Map Annotation for Dynamic Sensor Calibration Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles equipped with sensors face challenges in maintaining accurate calibration due to sensor drift and varying environmental conditions, which can compromise autonomous navigation and require inconvenient recalibration processes.
Innovation Solution
A calibration system that annotates a map with suitability parameters for sensor calibration, allowing the vehicle to dynamically route to optimal calibration locations and adjust sensor settings accordingly, ensuring accurate sensor data and reducing the need for manual recalibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are used to perceive the surrounding environment, then the vehicle can navigate autonomously, but sensor drift and calibration issues occur over time reducing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs calibration actions automatically during normal vehicle operation without requiring separate calibration events. The calibration process is integrated into the ongoing autonomous driving operations, so calibration is done in advance and continuously rather than requiring scheduled service appointments.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle performs self-calibration using its own sensor suite and the surrounding environment. The system independently detects calibration drift and executes recalibration procedures without external intervention, using naturally occurring environmental features as calibration targets during regular operation.
2Measurement precision
If complex calibration processes are implemented to maintain sensor accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but ease of operation deteriorates due to scheduling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle autonomously manages its own calibration needs by continuously monitoring sensor performance and automatically executing recalibration procedures when drift is detected, eliminating the need for user intervention or scheduling.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration system transitions from static, scheduled calibration events to dynamic, on-demand calibration triggered by actual sensor performance metrics. The system adaptively adjusts calibration timing based on real-time drift detection, making the process responsive to actual needs rather than following a fixed schedule.
3Measurement precision
If traditional calibration methods requiring specific preconfigured environments are used, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases due to location constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration system uses the vehicle's existing sensor suite and standard driving environments for calibration, eliminating the need for specialized calibration equipment or controlled environments. The same sensors used for autonomous driving are repurposed for calibration, and ordinary road environments serve as calibration grounds.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the calibration approach from requiring controlled environmental parameters to utilizing naturally varying environmental parameters during normal operation. Instead of maintaining fixed calibration conditions, the system adapts to and uses the varying conditions of regular driving environments to perform calibration.
Data Source
AI summary
System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving calibration of an onboard sensor of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to acquiring sensor data from a surrounding environment of the vehicle using the onboard sensor, analyzing the sensor data to determine calibration parameters for the onboard sensor. The method includes identifying a suitability parameter that characterizes how well the surrounding environment provides for determining the calibration parameters. The method includes generating annotations within a map that specify at least the suitability parameter for a location associated with the sensor data. In further aspects, the method includes identifying, from the map, a calibration route for the vehicle that is a deviation from a current route in response to determining that the calibration state of the onboard sensor does not satisfy the calibration threshold.