Systems and methods for adjusting the position of sensors of an automated vehicle

• US 10,471,904 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2016
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Delp, Michael J., Prokhorov, Danil V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Testardi, David A
• Application Number:
  US15/231,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20180039273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0092 with motorization
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/02 of systems according to group G01S13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target

Abstract

A system for adjusting the position of one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle includes a plurality of sensor arms, a plurality of sensor manipulators attached to each of the plurality of sensor arms. The system can be configured to receive output from the one or more sensors, and determine if an occlusion zone is detected. Based on the objects creating the occlusion zone, the sensors can be adjusted to decrease the size of the occlusion zone.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting the position of one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of sensor arms attached to a roof of the autonomous vehicle;

a plurality of sensor manipulators attached to each of the plurality of sensor arms by a ball and socket connection;

a plurality of sensor sections, the sensor sections attached to each of the plurality of sensor manipulators; and

processing circuitry configured to

receive output from the one or more sensors,

determine if an occlusion zone is detected,

receive information corresponding to one or more objects creating the occlusion zone in response to the detection of the occlusion zone,

adjust a position of the one or more sensors based on the information corresponding to the one or more objects creating the occlusion zone to decrease the size of the occlusion zone, and

determine whether an object detected in the occlusion zone after the size of the occlusion zone is decreased is a human or animal by matching the object to one or more reference objects stored in a memory.

2. The system for adjusting the position of one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor sections each include the one or more sensors.

3. The system for adjusting the position of one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle of claim 2, wherein the adjustment of the one or more sensors is via the plurality of sensor arms, the plurality of sensor arms adjusting the position of the corresponding sensor sections, the adjustment including raising, lowering, rotating axially, extending, retracting, and swiveling.

4. The system for adjusting the position of one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle of claim 2, wherein the adjustment of the one or more sensors is via the plurality of sensor manipulators, the plurality of sensor manipulators adjusting the position of the corresponding sensor sections, the adjustment including raising, lowering, rotating axially, extending, retracting, and swiveling.

5. The system for adjusting the position of one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein the occlusion zone is within a maximum range of the one or more sensors, the maximum range including any extension of range provided by one or more of the plurality of sensor arms and the plurality of sensor manipulators.

6. The system for adjusting the position of one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein information corresponding to the one or more objects creating the occlusion zone includes a position, height, and width of the one or more objects.

7. The system for adjusting the position of one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to

determine if a human, animal, or inanimate object is detected within a predetermined distance of the autonomous vehicle,

transmit an alert in response to detection of the human, animal, or inanimate object within the predetermined distance of the autonomous vehicle, and

activate an evasive maneuver of the autonomous vehicle in response to detection of a human, animal, or object within the predetermined distance of the autonomous vehicle.

8. A method of adjusting the position of a plurality of sensors of an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

receiving output from the plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors being attached to a plurality of sensor manipulators, the plurality of sensor manipulators being attached to a plurality of sensor arms that are attached to a roof of the autonomous vehicle, each of the plurality of sensor manipulators being attached to a corresponding one of the plurality of sensor arms by a ball and socket connection;

determining, via processing circuitry, if an occlusion zone is detected;

receiving information corresponding to one or more objects creating the occlusion zone in response to the detection of the occlusion zone; and

adjusting a position of the one or more sensors based on the information corresponding to the one or more objects creating the occlusion zone to decrease the size of the occlusion zone, the one or more sensors being attached to sensor manipulators by a ball and socket connection; and

determining whether an object detected in the occlusion zone after the size of the occlusion zone is decreased is a human or an animal by matching the object to one or more reference objects stored in a memory.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the occlusion zone is within a maximum range of the one or more sensors, the maximum range including any extension of range provided by one or more of a plurality of sensor arms and the plurality of sensor manipulators.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the adjustment of the one or more sensors is via the plurality of sensor arms, the plurality of sensor arms adjusting the position of the corresponding sensor sections, the adjustment including raising, lowering, rotating axially, extending, retracting, and swiveling.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the adjustment of the one or more sensors is via the plurality of sensor manipulators, the plurality of sensor manipulators adjusting the position of the corresponding sensor sections, the adjustment including raising, lowering, rotating axially, extending, retracting, and swiveling.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein information corresponding to the one or more objects creating the occlusion zone includes a position, height, and width of the one or more objects.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to

determine if a human, animal, or inanimate object is detected within a predetermined distance of the autonomous vehicle,

transmit an alert in response to detection of the human, animal, or inanimate object within the predetermined distance of the autonomous vehicle, and

activate an alternative maneuver of the autonomous vehicle in response to detection of a human, animal, or object within the predetermined distance of the autonomous vehicle.