Sensor-Only Roadway Calibration Targets for Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sensor calibration methods for autonomous vehicles, which rely on visible signs or markers, are distracting, prone to error, and not suitable for dynamic environments, posing safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A roadway sign with low-visibility markers or calibration targets integrated into existing road infrastructure, designed to be visible only to computer sensors, allowing for precise and continuous calibration of autonomous vehicle sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visible signs or markers are used for sensor calibration, then calibration can be performed, but human drivers are distracted or misled reducing road safety
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration target is designed with differential visibility properties: it appears invisible to the human eye in normal conditions but becomes clearly visible to autonomous vehicle sensors under specific detection conditions. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by making the target effective for calibration while harmless to human drivers.
Solution Approach 2:
The target utilizes materials or structures that respond to specific sensor parameters (such as infrared reflection, LiDAR wavelength reflection, or thermal signatures) rather than visible light parameters. By changing the detection parameter from visible spectrum to sensor-specific spectrum, the target achieves calibration functionality without causing visual distraction to human drivers.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If self-calibration using environmental cues is used, then no visible signs are needed, but calibration is prone to error in changing environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration target is pre-installed in the environment with known, fixed geometric properties and positions. This preliminary placement provides a stable reference that autonomous vehicles can use for calibration without needing to adapt to changing environmental conditions, thereby improving reliability while remaining invisible to humans.
Solution Approach 2:
The target enables autonomous vehicles to perform self-calibration reliably by providing consistent, machine-detectable reference features that do not require human intervention or interpretation. The target serves the calibration function automatically for sensor systems while remaining imperceptible to human drivers.
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
Ensures accurate and reliable sensor calibration, reducing the risk of misinterpretation and accidents, while being unobtrusive to human drivers and adaptable to changing environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
LiDAR systems emit and detect near-infrared light, so surfaces that strongly reflect this wavelength, like titanium dioxide-based paints, are highly visible to these sensors
Implementation Method 2
LiDAR involves the irradiation of a laser, with near-infrared wavelengths, thousands of times per second onto an object. It then detects the reflected light and, based on the time measurement, determines the distance to the object with high resolution and accuracy
Implementation Method 3
LiDAR sensors are calibrated using a grid pattern to establish a precise geometric relationship between the sensor's internal components and its external environment. The LiDAR sensor scans the target, generating a point cloud of the grid's corners. By comparing the measured distances and angles of these points to their known positions, the sensor's intrinsic and extrinsic parameters can be accurately determined
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a roadway sign that is visible only to computer sensors, specifically designed for calibrating autonomous vehicle sensors. The roadway sign uses low-visibility markers or calibration targets integrated into existing road infrastructure. The sign is not visible to human drivers, ensuring no distraction or confusion. A roadway sign that is invisible to the human eye but detectable by computer sensors, such as those found in autonomous vehicles, streamlines the calibration process. Continuous, reliable and frequent calibration ensures that the sensor data remains accurate, reducing the risk of misinterpretation that can lead to accidents.