Parking Garage Climate Calibration for Vehicle Ultrasonic Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasonic sensors in motor vehicles face reliability issues during temperature transitions, leading to inaccurate distance measurements due to the need for temperature probes to adjust, which can result in incorrect readings when engine temperatures are high or when moving between high and low environmental temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that establish a communication link between the motor vehicle and a vehicle-external unit in a parking garage to acquire climate-specific data, such as temperature and humidity, to calibrate the sensors, ensuring they are adjusted for precise operation, particularly by arranging measuring points to provide accurate climate data for sensor calibration and interpolation based on the vehicle's position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If temperature probes installed in the vehicle are used to adjust ultrasonic sensors, then the sensors can be calibrated for distance measurement, but the temperature readings are incorrect when engine temperatures are high or during transitions between high and low environmental temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external temperature probe installed in the parking garage environment as an intermediary device to measure the actual environmental temperature. This external probe acts as a mediator between the ultrasonic sensor system and the temperature parameter, providing accurate temperature data without being influenced by the vehicle's internal engine heat. The measured temperature from this intermediary source is then used to calibrate the ultrasonic sensor, resolving the contradiction between needing temperature calibration and avoiding incorrect temperature readings from vehicle-mounted probes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If vehicle-mounted temperature probes are used for sensor calibration, then the system can adapt to temperature changes, but the probes require adjustment time during temperature transitions and provide incorrect readings when engine temperatures are high
Solution Approach 1:
The external temperature probe serves as an intermediary that immediately provides accurate environmental temperature data without requiring adaptation time. Since this probe is located in the parking garage environment rather than inside the vehicle, it directly measures the ambient temperature that affects ultrasonic wave propagation, eliminating the delay associated with vehicle-mounted probes needing to adapt from engine heat to environmental temperature.
3Ease of operation
If ultrasonic sensors are used for distance measurement in parking garages, then the maneuvering procedure can be assisted, but the measurement accuracy deteriorates when temperature conditions change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the ultrasonic sensor's measurement parameters based on the environmental temperature. The system measures the actual temperature using an external probe and uses this temperature parameter to compensate for changes in the speed of sound in air. This parameter adjustment ensures that distance measurements remain accurate despite temperature variations in the parking garage environment, maintaining both ease of operation and measurement precision.
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 approach enhances the reliability and precision of ultrasonic sensors in motor vehicles during maneuvering procedures in parking garages by adapting sensor sensitivity to environmental conditions, ensuring accurate distance measurements and safe autonomous or manual vehicle navigation.
Implementation Method 1
Ultrasonic sensors function according to the echo sounding principle. In so doing, the ultrasonic sensors transmit brief ultrasonic pulses that are reflected by the objects in the environment of the motor vehicle. After transmitting the ultrasonic pulse, the ultrasonic sensors then receive the reflected signals, or respectively ultrasonic pulses.
Implementation Method 2
By using the propagation time between transmitting the ultrasonic pulse and receiving the reflected ultrasonic pulse and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic pulse in air, the distances from the motor vehicle to the object are ascertained by the ultrasonic sensor
Implementation Method 3
By using the propagation time between transmitting the ultrasonic pulse and receiving the reflected ultrasonic pulse and the speed of sound of the ultrasonic pulse in air, the distances from the motor vehicle to the object are ascertained
Implementation Method 4
Motor vehicles themselves may have a temperature sensor or a temperature probe by means of which the ultrasonic sensor can be adjusted
Data Source
AI summary
A method for assisting a maneuvering procedure of a motor vehicle in a parking garage is disclosed, wherein the motor vehicle moves within the parking garage during the maneuvering procedure from a drop-off site in the parking garage to a predetermined position in the parking garage, wherein the maneuvering procedure of the motor vehicle is monitored by at least one sensor of the motor vehicle, comprising the steps: establishing a communication link between a controller of the motor vehicle and a vehicle-external unit of the parking garage; transmitting climate-specific measured data that are acquired by at least one measuring point in the parking garage from the at least one measuring point to the vehicle-external unit, and calibrating the at least one sensor of the motor vehicle depending on the climate-specific measured data.