Apparatus and method for detecting alignment of sensor in an automotive detection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018341007-A1
Application number	US-201715602590-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2017
Priority date	May 23, 2017
Publication date	Nov 29, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An automotive detection system includes a signal transmitter and a receiver, which generates receive signals indicative of reflected signals. A processor (i) receives the receive signals, (ii) processes the receive signals to generate detections of one or more objects in the region, each of the detections being associated with a position in a two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system in a plane in which the sensor is moving, (iii) detects a pattern of detections in the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system by determining a quantity of detections having coordinates in a rectangular region within the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, (iv) determines an angle of an axis of the rectangular region with respect to a reference direction in the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, and (v) determines an angle of misalignment of the sensor from the angle of the axis of the rectangular region with respect to the reference direction.

First claim

1 . An automotive detection system with monitoring of misalignment of a sensor of the system, comprising:
a signal transmitter for transmitting transmitted signals into a region; a receiver for receiving reflected signals generated by reflection of the transmitted signals and generating receive signals indicative of the reflected signals; and a processor coupled to the receiver for: (i) receiving the receive signals, (ii) processing the receive signals to generate detections of one or more objects in the region, each of the detections being associated with a position in a two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system in a plane in which the sensor is moving, (iii) detecting a pattern of detections in the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system by determining a quantity of detections having coordinates in a rectangular region within the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, (iv) determining an angle of an axis of the rectangular region with respect to a reference direction in the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, and (v) determining an angle of misalignment of the sensor from the angle of the axis of the rectangular region with respect to the reference direction.

2 . The automotive detection system of claim 1 , wherein:
the automotive detection system is a radar system; the signal transmitter is a radar signal transmitter; the transmitted signals are transmitted radar signals; the reflected signals are reflected radar signals; and the sensor is a radar sensor.

3 . The automotive detection system of claim 1 , wherein:
the automotive detection system is a LiDAR system; the signal transmitter is a LiDAR signal transmitter; the transmitted signals are transmitted LiDAR signals; the reflected signals are reflected LiDAR signals; and the sensor is a LiDAR sensor.

4 . The automotive detection system of claim 1 , wherein the processor filters the detections by limiting a quantity of detections in each of a plurality of two-dimensional grids within the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system.

5 . The automotive detection system of claim 1 , wherein the reference direction is the direction in which the sensor is moving in the plane.

6 . The automotive detection system of claim 1 , wherein the line of detections is concluded by the processor to be associated with an object which is stationary with respect to the sensor.

7 . The automotive detection system of claim 6 , wherein the object comprises a tree near a road on which the detection sensor is moving.

8 . The automotive detection system of claim 1 , wherein, if the angle of misalignment of the sensor exceeds a threshold angle, then an alert is issued.

9 . The automotive detection system of claim 8 , wherein, in response to the alert, at least one feature of the detection system is disabled.

10 . The automotive detection system of claim 9 , wherein the disabled feature is a blind spot detection feature.

11 . The automotive detection system of claim 9 , wherein the disabled feature is a rear cross traffic detection feature.

12 . The automotive detection system of claim 8 , wherein, the alert indicates that the sensor is inverted with respect to a prescribed orientation.

13 . A method for monitoring alignment of a sensor in an automotive detection system, comprising:
transmitting transmitted signals into a region; receiving reflected signals generated by reflection of the transmitted signals and generating receive signals indicative of the reflected signals; receiving the receive signals; processing the receive signals to generate detections of one or more objects in the region, each of the detections being associated with a position in a two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system in a plane in which the sensor is moving; detecting a pattern of detections in the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system by determining a quantity of detections having coordinates in a rectangular region within the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system; determining an angle of an axis of the rectangular region with respect to a reference direction in the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system; and determining an angle of misalignment of the sensor from the angle of the axis of the rectangular region with respect to the reference direction.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the automotive detection system is a radar system; the transmitted signals are transmitted radar signals; the reflected signals are reflected radar signals; and the sensor is a radar sensor.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the automotive detection system is a LiDAR system; the transmitted signals are transmitted LiDAR signals; the reflected signals are reflected LiDAR signals; and the sensor is a LiDAR sensor.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising filtering the detections by limiting a quantity of detections in each of a plurality of two-dimensional grids within the two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the reference direction is the direction in which the sensor is moving in the plane.

18 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising concluding that the line of detections is associated with an object which is stationary with respect to the radar sensor.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the object comprises a tree near a road on which the sensor is moving.

20 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising issuing an alert if the angle of misalignment of the sensor exceeds a threshold angle.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising disabling at least one feature of the detection system in response to the alert.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the disabled feature is a blind spot detection feature.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the disabled feature is a rear cross traffic detection feature.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the alert indicates that the sensor is inverted with respect to a prescribed orientation.

Assignees

• Veoneer Us Inc

Inventors

• Fetterman Matthew
• Rubnich Mikhail

Classifications

• G01S2013/9323

  Alternative operation using light waves · CPC title

• G01S2013/93271

  in the front of the vehicles · CPC title

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S13/589

  measuring the velocity vector · CPC title

• G01S7/4972

  Alignment of sensor · CPC title