Portable apparatus, system, and method for calibrating a vehicular electromagnetic sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11009587-B2
Application number	US-201815982640-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2018
Priority date	Jun 30, 2017
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for calibrating an electromagnetic sensor of a vehicle. Calibration is performed by positioning a calibration apparatus at known positions relative to the electromagnetic sensor of the vehicle, and taking measurements with respect to each known position. The calibration apparatus disclosed herein further comprises adjustable components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic sensor calibration apparatus operable to calibrate an electromagnetic sensor of a vehicle in conjunction with a diagnostic tool configured to place the vehicle's electromagnetic sensor system into a calibration mode, the apparatus comprising:
a tracking-alignment reference structure configured to provide a transverse axis to a wheel-tracking of the vehicle;
a primary alignment structure having a first sub-structure configured to be substantially horizontal during calibration, a second sub-structure coupled to the first sub-structure and configured to be substantially upright during calibration, a reflective-surface plate coupled to the second sub-structure and operable to reflect electromagnetic waves emitted from the electromagnetic sensor, and a verticality instrument configured to measure the alignment of the reflective-surface plate with respect to a horizontal plane; and
a linear-distance instrument operable to align the reflective-surface plate to be substantially parallel to the transverse axis,
wherein the reflective-surface plate is coupled to the second sub-structure such that the reflective-surface olate may be adjusted to an angle with respect to the second sub-structure, and
wherein the reflective-surface plate is coupled to the second sub-structure in part by a number of spring-loaded screws and in part by a pivoting connective structure, wherein the pivoting connective structure forms a pivot point between the reflective-surface plate and the second sub-structure, and wherein the second sub-structure further comprises a crossbar offset from both the spring-loaded screws and the pivoting connective structure, the crossbar further coupled to a quick-adjustment pivot mechanism in contact with the reflective-surface plate, the quick-adjustment pivot mechanism operable to tilt the reflective-surface plate about the pivot point between the reflective-surface plate and the second sub-structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first sub-structure further comprises three foot structures, wherein at least one of the foot structures is height-adjustable.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one adjustable foot structure is height-adjustable such that the vertical angle of the reflective-surface plate is finely adjusted during calibration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second sub-structure is coupled to the first sub-structure using a connective joint, the connective joint operable to permit angle adjustments between the first sub-structure and the second sub-structure such that the reflective-surface plate is finely adjusted with respect to its angle formed with the first sub-structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the connective joint further permits the reflective-surface plate to assume any angle within the range of 0 degrees to 180 degrees with respect to the first sub-structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reflective-surface plate has a flatness of at least 0.12 mm.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reflective-surface plate is made from one of glass, mirrored glass, or aluminum.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first angle a between the first sub-structure and second structure is substantially 88 degrees, and the quick adjustment pivot mechanism is operable to provide a second additional angle y between the second sub-structure and the reflective-surface plate, in two-degree increments, between zero and four degrees.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein,
the first sub-structure comprises a plurality of adjustable foot structures operably coupled thereto, at least one of the plurality of foot structures being height-adjustable such that the vertical angle of the reflective-surface plate is finely adjusted during calibration;
wherein the second sub-structure is coupled to the first sub-structure using a connective joint, the connective joint operable to permit angle adjustments between the first sub-structure and the second sub-structure such that the reflective-surface plate is finely adjusted with respect to its angle formed with the first sub-structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tracking-alignment reference structure is removeably attached to the primary alignment structure when not in use during calibration.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the linear-distance instrument may be removeably attached to the primary alignment structure, and wherein the primary structure further comprises a storage enclosure, the storage enclosure having internal dimensions large enough such that the linear-distance instrument may be disposed entirely within the storage enclosure.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the linear-distance instrument comprises one of an optical rangefinder or a sonic rangefinder.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reflective-surface plate is substantially aligned with the second sub-structure, the second sub-structure is substantially aligned with the first sub-structure, the tracking-alignment reference structure is removeably attached to the primary alignment structure, and the primary alignment structure further comprises a handle operable to support the apparatus when transported.

14. An electromagnetic sensor calibration system operable to calibrate an electromagnetic sensor of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a diagnostic tool configured to communicate with the vehicle's electromagnetic sensor system to calibrate the electromagnetic sensor;
a tracking-alignment reference structure configured to provide a transverse axis to a wheel-tracking of the vehicle by contacting rear wheels on the vehicle;
a primary alignment structure having a first sub-structure configured to be substantially horizontal during calibration, a second sub-structure coupled to the first sub-structure and configured to be substantially upright during calibration, a reflective-surface plate coupled to the second sub-structure and operable to reflect electromagnetic waves emitted from the electromagnetic sensor, and a verticality instrument coupled to the reflective-surface plate, the verticality instrument configured to measure the alignment of the reflective-surface plate with respect to a horizontal plane and aid placement of the reflective-surface plate in a substantially perpendicular alignment with the horizontal plane; and
a linear-distance instrument operable to align the reflective-surface plate to be substantially parallel to the transverse axis,
wherein the reflective-surface late is coupled to the second sub-structure such that the reflective-surface plate may be adjusted to an angle with respect to the second sub-structure, and wherein the reflective-surface plate is coupled to the second sub-structure in art by a number of spring-loaded screws and in part by a pivoting connective structure, wherein the pivoting connective structure forms a pivot point between the reflective-surface plate and the second sub-structure, and wherein the second sub-structure further comprises a crossbar offset from both the spring-loaded screws and the pivoting connective structure, the crossbar further coupled to a quick-adjustment pivot mechanism in contact with the reflective-surface plate, the quick-adjustment pivot mechanism operable to tilt the reflective-surface olate about the pivot point between the reflective-surface plate and the second sub-structure.

15. A method for utilizing a portable electromagnetic sensor calibration system comprising a foldable primary alignment structure to calibrate an electromagnetic sensor of a vehicle having a plurality of wheels, the method compris

Assignees

• Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Conrad Michael
• Pendygraft Robert
• Prusinowski Andrew

Classifications

• G01S7/4026 Primary

  Antenna boresight · CPC title

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S17/88

  Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G01S7/4086

  in a calibrating environment, e.g. anechoic chamber · CPC title

• G01S2013/93271

  in the front of the vehicles · CPC title