Integrated Circuit Multi-Function Sensor for Foggy Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity and cost of vehicles equipped with multiple sensors can be reduced by using a single type of sensor, but this may degrade the performance and safety of self-driving vehicles in environments with reduced or obscured visual information.
Innovation Solution
An integrated circuit that performs multiple separate types of measurements, such as time-of-arrival, radar, and LiDAR measurements, using a single sensor, allowing for improved object detection and characterization in various environments, including those with fog or clouds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to improve measurement accuracy and safety, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling a single sensor to perform multiple measurement types (TOA, radar, LiDAR) through different signal processing paths within the integrated circuit. This allows one sensor to replace multiple specialized sensors, reducing system complexity while maintaining measurement precision across different environmental conditions.
2Device complexity
If a single sensor is used to reduce device complexity and cost, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but measurement precision and reliability deteriorate in environments with reduced visual information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the signal processing into multiple separate paths within the integrated circuit, each optimized for different measurement types (TOA, radar, LiDAR). This allows the single sensor to extract different information streams from the same input signal, maintaining measurement precision in various environmental conditions including fog and clouds while using only one physical sensor.
3Reliability
If multiple sensors are used to ensure safety in corner cases, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures reliability in corner cases by enabling a single sensor to provide multiple measurement types through different processing paths. The integrated circuit can generate temporally relevant measurements with appropriate latency for safety-critical decisions, maintaining vehicle safety without requiring multiple specialized sensors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated circuit enables improved measurements of object location, motion, size, and material properties, even in environments with reduced visual information, while reducing the number of sensors needed, thereby lowering costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
acoustic and/or electromagnetic sensors that monitor the surrounding environment to detect other vehicles, people, animals, or obstacles
Implementation Method 2
the separate types of measurements may include time-of-arrival (TOA) measurements
Implementation Method 3
the separate types of measurements may include radar measurements (such as pulse-echo measurements)
Implementation Method 4
the separate types of measurements may include radar measurements (such as pulse-echo measurements) and/or LiDAR measurements
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit that performs multiple separate types of measurements is described. This integrated circuit may include a measurement circuit. Moreover, the integrated circuit may include or may be electrically coupled to at least one sensor. During operation, the integrated circuit may perform the separate types of measurements of or associated with an object in an environment with reduced or obscured information in a visual band of frequencies. For example, the environment with reduced or obscured information may include fog or a cloud. Note that performing of the separate types of measurements may include: filtering measurements based at least in part on velocity relative to ground; and providing data streams having different spatial frequencies and sampling rates based at least in part on the filtering.