Infrastructure Sensor Localization via Vehicle Data Fusion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for determining the location of infrastructure sensors on a map require specific hardware, such as GPS systems, and struggle to fuse data from various sources for autonomous and semiautonomous vehicle operations effectively.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses a computer with executable instructions to identify the location and orientation of a vehicle on a map, determining the infrastructure sensor's location based on vehicle and infrastructure sensor data, including point-cloud data, without requiring specific hardware like GPS, and enables data fusion for navigation and control in autonomous and semiautonomous modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If GPS hardware is used to determine infrastructure sensor location, then location accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation accuracyVSAvoidhardware requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces GPS hardware-based location determination with a computational method that uses sensor data fusion and coordinate transformations. Instead of relying on dedicated positioning hardware, the system uses existing sensor data (IMU, camera, radar) combined with map data to calculate infrastructure sensor locations through mathematical transformations between coordinate systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces map data and coordinate transformation algorithms as intermediaries to bridge the gap between vehicle sensor data and infrastructure sensor location determination. The map serves as a reference framework, and coordinate transformations act as mathematical mediators to convert sensor measurements into accurate location information without requiring direct GPS hardware at the infrastructure sensor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multiple data sources are fused for location determination, then reliability is improved, but computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata fusion accuracyVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data fusion process into distinct coordinate transformation steps: first transforming vehicle sensor data into vehicle coordinate system, then transforming to map coordinate system using map data. This segmentation allows each transformation to be handled independently with appropriate algorithms, reducing overall computational complexity while maintaining reliability through systematic multi-source data integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11754415B2Sensor localization from external source data
Publication Date: 2023.09.12 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC
  • US11754415B2 patent drawing
  • US11754415B2 patent drawing
  • US11754415B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system includes a computer including a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a location and an orientation of a vehicle on a map. The instructions include instructions to determine a location of an infrastructure sensor on the map based on the location and the orientation of the vehicle, data from a vehicle sensor, and data from the infrastructure sensor.