Vehicle Environmental Sensor Calibration via Dynamic Movement Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Environmental sensors on vehicles, especially those with suspended components, face calibration inaccuracies due to relative movements, leading to distorted sensor data in overlapping surveillance areas.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that receive movement information to calibrate environmental sensors, compensating for vertical or tilting movements by adjusting calibration parameters, using sensors like leveling sensors, accelerometers, and IMUs to maintain accurate sensor data transformation between sensor and vehicle coordinate systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If environmental sensors are mounted on fixed positions of the vehicle, then the calibration can be performed once and remains stable, but the sensors become subject to relative movements when the vehicle component suspends, leading to calibration inaccuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalibration accuracyVSAvoidability to compensate for vehicle movements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously receives movement information from sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, suspension sensors) and dynamically adjusts calibration parameters based on detected vehicle movements. This feedback loop ensures calibration accuracy is maintained despite changes in sensor position due to suspension, braking, or acceleration events.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The calibration system transitions from a static, one-time calibration to a dynamic, continuous calibration process. The calibration parameters are updated in real-time based on vehicle movement conditions, allowing the system to adapt to changing sensor positions while maintaining accurate object detection and positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If environmental sensors are mounted on suspended vehicle components, then the sensors can accommodate vehicle movements, but the calibration becomes invalid or inaccurate due to relative movements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to accommodate vehicle movementsVSAvoidsensor data accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Movement sensors continuously monitor the position and orientation of suspended vehicle components, providing real-time feedback to the calibration system. This enables dynamic adjustment of calibration parameters to compensate for relative movements, maintaining measurement precision despite the flexibility of suspended mounting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes calibration parameters dynamically based on detected movement conditions. When movements exceed predetermined thresholds, the calibration parameters are adjusted to account for the new sensor position and orientation, ensuring accurate object detection and positioning despite suspended component movements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If calibration parameters are adjusted dynamically based on movement information, then sensor data accuracy is maintained during vehicle operation, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor data accuracyVSAvoidcalibration system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses intermediary sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, suspension sensors) to measure vehicle movements and an intermediary processing system to calculate and apply calibration adjustments. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall complexity by separating the measurement function from the calibration adjustment function, making the system more modular and manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4484999A1Method and apparatus for calibrating an environmental sensor
Publication Date: 2025.01.01 KNORR BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHIZEUGE GMBH
  • EP4484999A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4484999A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4484999A1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A method for calibrating of an environmental sensor (12) of a vehicle (10) is disclosed. The environmental sensor (12) is mounted on a vehicle component (14) subject to a vertical or tilting movement (M) relative to ground (30) and configured to provide sensor data (330). The method includes the steps of receiving (S110) movement information (310) indicative of the vertical or tilting movement (M); and calibrating (S120) the environmental sensor (12) based on the received information (310) to compensate modifications in the sensor data (330) due the vertical or tilting movement (M).