Collaborative Sensor Calibration for Moving Truck and Trailer Fleets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous driving technologies do not adequately address the unique challenges of sensor calibration and truck/trailer configuration awareness, particularly in scenarios where real-time recalibration is necessary for accurate obstacle avoidance and lane maintenance during motion, as traditional methods require vehicle stops and lack effective solutions for trucks and fleets.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for collaborative sensor calibration, where an ego vehicle can request assistance from another vehicle or a landmark for on-the-fly recalibration, utilizing a fleet management center to identify and coordinate with an assisting vehicle or landmark to maintain accurate sensor data and trailer pose estimation, ensuring continuous safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional sensor calibration methods are used, then calibration accuracy can be achieved, but the vehicle must stop for calibration which reduces productivity and operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic calibration by enabling the calibration process to occur while the vehicle is in motion rather than requiring static stopping. The system continuously adjusts calibration parameters based on real-time sensor data and relative positions of assisting vehicles, transforming the calibration process from a static, interruption-based operation to a dynamic, continuous operation that maintains both accuracy and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary identification and coordination of assisting vehicles before calibration is needed. By pre-establishing communication channels and determining optimal assisting vehicle positions, the system prepares the calibration environment in advance, allowing the actual calibration to proceed without interrupting vehicle operation.
2Productivity
If collaborative calibration with assisting vehicles is implemented, then continuous calibration during motion is enabled, but system complexity increases due to coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communication protocol and standardized data exchange format that can be used across different vehicle types and calibration scenarios. This multi-functional approach allows the same coordination system to handle various calibration situations (different sensor types, different assisting vehicle configurations) without requiring separate specialized systems, thereby managing complexity while enabling continuous calibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a centralized coordination server as an intermediary that manages communication between the ego vehicle and assisting vehicles. This mediator handles the complex coordination logic, message routing, and calibration parameter synchronization, simplifying the architecture by centralizing complexity in a dedicated component rather than distributing it across multiple vehicle systems.
3Productivity
If real-time sensor calibration is performed during motion, then operational continuity is maintained, but measurement precision may be compromised due to dynamic conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where sensor data from both the ego vehicle and assisting vehicles is constantly monitored and used to adjust calibration parameters in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the system to compensate for dynamic conditions (vehicle motion, changing relative positions) by continuously optimizing calibration accuracy based on current operational state, thereby maintaining both continuity and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts calibration parameters based on real-time conditions such as relative velocity, distance, and orientation between vehicles. By changing calibration parameters adaptively rather than using fixed values, the system maintains measurement precision across varying dynamic conditions while preserving operational continuity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for sensor calibration. A request is received from an ego vehicle in motion for assistance in collaborative calibration, when the ego vehicle determines that a sensor deployed thereon needs to be calibrated. The request includes at least one of a first position of the ego vehicle and a first configuration of the sensor with respect to the ego vehicle. An assisting vehicle is identified based on the first position, the first configuration, and a second position associated with the assisting vehicle and an assistance plan is generated in response to the request indicative of the assisting vehicle to travel to the ego vehicle to facilitate the calibration of the sensor by collaborating with the moving ego vehicle. Such generated assistance plan is then sent out to initiate the collaborative calibration.