Vehicle Multi-Sensor Assembly for Wider Rear and Side View
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sensors mounted on vehicles, particularly at the front, have limited views behind and alongside the vehicle due to their proximity, resulting in acute angles that restrict their field of view.
Innovation Solution
Configure the sensor assembly such that the sensor with the most backward-facing imaging direction has its field of view origin farthest from the vehicle, using positioning and imaging-redirection mechanisms to enhance the view behind and alongside the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If sensors are mounted close to the vehicle at the front portion, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the field of view behind and alongside the vehicle becomes limited due to acute angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the sensor mounting from a single-point front mounting to a distributed arrangement along the front portion of the vehicle. Sensors are positioned at different longitudinal distances from the vehicle, creating a multi-dimensional sensor network that expands the effective field of view while maintaining operational simplicity through standardized mounting interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system is divided into multiple independent sensor units distributed along the front portion of the vehicle. Each sensor captures data from a specific angular sector, and the combined data from all sensors provides comprehensive coverage behind and alongside the vehicle, resolving the field of view limitation while keeping individual sensor mounting simple.
2Device complexity
If sensors are positioned at acute angles to the vehicle side, then the device complexity is reduced, but the view behind the vehicle and along the side of the vehicle is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-angle sensor configuration to a multi-angular distributed sensor array. Sensors are positioned at various angles and longitudinal positions along the front portion of the vehicle, creating a three-dimensional sensing network that captures information from multiple directions simultaneously, thereby eliminating blind spots behind and alongside the vehicle without requiring complex individual sensor mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor assembly contains at least first and second sensors configured to perform imaging from a portion of a vehicle, each sensor having a respective field of view (FOV) based on an imaging direction of the sensor, each sensor having an FOV origin. The sensor assembly is configured to be disposed at the portion of the vehicle such that (i) the first and second sensors' FOV origins are each outboard from the vehicle, (ii) the first and second sensors' imaging directions are each within 90 degrees in yaw of being parallel to the backward direction of the vehicle, (iii) the first sensor's imaging direction is closer in yaw than the second sensor's imaging direction to being parallel to the backward direction of the vehicle, and (iv) the first sensor's FOV origin is more outboard from the vehicle than the second sensor's FOV origin.