Collaborative Sensor Calibration for Moving Autonomous Trucks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous driving technologies do not adequately address the unique challenges of trucks and truck fleets, such as the need for advanced sensor calibration and accurate monitoring of trailer positions, which are critical for safe navigation and obstacle avoidance.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for collaborative sensor calibration on-the-fly using assisting vehicles or landmarks, allowing autonomous trucks to recalibrate sensors while in motion and continuously monitor trailer positions to ensure accurate navigation and obstacle avoidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional autonomous driving technologies are used for trucks, then general autonomous driving functionality is achieved, but sensor calibration accuracy and trailer position monitoring are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing truck-specific sensor calibration and trailer monitoring systems that are tailored to the unique requirements of autonomous trucks, rather than using generic autonomous driving technologies. The system calibrates sensors specifically for truck dimensions, trailer configurations, and operational characteristics, ensuring measurement precision is optimized for truck-specific challenges.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts calibration parameters based on truck load conditions, trailer attachments, and environmental factors. By changing calibration parameters adaptively rather than using fixed settings, the system maintains high measurement precision across varying operational conditions specific to truck fleets.
2Productivity
If trucks travel at higher speeds to improve productivity, then delivery efficiency increases, but the time required for sensor calibration and trailer position verification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous sensor calibration and trailer position monitoring while the truck is in motion, rather than requiring the truck to stop for calibration procedures. This continuous calibration approach maintains measurement accuracy without interrupting delivery operations, thus preserving productivity while eliminating calibration time losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary sensor calibration and trailer configuration verification before the truck departs for delivery routes. By completing calibration procedures in advance during maintenance windows or before high-speed travel, the system ensures readiness for productive operation without sacrificing delivery efficiency during active transport.
3Measurement precision
If more sensors are added to improve measurement precision for trailer monitoring, then trailer position accuracy increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing sensors multi-functional by using them for both primary autonomous navigation and trailer position monitoring. Rather than adding dedicated trailer sensors, the system leverages existing camera, LIDAR, and radar sensors to perform multiple functions, thereby achieving high trailer position accuracy without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges trailer monitoring functions with the main autonomous driving sensor suite. By combining trailer detection, calibration, and navigation functions into a unified sensor system rather than separate systems, the patent achieves comprehensive measurement precision while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity through integrated processing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for sensor calibration. An ego vehicle determines whether a sensor deployed on the ego vehicle to facilitate autonomous driving of the ego vehicle needs to be calibrated and sends, if it is determined that the sensor needs to be calibrated, a request for assistance in collaborative calibration of the sensor, with a first position of the ego vehicle or a first configuration of the sensor with respect to the ego vehicle. When a response of the request is received, an assisting vehicle is indicated to travel to be near the ego vehicle to facilitate the calibration of the sensor by collaborating with the moving ego vehicle and the ego vehicle coordinates with the assisting vehicle to enable the sensor to acquire information of a target present on the assisting vehicle for the collaborative calibration of the sensor.