System And Method Of Dynamically Controlling Parameters For Processing Sensor Output Data

• US 20180032042A1
• Filed: 07/28/2017
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Turpin, Matthew Hyatt, Chaves, Stephen Marc, Mellinger, III, Daniel Warren, Dougherty, John Anthony, Shomin, Michael Joshua, Sweet, III, Charles Wheeler, Swart, Hugo
• Application Number:
  US15/662,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20180032042A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 21/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/17 taken from planes or by drones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/139 Format conversion, e.g. of frame-rate or size
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

Various embodiments include dynamically controlling one or more parameters for obtaining and/or processing sensor data received from a sensor on a vehicle based on the speed of the vehicle. In some embodiments, parameters for obtaining and/or processing sensor data may be individually tuned (e.g., decreased, increased, or maintained) by leveraging differences in the level of quality, accuracy, confidence and/or other criteria in sensor data associated with particular missions/tasks performed using the sensor data. For example, the sensor data resolution required for collision avoidance may be less than the sensor data resolution required for inspection tasks, while the update rate required for inspection tasks may be less than the update rate required for collision avoidance. Parameters for obtaining and/or processing sensor data may be individually tuned based on the speed of the vehicle and/or the task or mission to improve consumption of power and/or other resources.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically controlling a sensor on a vehicle, comprising:

determining, by a processor of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle; and

controlling, by the processor, one or more parameters for obtaining or processing sensor data output from the sensor based on at least the speed of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data output from the sensor based on at least the speed of the vehicle comprises:

determining, by the processor, whether the speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed threshold; and

decreasing, by the processor, one or more of (i) a sampling or frame rate of the sensor and (ii) a data processing rate of the sensor data in response to determining that the speed of the vehicle does not exceed the speed threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, a task or mission performed by the vehicle using the sensor data; and

controlling, by the processor, the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the task or mission performed using the sensor data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the task or mission performed using the sensor data comprises:

decreasing, by the processor, at least one of a resolution of the sensor data, a sampling or frame rate of the sensor, a data processing rate of the sensor data, a range of depths or depth-related information searched for in the sensor data, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the task or mission performed using the sensor data comprises one or more of mapping, object inspection, collision avoidance, localization, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, a distance to an object closest to the vehicle; and

controlling, by the processor, the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the distance to the object closest to the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the distance to the object closest to the vehicle comprises:

determining, by the processor, whether the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is within a threshold distance; and

decreasing, by the processor, a resolution of the sensor data in response to determining that the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is within the threshold distance.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

decreasing, by the processor, a range of pixel disparities searched in stereoscopic sensor data received from a stereoscopic camera in response to determining that the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is not within the threshold distance.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an unmanned vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a camera, a stereoscopic camera, an image sensor, a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a depth sensor, a time-of-flight sensor, a lidar sensor, an active sensor, a passive sensor, or any combination thereof.

11. A computing device for a vehicle, comprising:

a processor coupled to a sensor and configured with processor-executable instructions to;

determine a speed of the vehicle; and

control one or more parameters for obtaining or processing sensor data output from the sensor based on at least the speed of the vehicle.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to control the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data output from the sensor based on at least the speed of the vehicle by:

determining whether the speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed threshold; and

decreasing one or more of (i) a sampling or frame rate of the sensor and (ii) a data processing rate of the sensor data in response to determining that the speed of the vehicle does not exceed the speed threshold.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine a task or mission performed by the vehicle using the sensor data; and

control the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the task or mission performed using the sensor data.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to control the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the task or mission performed using the sensor data by:

decreasing at least one of a resolution of the sensor data, a sampling or frame rate of the sensor, a data processing rate of the sensor data, a range of depths or depth-related information searched for in the sensor data, or any combination thereof.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine a distance to an object closest to the vehicle; and

control the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the distance to the object closest to the vehicle.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to control the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the distance to the object closest to the vehicle by:

determining whether the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is within a threshold distance; and

decreasing a resolution of the sensor data in response to determining that the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is within the threshold distance.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

decrease a range of pixel disparities searched in stereoscopic sensor data received from a stereoscopic camera in response to determining that the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is not within the threshold distance.

18. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a computing device for a vehicle to perform operations comprising:

determining a speed of the vehicle; and

controlling one or more parameters for obtaining or processing sensor data output from a sensor based on at least the speed of the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data output from the sensor based on at least the speed of the vehicle comprises:

determining whether the speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed threshold; and

decreasing one or more of (i) a sampling or frame rate of the sensor and (ii) a data processing rate of the sensor data in response to determining that the speed of the vehicle does not exceed the speed threshold.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining a task or mission performed by the vehicle using the sensor data; and

controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the task or mission performed using the sensor data.

21. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the task or mission performed using the sensor data comprises:

decreasing at least one of a resolution of the sensor data, a sampling or frame rate of the sensor, a data processing rate of the sensor data, a range of depths or depth-related information searched for in the sensor data, or any combination thereof.

22. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining a distance to an object closest to the vehicle; and

controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the distance to the object closest to the vehicle.

23. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 22 wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the distance to the object closest to the vehicle comprises:

determining whether the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is within a threshold distance; and

decreasing a resolution of the sensor data in response to determining that the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is within the threshold distance.

24. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 23 wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

decreasing a range of pixel disparities searched in stereoscopic sensor data received from a stereoscopic camera in response to determining that the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is not within the threshold distance.

25. A vehicle, comprising:

means for determining a speed of the vehicle; and

means for controlling one or more parameters for obtaining or processing sensor data output from a sensor based on at least the speed of the vehicle.

26. The vehicle of claim 25 wherein means for controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data output from the sensor based on at least the speed of the vehicle comprises:

means for determining whether the speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed threshold; and

means for decreasing one or more of (i) a sampling or frame rate of the sensor and (ii) a data processing rate of the sensor data in response to determining that the speed of the vehicle does not exceed the speed threshold.

27. The vehicle of claim 25, further comprising:

means for determining a task or mission performed by the vehicle using the sensor data; and

means for controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the task or mission performed using the sensor data.

28. The vehicle of claim 27, wherein means for controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the task or mission performed using the sensor data comprises:

means for decreasing at least one of a resolution of the sensor data, a sampling or frame rate of the sensor, a data processing rate of the sensor data, a range of depths or depth-related information searched for in the sensor data, or any combination thereof.

29. The vehicle of claim 25, further comprising:

means for determining a distance to an object closest to the vehicle; and

means for controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the distance to the object closest to the vehicle.

30. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein means for controlling the one or more parameters for obtaining or processing the sensor data based on the speed of the vehicle and the distance to the object closest to the vehicle comprises:

means for determining whether the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is within a threshold distance; and

means for decreasing a resolution of the sensor data in response to determining that the distance to the object closest to the vehicle is within the threshold distance.