Vehicle Lateral Localization Using Multi-Orientation Sensor Fusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle localization systems face challenges in accurately determining lateral position, especially when forward-facing sensors fail or are obstructed, leading to degraded data due to environmental conditions or technical failures, resulting in potential errors in vehicle control.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle localization system with a control system that utilizes a primary sensor arrangement and additional sensor arrangements with different orientations, such as rear-facing and side-facing sensors, to provide redundant data and improve accuracy and robustness of lateral localization, even when primary sensors fail or are obstructed, by using a method to estimate lane curvature and control vehicle position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If forward-facing sensors are used for lane detection and localization, then lateral position accuracy can be maintained under normal conditions, but the system becomes vulnerable to sensor failure, obstruction, or environmental degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor system reliabilityVSAvoidsensor arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system is segmented into multiple independent sensor arrangements with different orientations (forward-facing, rear-facing, side-facing). Each sensor arrangement can independently detect lane markings from its specific viewpoint, ensuring that failure or obstruction of one arrangement does not compromise the entire localization system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Data from multiple sensor arrangements with different orientations are merged and combined in the control system. By fusing information from forward-facing, rear-facing, and side-facing sensors, the system creates a more robust and reliable localization solution that overcomes the limitations of any single sensor arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If additional sensor arrangements are added to provide redundancy and improve reliability, then lateral localization robustness improves, but system complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelateral localization robustnessVSAvoidnumber of sensor arrangements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each sensor arrangement is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting lane markings, determining vehicle position, and providing redundancy for other sensor arrangements. The rear-facing and side-facing sensors not only provide backup data but also contribute to overall localization accuracy through data fusion, maximizing the utility of each additional sensor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If estimation from past data is used when sensors provide no data, then localization can continue, but time delay is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocalization continuityVSAvoidlocalization response time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection using rear-facing and side-facing sensors to capture lane marking information before the vehicle reaches positions where forward-facing sensors might be obstructed. This preliminary action ensures that localization data is continuously available without requiring estimation from past data, thereby eliminating time delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3953228B1Vehicle localisation
Publication Date: 2024.11.20 JAGUAR LAND ROVER LTD
  • EP3953228B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3953228B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3953228B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Aspects of the present invention relate to a control system for a host vehicle, vehicle comprising the control system and a method for estimating a lateral position of a host vehicle. The host vehicle comprises a first sensor arrangement disposed at a first orientation relative to the host vehicle and at least one additional sensor arrangement, each additional sensor arrangement being disposed at an orientation relative to the host vehicle that is different to the first orientation. First sensor information is received from the first sensor arrangement and additional sensor information is received from each additional sensor arrangement. A lateral position of the vehicle relative to a roadway is determined using the additional sensor information if all or part of the first sensor information is interrupted and an output is provided in dependence on the determined lateral position.