Calibration Scene Mapping for Autonomous Sensor Ground Truth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Achieving high accuracy in ground truth labeling for autonomous vehicle sensor calibration is challenging due to potential mismatches and resource-intensive processes, which hinder efficient sensor calibration and scaling.
Innovation Solution
A sensor calibration system that periodically maps calibration scenes using external detectors to generate and update calibration maps, allowing for autonomous calibration of AV sensors by navigating them to calibration targets and managing potential errors, thereby improving accuracy and scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ground truth labeling is performed manually with high accuracy requirements, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the calibration scene through 3D mapping and simulation, allowing automated virtual labeling that mirrors real-world calibration scenarios. This virtual calibration environment enables high-precision ground truth labeling without manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between accuracy and time consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical labeling processes with automated computer vision and AI-based detection systems. The system automatically detects calibration targets in the calibration scene and generates ground truth labels through algorithmic processing, eliminating the time-consuming manual labeling while maintaining or improving precision
2Measurement precision
If manual ground truth labeling is performed to ensure accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service calibration where the autonomous vehicle performs calibration autonomously using the virtual calibration scene and automated detection algorithms. The vehicle navigates to calibration targets, captures images, and processes calibration data without external intervention, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining precision through automated quality control
Solution Approach 2:
By creating a virtual replica of the calibration environment, the system enables parallel processing of multiple calibration scenarios simultaneously. Multiple vehicles can be calibrated using the same virtual scene, and the automated labeling system processes data at high speed, resolving the productivity limitation of manual methods
3Reliability
If calibration scenes are frequently updated to capture changes, then reliability is improved, but loss of time and resource consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic mapping of calibration scenes at predetermined intervals rather than continuous updates. The mapping module periodically captures and updates the virtual calibration scene, balancing the need for reliability with resource efficiency. This periodic approach ensures calibration accuracy is maintained while avoiding excessive resource consumption from overly frequent updates
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor calibration system periodically receives scene data from a detector in a calibration scene. The calibration scene includes calibration targets. The sensor calibration system generates a calibration map based on the scene data. The calibration map is a virtual representation of the calibration scene and includes features of the calibration targets that can be used as ground truth features for calibrating AV sensors. The sensor calibration system can periodically update the calibration map. For instance, the sensor calibration system receives the scene data at a predetermined frequency and updates the calibration map every time it receives new scene data. The predetermined frequency may be a frequency of the detector completing a full scan of the calibration scene. The sensor calibration system provides a latest version of the calibration map for being used by an AV to calibrate a sensor on the AV 110.