Method and system for sensor signal fusion
First Claim
1. A method for detecting an obstacle based on sensor fusion, the method comprising:
- collecting a first group of first sensor readings of a first size by transmitting a first electromagnetic signal, capable of reflection from an obstacle, from a vehicle at a transmission time and by receiving a reflection of the first electromagnetic signal from the obstacle at the vehicle at a reception time, the first sensor readings based on an elapsed time between the transmission time and the reception time;
collecting a second group of second sensor readings of a second size using a second electromagnetic signal or an ultrasonic signal;
referencing the first group and the second group of readings to a vehicle coordinate reference frame;
establishing a composite grid referenced to vehicle coordinate reference frame or ground based on a spatially and temporally aligned integration of the readings of the first group and the second group, the composite grid comprising a multi-dimensional array of cells, each cell associated with an overall state of occupancy; and
refreshing the composite grid for obstacle detection upon the sooner of a regular update interval or material movement of the vehicle such that the overall state of each cell in the composite grid varies in accordance with the particular location of the vehicle in the environment.
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Abstract
The first sensor collects a first group of first sensor readings of first fixed size dependent on a range of a first sensor and safeguarding requirements of a vehicle. A second sensor collects a second group of second sensor readings of second fixed size dependent on a range of a second sensor and the safeguarding requirements. A reference frame manager references the first group and the second group of readings to a vehicle coordinate reference frame. An integration module establishes a composite grid referenced to the ground based on a spatially aligned integration of the readings of the first group and the second group. A update module refreshes the composite grid upon material movement of the vehicle such that the global occupancy of each cell in the composite grid varies in accordance with the particular location of the vehicle on the terrain.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for detecting an obstacle based on sensor fusion, the method comprising:
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collecting a first group of first sensor readings of a first size by transmitting a first electromagnetic signal, capable of reflection from an obstacle, from a vehicle at a transmission time and by receiving a reflection of the first electromagnetic signal from the obstacle at the vehicle at a reception time, the first sensor readings based on an elapsed time between the transmission time and the reception time; collecting a second group of second sensor readings of a second size using a second electromagnetic signal or an ultrasonic signal; referencing the first group and the second group of readings to a vehicle coordinate reference frame; establishing a composite grid referenced to vehicle coordinate reference frame or ground based on a spatially and temporally aligned integration of the readings of the first group and the second group, the composite grid comprising a multi-dimensional array of cells, each cell associated with an overall state of occupancy; and refreshing the composite grid for obstacle detection upon the sooner of a regular update interval or material movement of the vehicle such that the overall state of each cell in the composite grid varies in accordance with the particular location of the vehicle in the environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for detecting an obstacle based on sensor fusion, the system comprising:
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a first sensor for collecting a first group of first sensor readings of a first size by transmitting a first electromagnetic signal, capable of reflection from an obstacle, from a vehicle at a transmission time and by receiving a reflection of the first electromagnetic signal from the obstacle at the vehicle at a reception time, the first sensor readings based on an elapsed time between the transmission time and the reception time; a second sensor for collecting a second group of second sensor readings of a second size using a second electromagnetic signal or an ultrasonic signal; a reference frame manager for referencing the first group and the second group of readings to a vehicle coordinate reference frame; an integration module for establishing a composite grid referenced to vehicle coordinate reference frame or ground based on a spatially and temporally aligned integration of the readings of the first group and the second group, the composite grid comprising a multi-dimensional array of cells, each cell associated with an overall state of occupancy; and an update module for refreshing the composite grid for obstacle detection upon the sooner of a regular update interval or material movement of the vehicle such that the overall state of each cell in the composite grid varies in accordance with the particular location of the vehicle in the environment. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification