SENSOR INTEGRATION INTO EXISTING VEHICLE STRUCTURES

• US 20170364086A1
• Filed: 06/17/2016
• Published: 12/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2016
• 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: Williams, Paxton S., Higgins, Christopher M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,589,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 13/005 Manufacturers' emblems, name plates, bonnet ornaments, mascots or the like; Mounting means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/00 Systems using the reflection or reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/937 sensor installation details constructional features of transducers G01S7/521 and B06B; casing of transducers, e.g. housing, cover or filler details, G10K9/22; mounting of transducers, i.e. fixture, fitting or holder details, G10K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements

Abstract

One or more vehicle sensors can be integrated into existing vehicle housings or structures to provide a streamlined appearance, potentially improved sensing capabilities, and a reduction in the use of extra structures to hold the one or more vehicle sensors. In one or more arrangements, one or more vehicle sensors can be located within a body of the vehicle and can be spaced from the vehicle emblem in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The one or more sensors can be configured and/or operatively positioned to sense at least a portion of an external environment of the vehicle through the vehicle emblem. In one or more arrangements, one or more sensors can be located within a front grille of the vehicle. The one or more sensors are configured to sense at least a portion of an external environment of the vehicle through the front grille.

Claims

1. A sensor system for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle emblem; and

one or more sensors being located within a body of the vehicle and being spaced rearward from the vehicle emblem in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the one or more sensors being substantially aligned with the vehicle emblem, the one or more sensors are configured to sense at least a portion of an external environment of the vehicle.

2. The sensor system of claim 1, further including:

a vehicle body having a forward end and a rearward end, wherein the vehicle emblem provided on an exterior of the vehicle body at the forward end, and wherein the one or more sensors are located within the vehicle body.

3. The sensor system of claim 2, further including a front bumper located at the forward end of the vehicle body, and wherein the one or more sensors are located above the front bumper in an elevation direction.

4. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and further including a processor operatively connected to the one or more sensors, and wherein the processor is configured to maneuver the vehicle based at least in part on data acquired by the one or more sensors.

5. The sensor system of claim 1, further including a support structure, wherein the one or more sensors are operatively connected to the support structure.

6. The sensor system of claim 5, wherein the support structure is a radiator support structure.

7. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle emblem includes an aperture, and wherein the one or more sensors are operatively positioned to sense the at least a portion of the external environment of the vehicle through the aperture in the vehicle emblem.

8. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle emblem is solid, and wherein the one or more sensors are configured to sense the at least a portion of the external environment of the vehicle through the vehicle emblem.

9. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more lidar sensors.

10. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more radar sensors.

11. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more passive optical cameras, one or more passive thermal infrared sensors, one or more sonar sensors, or one or more ultrasonic sensors.

12. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a front grille, and wherein the one or more sensors are operatively positioned so that air received in the front grille passes over at least a top portion and a bottom portion of the one or more sensors.

13. A sensor system for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle emblem, the vehicle emblem including an aperture;

a radiator located rearward from the vehicle emblem in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and

one or more sensors located between the vehicle emblem and the radiator, the one or more sensors being spaced rearward from the vehicle emblem in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the one or more sensors being substantially aligned with the vehicle emblem, the one or more sensors are configured to sense at least a portion of an external environment of the vehicle, whereby the aperture facilitates airflow to the one or more sensors and to the radiator for engine cooling.

14. A sensor system for a vehicle comprising:

a front grille for the vehicle, at least a portion of the front grille being hollow; and

one or more sensors being housed within the front grille, the one or more sensors are configured to sense at least a portion of an external environment of the vehicle through a wall of the front grille.

15. The sensor system of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more lidar sensors.

16. The sensor system of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more radar sensors.

17. The sensor system of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more passive optical cameras, one or more passive thermal infrared sensors, one or more sonar sensors, or one or more ultrasonic sensors.

18. The sensor system of claim 14, further including a vehicle body having a forward end region and a rearward end region, wherein the front grille is operatively connected to the vehicle body in the forward end region.

19. The sensor system of claim 18, further including a front bumper located in the forward end region of the vehicle body, and wherein the one or more sensors are located above the front bumper in an elevation direction.

20. The sensor system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and further including a processor operatively connected to the one or more sensors, and wherein the processor is configured to maneuver the vehicle based at least in part on data acquired by the one or more sensors.