Vehicle sensor configuration based on map data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10848718-B2
Application number	US-201815920946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2018
Priority date	Mar 8, 2018
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle perception sensor adjustment system includes a perception-sensor, a digital-map, and controller-circuit. The perception-sensor is configured to detect an object proximate to a host-vehicle. The perception-sensor is characterized as having a field-of-view that is adjustable. The digital-map indicates a contour of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle. The controller-circuit in communication with the perception-sensor and the digital-map. The controller-circuit determines the field-of-view of the perception-sensor in accordance with the contour of the roadway indicated by the digital-map, and outputs a control-signal to the perception-sensor that adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor.

First claim

We claim:

1. A vehicle perception sensor adjustment system, the system comprising:
a perception-sensor configured to detect an object proximate to a host-vehicle, wherein the perception-sensor is characterized as having a field-of-view that is adjustable;
a digital-map that indicates a contour of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle; and
a controller-circuit in communication with the perception-sensor and the digital-map, the controller-circuit configured for:
determining a travel path of the host-vehicle,
determining the field-of-view of the perception-sensor in accordance with the contour of the roadway indicated by the digital-map and the travel path of the host-vehicle,
outputting a first control-signal to the perception-sensor, wherein the first control-signal adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to exclude a portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle,
determining that the host-vehicle has traversed the excluded portion of the roadway, and
upon the determination, outputting a second control-signal to the perception-sensor, wherein the second control-signal readjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to a maximum-field-of-view.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle includes an upward-slope-portion of the roadway, and the controller adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to exclude the upward-slope-portion of the roadway.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle includes a lateral-curvature of the roadway, and the controller adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to exclude an outside-area characterized as outside of the lateral-curvature of the roadway.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller-circuit further determines a heading of the host-vehicle, and wherein the field-of-view of the perception-sensor is determined further in accordance with the heading of the host-vehicle.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein adjusting the field-of-view of the perception-sensor comprises reconfiguring the perception-sensor to capture perception-data from less than the maximum field-of-view.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the perception-sensor includes one or more of a camera, a radar unit, or a LIDAR unit, and wherein adjusting the field-of-view of the perception-sensor comprises reconfiguring one or more of the camera, the radar unit, or the LIDAR unit to capture perception-data from less than the maximum field-of-view.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the perception-data comprises one or more of an image from the camera, a radar map from the radar unit, or a point cloud from the LIDAR unit.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein adjusting the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to exclude a portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle comprises one or more of:
reducing the field-of-view laterally to exclude one or more of a left-portion or a right-portion of the maximum-field-of-view, or
reducing the field-of-view vertically to exclude one or more of an upper-portion, or
a lower-portion of the maximum-field-of-view.

9. A controller for a vehicle perception sensor adjustment system, said controller comprising:
an input that receives perception-data from a perception-sensor configured to detect an object proximate to a host-vehicle, wherein the perception-sensor is characterized as having a field-of-view that is adjustable;
a digital-map that indicates a contour of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle; and
a processor in communication with the perception-sensor and the digital-map, wherein the processor is configured for:
determining a travel path of the host-vehicle;
determining the field-of-view of the perception-sensor in accordance with the contour of the roadway indicated by the digital-map and the travel path of the host-vehicle,
outputting a first control-signal to the perception-sensor, wherein the first control-signal adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to exclude a portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle,
determining that the host-vehicle has traversed the excluded portion of the roadway, and
upon the determination, outputting a second control-signal to the perception-sensor, wherein the second control-signal readjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to a maximum-field-of-view.

10. The controller in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle includes an upward-slope-portion of the roadway, and the processor adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to exclude the upward-slope-portion of the roadway.

11. The controller in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle includes a lateral-curvature of the roadway, and the processor adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to exclude an outside-area characterized as outside of the lateral-curvature of the roadway.

12. A method of operating a vehicle perception sensor adjustment system, the method comprising:
providing a perception-sensor configured to detect an object proximate to a host-vehicle, wherein the perception-sensor is characterized as having a field-of-view that is adjustable;
receiving, from a digital-map, a contour of a roadway traveled by a host-vehicle;
determining a travel path of the host-vehicle;
determining the field-of-view of a perception-sensor in accordance with the contour of the roadway indicated by the digital-map and the travel path of the host-vehicle;
outputting a first control-signal to the perception-sensor, wherein the first control-signal adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to exclude a portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle;
determining that the host-vehicle has traversed the excluded portion of the roadway; and
upon the determination, outputting a second control-signal to the perception-sensor, wherein the second control-signal readjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor to a maximum-field-of-view.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein determining the field-of-view includes excluding an upward-slope-portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle in response to a determination that the contour of the roadway indicates the upward-slope-portion of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle.

14. The method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein determining the field-of-view includes excluding an outside-area of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle in response to a determination that the contour of the roadway indicates a lateral-curvature of the roadway ahead of the host-vehicle.

15. The method in accordance with claim 12 , further comprising:
determining a heading of the host-vehicle, and wherein the field-of-view of the perception-sensor is determined further in accordance with the heading of the host-vehicle.

16. The method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein adjusting the field-of-view of the perception-sensor comprises reconfiguring the perception-sensor to capture perception-data from less than the maximum field-of-view.

17. The method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the perception-sensor includes one or more of a camera, a radar unit, or a LIDAR unit, and wherein adjusting the field-of-view of the perception-sensor comprises reconfiguring one or more of the camera, the radar unit, or the LIDAR unit to capture perception-data from less than the maximum field-of-view.

18. The meth

Assignees

• Aptiv Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Ozbilgin Guchan
• Xu Wenda
• Snider Jarrod M
• Wang Yimu
• Yang Yifan
• Wei Junqing

Classifications

• G01S13/931 Primary

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S2013/9322

  using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data · CPC title

• H04N7/185 Primary

  from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control · CPC title

• G01S17/86

  Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders · CPC title