The technology relates to enhancing or extending the field of view of sensors for vehicles configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. One or more mirrors are used to reflect or redirect beams emitted from onboard sensors that would otherwise be wasted, for instance due to obstruction by a portion of the vehicle or because they are emitted at high pitch angles to the side. The mirrors are also used to redirect incoming beams from the external environment toward one or more of the onboard sensors. Using mirrors for such redirection can reduce or eliminate blind spots around the vehicle. A calibration system may be employed to account for mirror movement due to vibration or wind drag. Each mirror may be a front surface mirror. The mirrors may be positioned on the vehicle body, on a faring, or extending from a sensor housing on the vehicle.
MIRRORS TO EXTEND SENSOR FIELD OF VIEW IN SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES
2020-10-29
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | G01S RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING , Funkpeilung / B60R Fahrzeuge, Fahrzeugausstattung oder Fahrzeugteile, soweit nicht anderweitig vorgesehen , VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR / B60W CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION , Gemeinsame Steuerung oder Regelung von Fahrzeug-Unteraggregaten verschiedenen Typs oder verschiedener Funktion / G05D SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES , Systeme zum Steuern oder Regeln nichtelektrischer veränderlicher Größen |
Mirrors to extend sensor field of view in self-driving vehicles
European Patent Office | 2022
|MIRRORS TO EXTEND SENSOR FIELD OF VIEW IN SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES
European Patent Office | 2022
|MIRRORS TO EXTEND SENSOR FIELD OF VIEW IN SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES
European Patent Office | 2022
|MIRRORS TO EXTEND SENSOR FIELD OF VIEW IN SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES
European Patent Office | 2020
|Mirrors to extend sensor field of view in self-driving vehicles
European Patent Office | 2023
|