Vehicle Camera Inclination Monitoring for Suspension Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle camera systems face recalibration issues due to insufficient air pressure in wheels or damaged suspension components, leading to camera unavailability and potential safety hazards, as they struggle to detect misalignments and tire pressure-related problems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and device using vehicle camera data to monitor suspension and tire conditions, adjusting camera settings and generating alerts for misalignments and tire issues, incorporating pitch and roll angle evaluations, and integrating with tire pressure monitoring systems to reduce recalibration needs and enhance safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle camera is used to monitor road surface and perform ADAS tasks, then the vehicle safety and functionality are improved, but the camera becomes susceptible to misalignment due to suspension and tire issues, leading to recalibration failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of suspension and tire conditions by analyzing pitch and roll angles from camera images. By detecting misalignment trends before they cause complete calibration failure, the system can trigger maintenance alerts proactively, preventing camera unavailability and ensuring continuous reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors camera inclination angles and compares them against reference values. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect gradual misalignment caused by suspension degradation or tire pressure changes, enabling timely intervention before the misalignment becomes severe enough to cause recalibration failure.
2Measurement precision
If the system performs continuous recalibration to maintain camera accuracy, then the measurement precision is improved, but the system complexity and operational disruptions increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of performing full recalibration procedures when misalignment is detected, the system uses preliminary detection of pitch and roll angles to assess suspension and tire conditions. This preliminary assessment allows the system to distinguish between misalignment caused by mechanical issues (requiring maintenance) versus normal operational variations (not requiring recalibration), thereby reducing unnecessary recalibration complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing camera hardware to perform self-diagnosis of suspension and tire conditions by analyzing image data for pitch and roll angles. This self-service capability eliminates the need for separate diagnostic sensors or complex external calibration equipment, reducing system complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If the camera recalibration is performed on every ignition, then the camera accuracy is maintained, but the loss of time and operational efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors pitch and roll angles from camera images and uses this feedback to determine when recalibration is actually needed. By comparing current angles against reference values and analyzing trends, the system can identify when misalignment exceeds thresholds that would affect accuracy, thereby avoiding unnecessary recalibration on every ignition while maintaining precision when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of camera alignment status by analyzing pitch and roll angles before initiating full recalibration procedures. This preliminary check allows the system to skip recalibration when alignment is within acceptable parameters, reducing the frequency of time-consuming recalibration operations while ensuring accuracy is maintained when misalignment occurs.
4Reliability
If the system detects suspension and tire issues through pitch and roll angle analysis, then the vehicle safety is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle camera for multiple purposes: both for its primary ADAS functions (lane keeping, pedestrian detection) and for monitoring suspension and tire conditions by analyzing pitch and roll angles. This multi-functionality allows the system to leverage existing camera hardware and image processing capabilities for diagnostic purposes, avoiding the need for separate sensors and reducing measurement complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system performs self-diagnosis by analyzing its own image data to determine pitch and roll angles. By using the camera's inherent image processing capabilities to extract orientation information, the system avoids the need for additional gyroscopes, accelerometers, or other dedicated measurement devices, thereby reducing the overall difficulty of detection and measurement while improving reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for detecting a misalignment of a vehicle chassis by using image data of a vehicle camera. Image data is received from the vehicle camera and a horizon position and a position of a camera axis is identified. A distance between the horizon and the position of the camera axis is derived and compared with a previously calibrated distance. If a misalignment value, which is derived from the difference, exceeds a first pre-determined threshold, a corresponding output signal is generated.