11] Method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the mirror (120) transmits light of infrared wavelengths and reflects light of visible wavelengths. [12] The method of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein a filter configured to transmit light of infrared wavelengths is coated on the outer surface of the cover (130). [13] The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein generating (S400) the driving information comprises receiving, by the control unit (200), raw data from the sensor (110, 110a, 110b) provided in the side mirror (100, 100a, 100b), and assembling the raw data to generate the driving information. [14] Method according to one of claims 9 to 13, wherein generating (S400) the driving information comprises performing, by means of the control unit (200), a coordinate transformation on the raw data with respect to the reference point of the vehicle (1) and merging the resulting data to generate the driving information. [15] Method according to claim 14, wherein the coordinate transformation comprises performing a rotation transformation on the raw data by means of the control unit (200). [16] Method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the coordinate transformation comprises performing a translation transformation on the raw data by means of the control unit (200). [17] Method according to one of claims 12 to 16, wherein generating (S400) the driving information comprises generating, by means of the control unit (200), driving information with reference to the sensor (110, 110a, 110b) and assembling the generated driving information with reference to the reference point of the vehicle (1).

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