Lateral Ultrasonic Sensing for Vehicle Obstacle Height Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing parking assistance systems for vehicles struggle to accurately measure the lateral environment, particularly failing to identify double echoes and reconstruct object contours, especially when obstacles are shadowed by others.
Innovation Solution
A method using lateral ultrasonic transceivers that trilaterate multiple reflection points from echo signals, forming pairs based on position criteria to determine object heights, enabling more accurate reconstruction of surrounding obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional ultrasonic transceivers are used to measure lateral surroundings, then the system can detect objects in the lateral environment, but it fails to accurately identify double echoes and reconstruct object contours, especially when obstacles are shadowed by others
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement process into multiple transmit and receive positions along the lateral direction of travel. By controlling the ultrasonic transceiver at multiple discrete positions and performing trilateration for each position, the system divides the complex measurement task into manageable segments that can be individually processed and combined to form a complete picture of the lateral environment, enabling accurate detection of object heights and contours.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension by moving the ultrasonic transceiver along the lateral direction of travel rather than using a single fixed position. This dimensional change enables trilateration calculations that incorporate position information, allowing the system to distinguish between direct and indirect echoes by analyzing reflection points from multiple spatial perspectives, thereby resolving the double echo identification problem.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple transmit and receive positions are used for trilateration, then the number of meaningful measurement points increases, but the complexity of the measurement process and data processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs trilateration calculations for each transmit and receive position before combining the results. By pre-calculating reflection points and their positions at each discrete location along the lateral travel path, the system organizes measurement data in a structured manner that facilitates subsequent processing. This preliminary action at multiple positions generates a comprehensive set of measurement points that can be efficiently analyzed to determine object heights and contours.
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
This method generates a higher number of meaningful measurement points, allowing for improved detection of recessed obstacles and enhancing the accuracy of parking assistance systems, including semi- or fully autonomous parking.
Implementation Method 1
transmit a signal in a transverse direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle and receiving a respective received signal waveform reflected from the lateral environment
Implementation Method 2
determine the distance to objects in the lateral surroundings based on the travel time between transmitting a signal and receiving the corresponding echo signal
Implementation Method 3
Forming a set of reflection points by repeatedly trilating a respective reflection point in the lateral environment based on two received signal waveforms from the multitude of received signal waveforms
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an ultrasonic measuring method, having the steps of: actuating an ultrasonic transceiver at a plurality of transmitting-receiving positions along a lateral direction in order to transmit a respective transmission signal in a transversal direction and receiving a respective reception signal curve; identifying a number of echo signals in each reception signal curve; forming a number of reflection points in that each reflection point is trialerated multiple times using two respective reception signal curves and a respective echo signal from each of the two reception signal curves and then stored in the number of reflection points; forming multiple pairs of a primary reflection point and a secondary reflection point which are identified as reflection points of a direct or indirect reflection on the same object section using a position-based criterion; and e) determining the object height at each reflection point of the reflection points as being high if the reflection point is a primary reflection point of one of the formed pairs and as low if no pair has been formed with the corresponding reflection point as a primary or secondary reflection point. The method can generate a high number of informative measurement points. The invention additionally relates to a measuring device and to a vehicle.