Vehicle with exteroceptive sensor

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle comprising: • a body (100) delimiting an inside area (501) and an outside area (502); and • at least one exteroceptive sensor (102) positioned outside a first face of the body (100) or semi-embedded or embedded in the first face, the sensor being capable of emitting and / or receiving radiation in a solid angle region (200), characterised in that the body (100) comprises at least one radiation passage path (103, 104, 105) arranged at least partially in a second face different from the first face, the passage path being suitable for allowing the emission of the radiation from the sensor (102) towards the outside area (502) through the radiation passage path and / or the reception, by the sensor (102), of the radiation coming from the outside area (502) after passing through the radiation passage path (103, 104, 105).

Description

[0001] VEHICLE WITH EXTEROCEPTIVE SENSOR

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates generally to the field of robotics, and more particularly to that of autonomous vehicles and driving aids.

[0004] STATE OF THE ART

[0005] In the field of autonomous vehicles and driver assistance systems, two types of sensors are traditionally used: exteroceptive sensors, which focus on observing their environment, and proprioceptive sensors, which focus on the internal state. Exteroceptive sensors are typically sensors that receive radiation in interaction with the environment. Examples include laser remote sensing sensors (LiDAR, an acronym for Light Detection And Ranging), cameras, radars, ultrasound, and satellite positioning sensors.

[0006] Exteroceptive sensors are used to detect any obstacle and any other road user to ensure the safety of the autonomous vehicle and its environment, to detect signs and other indications in the environment, or for the absolute or relative location of the vehicle. The Field of View (or FOV) of a sensor is the field of vision offered intrinsically by it, i.e. without considering any obscuring or distorting elements external to this sensor. When such sensors are installed on a vehicle, the aim is to optimize their usable field of vision, i.e. the unobstructed angular zone in which such radiation can be emitted and / or received by the sensor.

[0007] For this purpose, with reference to FIG. 1, it is known to integrate the sensors 102 into extensions 101 arranged near the corners of the vehicle, making it possible to protect said sensors and to obtain a FOV greater than 180° in a horizontal plane. The extensions are arranged to detect obstacles near the ground, but also at the height of the vehicle. This arrangement is particularly useful for sensors 102 scanning a horizontal angle of up to 360°, such as, for example, rotating LiDARs.

[0008] However, these extensions are particularly exposed to impacts even when the vehicle is parked, which can still affect the reliability and lifespan of each sensor mounted on them. In addition, extensions carrying sensors also form obstacles that can cause collisions, making them potentially dangerous for other road users. Reinforcing the extensions makes them more dangerous for other users in the event of a collision. In other cases, the extensions are mounted high up, which can also be dangerous for other users, especially pedestrians if the extensions are arranged at or below head level.

[0009] Another solution is to place the sensor at the vehicle's edges without mounting it on an extension. In such a configuration, the sensor is protruding, making it directly exposed to impacts. It is thus known for radars to place them behind the bumpers, including at the connection between two faces (called corner or edge), their radiation passing through the thin wall of the bumper in front of them. These sensors are considered to belong to both faces simultaneously.

[0010] However, the FOV of a sensor arranged high up, for example on the corners of the vehicle, on the roof and / or on the hood, is obscured by the vehicle body, which reduces the sensor's field of view. If the sensor is arranged high up, this has an impact, in particular, on the FOV towards the bottom and near the vehicle. This location of a sensor is therefore more suited to vehicle localization applications than to obstacle detection near the vehicle.

[0011] Finally, the field of vision of a sensor mounted on one side of the body without using an extension and which is not directly on an edge of the body is limited to approximately 180° in a horizontal plane.

[0012] STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An aim of the invention is to improve the perception of the environment by a sensor used to acquire information on the environment of a vehicle. Typically, said information is used as input data for one or more computers, on-board or remote, responsible for providing the vehicle with the intelligence required for driving aids or the autonomy of this vehicle,

[0014] The aim is to improve the sensor's perception of the environment while limiting exposure to shocks that could reduce the sensor's lifespan and avoiding the need to add extensions that could affect other road users and the vehicle's dimensions.

[0015] To this end, the invention proposes a vehicle comprising:

[0016] • a bodywork delimiting an interior zone and an exterior zone and

[0017] • at least one exteroceptive sensor positioned outside a first face of the bodywork or semi-embedded or embedded in said first face, said sensor being capable of emitting and / or receiving radiation in a solid corner region, characterized in that said bodywork comprises at least one radiation passageway arranged at least partially in a second face different from the first face, said passageway being adapted to allow the emission of said radiation from the sensor to the exterior zone through the radiation passageway and / or the reception by the sensor of said radiation coming from the exterior zone after passing through the radiation passageway.

[0018] Preferably, which sensor is arranged to emit and / or receive radiation to and / or from the interior area through at least one passageway.

[0019] Advantageously, the sensor is arranged to emit and / or receive radiation to and / or from the exterior area visible from the first face at which it is mounted, which (free) area provides a clear region of solid angle which may be up to slightly greater than 180°.

[0020] Advantageously, the sensor is arranged to emit and / or receive radiation, through at least one passageway, in a solid angle region greater than 180°.

[0021] In some embodiments, the sensor is arranged on an exterior face of the body.

[0022] In other embodiments, the sensor is arranged at least partially in the interior area.

[0023] Preferably, the at least one passageway comprises a first radiation passageway in the first face of the body and a second radiation passageway in the second face of the body.

[0024] Advantageously, the first face and a second face form an angle of between 30° and 120°, preferably between 80° and 100°.

[0025] Preferably, the solid angle region is inclined relative to the horizontal plane.

[0026] Advantageously, the at least one passageway comprises a notch or an orifice or a thinning made in the bodywork.

[0027] In some embodiments, the at least one passageway comprises a passageway made of a material transparent to the wavelength of the radiation emitted and / or received by the sensor. The at least one passageway may comprise at least one optical element capable of directing radiation from an external area onto the sensor. The optical element may be configured to direct radiation from an external area onto the sensor such that the size of the external area is greater than the linear extrapolation of the solid angle within which the sensor is capable of emitting and / or receiving radiation through the same passageway. The optical element may be configured to increase the resolution of the radiation received by the sensor. Preferably, the sensor is a LiDAR laser sensor, a camera, an ultrasonic radiation-based sensor, or a radar.

[0028] The invention also relates to a method of integrating a sensor into a vehicle comprising the following steps:

[0029] • the provision of a bodywork delimiting an interior zone and an exterior zone,

[0030] • the mounting of an exteroceptive sensor, emitting and / or receiving radiation, outside a first face of the bodywork or semi-embedded or embedded in said first face,

[0031] • the formation of at least one radiation passageway arranged at least partially in a second face of the bodywork different from the first face, the at least one radiation passageway being adapted to allow the emission of radiation from the sensor towards the external zone through the radiation passageway and / or the reception by the sensor of radiation coming from the external zone after passage through the radiation passageway.

[0032] Advantageously, a passageway is formed in a face of the body forming an angle with a face of the body carrying the exteroceptive sensor.

[0033] The invention also relates to a method of integrating a sensor into a vehicle comprising the following steps:

[0034] • the provision of a bodywork delimiting an interior zone and an exterior zone,

[0035] • the installation of an exteroceptive sensor emitting and / or receiving radiation in an interior area of ​​said bodywork,

[0036] • the formation of at least two radiation passageways in the bodywork, the at least two radiation passageways being arranged in at least two separate faces of the bodywork, each passageway being adapted to allow the emission of said radiation from the sensor to the exterior zone through the radiation passageway and / or the reception by the sensor of said radiation coming from the exterior zone after passing through the radiation passageway.

[0037] Advantageously, the integration method further comprises mounting at least one optical element in a passageway.

[0038] The invention also relates to a method for monitoring and / or controlling the presence and / or location of objects in the environment of a vehicle as described above, and / or for locating a vehicle as described above in its environment, comprising the following steps:

[0039] • the passage of radiation reflected or emitted by an object to be detected in the external zone by at least one radiation passage path

[0040] • reception of radiation by the sensor.

[0041] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0042] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0043] Figure 1 illustrates a sensor mounted on extensions.

[0044] Figure 2 illustrates a solid angle of radiation around a sensor.

[0045] Figure 3A is a perspective view of a sensor mounted on the front face of a vehicle body having a passageway, and the field of view of the sensor.

[0046] Figure 3B is a close-up of the field of view of the sensor of Figure 3A mounted on the front of a body, the body including a passageway in the form of a notch.

[0047] Figure 4 illustrates radiation passing through a path with a diverging lens.

[0048] Figures 5A to 5C are representations of the field of view of a sensor according to a first embodiment.

[0049] Figures 6A to 6C are representations of the field of view of a sensor according to a second embodiment.

[0050] Figures 7A to 7C are representations of the field of view of a sensor according to a third embodiment.

[0051] Figures 8A to 8C are representations of the field of view of a sensor according to a fourth embodiment.

[0052] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0053] A vehicle according to the invention may be intended for the transport of goods or people, for surveillance or any other application requiring movement. The vehicle comprises a chassis, a body and at least one exteroceptive sensor. Such a sensor provides information on the environment of the vehicle to one or more computers involved in the autonomous driving or the driving aids of this vehicle. This sensor may thus be used to determine the presence of living beings or objects in the vicinity of the vehicle in order, for example, to prevent any collision between the vehicle and such an object or living being. In other embodiments, the sensor may be used to determine the position of the vehicle, for example relative to white lines or relative to a sidewalk.In still other embodiments, the sensor can enable the identification of indications in the environment, such as road signs, traffic lights, street names and numbers. The vehicle can be adapted to drive on a traffic lane or only in a restricted area. It can be a vehicle using one or more sensors to assist the driver in the perception of obstacles, accident prevention, navigation or any other driving aid, or even an autonomous vehicle, i.e. without a driver or whose driver delegates driving to the vehicle. In still other embodiments this sensor can be used for monitoring, such as traffic violations, registration plate reading for parking for example, or road cleaning.

[0054] In all that follows, the terms "front", "rear", "top", "upper", "bottom", "lower" and "side" are defined in relation to the position of the vehicle when driving.

[0055] The bodywork

[0056] The body is a solid shell that covers the chassis and passenger compartment of the vehicle. The body includes a front face, a rear face, two side faces, and typically a roof. The body may also include a lower face. The outer faces of the body define an interior space of the vehicle. This space is larger than the passenger compartment of the vehicle and includes the entire area enclosed by the outer face of the body, including, for example, the body attachments, the chassis, and the engine.

[0057] In the case where the bodywork does not include a lower face, the interior space is understood as the space limited by an approximately horizontal plane passing through the lower point of the upper face, and the vertical extrapolation of the side faces.

[0058] In the case where the body does not include a roof, the interior space is understood as the space limited by a horizontal plane passing through the upper point of the front face and the vertical extrapolation of the side faces.

[0059] The body is made of a solid material such as metal or resin, to resist shocks and ensure water and draft resistance. The body material is opaque to electromagnetic radiation such as visible and infrared light. Metal bodies are also opaque to radiofrequency radiation from radar. The outer faces of the body define, for each sensor, a radiation propagation zone in which radiation emitted or received by a sensor can propagate without being obstructed by the body.

[0060] The sensor

[0061] The sensor is designed to receive radiation within a solid angle defined by the sensor, and, in the case of an active sensor, to emit radiation intended to interact with the environment. This solid angle, which will also be called the sensor's own field of vision, depends on the type of sensor and can be maximum, i.e. a perfect sphere. In most cases, the solid angle of radiation emitted and / or received by the sensor is limited upwards and downwards. For example, with reference to Figure 2, the sensor emits and / or receives radiation within a solid angle corresponding to a revolution of an isosceles triangle ABC around an axis of revolution Z passing through its vertex A and perpendicular to its base BC. In this case, vertex A of the triangle is located in a central point of the sensor and the Z axis is vertical when the sensor is installed in the vehicle.Some scan-LiDAR sensors have a wider field of view downwards than upwards, for example at an angle between -20° and +15° from a horizontal plane at the sensor.

[0062] Some optical sensors use hypergonal optical systems (fisheye, from the Anglo-Saxon term "fish eye") with a very short focal length and therefore a very wide field of view, which can reach up to 180°, or even beyond.

[0063] For most sensors, especially optical sensors, the edges of the field of view are clearly defined. In the case of radar or ultrasound sensors, the edges of the field of view may be less clear and may fade.

[0064] The sensor can receive, and possibly emit, the radiation either continuously or pulsed in the entire solid angle, or by scanning the solid angle (case of a rotary sensor for example).

[0065] By way of illustration and not limitation, the sensor is a LiDAR laser sensor, a camera operating with visible or infrared light, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor or any side-by-side arrangement of several units of the same type, thus resulting in a sensor whose field of view is composed of that of the units constituting it.

[0066] By units of the same type, we understand for example

[0067] - several sensors of the same model with similar FOVs juxtaposed (for example, 2 cameras each with a FOV of 90° in order to obtain a unit with a FOV of 180°), - several cameras with different FOVs, some of which can fit into others partially or completely.

[0068] Lidar sensors emit light from the visible, infrared, or ultraviolet spectrum and receive the light reflected by the sensor's environment. The light emitted by a Lidar sensor almost always comes from a laser, and is therefore coherent. It often comes from a pulsed laser. In this case, the Lidar sensor determines the delay between the emission of a laser pulse and the detection of a reflected pulse. Another application of a Lidar sensor exploiting speed measurement uses a laser with a narrow emission spectrum, i.e., at a specific frequency. In this case, the sensor measures the frequency shift of the reflected and received wave (Doppler effect), which then makes it possible to determine the speed of an object or person.

[0069] A radar sensor works similarly to a lidar sensor, but uses radio frequency radiation. Both lidar and radar sensors emit radiation and receive reflected radiation near the vehicle.

[0070] A camera can be a camera receiving visible light to obtain optimal resolution during the day and in the case of sufficient lighting. CMOS sensor cameras are sensitive simultaneously to the visible and near-infrared spectrums, they can improve performance in case of low lighting. Alternatively or complementary, an infrared camera can be used, sensitive to the temperature of objects around the car and not requiring special lighting. These cameras operating in the far infrared (LWIR for Long Wave IR) are particularly interesting for vehicles intended for night operation and in interior spaces with reduced lighting.

[0071] Cameras often do not emit radiation, but receive radiation emitted or reflected by the vehicle's surroundings. In some cases, such a camera can be used in combination with a light source in the same wavelength range, which can be placed near or far from the camera;

[0072] Some cameras also emit radiation, for example, cameras using time-of-flight (ToF) technology emit optical radiation that is received in a time-of-flight sensor after interaction with the environment. Infrared or near-infrared cameras can be coupled to a continuous or pulsed light source. Other special cameras are short-wave infrared (SWIR) cameras and event cameras.

[0073] Figure 3A shows a sensor 102 arranged at the front face and close to a side face of the body of a vehicle according to the invention. The sensor is positioned at a height chosen according to the type of vehicle and the type of obstacles typically encountered. In certain embodiments, the sensor is installed at a first face and close to a second face, these two faces of the vehicle forming an angle of between 30° and 120°, preferably close to a right angle, for example an angle of between 80° and 100°. The angles can be rounded with a more or less wide radius, the edge or connection connecting the faces can be more or less marked, taking the form of broken or continuous lines.

[0074] In some cases, the sensor is tilted from the horizontal, for example at an angle of about 30°.

[0075] The sensor is arranged either outside a face of the bodywork, for example outside a front face, partially integrated into this face or completely integrated into this face in the interior space delimited by the exterior faces of the bodywork.

[0076] Radiation pathways

[0077] The bodywork comprises at least one radiation passageway allowing the passage of radiation emitted by the sensor to the external zone and / or the reception by the sensor of radiation coming from the external zone. In some cases, the bodywork comprises a second radiation passageway or several successive radiation passageways. In some cases, a passageway is divided into several distinct zones, for example separated by solid edges between the distinct zones to ensure a certain stability of the bodywork.

[0078] Generally, the radiation passageways are arranged in the bodywork in proximity to the sensor. The passageways make it possible to increase the usable field of vision in which the sensor emits and / or receives radiation without obstructions by the structure of the vehicle on which it is mounted. In particular, they can make it possible to obtain a field of vision greater than 180°, up to 270° in a horizontal plane for example. The position and geometry of a passageway is chosen according to the position and type of the sensor, the type of radiation emitted and / or received and the geometry of the bodywork. The passageways allow the sensor arranged outside a first face or partially or entirely embedded in such a first face of the bodywork to observe a section of the environment through a second face different from the face on or in which the sensor is integrated.Thus, the passageway allows to increase the usable FOV of the sensor mounted in a predefined position of the body.

[0079] A radiation passageway may be a notch or an orifice made in the bodywork. Alternatively, the radiation passageway may be a window, i.e. a portion made of a material transparent to the radiation emitted and / or received by the sensor, inserted into a notch or an orifice made through the bodywork. For example, for visible light radiation, the passageway may be made of glass or a transparent polymer material. In the case of far infrared radiation (thermal or LWIR for Long Wave InfraRed according to the English acronym), the passageway may be made of germanium, quartz or certain polymers or ceramics transparent to infrared radiation. In the case of radiofrequency radiation, the passageway may be made of a polymer transparent to the radiofrequency radiation emitted and received by the radar sensor.

[0080] Figure 3B illustrates radiation passing through a passageway in the form of a notch 103. When the radiation passes at least partially through the passageways, the sensor can emit and / or receive radiation in a solid angle region corresponding to the horizontal angle of approximately 180° formed by the first face in which the sensor is arranged, supplemented by the solid angle formed by the path of the radiation passing through the passageway(s). Thus, the total solid angle in which the sensor can emit and / or receive radiation not obstructed by the bodywork can be greater than 180° in a horizontal plane. In the vertical plane, the limits of the field of vision of the sensor are indicated by the lines 202.

[0081] In a particular embodiment, the passageway comprises one or more optical elements for modifying the passage of radiation. For example, the refractive index of an optical element differs from the refractive index of air for radiation emitted and / or received by the sensor, and the geometry of the optical element is chosen to form a lens. In some embodiments, with reference to Figure 4, the optical element has a geometry to function as a diverging lens, for example, a circular or cylindrical concave lens shape. Said optical element allows the emission of radiation from the sensor towards an expanded solid angle and focuses the radiation of an expanded solid angle towards the sensor. The expanded solid angle is greater than the solid angle of passage in which radiation is emitted and / or received through a passageway of identical geometry having no optical elements.In an illustrative and non-limiting example, in the case of a vertical FOV of 60° of the sensor, the passageway can be configured to allow radiation to pass through at an angle of 40° in the absence of an optical element, the other rays being stopped by the bodywork. By adding one or more optical elements, a FOV of 65° can be obtained at the position of the sensor.

[0082] In other embodiments, the optical element may increase the resolution of a section viewed by the sensor. This is the result when the solid angle resulting from the addition of the optical elements and observing the scene is less than that same solid angle in the absence of the optical elements.

[0083] In some embodiments, the optical element arranged in the passageway comprises one or more mirrors. Each mirror is arranged to direct radiation from the sensor to the outer area or from the outer area to the sensor. In the case of multiple mirrors, the combination of the mirrors directs radiation from the sensor to the outer area or from the outer area to the sensor. Each mirror is planar or curved to modify the path of a radiation beam. The one or more mirrors may be associated with one or more lenses in the passageway.

[0084] The optical element may also include one or more prisms arranged to direct radiation from the sensor to the outer area or from the outer area to the sensor.

[0085] Sensor and passageway layout

[0086] In some embodiments, with reference to Figures 3A, 3B and 5A to 5C, the sensor is arranged on the outer face of a first face of the bodywork, for example on the front face. Such an arrangement allows propagation of the radiation emitted and / or received by the sensor in a horizontal angle of approximately 180° or slightly greater than 180° without obstruction by the bodywork.

[0087] In this case, the bodywork may comprise a first radiation passage path near / facing the sensor in the first face, and a second radiation passage path in a second face forming an angle with the first face, for example an angle close to a right angle or an area forming a rounded angle.

[0088] In the case of radiation emitted by the sensor, a part of the radiation, emitted in a solid angle covering 180° in a horizontal plane, is emitted into the free space in front of the outer face. Another part of the radiation passes through the first passageway to penetrate into the interior and / or the thickness of the bodywork. This other part of the radiation then passes through the second passageway to the outside of the bodywork, for example in a lateral direction. In the same way, the sensor can receive radiation from the outer area from the free space in front of the outer face at which it is mounted, and radiation from the outer area at a second face and passing through both passageways or the notch made for this purpose.

[0089] In the case where the space between the two sides of the vehicle is full, a passageway is also created in this area. The two passageways on the sides of the vehicle are thus connected by a passageway in the interior space. In this embodiment, vehicle elements such as hoops, supports or cables are avoided in the area between the two passageways, in order to avoid any additional obstruction of the sensor's field of view.

[0090] Thus, radiation emitted or received by the sensor can, on the face on which the sensor is arranged, reach an obstacle to be detected without crossing a radiation passage path. Simultaneously, radiation emitted or received by the sensor can cross the two radiation passage paths to reach an obstacle located in the extension of the second face approximately perpendicular to the first face carrying the sensor, or at least forming an angle of at least 20° between the two faces.

[0091] The sensor emits and / or receives radiation in a solid angle 200. The projected surface of this solid angle in the plane of the face on which the sensor is arranged, for example the front face, is proportional to the distance between the sensor 102 and the passageway 104 made in the bodywork. Thus, at constant unobscured FOV, the dimensions of the passageway are proportional to the distance between the sensor and the passageway.

[0092] An edge 106 can interrupt this solid angle, here represented in a vertical portion. Such an edge makes it possible to stabilize the bodywork against mechanical stresses. With reference to FIG. 5B, the projection of the solid angle 200 in a horizontal plane is reduced, in the event of the presence of the edge 106, by a section 203 defining a blind spot of the sensor. The additional perception zone provided to the sensor by the passageway corresponds to the zone delimited by the limit 204 imposed by the edge, and the limit 202 imposed by the dimensions of the passageway. Obstacle detection obviously remains feasible in the unobstructed zone of the bodywork in a horizontal angle of approximately 180° from the outer face carrying the sensor.

[0093] The part of the FOV naturally accessible in front of the face at which the sensor is located is increased by the part of the FOV which is only accessible through the openings, and which is included between the limits 201 and 202. In other embodiments, with reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C, the sensor 102 is arranged partially in the interior space by partially passing through a first face of the bodywork. Such an arrangement allows propagation of the radiation emitted and / or received by the sensor in a horizontal angle of approximately 180° without obstruction by the bodywork. The vehicle further comprises a passageway in a face of the bodywork forming an angle with the face in which the sensor is arranged.

[0094] In this configuration, in the case of radiation emitted by the sensor, a portion of the radiation is emitted forward from the outer face of the vehicle. Another portion of the radiation is emitted toward the inside of the vehicle and passes through the radiation path in the face forming an angle with the face carrying the sensor. Similarly, radiation from a solid angle of 180° in a horizontal plane in front of the face having the sensor can be received by the sensor without having to pass through a passageway. Radiation from the lateral face, i.e., the face forming an angle with the face carrying the sensor, can pass through a radiation path to reach the sensor in order to detect an obstacle in the vicinity of the lateral face.

[0095] In this embodiment, an obstacle may be detected within a solid angle 200 extending from the passageway 105, and within a solid angle of 180° within a horizontal angle of approximately 180° from the face carrying the sensor.

[0096] In other embodiments, with reference to Figures 7A to 7C, the sensor 102 is arranged entirely in the interior space of the bodywork 100 behind a first face of this bodywork. Such an arrangement makes it possible to protect the sensor 102 entirely or partially from shocks, humidity and any other influence coming from outside the vehicle. In this embodiment, the part of the sensor emitting or receiving the radiation arranged in the interior space is clearly associated with a face of the vehicle. Said part of the sensor is therefore not located at a junction of two faces of the bodywork 100, which would mean that we could not clearly establish to which face the sensor belongs.

[0097] The portion of the sensor emitting or receiving the radiation is typically arranged at a distance of less than 2.5 cm from the first face and at a distance of 5 centimeters or more from a second face forming an angle with the first behind which the sensor is integrated.

[0098] In another example, the part of the sensor emitting and / or receiving the radiation is arranged at a distance from the first face with which the sensor is associated at least twice smaller than the distance between said part of the sensor and each second face forming an angle with the first face. In this case, the bodywork 100 comprises at least one radiation passageway 105 in the first face in which the sensor 102 is integrated, for example the front face, and at least one radiation passageway in the second face in proximity to the sensor, for example the side face. The lines 205 indicate the limits of the field of vision of the sensor 102 in the direction of the first face, and the lines 202 indicate the limits of the field of vision in the direction of the second face. In certain cases, these two passageways can be grouped into a single passageway extending over the two faces and the angle formed between them.The precise position and geometry of the passageway are chosen based on the position and type of the sensor, its own field of vision, the type of radiation emitted and / or received, and the geometry of the bodywork.

[0099] Radiation emitted or received by the sensor to detect an obstacle or locate a location element near the first face therefore crosses the passageway in said first face. Radiation emitted or received by the sensor to detect an obstacle or locate a location element near the second face crosses the passageway in the second face.

[0100] In other embodiments, with reference to Figures 8A-8C, one or more passageways comprise an optical element such as a lens 60. In the event that the radiation emitted or received by the sensor passed through a passageway of the same geometry but without the optical element, the radiation would have been emitted and / or received in an outer zone corresponding to a linear extrapolation of the solid angle equivalent to the field of view of the sensor. In Figure 4, this linear extrapolation is delimited by lines 206.

[0101] Referring to Figures 8A to 8C, the lenses 60 modify the path of the radiation so that the resulting solid angle is delimited by the lines 303. The solid angle therefore becomes wider than the solid angle corresponding to a passageway without lenses. The direction of the solid angle can also be modified by the lenses, for example to target a specific area near a side face 401 of the bodywork.

[0102] In Figures 8A-8C, the field of view of the sensor 102 in the absence of the passageways is indicated by the dotted lines 302. The field of view of the sensor 102, with the passageways 104 and 105 having optical elements 60 therebetween, is indicated by the lines 303.

[0103] The passageways thus extend the sensor's field of view in the different embodiments and thus make it possible to reduce the presence of blind spots around the vehicle.

[0104] Preferably, the size of the passageway is proportional to the angle of the sensor's own field of view (FOV) and the distance of this sensor from the passageway, so as to maximize the solid angle in which radiation is emitted and / or received.

[0105] In the case of a sensor having a specific FoV of less than 180° in a horizontal plane, the emission and / or reception zone of a radiation can also be supplemented by the solid angle formed by the path of the radiation passing through the passageway(s). It is thus possible to optimize the arrangement of the sensor at the bodywork level according to the type of detection for which the sensor is intended. For example, the sensor can be placed on the left side of the front face in order to use a single sensor to observe the left lane for overtaking vehicles in front and to simultaneously observe intersections, including intersections at more than 90° thanks to a passageway in the left flank.

[0106] Another example is a sensor with a 70° horizontal FOV, mounted on the front face but looking sideways at 55° to 125° relative to the vehicle's longitudinal axis. This sensor can be used to monitor intersections, as the notch allows observations to be made at an angle beyond 90° relative to the vehicle's longitudinal axis.

[0107] The sensor may also be arranged at a first face, for example a side face, and emit and / or receive radiation through the passageways in this face and / or the passageways in other faces of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the sensor is not necessarily used for observation purposes in the unobstructed section naturally accessible from its position on the vehicle. In a vertical plane, the solid angle region of the radiation emitted and / or received by the sensor is defined by the reception / emission angle specific to the sensor, the distance between the passageway and the sensor, and the vertical dimension 103 of the passageway. If necessary, the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the solid angle of emission and / or reception of the radiation may be modified by the use of an optical element included in the passageway.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Vehicle comprising: • a body (100) delimiting an interior zone (501) and an exterior zone (502) and • at least one exteroceptive sensor (102) positioned outside a first face of the bodywork (100) or semi-embedded or embedded in said first face, said sensor being capable of emitting and / or receiving radiation in a solid corner region (200), characterized in that said bodywork (100) comprises at least one radiation passageway (103, 104, 105) arranged at least partially in a second face different from the first face, said passageway being adapted to allow the emission of said radiation from the sensor (102) to the outer zone (502) through the radiation passageway and / or the reception by the sensor (102) of said radiation coming from the outer zone (502) after passing through the radiation passageway (103, 104, 105).

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is arranged to emit and / or receive radiation to and / or from the interior area (501) through at least one passageway.

3. Vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sensor is arranged to emit and / or receive radiation, through at least one passageway, in a solid angle region (200) greater than 180°.

4. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the sensor is arranged on an exterior face of the bodywork.

5. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sensor is arranged at least partially in the interior area (501).

6. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one passageway comprises a first radiation passageway in the first face of the bodywork and a second radiation passageway in the second face of the bodywork.

7. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the first face and a second face form an angle of between 30° and 120°, preferably between 80° and 100°.

8. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the solid angle region is inclined relative to the horizontal plane.

9. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the at least one passageway (103, 104, 105) comprises a notch or an orifice or a thinning made in the bodywork.

10. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the at least one passageway (103, 104, 105) comprises a passageway made of a material transparent to the wavelength of the radiation emitted and / or received by the sensor (102).

11. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the at least one passageway (103, 104, 105) comprises at least one optical element capable of directing radiation coming from an external zone onto the sensor.

12. Vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the optical element is configured to direct radiation from an external area onto the sensor such that the size of the external area is greater than the linear extrapolation of the solid angle (200) in which the sensor is able to emit and / or receive radiation through the same passageway.

13. A vehicle according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the optical element is configured to increase the resolution of the radiation received by the sensor.

14. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the sensor (102) is a LiDAR laser sensor, a camera, an ultrasonic radiation-based sensor or a radar.

15. Method for integrating a sensor into a vehicle comprising the following steps: • the provision of a body (100) delimiting an interior zone (501) and an exterior zone (502), • the mounting of an exteroceptive sensor (102), emitting and / or receiving radiation, outside a first face of the bodywork (100) or semi-embedded or embedded in said first face, • the formation of at least one radiation passageway (103, 104, 105) arranged at least partially in a second face of the bodywork (100) different from the first face, the at least one radiation passageway (103, 104, 105) being adapted to allow the emission of radiation from the sensor (102) to the outer zone (502) through the radiation passageway and / or the reception by the sensor (102) of radiation coming from the outer zone (502) after passage through the radiation passageway (103, 104, 105).

16. A method of integrating a sensor according to claim 15, wherein a passageway is formed in a face of the body forming an angle with a face of the body carrying the exteroceptive sensor.

17. Method for integrating a sensor into a vehicle comprising the following steps: • the provision of a body (100) delimiting an interior zone (501) and an exterior zone (502), • the mounting of an exteroceptive sensor (102) emitting and / or receiving radiation in an interior zone of said bodywork, • the formation of at least two radiation passageways (103, 104, 105) in the bodywork, the at least two radiation passageways (103, 104, 105) being arranged in at least two separate faces of the bodywork (100), each passageway being adapted to allow the emission of said radiation from the sensor (102) to the outer zone (502) through the radiation passageway and / or the reception by the sensor (102) of said radiation coming from the outer zone (502) after passing through the radiation passageway (103, 104, 105).

18. Method for integrating a sensor according to one of claims 15 to 17, further comprising mounting at least one optical element in a passageway.

19. Method for monitoring and / or controlling the presence and / or location of objects in the environment of a vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 14, and / or for locating a vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 14 in its environment, comprising the following steps: a. the passage of radiation reflected or emitted by an object to be detected in the external zone by the at least one radiation passage path (103, 104, 105) b. the reception of the radiation by the sensor (102).

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