Adjustable Sensor Layout for Autonomous Vehicle Perimeter Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles with fixed sensor devices struggle to reliably detect obstacles when carrying bulky or overhanging transport frames, leading to potential collisions and malfunctions in collision detection systems.
Innovation Solution
The autonomous vehicle is equipped with a joint arrangement that adjusts the sensor device to accommodate both the basic and extended peripheral contours, ensuring complete coverage of the detection area around the vehicle and transported objects, using a combination of sensor devices and passive protective elements to prevent incorrect obstacle recognition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the sensor device is fixed to monitor the basic perimeter contour of the vehicle body, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates when transport objects are carried
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is made dynamically adjustable through a joint arrangement that allows it to switch between different monitoring arrangements. Instead of being fixed, the sensor device can adapt its position and detection range to match the current operational state (with or without transport objects), resolving the contradiction between simple fixed design and precise adaptive measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the sensor device by switching between a first arrangement (monitoring only the basic perimeter contour) and a second arrangement (monitoring the extended perimeter contour including transport objects). This parameter change allows the same sensor device to maintain measurement precision across different operational conditions without increasing overall system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor device monitors the extended perimeter contour including transport objects, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is designed with multi-functionality through the joint arrangement, allowing it to perform multiple monitoring tasks using the same hardware. The single sensor device can monitor both the basic vehicle perimeter and the extended perimeter including transport objects, eliminating the need for separate sensor systems and thus not increasing overall device complexity while maintaining high measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint arrangement provides dynamic reconfiguration capability, allowing the sensor device to adapt its detection range and orientation based on whether transport objects are present. This dynamic adjustment enables precise monitoring of extended contours without requiring permanently installed complex multi-position sensor systems.
3Ease of operation
If the sensor device position is fixed, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the adaptability deteriorates when transport objects are picked up
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device incorporates dynamic positioning capability through the joint arrangement, allowing it to automatically adjust between monitoring the basic vehicle perimeter and the extended perimeter including transport objects. This dynamic adaptation maintains ease of operation while significantly improving adaptability to different operational states.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor device system performs self-adjustment through the joint arrangement, automatically adapting its detection range and orientation based on the presence of transport objects without requiring manual reconfiguration. This self-service capability maintains operational simplicity while achieving high adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an autonomous vehicle (1), having a vehicle body (2) comprising a receiving device which is designed to receive, on the vehicle body (2), an object (3) to be transported; a chassis (4) having at least one driven wheel (5); and at least one sensor device (6), which has a detection region surrounding the autonomous vehicle (1) for detecting obstacles which enter the detection region of the sensor device (6) in the immediate surroundings of the autonomous vehicle (1), wherein the autonomous vehicle (1) comprises a joint arrangement (7) which is designed to adjust the sensor device (6) in relation to the vehicle body (2) in such a way that the sensor device (6) can selectively be operated in a first arrangement which monitors the basic peripheral contour of the vehicle body (2), and in at least one second arrangement which monitors a total peripheral contour consisting of the basic peripheral contour and an expansion contour of the autonomous vehicle (1) that is formed when an object (3) to be transported is received.