Self-contained mobile sensor calibration structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10397495-B1
Application number	US-201715426685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 7, 2017
Publication date	Aug 27, 2019
Grant date	Aug 27, 2019

Abstract

A mobile calibration room may be used for calibrating one or more sensors used on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A system can include folding or collapsible walls to enable the system to be moved between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the deployed position, the system can comprise a calibration room including one or more 2D or 3D targets used to calibrate one or more sensors (e.g., cameras) on a UAV. The system can include a turntable to rotate the UAV about a first axis during calibration. The system can also include a cradle to rotate the UAV around, or translate the UAV along, a second axis. The turntable can include a frame to rotate the UAV around a third axis during calibration. The mobile calibration room can be coupled to a vehicle to enable the mobile calibration room to be moved between locations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile calibration system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the system comprising:
a trailer to enable the mobile calibration system to be moved using a vehicle; and
a collapsible calibration room comprising:
a floor;
three or more walls configured to be coupled to the floor and moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position;
a ceiling configured to be couple to at least one of the three or more walls and moveable between the stowed position and the deployed position; and
one or more targets disposed on one or more of the three or more walls or the floor;

one or more light sources disposed on the three or more walls or the ceiling to provide illumination inside the collapsible calibration room; and
a turntable supported by the floor to rotate a UAV about a first axis of rotation to enable calibration of one or more cameras on the UAV.

2. The system of claim 1 , the collapsible calibration room further comprising:
one or more telescoping legs to support the three or more walls;
wherein the walls comprise a flexible material to enable the walls to be furled into the stowed position and unfurled into the deployed position.

3. The system of claim 1 , the turntable further comprising a frame to enable the UAV to rotate about a second axis of rotation different from the first axis of rotation.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to execute a calibration routine to calibrate at least one sensor on the UAV, the controller controlling at least one of the one or more light sources and the turntable.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller in communication with the UAV and at least one of the one or more light sources and the turntable;
wherein the UAV is configured to execute a calibration routine to calibrate at least one sensor on the UAV using at least the turntable and the one or more targets; and
wherein the UAV controls the at least one of the one or more light sources and the turntable via the controller.

6. A mobile calibration room system comprising:
a mobile calibration room comprising:
a floor comprising a storage compartment;
at least one wall moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position; and
a ceiling moveable between a first position proximate the floor in the stowed position and a second position in the deployed position;

one or more targets disposed on one or more of the walls or the floor; and
a turntable to rotate an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) about a first axis of rotation to enable calibration of one or more cameras on the UAV;
wherein the UAV is rotated on the turntable with respect to the one or more targets according to a calibration routine to calibrate at least one camera on the UAV.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the one or more targets comprises a three-dimensional (3-D) target, the 3-D target comprising:
a first face comprising at least one of a repeating geometric pattern or a feature configured to be identified during a calibration routine used to calibrate at least one camera on the UAV; and
a second face disposed at an angle to the first face.

8. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a frame disposed on the turntable to enable the UAV to rotate about a second axis.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the frame enables the UAV to rotate about the second axis and a third axis.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the turntable is disposed on a cradle to enable the turntable to at least one of rotate or translate with respect to the mobile calibration room.

11. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
one or more light sources disposed in the mobile calibration room; and
a controller in communication with at least the one or more light sources and the turntable to perform the calibration routine.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a transceiver in communication with at least the controller and the UAV to enable the UAV to control at least the turntable and the one or more light sources to perform the calibration routine.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the floor comprises at least one designated hole to receive at least one of the one or more targets; and
wherein at least one of the one or more targets comprises a target body and a post, the post configured to be placed in the hole.

14. A method comprising:
positioning a mobile calibration system in a first location to calibrate at least one sensor on at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);
moving a plurality of walls of the mobile calibration system from a stowed position to a deployed position to form a mobile calibration room;
receiving a UAV on a turntable, the turntable disposed in the mobile calibration room; and
rotating the UAV about a first axis of rotation with the turntable to rotate at least one sensor on the UAV past a plurality of targets disposed in the mobile calibration room to calibrate the at least one sensor on the UAV.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of walls of the mobile calibration system comprise a flexible material; and
wherein moving four walls of the mobile calibration system from a stowed position to a deployed position to form a mobile calibration room comprises:
moving a roof panel from a first position proximate a floor of the mobile calibration system to a second position distal the floor to unfurl the four walls of the mobile calibration system.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of walls of the mobile calibration system comprise a rigid material; and
wherein moving four walls of the mobile calibration system from a stowed position to a deployed position to form a mobile calibration room comprises:
unfolding the four walls from a first position proximate a floor of the mobile calibration system to a second position approximately 90 degrees from the first position.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
rotating the UAV about a second axis of rotation with a frame located on the turntable to rotate at least one sensor on the UAV past a plurality of targets disposed in the mobile calibration room to calibrate the at least one sensor on the UAV.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein rotating the UAV about the second axis of rotation with the frame located on the turntable further comprises rotating the UAV into a first position to place at least one target of the plurality of targets in a field of view of a side-looking camera and a downward-looking camera on the UAV at the same time.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
rotating the turntable about a second axis of rotation with a cradle located proximate the turntable to rotate at least one sensor on the UAV past a plurality of targets disposed in the mobile calibration room to calibrate the at least one sensor on the UAV.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
moving the plurality of walls of the mobile calibration system from the deployed position to the stowed position; and
positioning a mobile calibration system in a second location to calibrate at least one sensor on at least one other UAV.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Graber Sarah
• Koestinger Martin
• O'Brien Barry James
• Schweighofer Gerald
• Sormann Mario
• Watson Joshua John
• Wilcox Scott Michael

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U80/86

  Land vehicles · CPC title

• B64F5/60

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• B64F1/24

  Adaptations of turntables · CPC title

• H04N17/002 Primary

  for television cameras · CPC title