Method and apparatus for detecting component calibration state

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting a component calibration state, applied to the technical field of intelligent driving. In the method, by comparing identification information representing a calibrated sensor comprised in an acquired first parameter with identification information representing the calibrated sensor comprised in a recorded / stored second parameter, a calibration state of the sensor corresponding to the first parameter is determined. The algorithm is simple, convenient and fast. Because identification information of a sensor is used for uniquely identifying the sensor, and after the sensor is replaced, there is no need to start the sensor and there is also no need to wait for the sensor to operate, a calibration state of the sensor can be determined at any time on the basis of the identification information of the sensor, which undoubtedly improves the efficiency of detecting the calibration state, and also avoids the occurrence of device operation abnormalities or even potential safety hazards caused by detecting the calibration state during operating of the sensor.

Description

A method and apparatus for detecting the calibration status of components Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent driving technology, and in particular to a method and apparatus for detecting the calibration status of components. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of technology, the application fields of sensors are constantly expanding. For example, current vehicles are equipped with a large number of sensors to adapt to the intelligent orientation functions of the vehicles, and in industrial scenarios, sensors are also installed in assembly line robots for industrial production. However, during the use of equipment with sensors installed, sensors are inevitably damaged. After replacing the sensor, maintenance personnel may forget to calibrate it (such as extrinsic parameter calibration). Sensor calibration mainly refers to the process of calibrating the parameters of the sensor (such as extrinsic parameters). Sensor extrinsic parameters reflect the sensor's relative position and orientation in space.

[0003] Regarding whether calibration is required, the current approach is to use a calibration detection algorithm to detect whether the sensor has been calibrated. Specifically, the calibration parameters are calculated by extracting features from multiple frames of feature images or point cloud data during the sensor's operation. If the calibration parameters deviate and exceed the limit threshold, it is determined that the sensor has not been calibrated. Subsequently, the uncalibrated calibration status of the sensor is reported and an alarm is issued.

[0004] However, the method of determining the calibration status of a sensor by using its operational data after operation is not very timely and is not universally applicable to current sensor application areas. For example, in scenarios where sensor data is used to support device business functions in real time (such as intelligent driving functions of vehicles), if the device uses the above calibration detection algorithm, the business functions of the device may not be able to operate normally because the sensor has not been calibrated before the calibration parameters exceed the limit threshold.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a method and apparatus for detecting the calibration status of a component, which can determine the calibration status of a sensor without the sensor being in operation, thereby effectively improving the efficiency of detecting the calibration status of a sensor.

[0007] Firstly, this application provides a method for detecting the calibration status of a component, which can be applied to the aforementioned vehicle, robot, or other equipment equipped with sensors. It can also be applied to components with data processing functions in vehicles, robots, or other equipment equipped with sensors, such as vehicle terminals, vehicle controllers, vehicle modules, vehicle assemblies, vehicle components, vehicle chips, and vehicle units.

[0008] The method includes: acquiring a first parameter, wherein the first parameter includes the identification information of the sensor collected at the current time, and the identification information of the sensor is used to uniquely identify the sensor; determining the calibration status of the sensor according to the first parameter and a second parameter, wherein the second parameter is recorded after the sensor has been calibrated, and the second parameter includes the identification information of the sensor collected at a historical time, and the calibration status is used to indicate whether the sensor has been calibrated.

[0009] Optionally, the first and second parameters mentioned above may include not only the sensor's identification information, but also the sensor's installation location.

[0010] In this embodiment, the second parameter is a parameter recorded / stored after the sensor has been calibrated. Correspondingly, the identification information corresponding to an uncalibrated sensor will not be recorded. Optionally, the second parameter is a parameter stored in the device's storage medium other than the sensor after the sensor has been calibrated. The identification information of the sensor collected at historical moments included in the second parameter is the identification information of the calibrated sensor, which represents the calibrated sensor.

[0011] Since the identification information of uncalibrated sensors will not be recorded, the first parameter may or may not match the second parameter. If they match, it means that the identification information in the first and second parameters corresponds to the same sensor, i.e., a calibrated sensor. If they do not match, it means that the identification information in the first and second parameters corresponds to different sensors, i.e., the sensor corresponding to the first parameter is a replaced sensor that has not been calibrated. It should be noted that the sensor corresponding to the first parameter and the sensor corresponding to the second parameter are sensors in the same mounting position.

[0012] The method provided in this application determines the calibration status of the sensor corresponding to the first parameter by comparing the acquired first parameter with the identification information of the calibrated sensor included in the recorded / stored second parameter. This method is convenient and quick. Since the sensor identification information is used to uniquely identify the sensor, after sensor replacement, there is no need to start the sensor or wait for it to run. The calibration status of the sensor can be determined at any time based on the sensor's identification information. This undoubtedly improves the efficiency of detecting the calibration status and avoids equipment malfunctions or even safety hazards caused by detecting the calibration status during sensor operation. Furthermore, the above solution involves only simple parameters, has few steps, and a simple algorithm, thus effectively saving the computing power of equipment (such as vehicles or robots) or components within the equipment (such as controllers), and reducing costs.

[0013] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the sensor includes an image sensor, and the sensor's identification information includes the image sensor's device serial number (ESN). In this embodiment, by using a single, directly unique ESN to identify the image sensor, the uniqueness of each image sensor is ensured, thereby accurately distinguishing and identifying different image sensors. This embodiment simplifies the calibration state detection process and improves the accuracy and reliability of the detection. Furthermore, due to the uniqueness of the ESN, even after sensor replacement, the differences between the old and new sensors can be quickly identified, avoiding misjudgments caused by sensor confusion.

[0014] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the sensor includes an image sensor. The sensor's identification information is related to the image sensor's intrinsic parameters and the sensor's calibration time, or the sensor's identification information is related to the image sensor's principal angle and the sensor's calibration time. Optionally, the calibration time is used to characterize the time point when the corresponding sensor is calibrated. The identification information can be a single piece of information that can directly achieve unique identification, or it can be information that achieves unique identification through a combination of multiple pieces of information. This embodiment ensures the uniqueness of the identification information by combining the sensor's intrinsic parameters, principal angle, and other key parameters with the calibration time.

[0015] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the sensor's identification information is also related to the identification information of a first device, with the sensor installed on the first device. Combining the sensor's identification information with the identification information of the installed device achieves sensor-device binding. This implementation can quickly identify the correspondence between the sensor and the device when the sensor is replaced or the device is upgraded, and can accurately distinguish the sensor in scenarios with multiple devices.

[0016] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0017] The first parameter is stored in the first storage unit, wherein the first parameter stored in the first storage unit is used as the second parameter when determining the calibration state again. The first storage unit can be the system storage medium / controller storage medium.

[0018] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0019] The first parameter is stored in the second storage unit, whereby the first parameter stored in the second storage unit is used as the first parameter for the next determination of the calibration state. The second storage unit can be the storage medium of the sensor (such as a camera). In this embodiment, the first parameter is obtained from the second storage unit. It should be understood that if the sensor's identification information is built into the sensor, such as ESN, then the second storage unit already stores the identification information and does not need to store it again.

[0020] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, if the first parameter is consistent with the second parameter, the calibration state includes calibrated; if the first parameter is inconsistent with the second parameter, the calibration state includes uncalibrated.

[0021] This implementation method enables the rapid and accurate determination of the sensor's calibration status through a simple comparison operation, reducing the difficulty and cost of detection.

[0022] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0023] Output the first prompt message, which is used to indicate the calibration status of the sensor.

[0024] This implementation method visually displays the sensor's calibration status to the user or equipment management system by outputting prompts. This method improves the transparency and visualization of calibration status detection, making it easier for users or the system to understand and grasp the sensor's status information in a timely manner. It also facilitates troubleshooting and maintenance of the equipment.

[0025] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0026] Disable sensor-related business functions in calibration status, including uncalibrated status;

[0027] Output a second message, which indicates that the business function is unavailable.

[0028] This implementation method promptly disables sensor-related business functions and outputs a prompt message when the sensor is not calibrated, thus preventing equipment failures or safety accidents caused by unstable sensor performance. This implementation method improves equipment safety and reliability, ensuring the normal operation of the equipment and the safety of users' lives and property. Simultaneously, the second prompt message also provides clear instructions and a basis for equipment maintenance and upkeep.

[0029] Secondly, this application provides an apparatus for detecting the calibration status of a component, the apparatus including at least a processing unit and a communication unit. The apparatus can be a controller, such as an onboard controller or a robot controller. The apparatus for detecting the calibration status of a component may include a unit for performing operations executed by the controller in the method embodiments shown in the first aspect or any of the embodiments of the first aspect. The descriptions of the various units are as follows:

[0030] A communication unit is used to acquire a first parameter, wherein the first parameter includes the identification information of the sensor collected at the current time, and the identification information of the sensor is used to uniquely identify the sensor;

[0031] The processing unit is used to determine the calibration status of the sensor based on the first parameter and the second parameter. The second parameter is recorded after the sensor has been calibrated and includes the sensor's identification information collected at historical times. The calibration status is used to indicate whether the sensor has been calibrated.

[0032] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the sensor includes an image sensor, and the identification information of the sensor includes the device serial number (ESN) of the image sensor.

[0033] In an alternative embodiment of the second aspect, the sensor includes an image sensor, the identification information of which is related to the intrinsic parameters of the image sensor and the calibration time of the sensor, or the identification information of which is related to the principal angle of the image sensor and the calibration time of the sensor.

[0034] In an alternative embodiment of the second aspect, the identification information of the sensor is also related to the identification information of the first device, wherein the sensor is installed in the first device.

[0035] In an optional embodiment of the second aspect, the communication unit is further configured to store the first parameter in a first storage unit, wherein the first parameter stored in the first storage unit is used as a second parameter when determining the calibration state for the next time.

[0036] In an optional embodiment of the second aspect, the communication unit is further configured to store the first parameter in a second storage unit, wherein the first parameter stored in the second storage unit is used as a first parameter for the next determination of the calibration state.

[0037] In an optional embodiment of the second aspect, if the first parameter is consistent with the second parameter, the calibration state includes calibrated; if the first parameter is inconsistent with the second parameter, the calibration state includes uncalibrated.

[0038] In an alternative embodiment of the second aspect, the communication unit is further configured to output first prompt information, the first prompt information being used to indicate the calibration status of the sensor.

[0039] In an alternative embodiment of the second aspect, the processing unit is further configured to disable business functions related to the sensor if the calibration state includes uncalibrated.

[0040] The communication unit is also used to output a second prompt message, which is used to indicate that the service function is unavailable.

[0041] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a controller, which may be a device or a component within a device, such as a chip or processor; the controller includes a processor and a memory; the memory stores a computer program; when the processor executes the computer program, the controller executes the method described in any of the first aspects above. For example, the aforementioned device may be a vehicle or a robot.

[0042] It should be noted that the processor included in the controller described in the third aspect above can be a processor specifically designed to execute these methods (referred to as a dedicated processor for distinction), or a processor that executes these methods by calling a computer program, such as a general-purpose processor. Optionally, at least one processor may include both dedicated and general-purpose processors.

[0043] Optionally, the aforementioned computer program can be stored in memory. For example, the memory can be a non-transitory memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), which can be integrated with the processor on the same device or disposed on different devices. This application does not limit the type of memory or the arrangement of the memory and processor.

[0044] In one alternative implementation, the at least one memory is located outside the controller.

[0045] In yet another possible implementation, at least one of the aforementioned memories is located within the aforementioned controller.

[0046] In another possible implementation, a portion of the memory of the at least one memory is located within the controller, while another portion of the memory is located outside the controller.

[0047] In this application, the processor and memory may also be integrated into a single device, that is, the processor and memory can be integrated together.

[0048] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle, which is a terminal equipped with sensors, possessing computing capabilities, and capable of movement via power drive. Examples include intelligent terminals or transportation tools such as vehicles, robots, drones, or ships. The term "vehicle" is used in a broad sense, encompassing commercial vehicles, passenger cars, motorcycles, flying cars, trains, and special vehicles. The vehicle may include the device for calibrating the state of detection components as described in the second aspect or the controller as described in the third aspect.

[0049] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a robot, which can be an independent device equipped with sensors, such as an industrial robot or a sweeping robot, or a component included in an independent device, such as a controller, chip, software module, or integrated circuit. The robot may include the device for detecting the calibration status of components as described in the second aspect or the controller as described in the third aspect.

[0050] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device (or cluster of computing devices), cause the computing device (or cluster of computing devices) to implement the method described in any of the first aspects above.

[0051] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a computer program product including computer instructions that, when executed by a computing device (or cluster of computing devices), implement the method described in any of the first aspects above.

[0052] Optionally, the computer program product can be a software installation package or an image file. When the aforementioned method is required, the computer program product can be obtained and executed on a computing device.

[0053] Eighthly, a chip is provided, the chip including at least one processor and an interface circuit, wherein the at least one processor obtains instructions stored in a memory through the interface circuit to implement the method described in any of the first aspects above.

[0054] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in aspects two to eight of this application can be referred to the beneficial effects of the technical solutions in aspect one, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0055] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of a component calibration test performed during vehicle operation according to the prior art;

[0056] Figure 1B is a schematic diagram of a vehicle calibration and detection based on image features provided by the prior art;

[0057] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a detection system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a sensor mounting position provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for detecting the calibration status of a component according to an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a scenario for writing identification information to a sensor according to an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a device for detecting the calibration status of a component according to an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a controller provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0063] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0064] For ease of understanding, the following examples illustrate some concepts related to the embodiments of this application for reference. As follows:

[0065] Sensor calibration: Sensor calibration mainly refers to the process of calibrating the parameters (such as extrinsic parameters) of a sensor. There are many types of sensors, such as radar and cameras.

[0066] Sensor parameters include intrinsic and extrinsic parameters. Intrinsic parameters are the sensor's own parameters; for example, in a camera sensor, the intrinsic parameter of the camera is its focal length. Extrinsic parameters are related to the sensor's mounting location / relative position and attitude in space, such as pitch, roll, and yaw. The sensor's external parameters reflect its relative position and attitude in space.

[0067] This application uses a camera as an example of a sensor for illustration, and correspondingly, examples involving the calibration process are also illustrated using the calibration process of a camera.

[0068] Camera calibration is also known as camera calibration.

[0069] Based on the imaging principle of a camera, it is known that there is a correspondence between three-dimensional spatial points and two-dimensional image points on the image plane in the geometric model of camera imaging. This correspondence is determined by the camera's parameters. The process of obtaining the camera's parameters is called camera calibration. The imaging principle of a camera is prior art and will not be described in detail in this application. The calibration in this application will be explained using external parameter calibration as an example.

[0070] As an example, suppose we denote the three-dimensional spatial point in the geometric model of camera imaging as XW, and the two-dimensional image point on the image plane in the geometric model of camera imaging as XP. The relationship between the three-dimensional spatial point XW and the two-dimensional image point XP can be represented as follows:

[0071] XP = MXW

[0072] Here, M represents the transformation matrix between a 3D spatial point XW and a 2D image point XP, which can be called the projection matrix. Some elements in this projection matrix M characterize the parameters of the camera. Camera calibration involves obtaining this projection matrix M.

[0073] The transformation matrix corresponding to the intrinsic parameters can be called the intrinsic parameter transformation matrix, and the transformation matrix corresponding to the extrinsic parameters can be called the extrinsic parameter transformation matrix.

[0074] Camera calibration generally requires a calibration reference object (also called a calibration object or reference). The calibration reference object refers to the object captured by the camera during the calibration process. For example, in the example above, the three-dimensional space point XW can be the coordinates of the calibration reference object in the world coordinate system, and the two-dimensional image point XP can be the two-dimensional coordinates of the calibration reference object on the image plane of the camera.

[0075] The principle of radar calibration is similar to that described above, and will not be repeated here. The radar in this application can be a lidar, a microwave radar, or a millimeter-wave radar; the embodiments in this application are not limited thereto.

[0076] In summary, sensor parameter calibration is a crucial step in both image measurement and machine vision applications, and the accuracy of the calibration results directly affects the accuracy of the results produced by the sensor.

[0077] Furthermore, sensors are inevitably susceptible to damage during installation / use, and after sensor replacement, maintenance personnel may forget to calibrate them. Regarding whether or not calibration is required, current practices are detailed in Figures 1A and 1B. Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of component calibration detection during vehicle operation provided by existing technology, and Figure 1B is a schematic diagram of vehicle calibration detection based on image features provided by existing technology.

[0078] Vehicle-mounted sensors (including vehicle-mounted radar, vehicle-mounted cameras, etc.) are installed on vehicles (such as autonomous vehicles, intelligent vehicles, electric vehicles, digital vehicles, etc.). As shown in Figure 1A, the vehicle-mounted sensors deployed on the vehicle can sense a fan-shaped area as indicated by the dashed box. This fan-shaped area can be understood as the sensor's sensing area. It should be understood that the fan-shaped sensor sensing area is only for illustration. In actual applications, the sensor sensing area varies depending on the number of sensors and their installation location. This application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0079] As shown in Figure 1A, when the vehicle-mounted sensor detects a target (such as the ground, fence, streetlight, etc.) in the sensing area, the vehicle can acquire corresponding signals (such as image signals and point cloud data related to the target). As shown in Figure 1B, the vehicle can transmit these signals to the processing module for further processing, thereby determining whether the calibration parameters obtained based on the signals exceed a predetermined threshold. In Figure 1B, the cloud diagram shows that the calibration parameters exceed the predetermined threshold, indicating that there are uncalibrated sensors in the vehicle shown in the figure.

[0080] In the above scenario, during vehicle operation, the calibration parameters of the sensor are used to determine whether the sensor has been calibrated based on whether the calibration parameters exceed a certain threshold.

[0081] However, considering that vehicles, robots, or other devices equipped with sensors have high requirements for sensor accuracy when performing specific business functions (such as intelligent driving of vehicles through sensors), if the sensors are not calibrated, the sensor may have a different sensing angle than expected due to deviations in the installation angle. This may result in some areas not being sensed, causing specific business functions to fail to operate normally, and consequently causing property damage or traffic accidents.

[0082] Furthermore, since the above detection methods require the sensor to operate for a period of time to be realized, the system cannot directly determine whether the sensor is calibrated after the sensor is replaced. This may result in users reporting abnormalities only after using the device for a period of time, which not only increases maintenance costs but may also cause user dissatisfaction.

[0083] Furthermore, since the above detection method requires the signal acquired by the sensor during operation to detect the calibration status, in special scenarios, such as scenarios where effective signals cannot be acquired, the above detection method may fail to detect calibration abnormalities. For example, if the sensor is an image sensor (such as a camera), in scenarios such as at night or in heavy rain, the image acquired by the image sensor may be blurry or distorted. The relevant processing device cannot perceive whether the feature parameters exceed the limited threshold based on the acquired blurry image, and therefore cannot detect calibration abnormalities, resulting in low detection accuracy.

[0084] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a method and apparatus for detecting the calibration status of a component, which can determine the calibration status of a sensor without the sensor being operational, thereby effectively improving the timeliness of detecting the calibration status; and improving the accuracy of judging the sensor calibration status in special scenarios where no valid signal can be obtained.

[0085] The architecture of the detection component calibration status system and the detection component calibration status method provided in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0086] First, a system architecture provided by an embodiment of this application will be described. Please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a detection system provided by an embodiment of this application. The system includes a sensor system and a controller. It should be understood that the sensor system and the controller described above may be arranged in the same device or in different devices. The sensors and the controller will be described separately below.

[0087] (1) The sensor system may include several sensors for sensing information about the environment in which the device is located, as well as other information that needs to be captured. For example, the device described above is a vehicle, and the sensor system may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a lidar sensor, a camera sensor, a millimeter-wave radar sensor, and actuators for modifying the position and / or orientation of the sensors. The sensor system may also include additional sensors, including, for example, sensors that monitor the vehicle's internal systems (e.g., an O2 monitor, a fuel gauge, oil temperature, etc.). Furthermore, the sensor system may also include other sensors.

[0088] An IMU can be a sensor that senses changes in a vehicle's position and orientation based on inertial acceleration and any combination thereof. In some examples, the combination of sensors corresponding to an IMU may include, for example, an accelerometer and a gyroscope. Other combinations of these sensors are also possible.

[0089] LiDAR sensors can be viewed as object detection systems that use light to sense or detect objects in the environment in which a vehicle is located. Typically, LiDAR is an optical remote sensing technology that measures the distance to a target or other properties of the target by using light to illuminate it. As an example, a LiDAR and related units may include a laser source and / or laser scanner configured to emit laser pulses, and a detector for receiving reflections of the laser pulses. For example, a LiDAR may include a laser rangefinder reflected by a rotating mirror and scanning the laser around a digitized scene in one or two dimensions to acquire distance measurements at specified angular intervals. In this example, a LiDAR may include components such as a light (e.g., laser) source, scanner and optical system, light detector and receiver electronics, and a positioning and navigation system. By scanning the laser reflected from an object, LiDAR can determine the distance to the object and create a 3D environmental map with accuracy up to the centimeter level.

[0090] The camera sensor can be any camera (e.g., a still camera, video camera, etc.) used to acquire images of the environment in which the vehicle is located. For this purpose, the camera can be configured to detect visible light, or it can be configured to detect light from other parts of the spectrum (such as infrared or ultraviolet light). Other types of cameras are also possible. The camera can be a two-dimensional detector, or it can have a three-dimensional spatial range. In some examples, the camera can be, for example, a distance detector configured to generate a two-dimensional image indicating the distance from the camera to several points in the environment. For this purpose, the camera can use one or more distance detection techniques. For example, the camera can be configured to use structured light technology, where the vehicle illuminates objects in the environment using a predetermined light pattern, such as a grid or checkerboard pattern, and uses the camera to detect reflections from the predetermined light pattern from the objects. Based on the distortion in the reflected light pattern, the vehicle can be configured to detect the distance to points on the objects. The predetermined light pattern can include infrared light or light of other wavelengths.

[0091] Millimeter-wave radar sensors typically refer to object detection sensors with wavelengths of 1–10 mm, and frequencies ranging from approximately 10 GHz to 200 GHz. Millimeter-wave radar measurements provide depth information, indicating the target's distance. Furthermore, due to the significant Doppler effect, millimeter-wave radar is highly sensitive to velocity, allowing direct acquisition of target speed. The velocity can be extracted by detecting the Doppler frequency shift. Currently, the two main automotive millimeter-wave radar operating frequency bands are 24 GHz and 77 GHz. The former, with a wavelength of approximately 1.25 cm, is primarily used for short-range sensing, such as the vehicle's surroundings, blind spots, parking assistance, and lane change assistance. The latter, with a wavelength of approximately 4 mm, is used for medium- to long-range measurements, such as adaptive cruise control (ACC) and automatic emergency braking (AEB).

[0092] It should be noted that this application does not limit the number of various sensors deployed on the aforementioned vehicles.

[0093] (2) The controller may be a controller on the aforementioned device (such as a vehicle), for example, the controller may be an intelligent driving controller. The controller may include a processor, which may include one or more general-purpose processors and / or one or more dedicated processors (e.g., image processors, digital signal processors, etc.). Where the processor includes more than one processor, such processors may operate individually or in combination. The controller can implement functions that control the vehicle based on input received through a user interface, such as intelligent driving functions.

[0094] The controller can also be a controller for other devices, such as a server or a server controller. The server could be a cloud server, such as a cloud server connected to a vehicle. This cloud server can interact with the sensor systems on each vehicle to detect whether the sensors on each vehicle are calibrated.

[0095] The controller also includes a transceiver. The transceiver is used for communication between the controller and various systems. For example, the transceiver is used for communication between the controller and a sensor system to obtain a first parameter from the sensor system, the first parameter including identification information of a sensor at a specific mounting location in the sensor system. This first parameter is compared with a second parameter to determine whether the sensor at that mounting location is calibrated.

[0096] For a possible implementation of the mounting position, please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of a sensor mounting position provided in an embodiment of this application. The vehicle in Figure 3 includes a first mounting position, a second mounting position, and a third mounting position (there may be more or fewer mounting positions). If the sensor in the sensor identification information included in the first parameter is a sensor of the first mounting position, then the sensor in the sensor identification information included in the second parameter is also a sensor of the first mounting position. It should be understood that the sensors corresponding to the first parameter and the second parameter may be different, but the mounting positions of the corresponding sensors should be the same.

[0097] It should be understood that the mounting positions shown in Figure 3 above are merely examples, and the number and mounting positions of sensors on the device shall be subject to actual applications, and this application does not impose any limitations.

[0098] The controller also includes a memory, which may include one or more volatile storage components and / or one or more non-volatile storage components, such as optical, magnetic, and / or organic storage devices, and the memory may be wholly or partially integrated with the processor. The memory may contain instructions (e.g., program logic) executable by the processor to perform various vehicle functions, including any of the functions or methods described herein. Exemplarily, the memory may include a second parameter.

[0099] It should be understood that the above architecture description is merely an example. The architecture involved in the embodiments of this application may include a sensor system and a controller, and may also include other devices. For example, the above system further includes a cloud server, which obtains a first parameter through interaction with the sensor system and then forwards the first parameter to the controller. The controller may be any controller on the device, or the device itself. Optionally, the above system further includes a calibration device, which is used to calibrate the sensor and, after calibration, send / write the sensor's identification information to the storage media corresponding to the sensor and / or the controller, respectively.

[0100] The detection and calibration status scheme of this application can be applied to smart devices or servers connected to smart devices. It should be noted that a smart device refers to any device, instrument, or machine with computing power. In this application, the smart device may be a robot, autonomous vehicle, intelligent assisted driving vehicle, unmanned aerial vehicle, intelligent assisted aircraft, smart home device, etc. This application does not limit the scope of the smart device. Any device that can be fitted with sensors can be included in the scope of the smart devices mentioned in this application.

[0101] Based on the detection system shown in Figure 2, this application embodiment provides a method for calibrating the state of a detection component. Please refer to Figure 4 for details; Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for calibrating the state of a detection component provided in this application embodiment. This method can be applied to the controller in the detection system. Of course, this method can also be applied to other system architectures; this explanation only uses the system architecture corresponding to Figure 4 as an example. As shown in Figure 4, the method includes the following steps:

[0102] Step S401: Obtain the first parameter.

[0103] In this embodiment of the application, the first parameter includes the identification information of the sensor collected at the current moment.

[0104] The sensor's identification information is used to uniquely identify the sensor, meaning that the identification information can be used to distinguish the aforementioned sensor from other sensors or devices.

[0105] Optionally, the sensor corresponding to the identification information included in the first parameter is the first sensor, which is a sensor mounted on a certain mounting position. For example, the first sensor is the sensor mounted on the first mounting position in Figure 3. The identification information of the first sensor is only used to identify the first sensor. If another sensor is replaced at that mounting position (e.g., the first mounting position), the other sensor will also have corresponding identification information, which will be different from the identification information of the first sensor. For example, the identification information of the first sensor is 0010X1, and the identification information of the replaced sensor may be 0010X2; the two identification information differ.

[0106] It should be understood that the identification information of other sensors on other mounting positions is also different from the identification information of the first sensor on the first mounting position.

[0107] Furthermore, if the scenario involves multiple devices, the identification information of the sensors on these devices will be different from each other. For example, in a scenario where a server connects to multiple vehicles and the server detects the calibration status of sensors on these vehicles, the identification information of any two sensors among all the sensors on the multiple vehicles will be different from each other.

[0108] Optionally, the first parameter mentioned above may include not only the identification information of the sensor collected at the current moment, but also the installation location of the sensor. For example, if the sensor is the first sensor, then the first parameter may also include relevant information about the installation location of the first sensor.

[0109] It should be noted that the process of obtaining the first parameter mentioned above can be either the process by which the execution subject of this method (such as the controller) reads the first parameter from the sensor, or the process by which the sensor sends the first parameter to the execution subject and the execution subject receives the first parameter. This application does not limit the specific method.

[0110] It should be understood that sensors include storage units, which are generally used to store acquired external information and their own related information. The first parameter can be stored in such storage units.

[0111] Furthermore, the aforementioned sensor can also refer to a sensor system, and the actions of storing, sending, and receiving the first parameter can all be performed by the sensor system or the processor within the sensor system.

[0112] The following explanation uses an image sensor as an example to illustrate the identification information of a sensor. Considering that the identification information is used to uniquely identify the corresponding sensor, it can be a single piece of information that directly achieves unique identification, or it can be a combination of multiple pieces of information that achieves unique identification. The following four possibilities illustrate the possible implementations of the identification information:

[0113] Possible scenario 1: The identification information includes the device serial number (ESN) of the image sensor.

[0114] Possibly, the identification information is related to the mounting location and the calibration time of the image sensor.

[0115] Possibly, the identification information is related to the intrinsic parameters of the image sensor and the calibration time of the image sensor.

[0116] Possibly 4, the identification information is related to the principal angle of the image sensor and the calibration time of the image sensor.

[0117] In possibility 1, the sensor's identification information includes the image sensor's device serial number (ESN). The ESN is analogous to a fingerprint or identification number for the image sensor, typically used to uniquely identify it. Furthermore, the image sensor can be a camera, including types such as monocular and stereo cameras. Generally, the first parameter, including the image sensor's first ESN, can be stored in a sensor-related storage unit. The controller can read the first ESN from this storage unit and compare it with the calibrated second ESN to determine whether the sensor has been calibrated. It should be noted that the calibration mentioned above does not necessarily refer to the calibration of the aforementioned sensor; it could also be the ESN of the sensor before replacement, stored after calibration.

[0118] It should be understood that 1 may be a single piece of information that can directly achieve a unique identifier. In addition to the device serial number ESN mentioned above, the identifier information may also be other single pieces of information that can directly achieve a unique identifier.

[0119] In possibility 2, the identification information is related to the mounting location and the calibration time of the image sensor. The mounting location refers to a mounting location that is the same as or similar to the one shown in Figure 3, and the image sensor calibration time refers to the calibration time of the image sensor. It should be understood that if the image sensor has not been calibrated, then the image sensor calibration time will be empty.

[0120] For example, the identification information of the image sensor at the first mounting position might be (1, 20231222052356), the identification information of the image sensor at the second mounting position might be (2, 20240512035604), and the identification information of the image sensor at the third mounting position might be (3, empty). In the possible identification information shown above, the first digit is the number corresponding to the mounting position, and the second digit is the calibration time. For example, the second digit in the identification information of the image sensor at the first mounting position represents 2023 / 12 / 22 / 05:23:56. The calibration time can be generated by the calibration device. After the image sensor is calibrated, identification information is generated based on the mounting position and calibration time, and written to the sensor's storage unit and the controller's storage unit.

[0121] To enhance the diversity of identification information, the identification information obtained by combining the sensor's firmware parameters with calibration data can be used as the unique identifier of the corresponding sensor, as described in possibilities 3 and 4 above.

[0122] In possibility 3, the sensor's identification information is related to the image sensor's intrinsic parameters and the sensor's calibration time.

[0123] The sensor's identification information being related to the image sensor's intrinsic parameters and calibration time can mean that the identification information is generated based on the image sensor's intrinsic parameters and calibration time, or that the sensor's identification information is obtained by combining the image sensor's intrinsic parameters and calibration time. It should be understood that intrinsic parameters are the sensor's own parameters; for example, in the case of an image sensor (such as a camera), the camera's intrinsic parameters include focal length, etc.

[0124] Optionally, the calibration time is used to characterize the time point at which the corresponding sensor is calibrated. For example, taking the sensor corresponding to the identification information included in the first parameter as the first sensor, the identification information of the first sensor is related to the intrinsic parameters of the first sensor and the calibration time of the first sensor. The calibration time of the first sensor refers to the time when the first sensor is calibrated. Generally, the calibration time is recorded by the calibration device. In this embodiment, the calibration time in step 3 may be generated by the calibration device and sent to the controller / sensor.

[0125] It should be noted that in possibility 3, if the intrinsic parameters of the two image sensors are the same, but the calibration time of one image sensor is empty while that of the other image sensor is not empty, then the two identification information obtained will be different.

[0126] In possibility 4, the sensor's identification information is related to the image sensor's principal angle and calibration time. It should be understood that each image sensor has slightly different intrinsic parameters or principal angles; by combining these intrinsic parameters or principal angles with the sensor's calibration time, a unique identifier for each image sensor can be achieved.

[0127] The use of image sensors in the foregoing description is merely illustrative of possible identification information scenarios and is not intended to limit their application. It should be noted that, in addition to image sensors, sensors may also include radar sensors, and the identification information of radar sensors may also be related to the radar sensor's intrinsic parameters and calibration time.

[0128] To improve the uniqueness and universality of the identification information, in one optional implementation, the sensor's identification information is also related to the identification information of a first device. The sensor is installed on the first device, and the identification information of the first device is used to uniquely identify the first device. For example, the first device is a vehicle, and the identification information of the first device is the vehicle's identification information, such as a vehicle identification number (VIN) or vehicle ID. In this application embodiment, the identification information also has three possibilities: possibility 5, possibility 6, and possibility 7. Specifically, as follows:

[0129] Possibly 5, the identification information is related to the identification information of the first device, its installation location, and the calibration time of the image sensor.

[0130] Possibly 6, the identification information is related to the identification information of the first device, the intrinsic parameters of the image sensor, and the calibration time of the image sensor.

[0131] Possibly 7, the identification information is related to the identification information of the first device, the main beam angle of the image sensor, and the calibration time of the image sensor.

[0132] In the embodiments of this application, possibilities 5, 6, and 7 combine the identification information of the first device with other parameters, so that in a scenario where there are multiple devices, the identification information can still uniquely identify the corresponding sensor.

[0133] In one optional embodiment, the first parameter is stored in a sensor-related storage unit. Further optionally, the first parameter is written into the storage unit by a calibration device (which may be called a calibration device). After calibrating the sensor, the calibration device generates the first parameter corresponding to the sensor and writes the first parameter into the sensor-related storage unit.

[0134] To mitigate safety risks caused by uncalibrated sensors, in one optional implementation, the first parameter includes the sensor's identification information collected at the current moment. The current moment can refer to a preset time point when the device is powered on or during device operation. This means that the first parameter is acquired when the device is powered on or periodically during device operation. Timely detection reduces the safety risks caused by uncalibrated sensors.

[0135] Step S402: Determine the calibration status of the sensor based on the first parameter and the second parameter.

[0136] The second parameter is recorded after the sensor has been calibrated. The second parameter includes the sensor's identification information collected at historical times. The calibration status is used to indicate whether the sensor has been calibrated.

[0137] Optionally, after sensor calibration, the calibration device generates sensor identification information and writes this identification information into the controller's storage space (first storage unit) and the sensor's storage space (second storage unit). See Figure 5 for details; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a scenario where sensor identification information is written according to an embodiment of this application. In Figure 5, the calibration device can send the sensor's identification information to the controller, which stores the sensor's identification information / first parameter in the first storage unit. The first parameter / sensor identification information stored in the first storage unit is used as a second parameter when determining the calibration state next time. Alternatively, the controller can store the sensor's identification information / second parameter in the second storage unit, where the sensor's identification information / first parameter stored in the second storage unit is used as a first parameter when determining the calibration state next time.

[0138] It should be understood that the above-mentioned calibration device sending sensor identification information to the controller is only an example. In actual applications, other devices may be sending sensor identification information to the controller.

[0139] If the sensor's identification information is built into the sensor, such as ESN, then the second storage unit already stores this identification information, so there is no need to store it again. The calibration device only writes the first parameter into the first storage unit.

[0140] It should be noted that during the process of writing the aforementioned identification information into the second storage unit, the second storage unit can be a storage unit directly connected to the controller, or the controller can have access to the second storage unit. This means that the controller can directly obtain the parameters stored in the second storage unit, such as the first parameter. It should also be noted that the second storage unit here can be a hardware or software module independent of the sensor, or it can be a hardware or software module deployed within the sensor; no limitation is made here.

[0141] It should be understood that the aforementioned historical moments are used to characterize the time when the sensor's identification information is stored in the first storage unit after the sensor is calibrated.

[0142] In the scenario of power-on or timed calibration status detection in the embodiments of this application, the controller can obtain the first parameter from the second storage unit, compare the first parameter with the second parameter stored in the first storage unit, and thus determine the calibration status of the sensor.

[0143] In one alternative implementation, if the calibration information of the sensor is one of the aforementioned possibilities 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7, then if the first parameter is consistent with the second parameter, the calibration status includes calibrated; if the first parameter is inconsistent with the second parameter, the calibration status includes uncalibrated.

[0144] In an optional implementation, if the sensor calibration information is as mentioned above in possibility 1, in the scenario where the first parameter and the second parameter are inconsistent, i.e. the sensor is not calibrated, the controller will compare the first parameter obtained, i.e. the first ESN of the current sensor, with the second ESN stored in itself. The second ESN is the ESN of the sensor after the previous calibration, which is different from the first ESN. Based on this, the controller can confirm that the sensor is not calibrated.

[0145] In an optional implementation, if the sensor calibration information is one of the aforementioned possibilities 3, 4, 6, and 7, and the first parameter and second parameter are inconsistent (i.e., the sensor is not calibrated), the calibration device does not write the identification information into the second storage unit because it is not calibrated. The sensor identification information in the first parameter obtained by the controller is empty, and the second parameter stored by the controller includes the identification information of the previously calibrated sensor. The inconsistency between the first and second parameters indicates that the sensor is not calibrated. Conversely, if the sensor identification information in the first parameter obtained by the controller is not empty, it is determined that the sensor is calibrated, and the first parameter is stored in the first storage unit. The first parameter stored in the first storage unit is used as the second parameter for the next determination of the calibration status.

[0146] Furthermore, the controller can directly determine whether the sensor has been calibrated based on the first parameter. Specifically, if the sensor identification information in the first parameter is empty, it means the sensor has not been calibrated; if the first parameter is not empty, it means the sensor has been calibrated. Possible scenarios 2 and 5 also exist. In possibilities 2 and 5, the controller can directly determine whether the sensor has been calibrated based on the first parameter. If the calibration time information in the sensor's identification information is empty, it means the sensor corresponding to that identification information has not been calibrated; otherwise, it means it has been calibrated.

[0147] Of course, this implementation method is based on the calibration device writing the sensor's identification information into the second storage unit after calibration.

[0148] In an optional implementation, if the sensor calibration information is one of the aforementioned possibilities 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 related to the calibration time, the calibration device or other relevant devices still generate sensor identification information when the sensor is not calibrated and write it into the second storage unit. Taking possibility 2 as an example, the sensor identification information stored in the second storage unit is (3, empty), while the sensor identification information stored in the first unit may be (3, 20230518153252). The difference between the two indicates that the sensor is not calibrated.

[0149] In one alternative implementation, a first prompt message is output, which is used to indicate the calibration status of the sensor.

[0150] In one optional implementation, the device housing the sensor can trigger a first prompt message via voice, light, electricity, vibration, or a display screen. For example, the device is a vehicle, which may include modules for control output such as a display processor, audio processor, and vibration processor (or the vehicle may be connected to these control output modules). The vehicle can output the first prompt message to the user through these modules. Taking a display processor as an example, the first prompt message can trigger the display processor to present reminder signals, warning information, etc. For instance, a head-up display (HUD) in a vehicle can output the first prompt message, which is used to indicate the sensor's calibration status. Furthermore, since there may be safety hazards when the sensor is uncalibrated, the calibration status, including the uncalibrated state, will be emphasized. For example, the saturation of the displayed colors when the calibration status includes uncalibrated conditions is higher than the saturation of the displayed colors when the calibration status includes calibrated conditions, or the prompt message may flash multiple times when the calibration status includes uncalibrated conditions.

[0151] In one alternative implementation, a first prompt message is output to a server / manager connected to the device to inform the relevant maintenance personnel and responsible persons of the sensor's calibration status.

[0152] To improve system safety, if a sensor is replaced but not calibrated, the system is prohibited from operating. In one optional implementation, when the calibration state includes uncalibrated status, the business functions related to the sensor are disabled; a second prompt message is output to indicate that the business function is unavailable. For example, if the sensor is involved in intelligent driving functions, the disabled business function is intelligent driving, and correspondingly, the output second prompt message indicates that the intelligent driving function is unavailable.

[0153] In one alternative implementation, the device housing the sensor can trigger the output of a second prompt message via voice, light, electricity, vibration, or a display screen. For example, the device is a vehicle, which may include modules for control output such as a display processor, audio processor, and vibration processor (or the vehicle may be connected to these control output modules). The vehicle can output the second prompt message to the user through these modules. Taking a display processor as an example, the second prompt message can trigger the display processor to present reminder signals, warning information, etc. For instance, a head-up display (HUD) in a vehicle can output the second prompt message, which indicates that business functions related to the uncalibrated sensor are unavailable.

[0154] The method provided in this application determines the calibration status of the sensor corresponding to the first parameter by comparing the acquired first parameter with the identification information of the calibrated sensor included in the recorded / stored second parameter. This method is convenient and quick. Since the sensor's identification information is used to uniquely identify the sensor, after sensor replacement, there is no need to start the sensor or wait for it to run; the sensor's calibration status can be determined at any time. This undoubtedly improves the efficiency of detecting the calibration status and avoids equipment malfunctions or even safety hazards caused by detecting the calibration status during sensor operation. Furthermore, the above solution involves only simple parameters, has few steps, and a simple algorithm, thus effectively saving computing power in equipment (such as vehicles or robots) or components within the equipment (such as controllers), reducing costs.

[0155] The methods of the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Based on the same technical concept, the embodiments of this application also provide a device for detecting the calibration state of a component, used to execute the method executed by the controller in the above embodiments.

[0156] Please refer to Figure 6, which is a schematic diagram of a device for detecting the calibration status of a component provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0157] As shown in Figure 6, the device 60 for calibrating the detection component may include a processing unit 601 and a communication unit 602. The processing unit 601 and the communication unit 602 may be software, hardware, or a combination of both.

[0158] The communication unit 602 can implement sending and / or receiving functions. The communication unit 602 can also be a unit integrating an acquisition unit and a sending unit, wherein the acquisition unit is used to implement the receiving function, and the sending unit is used to implement the sending function. Optionally, the communication unit 602 can be used to receive information sent by other devices, and can also be used to send information to other devices.

[0159] The processing unit 601 can be used to perform operations such as calculation, judgment, and data processing in the aforementioned detection component calibration state method, and / or other processes to support the technology described herein. The processing unit 601 can also be replaced by at least one processor, and the at least one processor can be used to support other processes of the technology described in the aforementioned method.

[0160] In one possible design, the device 60 for detecting the calibration state of the detection component may correspond to the controller in the method embodiment shown in FIG4 above. For example, the device 60 for detecting the calibration state of the detection component may be an in-vehicle controller, a domain controller, or a chip within the in-vehicle controller. The device 60 for detecting the calibration state of the detection component may include units for performing the operations performed by the controller in the method embodiment shown in FIG4 above. Each unit in the device 60 for detecting the calibration state of the detection component is configured to implement the operations performed by the controller in the method embodiment shown in FIG4 above. The descriptions of each unit are as follows:

[0161] The communication unit 602 is used to acquire a first parameter, wherein the first parameter includes the identification information of the sensor collected at the current time, and the identification information of the sensor is used to uniquely identify the sensor;

[0162] The processing unit 601 is used to determine the calibration status of the sensor based on the first parameter and the second parameter. The second parameter is recorded after the sensor has been calibrated and includes the sensor's identification information collected at historical times. The calibration status is used to indicate whether the sensor has been calibrated.

[0163] In one alternative implementation, the sensor includes an image sensor, and the identification information of the sensor includes the device serial number (ESN) of the image sensor.

[0164] In one alternative embodiment, the sensor includes an image sensor, and the identification information of the sensor is related to the intrinsic parameters of the image sensor and the calibration time of the sensor; or, the identification information of the sensor is related to the principal angle of the image sensor and the calibration time of the sensor.

[0165] In one alternative embodiment, the identification information of the sensor is also related to the identification information of the first device, wherein the sensor is installed in the first device.

[0166] In an optional embodiment, the communication unit 602 is further configured to store the first parameter in a first storage unit, wherein the first parameter stored in the first storage unit is used as a second parameter when determining the calibration state next time.

[0167] In an optional embodiment, the communication unit 602 is further configured to store the first parameter in a second storage unit, wherein the first parameter stored in the second storage unit is used as a first parameter when determining the calibration state next time.

[0168] In one optional implementation, if the first parameter is consistent with the second parameter, the calibration state includes calibrated; if the first parameter is inconsistent with the second parameter, the calibration state includes uncalibrated.

[0169] In an alternative embodiment, the communication unit 602 is further configured to output a first prompt message, the first prompt message being used to indicate the calibration status of the sensor.

[0170] In an alternative embodiment, the processing unit 601 is further configured to disable business functions related to the sensor if the calibration state includes uncalibrated.

[0171] The communication unit 602 is also used to output a second prompt message, which is used to indicate that the service function is unavailable.

[0172] Please refer to Figure 7, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a controller provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0173] The controller 70 is a device with centralized computing capabilities, which can be implemented through devices such as chips, servers, virtual machines, the cloud, or robots. Servers include, but are not limited to, general-purpose computers, dedicated server computers (such as personal computers, servers, UNIX servers, or mid-range servers), and blade servers. When the controller 70 is implemented by a server, it can contain one or more servers (such as a server cluster). Virtual machines are virtualized computing modules. The cloud is a software platform that uses application virtualization technology, enabling one or more software applications to be developed and run in an independent virtualized environment. Optionally, the cloud can be deployed on a public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud. The cloud can include cloud servers and / or cloud virtual machines.

[0174] The controller 70 may include at least one processor 701 and a communication interface 702. Optionally, it may also include at least one memory 703. Further optionally, it may include a connection line 704, wherein the processor 701, the communication interface 702, and / or the memory 703 are connected via the connection line 704, and communicate with each other to transmit control and / or data signals.

[0175] (1) The processor 701 is a module that performs arithmetic and / or logical operations, and may specifically include one or more of the following modules: central processing unit (CPU), application processor (AP), microcontroller unit (MCU), electronic control unit (ECU), microprocessor unit (MPU), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), image signal processor (ISP), digital signal processor (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), complex programmable logic device (CPLD), or coprocessor, etc.

[0176] (2) The communication interface 702 can be used to provide information input or output to at least one processor 701. In some possible scenarios, the communication interface 702 may include interface circuitry. And / or, the communication interface 702 can be used to receive data transmitted externally and / or transmit data externally. For example, the communication interface 702 may include a wired link interface such as an Ethernet cable, or a wireless link interface (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, general wireless transmission, vehicular short-range communication technology, or other short-range wireless communication technology, etc.). Optionally, the communication interface 702 may also include a transmitter (such as a radio frequency transmitter or antenna, etc.) coupled to the interface, or a receiver, etc.

[0177] Optionally, if the controller 70 is a standalone device, the communication interface 702 may include a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver and transmitter may be the same component or different components. When the receiver and transmitter are the same component, this component may be referred to as a transceiver.

[0178] Optionally, if the controller 70 is a chip or circuit, the communication interface 702 may include an input interface and an output interface. The input interface and the output interface may be the same interface or they may be different interfaces.

[0179] Optionally, the functionality of the communication interface 702 can be implemented using transceiver circuitry or a dedicated transceiver chip. The processor 701 can be implemented using a dedicated processing chip, processing circuitry, processor, or general-purpose chip.

[0180] (3) The memory 703 is used to provide storage space, in which data such as the operating system and computer programs can be stored. The memory 703 can be one or a combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), etc.

[0181] The functions and actions of each module or unit in the controller 70 listed above are merely illustrative examples.

[0182] Optionally, processor 701 may be a processor specifically designed to perform the aforementioned methods (for ease of distinction, referred to as a dedicated processor), or a processor that performs the aforementioned methods by calling a computer program (for ease of distinction, referred to as a dedicated processor). Optionally, at least one processor may include both dedicated processors and general-purpose processors.

[0183] Optionally, if the computing device includes at least one memory 703, and the processor 701 implements the aforementioned method by calling a computer program, the computer program may be stored in the memory 703.

[0184] Each functional unit in controller 70 can be used to implement the steps executed by the controller side in the aforementioned detection component calibration state method, such as the method described by the controller side in the embodiment shown in FIG4. The processor 701 in controller 70 is used to perform the following operations:

[0185] The first parameter is obtained through the communication interface 702, wherein the first parameter includes the identification information of the sensor collected at the current time, and the identification information of the sensor is used to uniquely identify the sensor.

[0186] The calibration status of the sensor is determined based on the first parameter and the second parameter. The second parameter is recorded after the sensor has been calibrated and includes the sensor's identification information collected at historical times. The calibration status is used to indicate whether the sensor has been calibrated.

[0187] In one alternative implementation, the sensor includes an image sensor, and the identification information of the sensor includes the device serial number (ESN) of the image sensor.

[0188] In one alternative embodiment, the sensor includes an image sensor, and the identification information of the sensor is related to the intrinsic parameters of the image sensor and the calibration time of the sensor; or, the identification information of the sensor is related to the principal angle of the image sensor and the calibration time of the sensor.

[0189] In one alternative embodiment, the identification information of the sensor is also related to the identification information of the first device, wherein the sensor is installed in the first device.

[0190] In an optional implementation, the processor 701 is further configured to:

[0191] The first parameter is stored in the first storage unit through the communication interface 702, wherein the first parameter stored in the first storage unit is used as the second parameter when determining the calibration state next time.

[0192] In an optional implementation, the processor 701 is further configured to:

[0193] The first parameter is stored in the second storage unit through the communication interface 702, wherein the first parameter stored in the second storage unit is used as the first parameter when determining the calibration state next time.

[0194] In one optional implementation, if the first parameter is consistent with the second parameter, the calibration state includes calibrated; if the first parameter is inconsistent with the second parameter, the calibration state includes uncalibrated.

[0195] In an optional implementation, the processor 701 is further configured to:

[0196] The first prompt information is output through the communication interface 702. The first prompt information is used to indicate the calibration status of the sensor.

[0197] In an optional implementation, the processor 701 is further configured to:

[0198] In the calibration state, including when the sensor is not calibrated, the associated business functions are disabled.

[0199] The second prompt message is output through the communication interface 702, and the second prompt message is used to indicate that the service function is unavailable.

[0200] This application provides a vehicle, which can be a mobile, independent device equipped with sensors, such as an intelligent vehicle, or a component included in the independent device, such as an onboard controller, chip, software module, or integrated circuit. The vehicle may include the device 60 for calibrating the detection component state corresponding to FIG. 6, and / or the controller 70 corresponding to FIG. 7.

[0201] This application provides a robot, which can be an independent device equipped with sensors, such as an industrial robot or a sweeping robot, or a component included in an independent device, such as a controller, chip, software module, or integrated circuit. The robot may include the device 60 for calibrating the detection component status corresponding to FIG. 6, and / or the controller 70 corresponding to FIG. 7.

[0202] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program code that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method shown in FIG4 above.

[0203] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when run, causes the computer to perform the method shown in FIG4 above.

[0204] This application embodiment also provides a chip, the chip including at least one processor and an interface circuit, the at least one processor obtaining instructions stored in the memory through the interface circuit to execute the method in FIG4 above.

[0205] It should be understood that embodiments of this application may be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application may take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0206] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

[0207] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

[0208] In this application, the terms "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0209] In this application, "at least one" in the embodiments refers to one or more items, and "more than one" refers to two or more items. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, (a and b), (a and c), (b and c), or (a and b and c), where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0210] Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, the use of ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" in the embodiments of this application is for distinguishing multiple objects and is not for limiting the order, sequence, priority, or importance of multiple objects. For example, "first device" and "second device" are only for ease of description and do not indicate that the first device and the second device are different in structure, importance, etc. In some embodiments, the first device and the second device may also be the same device.

[0211] In the above embodiments, the term "when..." can be interpreted, depending on the context, as meaning "if...", "after...", "in response to determining...", or "in response to detecting...". The above descriptions are merely optional embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the concept and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

[0212] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the above embodiments can be implemented by hardware or by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as a read-only memory, a disk, or an optical disk.

Claims

1. A method for detecting the calibration status of a component, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain a first parameter, wherein the first parameter includes the identification information of the sensor collected at the current time, and the identification information of the sensor is used to uniquely identify the sensor; The calibration status of the sensor is determined based on the first parameter and the second parameter. The second parameter is recorded after the sensor has been calibrated and includes the sensor's identification information collected at historical times. The calibration status is used to indicate whether the sensor has been calibrated.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor includes an image sensor, and the identification information of the sensor includes the device serial number (ESN) of the image sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor includes an image sensor, and the identification information of the sensor is related to the intrinsic parameters of the image sensor and the calibration time of the sensor, or the identification information of the sensor is related to the principal angle of the image sensor and the calibration time of the sensor.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sensor's identification information is also related to the identification information of the first device, and the sensor is installed in the first device.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The method further includes: The first parameter is stored in the first storage unit, wherein the first parameter stored in the first storage unit is used as the second parameter when determining the calibration state next time.

6. The method according to claim 1, 3, or 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: The first parameter is stored in the second storage unit, wherein the first parameter stored in the second storage unit is used as the first parameter when determining the calibration state next time.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, If the first parameter is consistent with the second parameter, the calibration status includes calibrated; if the first parameter is inconsistent with the second parameter, the calibration status includes uncalibrated.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The method further includes: Output a first prompt message, which is used to indicate the calibration status of the sensor.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The method further includes: In the calibration state, including when the sensor is not calibrated, the associated business functions are disabled. Output a second prompt message, which is used to indicate that the service function is unavailable.

10. A device for detecting the calibration status of a component, characterized in that, include: A communication unit is used to acquire a first parameter, wherein the first parameter includes the identification information of the sensor collected at the current time, and the identification information of the sensor is used to uniquely identify the sensor; The processing unit is used to determine the calibration status of the sensor based on the first parameter and the second parameter. The second parameter is recorded after the sensor has been calibrated and includes the sensor's identification information collected at historical times. The calibration status is used to indicate whether the sensor has been calibrated.

11. A controller, characterized in that, Includes at least one processor and a communication interface; The communication interface is used to receive and / or send data, and / or the communication interface is used to provide input and / or output to the processor; The at least one processor is configured to execute computer instructions to cause the electronic device to perform the method of any one of claims 1-9.

12. A vehicle, characterized in that, It includes the device as described in claim 10, or the controller as described in claim 13.

13. A robot, characterized in that, It includes the device as described in claim 10, or the controller as described in claim 13.

14. A chip, characterized in that, The chip includes at least one processor and an interface circuit, wherein the at least one processor obtains instructions stored in a memory through the interface circuit to execute the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable medium stores program code for execution by the device, the program code including instructions for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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