Ultrasound range correction

• US 10,114,113 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kyrtsos, Christos, Joh, Peter Gyumyeong, Engelman, Gerald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oh, Jaehwan
• Application Number:
  US15/058,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20170254886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52004 Means for monitoring or calibrating short-range imaging G01S7/5205
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52006 with provision for compensating the effects of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a processor having a memory. The processor is programmed to receive a first distance signal output by a radar sensor and calibrate an ultrasound sensor in accordance with the first distance signal output by the radar sensor. A method includes receiving a first distance signal output by a radar sensor, receiving a second distance signal output by an ultrasound sensor, and calibrating the ultrasound sensor in accordance with the first distance signal output by the radar sensor.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

a processor having a memory, wherein the processor is programmed to receive a first distance signal representing a distance measured by a radar sensor, determine a correction factor for a distance measured by an ultrasound sensor based on the distance measured by the radar sensor, and calibrate the ultrasound sensor in accordance with the distance measured by the radar sensor by applying the correction factor to a distance measured by the ultrasound sensor,

wherein applying the correction factor to the output of the ultrasound sensor includes multiplying a distance measured by the ultrasound sensor by the correction factor.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to receive a second distance signal output by the ultrasound sensor, the second distance signal representing the distance measured by the ultrasound sensor.

3. The vehicle system of claim 2, wherein the processor is programmed to compare the first distance signal to the second distance signal and determine the correction factor based on a difference between the distances represented by the first distance signal and the second distance signal.

4. The vehicle system of claim 3, wherein the processor is programmed to calibrate the ultrasound sensor by applying the correction factor to a third distance signal output by the ultrasound sensor.

5. The vehicle system of claim 4, wherein the third distance signal output by the ultrasound sensor is received by the processor after the first distance signal output by the radar sensor and after the second distance signal output by the ultrasound sensor.

6. A vehicle system comprising:

at least one ultrasound sensor;

a radar sensor;

a processor having a memory, wherein the processor is programmed to receive a first distance signal representing a distance measured by the radar sensor, determine a correction factor for a distance measured by the at least one ultrasound sensor based on the distance measured by the radar sensor, and calibrate the at least one ultrasound sensor in accordance with the first distance signal output by the radar sensor by applying the correction factor to a distance measured by the at least one ultrasound sensor,

wherein applying the correction factor to the output of the at least one ultrasound sensor includes multiplying a distance measured by the at least one ultrasound sensor by the correction factor.

7. The vehicle system of claim 6, wherein the processor is programmed to receive a second distance signal output by the at least one ultrasound sensor, the second distance signal representing the distance measured by the at least one ultrasound sensor.

8. The vehicle system of claim 7, wherein the processor is programmed to compare the first distance signal to the second distance signal and determine correction factor based on a difference between the distances represented by the first distance signal and the second distance signal.

9. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the processor is programmed to calibrate the at least one ultrasound sensor by applying the correction factor to a third distance signal output by the at least one ultrasound sensor.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9, wherein the third distance signal output by the at least one ultrasound sensor is received by the processor after the first distance signal output by the radar sensor and after the second distance signal output by the at least one ultrasound sensor.

11. The vehicle system of claim 6, wherein the at least one ultrasound sensor includes a plurality of ultrasound sensors, and wherein each of the plurality of ultrasound sensors is calibrated in accordance with the first distance signal output by the radar sensor.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a first distance signal representing a distance measured by a radar sensor;

receiving a second distance signal representing a distance measured by an ultrasound sensor;

determining a correction factor for the distance measured by the ultrasound sensor based on the distance measured by the radar sensor; and

calibrating the ultrasound sensor in accordance with the first distance signal output by the radar sensor by multiplying the distance measured by the ultrasound sensor by the correction factor.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising comparing the first distance signal to the second distance signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining the correction factor based on a difference between the distances represented by the first distance signal and the second distance signal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a third distance signal output by the ultrasound sensor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein calibrating the ultrasound sensor includes applying the correction factor to the third distance signal output by the ultrasound sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the third distance signal output by the ultrasound sensor is received after the first distance signal output by the radar sensor and after the second distance signal output by the ultrasound sensor.