METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING OF AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE

• US 20190066396A1
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Published: 02/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Jiang, Shengbing, Salman, Mutasim A., Du, Xinyu, Lin, Wen-Chiao, Wang, Jinsong, Zeng, Shuqing
• Granted Patent: US 10,600,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/00 Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith position fixing by co-ordinating a plurality of determinations of direction or position lines G01S5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/937 sensor installation details constructional features of transducers G01S7/521 and B06B; casing of transducers, e.g. housing, cover or filler details, G10K9/22; mounting of transducers, i.e. fixture, fitting or holder details, G10K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52004 Means for monitoring or calibrating short-range imaging G01S7/5205
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 : Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 : Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

An autonomic vehicle control system is described, and includes a vehicle spatial monitoring system including a subject spatial sensor that is disposed to monitor a spatial environment proximal to the autonomous vehicle. A controller is in communication with the subject spatial sensor, and the controller includes a processor and a memory device including an instruction set. The instruction set is executable to evaluate the subject spatial sensor, which includes determining first, second, third, fourth and fifth SOH (state of health) parameters associated with the subject spatial sensor, and determining an integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based thereupon.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating a subject spatial sensor disposed on an autonomous vehicle, wherein the subject spatial sensor is disposed to monitor a spatial environment proximal to the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the autonomous vehicle includes a telematics device disposed to communicate with an off-board controller, the method comprising:

determining a first state of health (SOH) parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon internal monitoring of the subject spatial sensor, wherein a first field of view is associated with the subject spatial sensor;

determining a second SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon a correlation analysis of data generated by a second spatial sensor disposed on the autonomous vehicle;

determining a third SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon historical data for the subject spatial sensor that is associated with a geographic location;

determining a fourth SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon a correlation analysis with an input from a third spatial sensor that is disposed on a second vehicle, wherein the input from the third spatial sensor includes data associated with the geographic location;

determining a fifth SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon a correlation analysis with an input from a calibration spatial sensor disposed on a calibration vehicle, wherein the input from the calibration spatial sensor includes data associated with the geographic location;

determining an integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon the first, second, third, fourth and fifth SOH parameters; and

indicating, via an operator interface device, the integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon the first, second, third, fourth and fifth SOH parameters comprises determining a weighted average of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth SOH parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second SOH parameter is determined based upon a correlation analysis of data generated by the second spatial sensor, wherein the second spatial sensor has a second field of view that overlaps with a portion of the first field of view.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a low value for the second SOH parameter is associated with a low value that is output from the correlation analysis, and a high value for the second SOH parameter is associated with a high value that is output from the correlation analysis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the third SOH parameter is determined based upon historical data for the subject spatial sensor that is associated with the geographic location and is at an orientation that is consistent with the data for the subject spatial sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a low value for the third SOH parameter is associated with a low value that is output from the correlation analysis, and a high value for the third SOH parameter is associated with a high value that is output from the correlation analysis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth SOH parameter is determined based upon a correlation analysis with input from the third spatial sensor disposed on the second vehicle that is associated with the geographic location and is at an orientation that is consistent with the data for the subject spatial sensor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a low value for the fourth SOH parameter is associated with a low value that is output from the correlation analysis, and a high value for the fourth SOH parameter is associated with a high value that is output from the correlation analysis.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the fifth SOH parameter is determined based upon a correlation analysis with the input from the calibration spatial sensor disposed on the calibration vehicle that is associated with the geographic location and is at an orientation that is consistent with the data for the subject spatial sensor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a low value for the fifth SOH parameter is associated with a low value that is output from the correlation analysis, and a high value for the fifth SOH parameter is associated with a high value that is output from the correlation analysis.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject spatial sensor includes a camera.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject spatial sensor includes one of a radar device and a lidar device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating, via the operator interface device, the integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor comprises indicating that the subject spatial sensor is fit for use in monitoring the spatial environment that is proximal to the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating, via the operator interface device, the integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor comprises indicating a fault in the subject spatial sensor and communicating the fault to an off-board controller.

15. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a subject spatial sensor disposed to monitor a spatial environment proximal to the autonomous vehicle, wherein the subject spatial sensor includes a first field of view;

a second spatial sensor disposed to monitor a spatial environment proximal to the autonomous vehicle, wherein the second spatial sensor includes a second field of view that overlaps with a portion of the first field of view;

a telematics device disposed to communicate with an off-board controller;

a human-machine interface (HMI) device;

a controller, in communication with the first and second spatial sensors, the HMI device, the telematics device and the off-board controller, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to;

determine a first state of health (SOH) parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon internal monitoring of the subject spatial sensor, wherein a first field of view is associated with the subject spatial sensor;

determine a second SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon a correlation analysis of data generated by the second spatial sensor disposed on the autonomous vehicle;

determine a third SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon historical data for the subject spatial sensor that is associated with a geographic location;

determine a fourth SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon a correlation analysis with an input from a third spatial sensor disposed on a second vehicle, wherein the input from the third spatial sensor disposed on the second vehicle is communicated via the telematics device, and wherein the input from the third spatial sensor includes data associated with the geographic location;

determine a fifth SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon a correlation analysis with an input from a calibration spatial sensor disposed on a calibration vehicle, wherein the input from the calibration spatial sensor disposed on the calibration vehicle is communicated via the telematics device, and wherein the input from the calibration spatial sensor includes data associated with the geographic location;

determine an integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon the first, second, third, fourth and fifth SOH parameters; and

indicate, via the HMI device, the integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor.

16. A method for evaluating a subject spatial sensor disposed on an autonomous vehicle, wherein the subject spatial sensor is disposed to monitor a spatial environment proximal to the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the autonomous vehicle includes a telematics device disposed to communicate with an off-board controller, the method comprising:

determining a first, second, third, fourth and fifth state of health (SOH) parameters for the subject spatial sensor, wherein the first SOH is determined based upon internal monitoring of the subject spatial sensor, wherein the second SOH parameter is determined based upon a correlation analysis of data generated by a second spatial sensor disposed on the autonomous vehicle, wherein the third SOH parameter is determined based upon historical data for the subject spatial sensor, wherein the fourth SOH parameter is determined based upon a correlation analysis with an input from a third spatial sensor disposed on a second vehicle, and wherein the fifth SOH parameter is determined based upon a correlation analysis with an input from a calibration spatial sensor disposed on a calibration vehicle;

determining an integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based upon the first, second, third, fourth and fifth SOH parameters; and

indicating, via an operator interface device, the integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor.