External sensor assembly for vehicles

• US 10,343,620 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2016
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurora Operations Incorporated (Aurora Innovation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Zajac, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ratcliffe, Luke D
• Application Number:
  US15/136,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20170305360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/20 using multiple transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A sensor assembly may include a housing and a collection of optical sensors. The housing may include a base portion, and a raised portion defining a summit of the housing. A collection of optical sensors may include a first set of forward-facing optical sensors individually aligned with a corresponding opening in a front segment of the base portion for the housing, a second set of rear-facing optical sensors individually aligned with a corresponding opening in a rear segment of the base portion for the housing, and multiple sets of lateral optical sensors. Each set of lateral optical sensors may be aligned with a corresponding opening in one of multiple lateral segments of the base portion of the housing. Additionally, at least a first long distance sensor may be mounted on the summit.

Claims

1. An external sensor assembly for a vehicle, the external sensor assembly comprising:

a housing having a multi-level construction that includes a body portion and a raised portion, the raised portion defining a summit of the housing;

a collection of optical sensors, including (i) a first set of forward-facing optical sensors which are individually aligned with a corresponding opening in a front segment of the body portion for the housing, (ii) a second set of rear-facing optical sensors which are individually aligned with a corresponding opening in a rear segment of the body portion for the housing, and (iii) multiple sets of lateral optical sensors, each set of lateral optical sensors being aligned with a corresponding opening in one of multiple lateral segments of the body portion of the housing; and

at least a first long distance sensor mounted to the summit of the housing;

wherein the housing includes a set of vents to enable air to circulate within the external sensor assembly.

2. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the external sensor assembly is modular.

3. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the raised portion includes one or more housing features to enable a sensor to view a surrounding region from the summit.

4. The external sensor assembly of claim 3, wherein the one or more housing features include a retention feature to retain a sonar unit.

5. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple wireless transceivers, each of the multiple wireless transceivers to at least receive or transmit wireless data of a corresponding type.

6. The external sensor assembly of claim 5, further comprising:

one or more antenna structures integrated with the housing for use with the multiple wireless transceivers.

7. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the collection of optical sensors includes multiple sets of stereoscopic cameras.

8. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the body portion includes, on a given lateral side of the housing, two or more lateral segments which are acutely oriented with respect to the front segment of the body portion.

9. The external sensor assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the two or more lateral segments are acutely angled with respect to one another.

10. The external sensor assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the two or more lateral segments includes openings for sets of at least two cameras which collectively provide a stereoscopic camera set.

11. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a designated forward-facing camera positioned above the body portion of the housing.

12. The external sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein the raised portion of the housing includes an opening that is acutely angled with respect to a horizontal reference frame, the designated forward-facing camera being positioned at the opening to detect a traffic light as the vehicle approaches the traffic light.

13. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a mapping sensor provided with an exterior surface of the raised portion.

14. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing is structured to mount to a roof of an exterior of the vehicle.

15. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing is unitary.

16. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the first long distance sensor is mounted to be rotatable on the summit of the housing.

17. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the first long distance sensor is a Lidar.

18. The external sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of an accelerometer or gyroscope mounted to the summit of the housing.

19. The external sensor assembly of claim 18, wherein the summit includes a dampener, and wherein the at least one of the accelerometer or gyroscope combine with the dampener to detect and adjust for vibrations.

20. An external sensor assembly for a vehicle, the external sensor assembly comprising:

a housing having a multi-level construction that includes a body portion and a raised portion, the raised portion defining a summit of the housing;

a collection of optical sensors, including (i) a first set of forward-facing optical sensors which are individually aligned with a corresponding opening in a front segment of the body portion for the housing, (ii) a second set of rear-facing optical sensors which are individually aligned with a corresponding opening in a rear segment of the body portion for the housing, and (iii) multiple sets of lateral optical sensors, each set of lateral optical sensors being aligned with a corresponding opening in one of multiple lateral segments of the body portion of the housing;

at least a first long distance sensor mounted to the summit of the housing; and

at least one of an accelerometer or gyroscope mounted to the summit of the housing;

wherein the summit includes a dampener, and wherein the at least one of the accelerometer or gyroscope combine with the dampener to detect and adjust for vibrations.