Automated Vehicle Steering Around Fixed Sensor View Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated vehicles equipped with limited field-of-view sensors face challenges in detecting objects effectively due to fixed mounting orientations of object detectors, which can lead to varying detection ranges and sensitivities based on the sensor's direction relative to the vehicle's forward direction.
Innovation Solution
An operating system that includes an object detector and a controller, which steers the host vehicle to align a preferred portion of the sensor's field-of-view with detected objects, such as intersections or other vehicles, to enhance detection capabilities by adjusting the vehicle's orientation rather than the sensor's.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the object detector is fixedly attached to the host vehicle with a fixed mounting orientation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the detection range and sensitivity vary based on direction relative to the vehicle's forward direction
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the vehicle's orientation (steering angle) to align the sensor's preferred field-of-view direction with the target object. Instead of making the sensor itself adjustable, the vehicle's direction of travel is dynamically changed to optimize detection conditions, transforming a static sensor mounting into a dynamically adaptable detection system.
2Ease of operation
If the sensor's preferred field-of-view is aligned with the vehicle's forward direction, then the ease of operation is improved, but the detection precision for objects at angles偏离 the forward direction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating the sensor to track objects (the conventional approach), the system inverts the approach by rotating the entire vehicle platform to bring the sensor's fixed preferred viewing direction into alignment with the target. This inversion maintains sensor simplicity while achieving tracking capability through vehicle maneuvering.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple adjustable aiming mechanisms are added to the object detector to improve detection in all directions, then the detection coverage is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's own motion capability is utilized to perform the alignment function that would otherwise require complex adjustable sensor mechanisms. The vehicle steers itself to position the fixed sensor optimally, making the sensor system self-adapting through platform movement rather than requiring additional active components on the sensor itself.
Data Source
AI summary
An operating system for an automated vehicle equipped with limited field-of-view sensors is provided. The system includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector detects objects proximate to a host-vehicle. A field-of-view of the object-detector is characterized by a preferred-portion of the field-of-view, where the preferred-portion is characterized as preferred for using the object-detector. The controller is in communication with the object-detector. The controller steers the host-vehicle to align the preferred-portion with a detected-object. The system optionally includes an intersecting-road-indicator that indicates an intersecting-road connected to an intersection approached by the host-vehicle, and the controller is in communication with the intersecting-road-indicator. The controller designates an intersecting-road as the detected-object, and steers the host-vehicle to align the preferred-portion of the object-detector with the intersecting-road when the host-vehicle approaches the intersection.