Sensor calibration facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11435456-B2
Application number	US-201715857372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2017
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

In one embodiment, a facility for calibrating sensors of an autonomous vehicle (AV) includes a camera calibration target configured to be measured by and used for calibrating an optical camera of the AV; a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) calibration target configured to be measured by and used for calibrating a LiDAR transceiver of the AV; and a platform configured to allow the AV to drive onto and park on the platform. The camera calibration target and the LiDAR calibration target are positioned to be detectable by the optical camera and the LiDAR transceiver while the AV is parked on the platform. The platform is further configured to modify a lateral position, height, or orientation of the optical camera and the LiDAR transceiver relative to the camera calibration target and the LiDAR calibration target while the AV is parked on the platform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A facility for calibrating sensors of a vehicle, comprising:
a computing system capable of (i) determining, based on sensor data of the vehicle, an indication of the sensors of the vehicle, (ii) determining a plurality of different calibration paths in the facility, and (iii) selecting, based on the indication of the sensors of the vehicle, a calibration path from among the plurality of different calibration paths suitable for calibrating the sensors based on the indication of the sensors of the vehicle;
a plurality of service stations capable of performing one or more services on the vehicle;
a platform controlled by the computing system and configured to be guided along the selected calibration path defined by a track to reach the plurality of service stations in the facility, wherein the platform is configured to transport the vehicle through the facility along the selected calibration path and receive the one or more services at the plurality of service stations;
at least one of a camera calibration target or a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) calibration target arranged along the selected calibration path at a first calibration position, wherein the platform is configured to transport the vehicle through the facility along the selected calibration path to the first calibration position, and wherein the camera calibration target and the LiDAR calibration target are configured to be detectable by an optical camera and a LiDAR sensor associated with the sensors of the vehicle, respectively, while the vehicle is en route along the selected calibration path to or from a service station of the plurality of service stations;
while the vehicle is en route along the selected calibration path to or from the service station, the platform is capable of modifying at least one of a lateral position, height, or orientation of the vehicle to calibrate at least one of the optical camera or the LiDAR sensor at the first calibration position;
subsequent to determining that calibration of at least one of the optical camera or the LiDAR sensor has been completed at the first calibration position, the platform is configured to transport the vehicle from the first calibration position to a second calibration position in the facility along the selected calibration path based on the indication of the sensors of the vehicle; and
one or more additional calibration targets arranged along the selected calibration path at the second calibration position and configured to be detectable by one or more additional sensors of the sensors of the vehicle, wherein the platform is capable of further modifying a lateral position, height, or orientation of the vehicle to calibrate at least one of the one or more additional sensors at the second calibration position.

2. The facility of claim 1 , further comprising one or more calibration targets configured to calibrate an inertial measurement unit, a radio-frequency transceiver, or an ultrasonic sensor of the vehicle.

3. The facility of claim 1 , further comprising a moveable holder for holding the camera calibration target or the LiDAR calibration target, wherein the moveable holder is configured to modify a lateral position, height, or orientation of the camera calibration target or the LiDAR calibration target relative to the vehicle while the optical camera or the LiDAR sensor, respectively, is being calibrated, wherein the moveable holder is attached to a ceiling of the facility or affixed to a wall of the facility.

4. The facility of claim 1 , further comprising a projector configured to project the camera calibration target onto a projection surface of the facility, wherein the projector is configured to selectively modify the camera calibration target while the optical camera is being calibrated.

5. The facility of claim 1 , further comprising an additional camera calibration target and an additional LiDAR calibration target and wherein at least one of the additional camera calibration target or the additional LiDAR calibration target is held by a moveable holder.

6. The facility of claim 1 , wherein the platform is configured to modify at least one of the lateral position, the height, or the orientation of the vehicle subsequent to at least one of the camera calibration target or the LiDAR calibration target being detected by at least one of the optical camera or the LiDAR sensor.

7. The facility of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more additional calibration targets configured to be measured by and used for calibrating at least one of the optical camera or the LiDAR sensor while the vehicle is en route along the selected calibration path.

8. The facility of claim 1 , wherein the camera calibration target and the LiDAR calibration target are configured to concurrently calibrate the optical camera and the LiDAR sensor.

9. The facility of claim 1 , further comprising one or more calibration targets arranged around an entryway to the facility and configured to be detectable by the sensors associated with the vehicle prior to the vehicle entering the facility.

10. A method comprising, by a computing system:
determining, based on sensor data of a vehicle, an indication of sensors of the vehicle;
determining a plurality of different calibration paths in a facility;
selecting, based on the indication of the sensors, a calibration path from among a plurality of different calibration paths in the facility suitable for calibrating the sensors based on the indication of the sensors of the vehicle;
transporting the vehicle supported by a platform through the facility along the selected calibration path defined by a track, wherein the platform is configured to be guided along the selected calibration path to reach (i) a plurality of service stations in the facility capable of performing one or more services on the vehicle and (ii) at least one of a camera calibration target or a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) calibration target arranged along the selected calibration path at a first calibration position and configured to be detectable by an optical camera and a LiDAR sensor associated with the sensors of the vehicle, respectively, while the vehicle is en route along the selected calibration path to or from a service station of the plurality of service stations;
while the vehicle is en route along the selected calibration path to or from the service station, adjusting the platform so as to modify at least one of a lateral position, height, or orientation of the vehicle to calibrate at least one of the optical camera or the LiDAR sensor at the first calibration position;
subsequent to determining that calibration of at least one of the optical camera or the LiDAR sensor has been completed at the first calibration position, transporting the vehicle supported by the platform from the first calibration position to a second calibration position in the facility along the selected calibration path based on the indication of the sensors of the vehicle, wherein one or more additional calibration targets are arranged along the selected calibration path at the second calibration position and configured to be detectable by one or more additional sensors of the sensors of the vehicle; and
adjusting the platform so as to further modify a lateral position, height, or orientation of the vehicle to calibrate at least one of the one or more additional sensors at the second calibration position.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising one or more additional calibration targets configured to be used to calibrate an inertial measurement unit, a radio-frequency transceiver, or an ultrasonic sensor of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10 , furth

Assignees

• Lyft Inc

Inventors

• Abari Farzad Cyrus Foroughi
• Briggs Forrest Samuel
• Starns Alexander Thomas

Classifications

• G01S17/86

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

• G01S7/497 Primary

  Means for monitoring or calibrating · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S7/4972 Primary

  Alignment of sensor · CPC title