Offset Camera Trailer Pose Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera-based methods for calculating vehicle trailer pose are prone to errors due to not utilizing the constrained nature of trailer movement, leading to reduced accuracy and increased computational complexity.
Innovation Solution
A device and method utilizing a camera offset from the tow bar position, which captures images of the trailer and determines feature correspondences to calculate the trailer's pose using a set of algorithms that minimize error metrics, such as Sampson distance, and exploit the constrained movement of the trailer to estimate yaw, pitch, and roll angles with a minimum of 2 or 3 feature correspondences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing camera-based methods are used to calculate trailer pose, then the system can determine trailer position, but the accuracy is reduced due to not utilizing constrained movement and computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of camera positioning from a standard aligned position to an offset position relative to the tow bar. This parameter change enables the system to exploit the constrained nature of trailer movement, improving pose estimation accuracy while reducing computational complexity by using fewer feature correspondences (2-3 points instead of 8)
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary calibration to determine the exact offset position of the camera from the tow bar and stores this information. This preliminary action enables subsequent pose calculations to leverage the known geometric constraint, improving accuracy without requiring complex real-time computations
2Productivity
If standard 8-point algorithm is used with aligned camera, then feature correspondences can be calculated, but the trailer pose estimation becomes less accurate due to lack of constraint exploitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes the specific geometric constraint of trailer movement (rotation around tow bar axis) from the general camera-trailer system. By taking out this constraint information and incorporating it into the pose calculation, the system achieves higher accuracy with fewer feature correspondences, improving both productivity and precision
Data Source
AI summary
A device for calculating a vehicle trailer pose using a camera is disclosed, including: a camera arranged offset from a tow bar position of the vehicle and configured to capture an image of the trailer; a memory which is configured to provide data at least one intrinsic parameter of the camera; at least one extrinsic parameter of the camera; at least one predefined tow bar position; and a first image from the camera showing the vehicle trailer at a first pose wherein the camera captures a second image showing the trailer at a pose to be determined; a processor configured to provide image analysis and determine at least one feature correspondence between the first image and the second image and calculate a change in the trailer pose between a first pose of the first image and a second pose of the second image based on the determined correspondence.