Sensor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11623558-B2
Application number	US-201716333011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2017
Priority date	Sep 15, 2016
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

A left front camera (11) is adapted to be mounted on a left front lamp (1LF) of a vehicle to obtain external information of at least ahead of the vehicle. A right front LiDAR sensor (12), a type of which is different from the camera (11), is adapted to be mounted on a right front lamp (1RF) of the vehicle to obtain external information of at least ahead of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
sensors mounted on a left lamp of the vehicle to obtain external information of at least in a front or a rear of the vehicle; and
sensors mounted on a right lamp of the vehicle to obtain external information of at least in the front or the rear of the vehicle,
wherein the sensors mounted on the left lamp include a first combination of plural types of sensors including a first sensor and a second sensor;
wherein the second sensors mounted on a left lamp includes a second combination of plural types of sensors including a first sensor and a second sensor;
wherein the first sensor of the left lamp and the first sensor of the second lamp are provided at locations that mirror one another; and
wherein the first sensor of the left lamp and the first sensor of the right lamp are different types of sensors.

2. The sensor system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first sensor of one of the left lamp and the right lamp is a camera; and
wherein the first sensor of the other of the left lamp and the right lamp is a LiDAR sensor.

3. The sensor system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first sensor of one of the left lamp and the right lamp is a millimeter wave radar; and
wherein the first sensor of one of the left lamp and the right lamp is a LiDAR sensor.

4. The sensor system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first sensor of one of the left lamp and the right lamp is a millimeter wave radar; and
wherein the first sensor of one of the left lamp and the right lamp is an ultrasonic sensor.

5. The sensor system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first sensor of one of the left lamp and the right lamp is a millimeter wave radar; and
wherein the first sensor of one of the left lamp and the right lamp is a camera.

6. The sensor system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the identical type of sensor is a camera, a LiDAR sensor, a millimeter wave radar, or an ultrasonic sensor.

7. The sensor system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third sensor mounted in the left lamp to obtain external information of at least in a left of the vehicle; and
a fourth sensor mounted in the right lamp to obtain external information of at least in a right of the vehicle,
wherein a type of the third sensor is identical to a type of the fourth sensor.

8. The sensor system according to claim 7 ,
wherein the type of the third sensor and the type of the fourth sensor are different from each of the type of the first sensor and the type of the second sensor.

9. A sensor system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
a first sensor mounted on a left lamp of the vehicle to obtain external information of at least in a front or a rear of the vehicle;
a second sensor mounted on a right lamp of the vehicle to obtain external information of at least in the front or the rear of the vehicle;
a third sensor mounted on the left lamp of the vehicle to obtain external information of at least in a left of the vehicle; and
a fourth sensor mounted on the right lamp of the vehicle to obtain external information of at least in a right of the vehicle, wherein a sensing range of the first sensor and a sensing range of the second sensor overlap each other at least partially;
wherein a type of the first sensor and a type of the second sensor are different from each other; and
wherein a type of the third sensor and a type of the fourth sensor are identical with each other but are different from each of the type of the first sensor and the type of the second sensor.

10. The sensor system according to claim 9 ,
wherein one of the first sensor and the second sensor is a camera; and
wherein the other one of the first sensor and the second sensor is a LiDAR sensor.

11. The sensor system according to claim 9 ,
wherein one of the first sensor and the second sensor is a millimeter wave radar; and
wherein the other one of the first sensor and the second sensor is a LiDAR sensor.

12. The sensor system according to claim 9 ,
wherein one of the first sensor and the second sensor is a millimeter wave radar; and
wherein the other one of the first sensor and the second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

13. The sensor system according to claim 9 ,
wherein one of the first sensor and the second sensor is a millimeter wave radar; and
wherein the other one of the first sensor and the second sensor is a camera.

Assignees

• Koito Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fushimi Yoshiaki
• Hori Takashi
• Yamamoto Teruaki
• Kasaba Yusuke

Classifications

• G01S2013/93277

  in the lights · CPC title

• G01S13/865

  Combination of radar systems with lidar systems · CPC title

• G01S17/93

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• B60R11/04

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title