SYSTEM AND METHODS TO SUPPORT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES VIA ENVIRONMENTAL PERCEPTION AND SENSOR CALIBRATION AND VERIFICATION

• US 20170023945A1
• Filed: 04/02/2015
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: DE OLIVEIRA, TALMAI Brando, CAVALCANTI, DAVE ALBERTO TAVARES, SZCZODRAK, MARCIN KRZYSZTOF, YANG, YONG
• Granted Patent: US 10,534,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/00 Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0285 using signals transmitted via a public communication network, e.g. GSM network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle support system, including a lighting network (100) having, a plurality of light units (106-1, . . . , 106-N) wherein at least one light unit includes at least one sensor type (110-1, . . . , 110-N), and a centralized or distributed controller (102, 105-1, . . . , 105-N), wherein a first light unit (106-1, . . . , 106-N) receives sensor data from its sensor type (110-1, . . . , 110-N), wherein the controller (105-1, . . . , 105-1) forms a local environmental perception of an area local to the first light unit (106-1, . . . , 106-N), using the received sensor data from light unit, and receives sensor measurement data from an autonomous vehicle relating to at least a portion of the area, and cross-validates the local environmental perception of the area and the sensor measurement data from the autonomous vehicle.

Claims

1. An autonomous vehicle support system, comprising:

a lighting network having;

a plurality of light units wherein at least one light unit includes at least one sensor type; and

a centralized or distributed controller;

wherein a first light unit receives sensor data from its sensor type;

wherein the controller, forms a local environmental perception of an area local to the first light unit, using the received sensor data from light unit, and receives sensor measurement data from an autonomous vehicle relating to at least a portion of the area, and cross-validates the local environmental perception of the at least portion of the area and the sensor measurement data from the autonomous vehicle.

2. The autonomous vehicle support system of claim 1, wherein the controller forms a environmental perception, using received sensor data from first light unit and at least one of a second light unit, Connected devises and Resource server that obtains information from additional sources.

3. The autonomous vehicle support system of claim 2, wherein the controller determines a ground truth relating to the perception by cross-validating the received sensor data used to form the environmental perception.

4. The autonomous vehicle support system of claim 1, wherein the cross-validation includes comparing the light unit'"'"'s perception of the area and the sensor measurement data from the autonomous vehicle.

5. The autonomous vehicle support system of claim 1, wherein the system transmits the validation information to the autonomous vehicle or broadcasts the validation information.

6. The autonomous vehicle support system of claim 1, wherein the controller stores changes to the perception, when sensors sends new sensor data, to form a history.

7. The autonomous vehicle support system of claim 6, wherein the controller generates a prioritized list of events relating to the changes to the perception, and determines which events should be sent to the autonomous vehicle or broadcast.

8. A method of supporting an autonomous vehicle using a lighting network, the lighting network having a plurality of light units wherein at least one light unit includes at least one sensor type and a centralized or distributed controller;

in communication with the light units, the method comprising the steps of;

receiving, in a first light unit, sensor data from a first sensor type;

forming, in the controller, a local environmental perception of an area local to the first light unit, using the received sensor data from light unit;

receiving sensor measurement data from an autonomous vehicle relating to at least a portion of the area;

cross-validating the local environmental perception of the at least portion of the area and the sensor measurement data from the autonomous vehicle.

9. The method of supporting an autonomous vehicle using a lighting network of claim 8, further including the step of, forming, in the controller, a broad environmental perception, using received sensor data from first light unit 106 and at least one of a second light unit, Connected devices and Resource server that obtains information from additional sources.

10. The method of supporting an autonomous vehicle using a lighting network of claim 9, further including the step of, determining, in the controller a ground truth relating to the perception by cross-validating the received sensor data used to form the broad environmental perception.

11. The method of supporting an autonomous vehicle using a lighting network of claim 8, wherein the step of cross-validating includes comparing the light unit'"'"'s perception of the area and the sensor measurement data from the autonomous vehicle.

12. The method of supporting an autonomous vehicle using a lighting network of claim 8, further including the step of transmitting the validation information to the autonomous vehicle or broadcasting the validation information.

13. The method of supporting an autonomous vehicle using a lighting network of claim 8, further including the step, changing the perception, in the controller when sensor sends new sensor data, and forming a history.

14. The method of supporting an autonomous vehicle using a lighting network of claim 13, wherein the step of changing the perception includes generating a prioritized list of events relating to the changes to the perception, and determining which events should be sent to the autonomous vehicle or broadcast or sent to third parties.

15. The method of supporting an autonomous vehicle using a lighting network of claim 14, wherein the list of events include one or more of traffic or weather conditions, detection of a road emergency situation/safety issue, and detection of vehicle malfunctions.