Ultrasonic Obstacle Detection via Virtual Indirect Wave TOF Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasonic sensor systems for vehicle parking struggle to accurately determine whether obstacles are within or outside the parking path, leading to potential collisions and inefficient parking processes due to noise interference and inaccurate noise filtering methods.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining the presence of ultrasonic noise in time-of-flight (TOF) data, generating virtual objects and indirect wave TOFs based on received ultrasonic wave data, and comparing these with real wave TOFs to accurately assess the location of obstacles relative to the parking path, using noise determination units and virtual object generation to filter out dynamic and static noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional ultrasonic sensor systems are used for obstacle detection during parking, then the system can detect objects near the vehicle, but the accuracy of determining whether obstacles are inside or outside the parking path deteriorates due to noise interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments ultrasonic waves into direct waves (emitted and received by the same sensor) and indirect waves (emitted by one sensor and received by another). By separating and independently analyzing these two types of waves, the system can distinguish between actual obstacles and noise, improving the reliability of obstacle location determination while maintaining detection accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If ultrasonic noise filtering is applied to improve obstacle detection accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but the complexity of the detection system increases due to additional processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the ultrasonic sensors themselves to generate both direct and indirect waves, and the processing unit analyzes the relationship between these two types of waves to identify and filter noise. This self-service approach allows the system to improve detection accuracy without requiring additional external filtering devices or complex external processing systems.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple ultrasonic sensors are installed to improve coverage area, then the detection area increases, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring noise increases due to more signal sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses direct waves as an intermediary to identify noise. By comparing indirect waves against the corresponding direct waves from the same sensor, the system can identify noisy indirect waves that do not correspond to actual obstacles. This intermediary approach allows the system to handle multiple sensors effectively without proportionally increasing noise detection difficulty.
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
This approach enables more accurate and safer parking by reliably determining the position of obstacles relative to the parking path, reducing noise interference and improving the accuracy of obstacle detection, thus enhancing the overall parking experience.
Implementation Method 1
The ultrasonic sensors detect objects by emitting ultrasonic waves and then receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected by the objects
Implementation Method 2
determining whether an ultrasonic noise exists in the time of flights (TOFs) of the ultrasonic waves reflected by an object and received
Data Source
AI summary
A determining method for obstacles includes determining whether an ultrasonic noise exists in TOF of an ultrasonic wave reflected by an object and received; generating a virtual object on an outline of a parking path that a vehicle is to move on based on the received ultrasonic wave TOF; generating virtual indirect wave TOF using the virtual object; and determining whether the object is located inside or outside the outline of the parking path by comparing real indirect wave TOF, which is indirect wave TOF among the received ultrasonic wave TOFs, with the virtual indirect wave TOF.