Fleet Sensor Calibration for Autonomous Warehouse Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inventory systems, such as those in mail order warehouses and supply chain distribution centers, face challenges in calibrating sensors on autonomous vehicles due to the high cost and time-consuming nature of calibration fixtures, which can lead to reduced sensor accuracy and propagated errors across fleets.
Innovation Solution
A method where a fleet of mobile drive units sequentially calibrate their sensors using a calibration fixture, determining local and fleet-wide correction factors to correct for sensor misalignment and fixture errors, allowing for improved sensor performance without the need for expensive calibration fixtures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If calibration fixtures are used to calibrate sensors on autonomous vehicles, then sensor accuracy is improved, but the cost and installation time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the calibration fixture in the form of a digital twin that exists in the simulation environment. This digital replica contains all the geometric and physical properties of the physical calibration fixture, allowing sensors to be calibrated using virtual images captured in simulation without requiring the actual physical fixture to be present during calibration operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical calibration fixture system with a software-based simulation system. Instead of using physical optical components, mirrors, and precision mechanical assemblies, the invention uses computer graphics rendering and image processing algorithms to perform calibration, eliminating the need for complex mechanical hardware while achieving equivalent or superior calibration accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If calibration fixtures are installed for sensor calibration, then calibration accuracy is improved, but the installation time and operational disruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs calibration operations in advance within a virtual environment before the autonomous vehicle is deployed to the real world. The digital twin of the calibration fixture is pre-configured in the simulation environment, allowing all necessary calibration data to be captured and stored beforehand, so that when the vehicle is deployed, calibration can be performed instantly using pre-captured virtual images without requiring physical fixture installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the calibration fixture in the form of a digital twin that exists in the simulation environment. This digital replica contains all the geometric and physical properties of the physical calibration fixture, allowing sensors to be calibrated using virtual images captured in simulation without requiring the actual physical fixture to be present during calibration operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If expensive calibration fixtures are deployed across multiple locations, then calibration coverage is improved, but the cost and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal calibration system where a single physical calibration fixture serves multiple purposes and locations through its digital twin. The virtual replica can be instantiated and used in any simulation environment, allowing the same calibration fixture to provide calibration coverage across multiple virtual locations and vehicle types without requiring physical duplication of the expensive hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the calibration fixture in the form of a digital twin that exists in the simulation environment. This digital replica contains all the geometric and physical properties of the physical calibration fixture, allowing sensors to be calibrated using virtual images captured in simulation without requiring the actual physical fixture to be present during calibration operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An inventory management system can include a fleet of mobile drive units. The mobile drive units can detect, using a sensor, calibration data associated with a calibration fixture. The calibration of the sensors can be updated based on the calibration data. The calibration data for the fleet of mobile drive units can be used determine a correction factor. The correction factor can be applied to the fleet of mobile drive units to further update the calibration of the sensors.