Systems and methods for determining a vehicle location in a manufacturing environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11816859-B2
Application number	US-202117364136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2021
Priority date	Jun 30, 2021
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A method for determining a location of a vehicle including one or more image sensors in a manufacturing environment includes determining, when a key cycle transition condition of the vehicle and a vehicle gear transition condition of the vehicle are satisfied, a location parameter of the vehicle based on an image including a location tag and a previous image obtained from the one or more image sensors. The method includes determining a vehicle time period based on the image and the previous image. The method includes validating a manufacturing routine of the vehicle when the location parameter satisfies a location condition and the vehicle time period satisfies a time condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining a location of a vehicle including one or more image sensors in a manufacturing environment, the method comprising:
determining, when a key cycle transition condition of the vehicle and a vehicle gear transition condition of the vehicle are satisfied, a location parameter of the vehicle based on an image including a location tag and a previous image obtained from the one or more image sensors;
determining a vehicle time period based on the image and the previous image; and
validating a manufacturing routine of the vehicle when the location parameter satisfies a location condition and the vehicle time period satisfies a time condition.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the key cycle transition condition of the vehicle is satisfied when the vehicle transitions between an on state and an off state within a threshold key cycle time.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the threshold key cycle time is based on a predetermined elapsed time value after the vehicle transitions between a parked state and a non-parked state.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the vehicle gear transition condition of the vehicle is satisfied when the vehicle transitions between a parked state and a non-parked state within a threshold gear cycle time.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the threshold gear cycle time is based on a predetermined elapsed time value after the vehicle transitions between an on state and an off state.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location tag is a fiducial marker including position indicia that identifies a predefined position coordinate of the location tag.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising decoding the fiducial marker to identify the predefined position coordinate of the location tag in the image, wherein the location parameter is determined based on the predetermined position coordinate of the location tag, and wherein the location parameter indicates a location of the vehicle, a movement of the vehicle, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the movement of the vehicle is determined based on the predefined position coordinate of the location tag in the image and a decoded position coordinate of an additional location tag associated with the previous image.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle time period is further based on a timestamp of the image and a previous timestamp of the previous image.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the location parameter indicates whether the vehicle has moved from a first location to a second location; and
the vehicle time period indicates a difference between (i) a first timestamp associated with the previous image obtained from the one or more image sensors when the vehicle is at the first location and (ii) a second timestamp associated with the image obtained from the one or more image sensors when the vehicle is at the second location.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the location condition is satisfied when the location parameter indicates the vehicle has moved from the first location to the second location; and
the time condition is satisfied when the vehicle time period indicates the difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp is less than a threshold value.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing routine is validated when an operational parameter of the vehicle satisfies an operation condition.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the operation condition is satisfied when a diagnostic trouble code of the vehicle, as the operational parameter, is remedied.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing routine is an end-of-line testing routine.

15. A system for determining a location of a vehicle in a manufacturing environment, the vehicle including one or more image sensors and a communication circuit, the system comprising:
a processor; and
a nontransitory computer-readable medium including instructions that are executable by the processor, wherein the instructions include:
determining a location parameter of the vehicle based on an image including a location tag and a previous image, wherein the image and the previous image are obtained when a key cycle transition condition of the vehicle and a vehicle gear transition condition of the vehicle are satisfied, and wherein:
the location tag is a fiducial marker including position indicia that identifies a predefined position coordinate of the location tag;
the key cycle transition condition of the vehicle is satisfied when the vehicle transitions between an on state and an off state within a threshold key cycle time; and
the vehicle gear transition condition of the vehicle is satisfied when the vehicle transitions between a parked state and a non-parked state within a threshold gear cycle time;

determining a vehicle time period based on the image and the previous image; and

validating a manufacturing routine of the vehicle when the location parameter satisfies a location condition and the vehicle time period satisfies a time condition.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further comprise decoding the fiducial marker to identify the predefined position coordinate of the location tag, wherein the location parameter is determined based on the predetermined position coordinate of the location tag, and wherein the location parameter indicates a location of the vehicle, a movement of the vehicle, or a combination thereof.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle time period is further based on a timestamp of the image and a previous timestamp of the previous image.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein:
the location parameter indicates whether the vehicle has moved from a first location to a second location; and
the vehicle time period indicates a difference between (i) a first timestamp associated with the previous image obtained from the one or more image sensors when the vehicle is at the first location and (ii) a second timestamp associated with the image obtained from the one or more image sensors when the vehicle is at the second location.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein:
the location condition is satisfied when the location parameter indicates the vehicle has moved from the first location to the second location; and
the time condition is satisfied when the vehicle time period indicates the difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp is less than a threshold value.

20. A method for determining a location of a vehicle including one or more image sensors in a manufacturing environment, the method comprising:
determining, when a key cycle transition condition of the vehicle and a vehicle gear transition condition of the vehicle are satisfied, a location parameter of the vehicle based on an image including a location tag and a previous image obtained from the one or more image sensors, wherein:
the location tag is a fiducial marker including position indicia that identifies a predefined position coordinate of the location tag;
the key cycle transition condition of the vehicle is satisfied when the vehicle transitions between an on state and an off state within a threshold key cycle time; and
the vehicle gear transition condition of the vehicle is satisfied when the vehicle transitions between a parked state and a non-parked state within a threshold gear cycle time;

determining a vehicle time period based on the image and the previous image; and

validating a m

Assignees

• Ford Motor Co

Inventors

• Stanek Joseph
• Murray Allen R
• Liaqat Fahad
• Taylor Daniel Robert
• Imam Sikder
• Zine Charles Robert Maxwell

Classifications

• G06T7/73 Primary

  using feature-based methods · CPC title

• G06T2207/10016

  Video; Image sequence · CPC title

• G07C3/005 Primary

  during manufacturing process · CPC title

• G06Q10/08 Primary

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• G06T7/70

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title