Method, device and system for configuration of a sensor on a moving object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10958846-B2
Application number	US-201916533669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2019
Priority date	Feb 7, 2017
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A method for configuring a sensor, which is adapted to be installed on a moving object, includes obtaining localization information of the sensor from a localization device, obtaining characteristic information and localization information of at least one element from a digital map, and choosing one or more elements of the at least one element in the digital map. The method also includes configuring the sensor according to the characteristic information and/or the localization information of the one or more chosen elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for configuring a sensor which is adapted to be installed on a moving object, the method comprising:
obtaining, by a data processing device, localization information of the sensor from a localization device;
obtaining, by the data processing device, characteristic information and localization information of at least one element from a digital map;
choosing, by the data processing device, one or more elements of the at least one element in the digital map; and
configuring, by the data processing device, the sensor according to the characteristic information and/or the localization information of the one or more chosen elements,
wherein the configuring, by the data processing device, the sensor according to the characteristic information and/or the localization information of the one or more chosen elements comprises:
obtaining, by the data processing device, an orientation of the sensor;
calculating, by the data processing device, a relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor by using the localization information of the sensor, the localization information of the one or more chosen elements and the orientation of the sensor; and
configuring, by the data processing device, the sensor according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a laser scanner, an image signal recording device, and/or a radar device.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic information of the at least one element comprises:
a type of the at least one element in the digital map,
a dimension information of the at least one element in the digital map, and/or
a correlation coefficient of the at least one element in the digital map.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the localization device comprises:
a global navigation satellite system receiver,
a localization device using cellular signal, or
a localization device using radio signal.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein choosing, by the data processing device, one or more elements of the at least one element in the digital map comprises choosing one or more elements of the at least one element in the digital map according to the characteristic information of the one or more elements of the at least one element, and/or localization information of the one or more elements of the at least one element.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein configuring, by the data processing device, the sensor according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor comprises:
configuring the sensor to aim at the one or more chosen elements according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor; and/or
configuring the sensor to enhance resolution on a scanning area according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, if the sensor comprises at least a laser scanner, then configuring, by the data processing device, the sensor according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor further comprises configuring the at least a laser scanner by increasing the number of laser rays at a scanning area according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, if the sensor comprises the at least an image signal recording device, then configuring, by the data processing device, the sensor according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor further comprises:
focusing the at least an image signal recording device according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor; and/or
zooming the at least an image signal recording device according to the dimension information of the one or more chosen elements in the digital map.

9. A data processing device for configuration of a sensor which is adapted to be installed on a moving object, wherein the data processing device is configured to:
obtain localization information of the sensor from a localization device;
obtain characteristic information and localization information of at least one element from a digital map;
choose one or more elements of the at least one element in the digital map;
configure the sensor according to the characteristic information and/or the localization information of the one or more chosen elements;
obtain an orientation of the sensor;
calculate a relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor by using the localization information of the sensor, the localization information of the one or more chosen elements and the orientation of the sensor; and
configure the sensor according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor.

10. The data processing device according to claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises a laser scanner, an image signal recording device, and/or a radar device.

11. The data processing device according to claim 9 , wherein the characteristic information of the at least one element comprises:
a type of the at least one element in the digital map,
a dimension information of the at least one element in the digital map, and/or
a correlation coefficient of the at least one element in the digital map.

12. The data processing device according to claim 9 , wherein the localization device comprises:
a global navigation satellite system receiver,
a localization device using cellular signal, or
a localization device using radio signal.

13. The data processing device according to claim 9 , wherein the data processing device chooses the at least an element according to the characteristic information of the one or more elements of the at least one element, and/or localization information of the one or more elements of the at least one element.

14. The data processing device according to claim 9 , wherein the data processing device:
configures the sensor to aim at the one or more chosen elements according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor; and/or
configures the sensor to enhance resolution on a scanning area according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor.

15. The data processing device according to claim 9 , wherein, if the sensor comprises at least a laser scanner, the data processing device configures the at least a laser scanner by increasing the number of laser rays at a scanning area according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor.

16. The data processing device according to claim 9 , wherein, if the sensor comprises at least an image signal recording device, the data processing device is further configured to:
focus the at least an image signal recording device according to the relative position of the one or more chosen elements relative to the sensor; and/or
zoom the at least an image signal recording device according to the dimension information of the one or more chosen elements in the digital map.

17. A system comprising:
a data processing device according to claim 1 ; and
at least a sensor.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises at least a laser scanner.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Doemling Maximilian
• Granzow Sebastian
• Jiang Wanli
• Li Qianshan
• Li Rick
• Lv Bill
• Xu Ivan
• Xu Tomas

Classifications

• G06V20/582

  of traffic signs · CPC title

• G06V10/25

  Determination of region of interest [ROI] or a volume of interest [VOI] · CPC title

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• G01S17/89 Primary

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• H04N23/695

  Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects · CPC title