Mobile vehicle sensor array

• US 7,047,132 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SJ Automation, LLC
• Original Assignee: SJ Automation, LLC
• Inventors: Jacobs, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/756,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20050154503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 701/28, 701/300, 701/301, 701/223, 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 340/435, 180/167, 180/169
• US Class Current: 701/301
• 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. The vehicle includes a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector. The sensor array comprises a first sensor mounted to the mobile vehicle at a maximum lateral distance from the centerline near a first side of mobile vehicle and a second sensor mounted to the mobile vehicle at a maximum lateral distance from the centerline near a second side of the vehicle opposite the first side. The first sensor transmits a forward pointing first beam and the second sensor transmits a forward pointing second beam, both beams for detecting an object in the path of the vehicle. A plurality of first oblique beams are pointed to intersect the first beam and a plurality of second oblique beams are pointed to intersect the second beam. The oblique beams, in conjunction with the first and second beams form zones of overlapping beam coverage for better localization of objects in the path of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A sensor array for a mobile vehicle, having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity

vector and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted generally along said front of said mobile vehicle transmitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including

a first sensor mounted near the first side for transmitting a forward pointing first beam;

a second sensor mounted near the second side for transmitting a forward pointing second beam

a third sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said first sensor, which third sensor transmits an obliquely pointing third beam which intersects with said first beam to create a first overlapping beam zone; and

a fourth sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said second sensor, which fourth sensor transmits an obliquely pointing fourth beam which intersects with said second beam to create a second overlapping beam zone,

wherein said beams have a beamwidth within the range of approximately 12 degrees to approximately 15 degrees.

2. A sensor array for said mobile vehicle of claim 1, wherein said beams have a beamwidth of approximately 15 degrees.

3. A sensor array for a mobile vehicle, having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted generally along said front of said mobile vehicle transmitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including

a first sensor mounted near the first side for transmitting a forward pointing first beam;

a second sensor mounted near the second side for transmitting a forward pointing second beam

a third sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said first sensor, which third sensor transmits an obliquely pointing third beam which intersects with said first beam to create a first overlapping beam zone;

a fourth sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said second sensor, which fourth sensor transmits an obliquely pointing fourth beam which intersects with said second beam to create a second overlapping beam zone; and

sensor fusion software to provide an increased confidence level for detecting objects in the overlapping beam zones.

4. A sensor array for a mobile vehicle, having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted generally along said front of said mobile vehicle transmitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including

a first sensor mounted near the first side for transmitting a forward pointing first beam;

a second sensor mounted near the second side for transmitting a forward pointing second beam

a third sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said first sensor, which third sensor transmits an obliquely pointing third beam which intersects with said first beam to create a first overlapping beam zone;

a fourth sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said second sensor, which fourth sensor transmits an obliquely pointing fourth beam which intersects with said second beam to create a second overlapping beam zone;

said first sensor is mounted within a first recess and said second sensor is mounted within a second recess, thereby reducing blind range; and

said first recess includes at least one oblique exterior edge and said second recess includes at least one oblique exterior edge.

5. A sensor array for a mobile vehicle, having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted generally along said front of said mobile vehicle transmitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including

a first sensor mounted near the first side for transmitting a forward pointing first beam;

a second sensor mounted near the second side for transmitting a forward pointing second beam

a third sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said first sensor, which third sensor transmits an obliquely pointing third beam which intersects with said first beam to create a first overlapping beam zone;

a fourth sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said second sensor, which fourth sensor transmits an obliquely pointing fourth beam which intersects with said second beam to create a second overlapping beam zone;

said first sensor is mounted within a first recess and said second sensor is mounted within a second recess, thereby reducing blind range; and

said first recess 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 recess 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.

6. A sensor array for a mobile vehicle, having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted generally along said front of said mobile vehicle transmitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including

a first sensor mounted near the first side for transmitting a forward pointing first beam;

a second sensor mounted near the second side for transmitting a forward pointing second beam

a third sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said first sensor, which third sensor transmits an obliquely pointing third beam which intersects with said first beam to create a first overlapping beam zone; and

a fourth sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said second sensor, which fourth sensor transmits an obliquely pointing fourth beam which intersects with said second beam to create a second overlapping beam zone; and

said plurality of sensors are symmetrically spaced-apart sensors, wherein the symmetrically spaced-apart sensors are located in different planes.

7. A sensor array for a mobile vehicle, having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted generally along said front of said mobile vehicle transmitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including

a first sensor mounted near the first side for transmitting a forward pointing first beam;

a second sensor mounted near the second side for transmitting a forward pointing second beam

a third sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said first sensor, which third sensor transmits an obliquely pointing third beam which intersects with said first beam to create a first overlapping beam zone; and

a fourth sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said second sensor, which fourth sensor transmits an obliquely pointing fourth beam which intersects with said second beam to create a second overlapping beam zone; and

said plurality of sensors are asymmetrically spaced-apart sensors, wherein the asymmetrically spaced-apart sensors are located in a same plane.

8. A sensor array for a mobile vehicle, having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted generally along said front of said mobile vehicle transmitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including

a first sensor mounted near the first side for transmitting a forward pointing first beam;

a second sensor mounted near the second side for transmitting a forward pointing second beam

a third sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said first sensor, which third sensor transmits an obliquely pointing third beam which intersects with said first beam to create a first overlapping beam zone; and

a fourth sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said second sensor, which fourth sensor transmits an obliquely pointing fourth beam which intersects with said second beam to create a second overlapping beam zone; and

said plurality of sensors are asymmetrically spaced-apart sensors wherein the asymmetrically spaced-apart sensors are located in different planes.

9. A sensor array for a mobile vehicle, having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector and traveling in a forward direction comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted generally along said front of said mobile vehicle transmitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including

a first sensor mounted near the first side for transmitting a forward pointing first beam;

second sensor mounted near the second side for transmitting a forward pointing second beam

a third sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said first sensor, which third sensor transmits an obliquely pointing third beam which intersects with said first beam to create a first overlapping beam zone; and

a fourth sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said second sensor, which fourth sensor transmits an obliquely pointing fourth beam which intersects with said second beam to create a second overlapping beam zone; and

said spaced-apart sensors for said mobile vehicle are arranged in a rectangular shape with rounded corners configured in a U-shaped arrangement.

10. A method for controlling a direction of travel of a mobile vehicle having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector, a forward pointing first sensor mounted in said mobile near the first side, a forward pointing second sensor mounted in said mobile near the second side, an obliquely pointing third sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said first sensor, and an obliquely pointing fourth sensor mounted in said mobile vehicle and spaced apart from said second sensor, the method comprising:

transmitting a forward pointing first beam from said first sensor;

transmitting a forward pointing second beam from said second sensor;

transmitting an obliquely pointing third beam from the third sensor to create a first overlapping beam zone;

transmitting an obliquely pointing fourth beam from the fourth sensor to create a second overlapping beam zone; and

processing object detections in the overlapping beam zones to determine steering commands for said mobile vehicle.

11. A method for controlling direction of travel of said mobile vehicle of claim 10, the step of processing object detections may comprise the steps of:

processing detections in the first overlapping region and in the second overlapping region with sensor fusion software to generate fused detection data; and

computing the steering commands based on the fused detection data.

12. A method for controlling direction of travel of said mobile vehicle of claim 10, wherein:

transmitting a forward pointing first beam from said first senor comprises transmitting a first beam approximately 12 degrees to approximately 15 degrees wide;

transmitting a forward pointing second beam from said second sensor comprises transmitting a first beam approximately 12 degrees to approximately 15 degrees wide;

transmitting an obliquely pointing third beam from the third sensor comprises transmitting a first beam approximately 12 degrees to approximately 15 degrees wide; and

transmitting an obliquely pointing fourth beam from the fourth sensor comprises transmitting a first beam approximately 12 degrees to approximately 15 degrees wide.

13. A method for controlling direction of travel of said mobile vehicle of claim 10, wherein:

transmitting a forward pointing first beam from said first senor comprises transmitting an approximately 15 degrees wide;

transmitting a forward pointing second beam from said second sensor comprises transmitting an approximately 15 degrees wide;

transmitting an obliquely pointing third beam from the third sensor comprises transmitting an approximately 15 degrees wide; and

transmitting an obliquely pointing fourth beam from the fourth sensor comprises transmitting an approximately 15 degrees wide.

14. A sonar transducer array for a mobile vehicle, the vehicle having a front, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a centerline parallel to a vehicle velocity vector and traveling in a forward direction, the array comprising:

a plurality of sonar transducers mounted generally along said front of said mobile vehicle, the sensors transmitting a plurality of object detecting beams, said plurality of sensors including;

a first sonar transducer mounted in a first waved matched recess near the first side for transmitting a forward pointing first beam; and

a second sonar transducer mounted in a second waved matched recess near the second side for transmitting a forward pointing second beam.

15. The array of claim 14, wherein the waved matched recesses include at least one oblique forward edge.

16. The array of claim 14, wherein the waved matched recesses include at least one rounded forward edge.