Mobile vehicle sensor array

• US 20050154503A1
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SJ Automation, LLC
• Original Assignee: SJ Automation, LLC
• Inventors: Jacobs, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,047,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals

Abstract

An improved sensor array for a mobile vehicle. More particularly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide mobile vehicle (10) traveling in a forward direction with a sensor array (12). Sensor array (12) comprises a first sensor (16) mounted to mobile vehicle (10) at a maximum lateral distance from said vertical axis of rotation (21) near a first side of mobile vehicle (10) and a second sensor (18) mounted to mobile vehicle (10) at a maximum lateral distance from said vertical axis of rotation (21) near a second side of mobile vehicle (10). First sensor (16) and the second sensor (18) emit object detecting beams for detecting an object (39) ahead of mobile vehicle (10). A plurality of other object detecting beams are emitted obliquely to the object detecting beams of sensor (16) and sensor (18). These other beams, in conjunction with the object detecting beams from sensor (16) and sensor (18) form zones of overlapping beam coverage for better detection of objects.

Claims

1. A sensor array for a mobile vehicle, having a front, a first side, a second side, and a vertical axis of rotation and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

a plurality of sensors disposed generally along said front of said mobile vehicle emitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including

a first sensor disposed at a maximum lateral distance from said vertical axis of rotation near the first side for emitting a first object detecting beam ahead of said mobile vehicle; and

a second sensor disposed at a maximum lateral distance from said vertical axis of rotation near the second side for emitting a second object detecting beam ahead of said mobile vehicle.

2. A sensor array for said mobile vehicle of claim 1, wherein said first sensor and said second sensor mounting further includes recessing at least one of said first sensor and said second sensor within a periphery of said mobile vehicle.

3. A sensor array for said mobile vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a third sensor, which said third sensor is disposed in said mobile vehicle adjacent to said first sensor, obliquely emits a third object detecting beam that overlaps with said first object detecting beam to create an overlapping beam zone for detecting objects.

4. A sensor array for said mobile vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a fourth sensor, which said forth sensor is disposed in said mobile vehicle adjacent to said second sensor, obliquely emits a fourth object detecting beam that overlaps with said second object detecting beam to create an overlapping beam zone for detecting objects ahead of said mobile vehicle direction of travel.

5. A sensor array for said mobile vehicle of claim 4, wherein said overlapping beam zones are computed by sensor fusion software to provide an increased a confidence interval for detecting said object.

6. A sensor array of claim 1, wherein said first sensor and said second sensor are selected from a group consisting of piezoelectric sensors, electrostatic sensors, magnetorestrictive sensors, infrared sensors and light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) sensors.

7. A sensor array of claim 1, wherein said first sensor and said second sensor mounting includes positioning said first sensor recessed within a first acoustically tapered matching network and said second sensor recessed within a second acoustically tapered matching network.

8. A sensor array of claim 7, wherein said first acoustically tapered impedance matching network comprises a first conically tapered horn and said second acoustically tapered impedance matching network comprises a second conically tapered horn.

9. A sensor array of claim 7, wherein said first acoustically tapered impedance matching network comprises a first conically shaped horn that transitions a small piston diameter acoustical beamwidth radiating from said first sensor and to a larger piston diameter acoustical beam, and said second acoustically tapered impedance matching network which comprises a second conically shaped horn that transitions a small piston diameter acoustical beamwidth radiating from said second sensor to a large diameter acoustical beamwidth.

10. A sensor array of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors are symmetrically spaced-apart sensors that are mounted to said mobile vehicle, wherein symmetrically spaced-apart sensors are located in a same plane.

11. A sensor array of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors are symmetrically spaced-apart sensors that are mounted to said mobile vehicle, wherein symmetrically spaced-apart sensors are located in different planes.

12. A sensor array of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors are asymmetrically spaced-apart sensors that are mounted to said mobile vehicle, wherein asymmetrically spaced-apart sensors are located in a same plane.

13. A sensor array of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors are asymmetrically spaced-apart sensors that are mounted to said mobile vehicle, wherein asymmetrically spaced-apart sensors are located in different planes.

14. A sensor array as in claims 10, 11, 12, or 13, wherein said symmetrically spaced-apart sensors comprise sonar sensors each emitting a beamwidth within the range of approximately 12 degrees to approximately 15 degrees.

15. A sensor array as in claims 10, 11, 12, or 13, wherein said symmetrically spaced-apart sensors comprise laser ranging sensors.

16. A sensor array as in claims 10, 11, 12, or 13, wherein said spaced-apart sensors for said mobile vehicle comprising a rectangular shape with rounded corners are configured in a U-shaped arrangement.

17. A sensor array as in claims 10, 11, 12, or 13, wherein said spaced-apart sensors for said mobile vehicle are configurable to suit the shape of said front of said mobile vehicle.

18. A method for controlling a direction of travel of a mobile vehicle having a front, a first side, a second side, a vertical axis of rotation, and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

mounting a first sensor to said mobile vehicle at a maximum lateral distance from said vertical axis of rotation near the first side;

mounting a second sensor to said mobile vehicle at a maximum lateral distance from said vertical axis of rotation near the second side;

emitting a first object detecting beam from said first sensor ahead of said mobile vehicle;

emitting a second object detecting beam from said second sensor ahead of said mobile vehicle; and

illuminating an object directly ahead of said front of said mobile vehicle.

19. A method for controlling direction of travel of said mobile vehicle of claim 18, wherein said first sensor and said second sensor mounting further includes recessing at least one of said first sensor and said second sensor within a periphery of said mobile vehicle.

20. A method for controlling the direction of travel of said mobile vehicle of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

mounting a third sensor to said mobile vehicle along a center of said front of said mobile vehicle;

mounting a fourth sensor to said left of said third sensor along said mobile vehicle periphery;

emitting an object detecting beam from said fourth sensor, whereby said object detecting beam from said fourth sensor intersects with said object detecting beam from said first sensor to create an first overlapping beam zone;

mounting a fifth sensor to said left of said fourth sensor along said mobile vehicle periphery;

emitting an object detecting beam from said fifth sensor, whereby said object detecting beam from said fifth sensor intersects with said object detecting beam from said first sensor to create a second overlapping beam zone; and

detecting an object ahead at said left forward edge of said mobile vehicle,

whereby a confidence interval of increasing value is created depending the number of overlapping beam zones said object is detected within.

21. A method for controlling the direction of travel of said mobile vehicle of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

collecting data coverage about the location of said object; and

processing said data using fusion software.

22. A method for controlling direction of travel of said mobile vehicle of claim 18, further including the step of mounting spaced-apart sensors along said mobile vehicle to provide more than two overlapping beam zones, wherein said spaced-apart sensors are configurable to provide scanning area coverage selected from a range of approximately 190-degrees to approximately 200-degrees.