Unified Sensor Calibration Target for Multi-Modal Vehicle Sensors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles and sensor-laden vehicles face challenges in accurately calibrating sensors due to manufacturing defects and environmental factors, leading to inconsistent sensor readings and potential safety risks, as existing calibration methods are inefficient and do not account for intrinsic and extrinsic properties of sensors.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic calibration scene with an automated turntable and sensor calibration targets that absorb heat differently from a substrate, allowing sensors to capture data at various orientations and calibrate by mapping representations of targets to known positions, correcting for lens distortion and other sensor imperfections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate calibration targets are used for different sensor types, then each sensor can be calibrated individually, but the calibration process becomes time-consuming and requires multiple separate procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple calibration targets for different sensor types (visible light camera, infrared camera, RADAR) into a single integrated calibration target. This unified target contains all necessary calibration features for multiple sensors simultaneously, allowing one calibration procedure to calibrate all sensors rather than requiring separate calibration processes for each sensor type.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration target is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple sensor types. It includes visible light reflective features for camera calibration, infrared absorptive features for thermal camera calibration, and radar-reflective features for RADAR calibration, all in a single target structure that can be used across different sensor calibration procedures.
2Reliability
If traditional calibration methods are used that do not account for sensor properties, then the calibration process is simpler, but sensor readings remain inconsistent and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a unified calibration target as an intermediary object that mediates between multiple sensors and the calibration process. This target serves as a common reference that all sensors can observe and use to establish consistent coordinate systems and calibration parameters, enabling reliable cross-sensor data fusion while maintaining a relatively simple calibration setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration target incorporates features with different physical properties (reflectivity, absorptivity, radar cross-section) that interact differently with various sensor types. By designing features with specific parameter characteristics tailored to each sensor type, the target enables accurate calibration across multiple sensor modalities within a single unified structure.
3Measurement precision
If manufacturing defects and environmental factors are not accounted for, then the calibration setup is simpler, but sensor readings drift over time and become inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration target utilizes composite construction with different materials optimized for specific sensor interactions. It incorporates visible light reflective materials, infrared absorptive materials, and radar-reflective materials in a single integrated target, allowing each material to address specific sensor types while compensating for manufacturing variations and environmental factors through the complementary properties of the composite structure.
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 enhances the efficiency, comprehensiveness, and consistency of sensor calibration, transforming uncalibrated sensors into calibrated states, improving the accuracy of environmental perception and reducing the risk of accidents by aligning sensor data with real-world positions.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor calibration target includes a substrate and includes markings on the substrate. The markings absorb more heat from a heat source than the substrate
Implementation Method 2
The substrate is configured to reflect the heat from the heat source
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor calibration target includes dark markings on a light substrate. The dark markings absorb more heat from a heat source than the light substrate, and are visually distinguishable from the light substrate. Thus, the dark markings are discernable by the both a camera and an infrared sensor of a vehicle during vehicle sensor calibration. The sensor calibration target may otherwise non-metallic but include a metallic feature for calibrating a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor. The sensor calibration target may also include one or more apertures in the substrate for calibrating a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor.