Vehicle Depth Sensor Yaw Calibration Using Planar Surface Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing environment depth sensors on vehicles face challenges in accurately determining their precise position, particularly the yaw angle, due to manufacturing tolerances and positional changes caused by shocks or maintenance, which affects the reliability of object detection.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for continuous calibration of the yaw angle using planar surfaces detected by the sensor, involving data storage, statistical analysis, and computation of a calibration angle based on the predominant orientation of these surfaces, utilizing a calibrating device with optional preliminary data selection and weighting coefficients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If end-of-line calibration is performed, then initial sensor position is known, but subsequent position changes cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calibration at end-of-line to establish initial sensor position, then continuously monitors position changes during vehicle operation by detecting planar surfaces in the environment. This combination ensures both initial precision and ongoing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously feeds back sensor position information by detecting planar surfaces and comparing their orientations against expected orientations, allowing real-time detection and correction of position drift without requiring repeated manual calibration.
2Measurement precision
If inertial measurement units are used for calibration, then precise yaw angle can be determined, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The environment depth sensor calibrates itself by detecting planar surfaces in the natural environment and using their known orientations to determine its own position and yaw angle, eliminating the need for external inertial measurement units or specialized calibration equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
Planar surfaces in the environment serve as intermediary reference objects that mediate between the sensor and the vehicle's coordinate system, allowing the sensor to infer its own position and orientation without requiring direct measurement from inertial sensors.
3Ease of manufacture
If manufacturing tolerances are accepted, then production cost is reduced, but sensor position accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on fixed manufacturing tolerances, the system dynamically adapts to the actual sensor position by continuously detecting planar surfaces and computing the sensor's true orientation, allowing standard manufacturing tolerances to be accepted while maintaining high measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for calibrating the yaw angle of an environment depth sensor borne by a vehicle, which includes: a step of storage of data regarding planar surfaces identified by the environment depth sensor, these data including at least information regarding the orientation of the planar surfaces; a step of statistical analysis of the data stored in the database, able to identify a predominant planar-surface orientation, this orientation being parallel to the vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle; a step of computation of a calibration angle, made between this predominant planar-surface orientation, parallel to the vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the environment depth sensor.