Interior Sensor Calibration Using Exterior Tags
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for calibrating in-cabin sensors in vehicles require precise placement of tags by technicians, which is time-consuming and prone to errors, increasing the assembly time and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The system uses exterior features, such as tags located outside the vehicle, to calibrate interior sensors by generating sensor data that includes these features visible through the vehicle's transparent components, allowing for automated calibration without the need for precise tag placement inside the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If calibration technicians place tags at various locations within the interior of the vehicle, then the sensor can be calibrated with respect to the reference coordinate system, but the process becomes time-consuming and increases assembly line time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional calibration approach by placing calibration tags outside the vehicle rather than inside. The interior sensor captures images of these external tags through the vehicle's transparent components (windows), allowing calibration to proceed without technicians physically placing tags inside the cabin. This reversal eliminates the time-consuming manual tag placement while maintaining calibration accuracy through the known spatial relationship between the external tags and the vehicle's reference coordinate system.
2Measurement precision
If calibration technicians determine the correct locations and orientations of tags with extreme precision, then the in-cabin sensors can be calibrated accurately, but the process becomes more difficult and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the calibration tags from the vehicle interior and positions them outside the vehicle. This removal eliminates the need for technicians to precisely determine tag locations and orientations inside the cabin, as the external tags are positioned in fixed, known locations relative to the vehicle's reference coordinate system. The calibration complexity is reduced while maintaining accuracy through the external tag positioning approach.
3Measurement precision
If calibration technicians place and remove tags from the vehicle, then the sensor calibration can be performed, but the total assembly time associated with the vehicles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by positioning the calibration tags outside the vehicle before the calibration process begins. The tags are placed in fixed, known locations in the environment surrounding the vehicle, establishing a predetermined spatial relationship with the vehicle's reference coordinate system. This preliminary external positioning eliminates the need for time-consuming tag placement and removal operations during the calibration process, thereby increasing vehicle assembly throughput while maintaining calibration accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
In various examples, interior sensor calibration using exterior features for autonomous systems and applications is described herein. Systems and methods are disclosed that use one or more features that are located exterior to a vehicle, such as one or more tags located in the environment surrounding the vehicle, to determine one or more values for one or more calibration parameters that calibrate an interior sensor of the vehicle with respect to a reference coordinate system of the vehicle. For instance, such as when the vehicle is located at a calibration station, the sensor may generate sensor data representing a sensor representation, where at least a portion of the sensor representation is associated with a feature that is visible through a transparent component (e.g., a window) of the vehicle. The sensor data may then be used to calibrate the sensor with respect to the coordinate system.