Apparatus and method for calibrating and aligning automotive sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11993282-B2
Application number	US-202117347896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2021
Priority date	Jun 15, 2020
Publication date	May 28, 2024
Grant date	May 28, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for calibrating and aligning automotive sensors, such as advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) sensors. Embodiments include a system having an image sensor mounted on a fixture in a known pose relative to the fixture. The image sensor is for viewing a target disposed on a vehicle and having a known pose relative to the vehicle, and for capturing image data of the target. A data processor is provided for performing the steps of calculating, using the image data, a pose of the target; calculating a pose of the image sensor relative to the vehicle using the calculated pose of the target; and generating instructions for positioning the fixture at a predetermined pose relative to the vehicle using the calculated pose of the image sensor relative to the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a fixture;
a first image sensor mounted on the fixture in a known pose relative to the fixture, the first image sensor being for viewing a first target disposed on a vehicle and having a known pose relative to the vehicle, and for capturing image data of the first target;
a tip target having a target body, a tip extending from the target body, and a tip point at a distal end of the target body, the tip point having a known position relative to the target body; and
a data processor for performing the steps of:
calculating, using the image data, a pose of the first target;
calculating a pose of the first image sensor relative to the vehicle using the calculated pose of the first target;
when the tip point of the tip target is placed on a body of the vehicle at a predetermined ADAS reference point such that the first image sensor views the tip target body and the first target to capture image data of the tip target body and the first target, calculating a pose of the tip target body relative to the first image sensor using the image data;
calculating a position of the ADAS reference point relative to the first image sensor using the calculated pose of the tip target body and the calculated pose of the first target, and
guiding a user to position the ADAS calibration fixture at a predetermined pose relative to the ADAS reference point using the calculated spatial relationship of the ADAS reference point relative to the first image sensor;
wherein the ADAS reference point has a stationary position relative to the vehicle body when the vehicle is rolling.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is for generating instructions for guiding the user using a user interface.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first target is mounted to a wheel of the vehicle, or the first target comprises a plurality of predetermined points on a wheel of the vehicle, or the first target is mounted to the vehicle body.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the data processor is for performing the steps of:
monitoring the calculated pose of the first target; and
alerting the user that the vehicle has moved when the calculated pose of the first target changes more than a predetermined amount for a predetermined time.

5. The system of claim 2 , further comprising an accelerometer or orientation sensor mounted to the vehicle, wherein the data processor is for performing the steps of monitoring the accelerometer or orientation sensor; and
alerting the user that the vehicle has moved when a measurement of the accelerometer or orientation sensor changes more than a predetermined amount.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fixture is for carrying an ADAS calibration element at a known pose relative to the fixture, and the data processor is for guiding the user to position the ADAS calibration element at a predetermined pose relative to the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the fixture comprises a movable base and a height-adjustable crossbar for carrying the ADAS calibration element and the first image sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a communications device for communicating with the data processor and with the vehicle;
wherein the data processor is for sending information to the vehicle regarding calibration of an ADAS sensor of the vehicle, and receiving information regarding the calibration of the ADAS sensor from the vehicle, via the communications device.

9. A system comprising:
a fixture;
a first image sensor mounted on the fixture in a known pose relative to the fixture, the first image sensor being for viewing a first target disposed on a vehicle and having a known pose relative to the vehicle, and for capturing image data of the first target;
a data processor for performing the steps of:
calculating, using the image data, a pose of the first target;
calculating a pose of the first image sensor relative to the vehicle using the calculated pose of the first target;
generating instructions for positioning the fixture at a predetermined pose relative to the vehicle using the calculated pose of the first image sensor relative to the vehicle; and
generating the instructions for guiding a user using a user interface; and
a peripheral target disposed on a floor surface in view of the first image sensor, and
an ADAS calibration fixture rigidly attached to the peripheral target in a known pose relative to the peripheral target;
wherein the first image sensor is for capturing image data of the peripheral target and of the first target; and
wherein the data processor is for calculating a pose of the peripheral target relative to the first image sensor using the captured image data of the peripheral target, calculating a pose of the peripheral target relative to the vehicle using the calculated pose of the first target and the calculated pose of the peripheral target, and for guiding the user to position the ADAS calibration fixture at a predetermined pose relative to the vehicle using the calculated pose of the peripheral target relative to the vehicle using the user interface.

10. A system comprising:
a fixture;
a first image sensor mounted on the fixture in a known pose relative to the fixture, the first image sensor being for viewing a first target disposed on a vehicle and having a known pose relative to the vehicle, and for capturing image data of the first target;
a data processor for performing the steps of:
calculating, using the image data, a pose of the first target;
calculating a pose of the first image sensor relative to the vehicle using the calculated pose of the first target; and
generating instructions for positioning the fixture at a predetermined pose relative to the vehicle using the calculated pose of the first image sensor relative to the vehicle;
a second image sensor mounted on the fixture in a known or calculated pose relative to the first image sensor, the second image sensor being for viewing a second target disposed on the vehicle and having a known pose relative to the vehicle, and for capturing image data of the second target, wherein the first image sensor is for viewing a first side of the vehicle and the second image sensor is for viewing a second side of the vehicle opposite the first side of the vehicle, and
a tip target having a target body, a tip extending from the target body, and a tip point at a distal end of the target body, the tip point having a known position relative to the target body;
wherein the data processor is for performing the steps of:
when the tip point of the tip target is placed sequentially against a plurality of contact points on a floor surface, including contact points on the first and second sides of the vehicle, such that the first image sensor views the tip target body and the first target, and the second image sensor views the tip target body and the second target to respectively capture image data of the target body and the first and second targets, calculating a pose of the tip target body relative to the respective first or second image sensor, using the image data, at each of the plurality of points of the floor surface;
calculating a position of each of the contact points relative to the vehicle using the calculated poses of the tip target body and first and second targets, and
calculating a floor plane on which the vehicle is supported using the calculated position of each of the contact points.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the contact points on the floor surface is adjacent a wheel of the vehicle.

12. A system comprising:
a fixture spaced from a vehicle;
a first image sensor mounted on the fixture

Assignees

• Snap On Incorporated

Inventors

• Rogers Steven W
• Jackson David A
• Sellers Eric R
• Swayne Ronald D
• Harrell James Rodney
• Robinson Chance
• D'Agostino Robert J

Classifications

• B60W60/001 Primary

  Planning or execution of driving tasks · CPC title

• G06T7/85 Primary

  Stereo camera calibration · CPC title

• H04W4/48

  for in-vehicle communication · CPC title

• B60W2420/403

  Image sensing, e.g. optical camera · CPC title

• B60W2520/28

  Wheel speed · CPC title