Method, device, and sensor measuring panel for determining the spatial orientation of a surroundings sensor in or on a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of a surroundings sensor (4) which is installed on a vehicle (2), said method having the steps of: capturing at least one image of the vehicle (2) and / or of at least one vehicle measuring panel (8) attached to the vehicle (2) using at least one image capturing device (12a, 12b) and determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the vehicle (2) with respect to the image capture device (12a, 12b) from the at least one captured image; capturing at least one image of the surroundings sensor (4) and / or of a sensor measuring panel (20) attached to the surroundings sensor (4) using the image capturing device (12a, 12b) and determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the surroundings sensor (4) with respect to the image capturing device (12a, 12b) from the at least one captured image; and determining, from the parameters thus determined, at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the surroundings sensor (4) with respect to the vehicle (2).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] Method, device and sensor measuring panel for determining the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor in or on a vehicle

[0004] The invention relates to a method and a device for determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor installed in or on a vehicle, in particular in or on a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a sensor measuring panel intended for use in a method according to the invention.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] Modern vehicles are often equipped with driver assistance systems that support the driver in driving the vehicle. A driver assistance system typically includes at least one environmental sensor designed to detect the vehicle's surroundings. Such environmental sensors can include, for example, cameras, radar sensors, and laser sensors, particularly LIDAR sensors.

[0007] While cameras are usually installed behind the windshield or rear window of the vehicle, radar sensors and laser sensors are often mounted directly on the body of the vehicle, for example behind a bumper.

[0008] After a vehicle repair, especially after a repair of the body, the spatial orientation of the environmental sensors in relation to the body must be checked and corrected if necessary to prevent incorrect data from being transmitted from the environmental sensors to the driver assistance system.

[0009] Disclosure of the invention

[0010] It is an object of the invention to provide a method and a device which make it possible, in particular easier, to check the spatial orientation of environmental sensors on a vehicle.

[0011] A method according to the invention for determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor mounted on a vehicle comprises: using an image recording device to record at least one image of the vehicle and / or at least one image of at least one vehicle measuring panel mounted on the vehicle, and using the at least one recorded image to determine at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the vehicle with respect to the image recording device; using the image recording device to record at least one image of the environmental sensor and / or at least one image of a sensor measuring panel mounted on the environmental sensor, and using the at least one recorded image to determine at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor with respect to the image recording device;and to determine from the parameters thus determined at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor with respect to the vehicle;

[0012] The invention also includes a device which has at least one image recording device and one evaluation device and which is designed to carry out a method according to the invention in order to determine at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor which is mounted on a vehicle.

[0013] A method and a device according to the invention make it possible to quickly, conveniently and reliably determine and check the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor installed on a vehicle.

[0014] According to the invention, the position of the environmental sensor can be checked using a standardized procedure, and a digital record of the checking and calibration of the environmental sensor can be created.

[0015] The risk of human error can be reduced with a method according to the invention and by using a device according to the invention. This can improve the road safety of the vehicle. A method according to the invention and a device according to the invention can be used in particular in the workshop area to quickly and reliably determine and check the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor after repairs, in particular after repairs to the vehicle body.

[0016] A device according to the invention can be a device for vehicle measurement, as is often already available in workshops. The additional costs incurred in the workshop area in order to be able to carry out a method according to the invention can be reduced in this way.

[0017] The environmental sensor whose position is checked can be, for example, a radar sensor or a laser sensor, in particular a LIDAR sensor.

[0018] In one embodiment, the method comprises determining an angle of orientation of the environmental sensor relative to the vehicle. The angle may, for example, be the yaw angle of the environmental sensor relative to the vehicle. A method according to the invention may also comprise determining the pitch angle and / or the roll angle of the environmental sensor relative to the vehicle.

[0019] A method according to the invention may in particular comprise determining the yaw angle, the pitch angle and the roll angle of the environmental sensor with respect to the vehicle, so that the orientation of the environmental sensor with respect to all three spatial axes is completely determined.

[0020] In one embodiment, the method comprises displaying the at least one specific parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor in relation to the vehicle on a display device and / or outputting the at least one specific parameter on an output device, for example a printer. In this way, the at least one specific parameter can be compared with reference values ​​that are predetermined for the respective environmental sensor and thus checked. In one embodiment, the method comprises comparing the at least one specific parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor with a predetermined reference value. The method can in particular comprise an error orIssue a warning message if the at least one specific parameter deviates from the specified reference value by more than a specified tolerance range. This allows the at least one specific parameter to be checked automatically. This simplifies checking the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor, and the risk of human error can be further reduced.

[0021] In one embodiment, the method comprises attaching at least one vehicle measurement panel to the vehicle, capturing at least one image of the at least one vehicle measurement panel mounted on the vehicle, and identifying the at least one vehicle measurement panel in the captured image to determine the orientation of the vehicle with respect to the image capturing device.

[0022] In one embodiment, the method comprises attaching at least one vehicle measuring plate to at least one of the vehicle's wheels. In particular, the method may comprise attaching a vehicle measuring plate to each of two or four wheels of the vehicle.

[0023] By using at least one vehicle measuring plate, which is attached in particular to at least one wheel of the vehicle, the orientation of the vehicle with respect to the image recording device can be determined even more precisely and reliably. This allows the reliability and accuracy of a method according to the invention to be further improved.

[0024] In one embodiment, the method comprises attaching a sensor measuring panel to the environmental sensor. In particular, an optical pattern can be formed on the sensor measuring panel, which makes it possible to determine at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the sensor measuring panel from at least one recorded image of the sensor measuring panel. The invention also encompasses a sensor measuring panel with an optically detectable pattern formed on the sensor measuring panel, and with a holder designed to attach the sensor measuring panel to an environmental sensor of a vehicle.The holder can in particular be designed such that the sensor measuring panel can only be attached to the environmental sensor in a predetermined position and orientation, so that the position and orientation of the sensor measuring panel with respect to the environmental sensor are clearly defined and known when the sensor measuring panel is attached to the environmental sensor with the aid of the holder.

[0025] By using a sensor measurement board attached to the environmental sensor to be tested, the orientation of the environmental sensor relative to the image recording device can be determined even more accurately and reliably. This can further improve the reliability and accuracy of a method according to the invention.

[0026] In one embodiment, the at least one image recording device used is part of a device for optical vehicle measurement.

[0027] An existing device for optical vehicle measurement can be converted into a device according to the invention, which is capable of carrying out a method according to the invention, in particular by means of a software update.

[0028] The device for optical vehicle measurement can, for example, be a device for optical vehicle measurement such as that offered by BOSCH under the names DAS3000 or SCT-418.

[0029] In this way, an existing device for optical vehicle measurement can be used cost-effectively to carry out a method according to the invention.

[0030] The image pickup device used for the method can be a mono image pickup device or a stereo image pickup device. Two mono image pickup devices can also be used, interacting to provide the functions of a stereo image pickup device.

[0031] The images from multiple image recording devices can also be used to carry out a method according to the invention. In particular, a device according to the invention can be equipped with multiple image recording devices.

[0032] By using multiple images provided by multiple image acquisition devices, accuracy and reliability can be further improved.

[0033] An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0034] Short the

[0035] Figure 1 A shows a schematic view of a measuring station with a vehicle and with a device according to the invention for determining a parameter of the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor of the vehicle according to a first embodiment.

[0036] Figure 1 B shows a schematic view of a measuring station with a vehicle and with a device according to the invention for determining a parameter of the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor of the vehicle according to a second exemplary embodiment.

[0037] Figure 1 C shows a schematic view of a measuring station with a vehicle and with a device according to the invention for determining a parameter of the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor of the vehicle according to a third exemplary embodiment.

[0038] Figure 2 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method according to the invention for determining a parameter of the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor on a vehicle. Figure 3 shows a schematic side view of a sensor measuring panel according to the invention.

[0039] Figure 4 shows a schematic front view of the sensor measuring panel shown in Figure 3.

[0040] Figures 5 to 7 show examples of optical patterns that can be formed on a sensor measuring panel according to the invention.

[0041] Figure 1 A shows a schematic view of a measuring station 1 with a vehicle 2 equipped with an environmental sensor 4 and with a device 10 for optical vehicle measurement, which is referred to below as vehicle measurement device 10.

[0042] The environmental sensor 4 can be, for example, a radar sensor or a laser sensor, in particular a LIDAR sensor. The environmental sensor 4 can be mounted on or in the body of the vehicle 2. The environmental sensor 4 can, in particular, be mounted in, on, or behind a bumper 5 of the vehicle 2.

[0043] Although only a single environmental sensor 4 is shown in Figure 1A, the vehicle 2 can also be equipped with multiple environmental sensors 4. A method according to the invention, as described below, can in this case be carried out for each of the environmental sensors 4 installed in the vehicle 2.

[0044] The vehicle 2 has four wheels 6, each of which has a vehicle measuring plate 8 attached. It is also possible that vehicle measuring plates 8 are attached to none, only to one, or only to two of the four wheels 4 of the vehicle 2.

[0045] The vehicle measurement device 10 has two image recording devices 12a, 12b and an evaluation device 14. The vehicle measurement device 10 can also be equipped with only a single image recording device 12a, 12b. Each of the image recording devices 12a, 12b can be a mono image recording device 12a, 12b or a stereo image recording device 12a, 12b.

[0046] The vehicle measuring device 10 can, for example, be a vehicle measuring device 10 such as that offered by BOSCH under the names DAS3000 or SCT-418.

[0047] Instead of a known vehicle measurement device 10, a device 10 specifically developed for the method can also be used. Such a device 10 can, in particular, comprise only the components required for carrying out a method according to the invention, in particular at least one image recording device 12a, 12b and an evaluation device 14.

[0048] Such a reduced device 10 can be manufactured particularly compact, mobile and cost-effectively.

[0049] Figure 1B shows an example of an embodiment of such a reduced device 10, which comprises a single image recording device 12a and an evaluation device 14. The image recording device 12a and the evaluation device 14 are formed separately from one another and communicate wirelessly with one another.

[0050] Figure 1C shows another example of an embodiment of a device 10 comprising two image recording devices 12a, 12b, which together form a stereo camera system. The device 10 shown in Figure 1C also comprises an evaluation device 14, which is housed together with the two image recording devices 12a, 12b in a common housing.

[0051] The evaluation device 14 of a device 10 according to the invention is designed to carry out a method according to the invention for determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4.

[0052] The evaluation device 14 can have at least one microprocessor 15 which is intended to execute a program which allows the device 10 to execute a method according to the invention for determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4.

[0053] A schematic flow diagram of such a method according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 2.

[0054] The method comprises, in step S11, recording at least one image of the vehicle 2 using at least one image recording device 12a, 12b; determining the position of the vehicle 2 in the at least one image in step S12; and, in step S13, determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the vehicle 2 with respect to the image recording device 12a, 12b from the at least one recorded image.

[0055] Optionally, the method may comprise, in a preparatory step, attaching at least one vehicle measuring panel 8 to the wheels 6 of the vehicle 2, as shown in Figures 1A to 1C; in step S11, using the at least one image recording device 12a, 12b to record at least one image of at least one vehicle measuring panel 8 attached to the vehicle 2; in step S12, determining the position of the at least one vehicle measuring panel 8 in the at least one image; and in step S13, determining the at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the vehicle 2 with respect to the image recording device 12a, 12b.

[0056] The at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the vehicle 2 can comprise an angle. The at least one parameter can, in particular, comprise the yaw angle of the vehicle 2, i.e., the angle that describes the orientation of the vehicle 2 about its vertical axis H. The at least one parameter can also comprise the roll angle of the vehicle 2, i.e., the angle of the vehicle 2 with respect to its longitudinal axis L, and / or the pitch angle of the vehicle 2, i.e., the angle of the vehicle 2 with respect to its transverse axis Q.

[0057] The method may comprise identifying the vehicle 2 or the at least one vehicle measuring panel 8 in the image recorded by the at least one image recording device 12a, 12b using conventional methods of image pattern recognition and / or artificial intelligence methods, e.g. neural networks, and determining the at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the vehicle 2 with respect to the image recording device 12a, 12b.

[0058] The method further comprises, in step S21, recording at least one image of the environmental sensor 4 or of a sensor measuring panel 20 attached to the environmental sensor (see Figures 4 and 5), which is not shown in Figures 1A to 1C, with at least one of the image recording devices 12a, 12b, in step S22 determining the environmental sensor 4 in the at least one recorded image, and in step S23 determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the image recording device 12a, 12b from the at least one recorded image.

[0059] The method may comprise identifying the environmental sensor 4 in the image captured by the at least one image capture device 12a, 12b using conventional pattern recognition methods and / or artificial intelligence methods, e.g. neural networks, and determining the at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the image capture device 12a, 12b.

[0060] The at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the image recording device 12a can, in particular, include the yaw angle of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the image recording device 12a. The at least one parameter can also include the roll angle and / or the pitch angle of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the image recording device 12a.

[0061] After the at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the vehicle 2 and the at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the at least one image recording device 12a, 12b have been determined, at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the vehicle 2 is determined from these parameters in step S30.

[0062] For example, if in steps S13 and S23 the yaw angle of the vehicle

[0063] 2 and the yaw angle of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the at least one image recording device 12a, 12b have been determined, the yaw angle of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the vehicle 2 can be determined therefrom in step S30.

[0064] Analogously, if required, further parameters, such as the roll angle and / or the pitch angle, of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the vehicle 2 can be determined.

[0065] The parameters of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 relative to the vehicle 2 determined in this way can be displayed on a display device 16 in step S40 or output on an output device 18, e.g., a printer. The display device 16 and / or the output device 18 can be components of the device 10, as shown in Figure 1A.

[0066] The display device 16 and / or the output device 18 can also be configured separately from the device 10. Parameters determined by the evaluation device 14 can be transmitted wired or wirelessly to the display device 16 and / or the output device 18.

[0067] Additionally or alternatively, the at least one parameter of the orientation of the environmental sensor 4 determined in this way can be compared by the evaluation device 14 in step S40 with at least one reference value specified for the respective environmental sensor 4. Possible deviations of the at least one parameter determined from the recorded images from the at least one specified reference value can be displayed on the display device 16.

[0068] In particular, the display device 16 can indicate whether possible deviations between the at least one parameter determined from the recorded images and the at least one predefined reference value lie within a predefined tolerance range, so that the spatial alignment of the environmental sensor 4 on the vehicle 2 is to be regarded as correct; or whether deviations between the at least one parameter determined from the recorded images and the at least one predefined reference value lie outside a predefined tolerance range, so that the spatial alignment of the environmental sensor 4 on the vehicle 2 is to be regarded as incorrect.

[0069] The at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 can be determined from the images recorded by the image recording devices 12a, 12b on the basis of a known geometry of the environmental sensor 4, which are stored in the evaluation device 14.

[0070] For example, a "Hough transformation", classical methods of graphical pattern recognition and / or methods based on artificial intelligence can be used.

[0071] To improve the accuracy of the results when determining the parameters and / or to determine the parameters of environmental sensors 4 whose external dimensions are not known with sufficient accuracy, a sensor measuring board 20 can optionally be used, which is attached to the environmental sensor 4 before the at least one image of the environmental sensor 4 is recorded. The sensor measuring board 20 can be attached directly to the environmental sensor 4 or to a holder of the environmental sensor 4.

[0072] The sensor measuring panel 20 can in particular rest on a measuring surface of the environmental sensor 4 in order to determine the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4, and not the spatial orientation of a sensor holder that supports the environmental sensor 4.

[0073] Figure 3 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of such a sensor measuring panel 20 and Figure 4 shows a schematic front view of the sensor measuring panel 20.

[0074] The sensor measuring panel 20 has a holder 22 designed to attach the sensor measuring panel 20 to the environmental sensor 4, in particular to a front side of the environmental sensor 4 facing the device 10. The holder 22 can, for example, be magnetic and / or designed with one or more hooks. The holder 22 is designed in particular such that the sensor measuring panel 20 can only be attached to the environmental sensor 4 in a single predetermined position and orientation, so that the position and orientation of the sensor measuring panel 20 with respect to the environmental sensor 4 are known when the sensor measuring panel 20 is attached to the environmental sensor 4.

[0075] The sensor measuring panel 20 also includes a pattern area 24 configured for optically detecting the sensor measuring panel 20. In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the pattern area 24 is configured as a flat sensor measuring plate that is aligned parallel to a front surface of the environmental sensor 4 when the sensor measuring panel 20 is attached to the environmental sensor 4.

[0076] At least one optical pattern 26 is formed on the pattern area 24 of the sensor measuring panel 20, which can be optically detected by the at least one image recording device 12a, 12b.

[0077] The optical pattern 26 is designed such that it enables the evaluation device 14 to determine at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the at least one image recording device 12a, 12b after the optical pattern 26 has been optically detected by the at least one image recording device 12a, 12b.

[0078] For this purpose, the optical pattern 26 can comprise at least four different optically identifiable features.

[0079] Three possible examples of optical patterns 26 that can be formed on the pattern area 24 of a sensor measuring panel 20 according to the invention are shown in Figures 5 to 7.

[0080] The optical pattern 26 can, for example, be a rectangular checkerboard pattern, as shown in Figure 5. The optical pattern 26 can also be a dot pattern with multiple dots, as shown by way of example in Figure 6.

[0081] The optical pattern 26 can also be a different pattern. Another example of an optical pattern is shown in Figure 7. The examples of optical patterns 26 shown in Figures 5 to 7 are not exhaustive. Other optical patterns 26 that are not explicitly shown in Figure 5 can also be used, as long as the optical patterns 26 contain at least four different optically identifiable features that make it possible to determine at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor 4 with respect to the at least one image recording device 12a, 12b after the optical pattern 26 has been optically captured by the at least one image recording device 12a, 12b.

Claims

1. A method for determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of an environmental sensor (4) mounted on a vehicle (2), the method comprising: using at least one image recording device (12a, 12b) to record at least one image of the vehicle (2) and / or at least one image of at least one vehicle measuring panel (8) mounted on the vehicle (2), and determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the vehicle (2) with respect to the image recording device (12a, 12b) from the at least one recorded image; using the image recording device (12a, 12b) to record at least one image of the environmental sensor (4) and / or at least one image of a sensor measuring panel (20) mounted on the environmental sensor (4), and determining at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor (4) with respect to the image recording device (12a, 12b) from the at least one recorded image;and to determine at least one parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor (4) with respect to the vehicle (2) from the parameters thus determined; wherein the method comprises, in particular, determining the yaw angle of the environmental sensor (4) with respect to the vehicle (2).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises displaying the at least one specific parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor (4) with respect to the vehicle (2) on a display device (16) and / or outputting the at least one specific parameter via an output device (18).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method comprises determining the at least one specific parameter of the spatial orientation of the environmental sensor (4) with at least one predetermined reference value.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises attaching at least one vehicle measuring panel (8) to the vehicle (2).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the method comprises attaching at least one vehicle measuring panel (8) to at least one of the wheels (6) of the vehicle (2), wherein the method in particular comprises attaching a vehicle measuring panel (8) to each of two or four wheels (6) of the vehicle (2).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises attaching a sensor measuring panel (20) to the environmental sensor (4), wherein in particular an optical pattern (26) is formed on the sensor measuring panel (20).

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the environmental sensor (4) is a radar sensor or a laser sensor, in particular a LIDAR sensor.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the image recording device (12a, 12b) is part of a vehicle measuring device (10).

9. Device (10) which has at least one image recording device (12a, 12b) and one evaluation device (14) and which is designed to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Sensor measuring panel (20) with an optically detectable pattern (26) and a holder (22) which is designed to attach the sensor measuring panel (20) to an environmental sensor (4) of a vehicle (2).

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