Vehicle sensor calibration

• US 10,735,716 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2018
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Herman, David Michael, Krishnan, Venkatesh, Patil, Sunil, Arunmozhi, Ashwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnael, Paulos M
• Application Number:
  US16/208,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20200177872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

A system, comprising a computer that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate a first actuator movingly connected to the camera cover and the light to move the calibration pattern and the light to cover a lens window of a camera. The processor can further execute instructions to actuate a second actuator movingly connected to the calibration pattern and the light to move the calibration pattern and the light along an optical axis of the camera.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a light source;

a camera cover including a calibration pattern;

a first actuator connected to the camera cover and the light source to move the camera cover in a first direction along a lens window of the camera to deploy the calibration pattern and the light to cover the lens window of the camera; and

a second actuator movingly connected to the calibration pattern and the light source to move the calibration pattern and the light in a second direction along an optical axis of the camera, the optical axis extending through the lens window, to change the focus of the calibration pattern.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer programmed to actuate the first actuator to move the camera cover and the light source to cover the lens window of the camera based on spectral analysis of image data.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a fluid spray nozzle arranged to spray one or more of a fluid and air onto the lens window of the camera wherein the computer is further programmed to determine when to spray the fluid and air based on analyzing an image of the calibration pattern to determine if the lens window is clean or dirty.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein determining if the lens window is clean or dirty is based on a ground truth image of the calibration pattern.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the computer is further programmed to actuate the second actuator to move the calibration pattern and the light source along the optical axis of the camera based on determining when the image of the calibration pattern is in focus.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein determining when the image of the calibration pattern is in focus is based on one or more of a color-coded calibration pattern and phase-shifting.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the calibration pattern includes one or more of a plurality of black and white figures and a plurality of color figures.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the calibration pattern includes one or more of a reflective display, a back-lit LCD display, an LED display and a phosphorescent material.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source includes one or more of front-light LEDs, back-light LEDs, and display LEDs.

10. A system, comprising a computer that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

actuate a first actuator connected to a camera cover and the light source to move the camera cover in a first direction along a lens window of the camera to deploy the calibration pattern and the light to cover the lens window of the camera; and

actuate a second actuator movingly connected to the calibration pattern and the light source to move the calibration pattern and the light in a second direction along an optical axis of the camera, the optical axis extending through the lens window, to change the focus of the calibration pattern.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further include determining when to move the calibration pattern and light source to cover the lens window of the camera based on spectral analysis of image data.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further include actuating a fluid spray nozzle directed to the lens window of the camera upon determining that the lens window is clean or dirty based on analyzing an image of the calibration pattern wherein the fluid spray nozzle is arranged to spray one or more of a fluid and air onto the lens window of the camera.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining if the lens window is clean or dirty based on a ground truth image of the calibration pattern.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further include actuating the second actuator to move the calibration pattern and the light source along the optical axis of the camera based on determining when an image of the calibration pattern is in focus.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein determining when the image of the calibration pattern is in focus is based on one or more of a color-coded calibration pattern and phase-shifting.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the calibration pattern includes one or more of a plurality of black and white figures and a plurality of color figures.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the calibration pattern includes one or more of a reflective display, a back-lit LCD display, an LED display and a phosphorescent material.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the light source includes one or more of front-light LEDs, back-light LEDs, and LED displays.

19. A method, comprising:

actuating a first actuator connected to the camera cover and the light source to move the camera cover in a first direction along a lens window of the camera to deploy a calibration pattern and the light to cover the lens window of the camera; and

actuating a second actuator movingly connected to the calibration pattern and the light source to move the calibration pattern and the light in a second direction along an optical axis of the camera, the optical axis extending through the lens window, to change the focus of the calibration pattern.

20. The method of claim 19, further including determining when to actuate the camera cover and light source to cover the lens window based on spectral analysis of camera image data.