System for calibrating a vehicle camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020105018-A1
Application number	US-201916432194-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 5, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Apr 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for adjusting a sensor of a vehicle comprises: a base unit; a support structure connected to the base unit; and a vehicle calibration assistance structure mounted on the support structure and including a target panel, which has a surface facing forward towards a service area. The surface of the target panel bears a combination of predetermined graphical features, and the vehicle is positioned in the service area. A processing system is operatively connected to the vehicle calibration assistance structure. A positioning device aids with the relative positioning between the vehicle and the vehicle calibration assistance structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A calibrating system for calibrating a camera of a vehicle, the calibrating system comprising:
a base unit; a support structure connected to the base unit; a vehicle calibration assistance structure mounted on the support structure and including a target panel, which has a surface facing forward towards a service area, wherein the surface of the target panel bears a first combination of predetermined graphical features, and the surface of the target panel is positioned to be seen by the camera of the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned in the service area; a processing system, operatively connected to the vehicle calibration assistance structure to process data received from the vehicle calibration assistance structure and facilitate alignment or calibration of the camera of the vehicle; a positioning device that aids a relative positioning between the vehicle and the vehicle calibration assistance structure; wherein the vehicle calibration assistance structure is provided with a second combination of predetermined graphical features, different from the first combination of predetermined graphical features, and the positioning device:
is spaced from the support structure, and
includes an optical device operatively oriented laterally towards the service area to see graphical features of the vehicle and a matching camera oriented backwards towards the support structure, to see the second combination of predetermined graphical features.

2 . The calibrating system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing system displays on the surface of the target panel an image which provides the first combination of predetermined graphical features visible to the camera of the vehicle.

3 . The calibrating system according to claim 2 , comprising an operator interface that receives input data comprising an information item, the information item comprising one or more of: a make of the vehicle, a model of the vehicle, a year of manufacture of the vehicle, and an identifier code of the vehicle; and wherein the processing system is connected to the operator interface to receive the input data therefrom, and generates the image as a function of the input data received.

4 . The calibrating system according to claim 2 , wherein the processing system is operatively coupled to the positioning device to receive data therefrom and includes a processor programmed with instructions to process the data received from the positioning device to determine measurements including at least one spatial correlation between the vehicle calibration assistance structure and the vehicle.

5 . The calibrating system according to claim 2 , wherein the processing system displays on the surface of the target panel an additional image which provides the second combination of predetermined graphical features.

6 . The calibrating system according to claim 5 , wherein the processing system displays the additional image on a pair of side portions of the target panel to provide the second combination of predetermined graphical features.

7 . The calibrating system according to claim 6 , wherein the processing system displays the image providing the first combination of graphical features on a central portion of the target panel, interposed between the side portions of the pair of side portions.

8 . The calibrating system according to claim 5 , wherein the processing system displays the additional image and the image one after the other at successive times on the surface of the target panel.

9 . The calibrating system according to claim 2 , wherein the target panel includes a screen and wherein the processing system transmits to the screen a control signal representing the graphical image to be displayed.

10 . The calibrating system according to claim 2 , further comprising a projector, wherein the processing system is operatively connected to the projector to generate a light beam directed at the surface of the target panel to generate the image.

11 . The calibrating system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle calibration assistance structure comprises at least one positioning target element, oriented towards the service area and including a surface bearing the second combination of predetermined graphical features, wherein the positioning target element is supported by the support structure.

12 . The calibrating system according to claim 11 , wherein the calibration assistance structure comprises a pair of positioning target elements, supported by the support structure and protruding from respective opposite sides of the target panel.

13 . A method for aligning or calibrating a camera of a vehicle positioned in a service area, the method comprising:
providing a support structure which supports a vehicle calibration assistance structure, the vehicle calibration assistance structure including a target panel, which has a surface facing forward towards a service area, wherein the surface of the target panel bears a first combination of predetermined graphical features, the vehicle being positioned in the service area so that the camera of the vehicle can see the surface of the target panel; sending a calibration command to an electronic control unit of the vehicle; viewing the image displayed on the surface of the target panel through the camera of the vehicle to be calibrated; processing data received in a processing system from the calibration assistance structure and from the electronic control unit of the vehicle; providing a positioning device; aiding with the relative positioning between the vehicle, positioned in the service area, and the vehicle calibration assistance structure by means of the positioning device, wherein the vehicle calibration assistance structure is provided with a second combination of predetermined graphical features, different from the first combination of predetermined graphical features, and the positioning device includes an optical device and a matching camera; wherein during the step of aiding with the relative positioning between the vehicle and the vehicle calibration assistance structure:
the positioning device is spaced from the support structure,
the optical device is oriented in a lateral direction towards the service area, and
the matching camera is oriented backwards, towards the support structure;
and wherein the step of aiding with the relative positioning between the vehicle and the vehicle calibration assistance structure includes viewing graphical features of the vehicle through the optical device and viewing the second combination of predetermined graphical features through the matching camera.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising: generating on the surface of the target panel an image representing the first combination of predetermined graphical features visible to the camera of the vehicle.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
generating on the surface of the target panel an additional image having a second combination of predetermined graphical features visible to the matching camera of the positioning device, wherein the additional image and the image are generated in different zones and/or at different time instants.

Assignees

• Nexion Spa

Inventors

• Corghi Giulio

Classifications

• G01S7/4026

  Antenna boresight · CPC title

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S2015/932

  for parking operations · CPC title

• B60R21/013

  including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over · CPC title

• G01S7/4972

  Alignment of sensor · CPC title