Vehicle Ultrasonic Height Tracking for Path Obstacle Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic sensor configurations struggle to accurately distinguish between objects with low heights and those with high heights due to their coplanar or collinear geometry, leading to ambiguity in height determination and inadequate safety measures.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular sensing system that combines ultrasonic sensor data analysis with machine learning classification models to determine object height by analyzing echo properties and geometric distribution of 2D points, using a two-pass approach to enhance accuracy and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional ultrasonic sensor configurations with coplanar or collinear geometry are used, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the measurement precision of object height is degraded due to inability to accurately distinguish between low and high objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from analyzing 2D point cloud data to computing 3D height values by introducing the vertical dimension. The height computation module calculates height as the difference between maximum and minimum Z-coordinates (height = Z_max - Z_min) from the 3D point cloud, enabling accurate distinction between low and high objects that 2D analysis cannot achieve.
2Reliability
If conventional ultrasonic sensor configurations are used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of safety measures is degraded due to ambiguity in height determination
Solution Approach 1:
The system computes 3D height by analyzing the vertical distribution of points in the point cloud. By calculating height = Z_max - Z_min and comparing it against threshold values (first threshold for low objects, second threshold for high objects), the system reliably distinguishes between object types, eliminating the ambiguity present in 2D analysis.
3Measurement precision
If 3D point cloud analysis with height computation is implemented, then the measurement precision of object height is improved, but the processing time and computational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary filtering and organization of the point cloud data before height computation. By pre-processing the sensor data to identify and organize points belonging to detected objects, and by efficiently computing height from the organized 3D coordinates, the system reduces the computational burden and processing time required for accurate height measurement.
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
The system effectively classifies objects as high or low, enabling timely and appropriate safety maneuvers by differentiating hazardous obstacles from non-hazardous ones, thereby improving vehicle safety and performance.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor disposed at a vehicle... senses exterior of the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture sensor data
Implementation Method 2
utilizes one or more ultrasonic sensors at a vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular sensing system includes a sensor disposed at a vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle. The sensor is operable to capture sensor data. The vehicular sensing system, via processing the sensor data, determines two-dimensional (2D) points each associated with an object and determines width of the object based on a spatial distribution of a subset of the 2D points associated with the object. The vehicular sensing system determines height of the object based on (i) 2D points associated with the object and (ii) the determined width. The vehicular sensing system, based on movement of the equipped vehicle relative to the object, determines whether the object is within a path of travel of the equipped vehicle. Responsive to (i) the object being within the path of travel and (ii) the determined height of the object exceeding a height threshold, the vehicle is maneuvered to avoid the object.