Virtual Sensor Configuration for Vehicle Navigation Blind Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for vehicular sensor design and placement, particularly using LIDAR sensors, are costly and inefficient in complex environments due to high manufacturing costs and reliance on polygon intersection methods that are not optimal in realistic scenarios.
Innovation Solution
The development of a method to determine an optimal spatiotemporal sensor configuration using simulation of virtual sensors, where a virtual vehicle model with virtual sensors is created to segregate its viewing range into frustums, generate a geometric viewport, and render a virtual point cloud to identify optimal sensor configurations and blind spots, allowing for improved sensor placement and navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If LIDAR sensors are used for vehicular design and verification, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of LIDAR sensors and environments to simulate sensor behavior and verify vehicular design. Virtual sensors generate synthetic point cloud data that replicates real sensor measurements, enabling design verification without physical prototypes. This copying approach maintains measurement precision evaluation while eliminating expensive manufacturing and testing of actual LIDAR hardware.
2Reliability
If polygon intersection methods are used for sensor design and placement, then coverage analysis is performed, but computational complexity increases in dense environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex geometric polygon intersection calculations with ray-casting methods in virtual simulations. Instead of computing intersections between multiple polygonal sensor fields, the system uses simplified ray emission from virtual sensor positions to determine coverage. This substitution maintains coverage reliability assessment while dramatically reducing computational complexity in dense environmental scenarios.
3Productivity
If virtual sensor simulation is implemented, then sensor configuration optimization is improved, but computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial simulation by rendering only the necessary portions of virtual point clouds required for sensor configuration evaluation. Instead of fully simulating all sensor positions and environments, the system selectively processes configurations based on priority metrics, using excessive computation only where needed to achieve optimal sensor placement. This approach improves optimization productivity while controlling computational energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for determination of an optimal spatiotemporal sensor configuration for navigation of a vehicle include generating a model of a virtual vehicle operating in an environment. The model of the virtual vehicle includes a virtual sensor having a virtual viewing range. The virtual viewing range of the virtual sensor is segregated into frustums. The virtual viewing range of the virtual sensor corresponds to a viewing range of a sensor of a vehicle operating in the environment. A geometric viewport is generated including pixels. The geometric viewport has a height corresponding to a number of rays emitted from the virtual sensor. The geometric viewport is segregated into sections. Each section corresponds to a frustum. A virtual point cloud of the virtual sensor is rendered. The virtual point cloud includes coordinate positions representing a portion of the environment located within the virtual viewing range of the virtual sensor.