Sensor Fusion Calibration Check via Subfusion Comparison

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Solution Overview

Problem

Calibration of environmental sensors in transportation vehicles degrades over time due to geometric changes, accidents, condensation, and soiling, leading to inaccurate sensor data and degraded functionality of driver assistance systems.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that form subfusions by excluding sensor data from one environmental sensor at a time, comparing fusion results to detect deviations and determine decalibration, using a control unit to provide a check result indicating correct or incorrect calibration of N environmental sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If sensor data from all N environmental sensors is fused together, then the quantity of sensor data increases, but the accuracy deteriorates due to inclusion of decalibrated sensor data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantity of sensor dataVSAvoidaccuracy of sensor data

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the fusion process into N subfusions, where each subfusion processes sensor data from N-1 sensors (excluding one sensor at a time). This segmentation allows identification of decalibrated sensors by comparing results across subfusions, thereby maintaining data quantity while improving accuracy through systematic exclusion of faulty sensor contributions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If sensor data is processed without checking calibration, then the processing speed is high, but the reliability deteriorates due to undetected decalibration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidreliability of sensor data

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary calibration checking by forming N subfusions and comparing their results before final data processing. This preliminary action identifies decalibrated sensors in advance, allowing the system to maintain high processing speed for valid data while ensuring reliability through pre-detection of calibration issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If N subfusions are formed by excluding one sensor at a time, then the measurement precision improves through outlier detection, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of calibration checkVSAvoidcomplexity of fusion process

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the calibration check function with the existing sensor fusion process by forming N subfusions using the same fusion algorithm. This merging approach improves measurement precision through systematic comparison while minimizing additional device complexity, as the subfusions reuse existing fusion capabilities rather than introducing entirely new processing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11520038B2Method and device for checking a calibration of environment sensors

Publication Date: 2022.12.06 VOLKSWAGEN AG

AI summary

A method for checking a calibration of N environmental sensors, wherein the N environmental sensors acquire an environment and each provide sensor data, N subfusions are formed from the acquired sensor data, each of the N subfusions leaves sensor data of one singular one of the N environmental sensors unconsidered upon the fusing, fusion results of the N subfusions are compared to one another, an incorrect calibration of the N environmental sensors is established based on a comparison result, and a check result is provided. Also disclosed are an associated device and a transportation vehicle.