Sidepod Stereo Camera System for Autonomous Vehicle Hazard Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in detecting and navigating through complex urban environments due to limitations in recognizing and understanding potential hazards, particularly in blind spots and low-speed maneuvers, where current sensor systems may lack depth perception and field of view.
Innovation Solution
A sidepod stereo camera system is integrated into autonomous vehicles, featuring stereo cameras mounted in sidepod housings with wide-angle or fish-eye lenses, providing extensive field of view and depth perception, which activates and deactivates based on vehicle speed and caution conditions to enhance hazard detection and navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If stereo cameras are mounted in sidepod housings with wide-angle lenses to expand field of view and improve depth perception, then hazard detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stereo cameras are nested within the existing sidepod housing structure, utilizing the available space efficiently. The cameras are positioned within the housing to achieve the desired field of view without requiring additional external mounting structures, thereby improving depth perception while minimizing increases in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third dimension to hazard detection by implementing stereo vision technology. The sidepod housing is configured to position two cameras at different lateral positions, creating a baseline that enables depth perception through triangulation. This dimensional approach allows the system to perceive distance and spatial relationships that single cameras cannot detect.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the sidepod stereo camera system is activated based on vehicle speed and caution conditions, then energy consumption is reduced, but the system response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system transitions from a static always-on state to a dynamic conditional activation state. The control system continuously monitors vehicle speed and caution condition parameters, activating the stereo cameras only when conditions warrant enhanced hazard detection (such as low-speed maneuvers or high-caution situations). This dynamic approach reduces energy consumption during normal cruising while maintaining safety during critical operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes its operational parameters based on vehicle state. Activation decisions are made by evaluating parameters such as vehicle speed thresholds and caution condition flags. When these parameters indicate a need for enhanced perception (e.g., speed below a threshold or caution condition true), the camera system transitions from inactive to active state, optimizing the balance between energy consumption and response time.
Data Source
AI summary
A sidepod stereo camera system for an autonomous vehicle (AV) includes a sidepod housing mounted to the AV, a view pane coupled to the sidepod housing, and a stereo camera mounted within the sidepod housing. The stereo camera has a field of view extending outward from the sidepod housing through the view pane. A control system of the sidepod stereo camera system or the AV can conditionally activate and deactivate the sidepod stereo camera system when needed.