Camera-Based Auto Drive Charging System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer automobiles lack accurate methods for determining the distance and orientation of a vehicle with respect to proximate objects, especially in close-range scenarios, which is crucial for automated vehicle control and parking, as existing sensors like radar and ultrasonic sensors are impractical for short distances and high-accuracy orientation measurements.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that uses one or more cameras and an on-board computer to determine the vehicle's location by capturing images of a known marker with distinct visual features, allowing for precise distance, position, and orientation calculations, enabling automatic maneuvering to a desired location, such as an electric vehicle recharging station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If radar or ultrasonic sensors are used for distance sensing, then distance measurement capability is provided, but measurement precision deteriorates at close ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces radar and ultrasonic sensors with a camera-based vision system for distance measurement. The camera captures images of the vehicle and surrounding environment, and computer vision algorithms process these images to determine the vehicle's position, orientation, and distance from obstacles with high precision at close ranges, eliminating the limitations of electromagnetic and acoustic wave-based sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from electromagnetic wave reflection (radar) or sound wave echo (ultrasonic) to optical image analysis. By capturing visual features such as marker patterns, edge detections, and perspective transformations in camera images, the system achieves accurate close-range distance measurement through geometric and photometric parameter extraction.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to determine vehicle location, then measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single camera perform multiple functions: capturing images for distance measurement, orientation determination, and object detection. The same camera system that provides visual feedback to the driver also serves as the primary sensor for automated parking and proximity detection, eliminating the need for separate radar, ultrasonic, and visual sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the functions of multiple sensors into a unified camera-based system. Instead of integrating data from separate radar, ultrasonic, and camera sensors, the system merges all sensing capabilities into the camera, which captures comprehensive visual information processed by algorithms to derive all necessary spatial parameters.
3Measurement precision
If LiDAR technology is used for high-accuracy distance measurement, then measurement precision improves, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive LiDAR technology with inexpensive consumer-grade camera modules. The camera, which is already present in most modern vehicles for other purposes, is utilized for precision measurement tasks, eliminating the need to install costly specialized sensing equipment while achieving comparable or superior performance for close-range applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the physical environment through camera imaging, then processes this optical information to extract precise spatial measurements. Instead of using active illumination and time-of-flight measurement (LiDAR), the system passively captures light reflected from the environment and uses computer vision to infer distance and orientation from the resulting image data.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control system for moving a vehicle to a target location is disclosed. According to examples of the disclosure, a camera captures one or more images of a known object corresponding to the target location. An on-board computer having stored thereon information about the known object can process the one or more images to determine vehicle location with respect to the known object. The system can use the vehicle's determined location and a feedback controller to move the vehicle to the target location.