U.S. patent application number 15/549061 was filed with the patent office on 2018-02-08 for concealed mounting for autonomous vehicle sensor.
The applicant listed for this patent is Delphi Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to John P. Absmeier, Michael H. Laur, Matthew J. Lewis.
Application Number | 20180037171 15/549061 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56564487 |
Filed Date | 2018-02-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180037171 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lewis; Matthew J. ; et
al. |
February 8, 2018 |
CONCEALED MOUNTING FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE SENSOR
Abstract
A lidar unit is mounted to an autonomous vehicle within an
existing rear side window opening. An opaque inner panel blocks
light, while the exterior window covers and protects the lidar
unit, maintaining the original appearance and aerodynamic form of
the vehicle exterior, in conjunction with the opaque inner
panel.
Inventors: |
Lewis; Matthew J.; (San
Francisco, CA) ; Laur; Michael H.; (Mission Viejo,
CA) ; Absmeier; John P.; (Capitola, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Delphi Technologies, Inc. |
Troy |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
56564487 |
Appl. No.: |
15/549061 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
February 6, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2016/016045 |
371 Date: |
August 4, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62112783 |
Feb 6, 2015 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01S 13/93 20130101;
G01S 13/931 20130101; B60R 2011/0026 20130101; G01S 13/867
20130101; B60R 2011/004 20130101; B60R 2300/102 20130101; B60R
11/04 20130101; B60R 2011/0294 20130101; G01S 13/87 20130101; B60K
31/0008 20130101; G01S 2007/027 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60R 11/04 20060101
B60R011/04 |
Claims
1. A concealed mounting assembly for a sensor in an autonomously
driven vehicle, said mounting comprising: a sensor that emits and
receives a sensing signal, a vehicle body having a pre-defined
outer surface, an opening in said body outer surface, an opaque
panel mounted within said opening inboard of said vehicle body
outer surface, said sensor being mounted within said opening so as
be able to emit and receive without interference from said opaque
panel while is blocked from passing through said opening to and
from the exterior of the vehicle, and, an exterior panel fixed to
the vehicle so as to seal the opening from the exterior and having
at least a portion transmissive to the signal of the sensor, so
that said sensor may operate while being substantially visibly
concealed.
2. The mounting in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sensor
relies on visible light, and said exterior panel includes a
substantially transparent central area.
3. The mounting in accordance with claim 2, in which said opening
is defined by a perimeter flange and said exterior panel contains a
substantially opaque border masking said window opening flange.
4. The mounting in accordance with claim 1, in which said opening
comprises a rear side window opening, and said exterior panel
comprises the original rear side window.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.371 of published PCT Patent Application Number
PCT/US2016/16045, filed 2 Feb. 2016 and published as WO2016/126626
11 Aug. 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/112,783, filed Feb. 6, 2015, the entire
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to mountings for
autonomous vehicle sensors, and specifically to a mounting in which
a sensor is environmentally protected, aerodynamic, and visually
unobtrusive.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0003] Typically, in autonomous vehicles, the large number of
necessary sensors needed around the perimeter of the vehicle are
mounted on exterior brackets located wherever the optimal sensor
location may be, without considering aerodynamics, environmental
protection, or visual unobtrusiveness. It would be desirable to
accommodate all three of these concerns if it could be done so
while maintaining a near optimal location of the sensor or
sensors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In a preferred embodiment described herein, a sensor located
on the side of a vehicle is mounted behind and within a vehicle
body exterior panel that visually blends in with the exterior of
the vehicle, but which has at least a portion that is sufficiently
transparent to the sensing medium of the sensor (laser light,
radar, etc) to allow it to operate. Specifically, a rear side
window is replaced with a panel that has a central, transparent
subportion, behind which the sensor is mounted, and an opaque
border matching that typically found in a window. The sensor is
contained between the front panel and a rear cover that protects
and covers it from the vehicle interior, and which also helps mask
the sensor from the outside and helps to maintain its unobtrusive
visual impact.
[0005] Further features and advantages will appear more clearly on
a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiment, which is given by way of non-limiting example only and
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0006] The present invention will now be described, by way of
example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a rear side perspective view of a vehicle;
[0008] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a rear side window opening on
the same vehicle, with a sensor installed but uncovered;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the sensor
covered;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a view of the cover panel alone, showing the
sensor location in a dotted line.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a typical cross over style vehicle 10,
although that is a non limiting example and other body styles are
possible. A rear side window 12 is present, behind the rear
passenger window 14, but is typically more to provide some
illumination to the rear cargo space than a view out for a
passenger. Window 12 is often tinted to match or blend well with
the basic color of the vehicle, and serves an aesthetic purpose as
much as a utilitarian one, as an uninterrupted metal panel in that
location would give the vehicle more of a commercial appearance,
undesirable in a personal vehicle. Window 12 is weather tight, of
course, and its inner surface perimeter is often provided with an
inch or two wide band of paint or "frit" to mask the metal body
frame to which it is installed, typically by an adhesive bead. The
outer surface of window 12, as well as all of the other widows and
body panels may be said to define a vehicle outer surface in
general, which it is desirable to maintain as uninterrupted as
possible by any sensor mounting arrangements, for both aerodynamic
and aesthetic reasons.
[0012] Referring next to FIG. 2, a rear window opening 16 in the
vehicle body comprises a perimeter flange of whatever vehicle body
material is used in the particular vehicle, typically stamped
metal. Conventionally, the window 12 would simply be mounted to it,
as described above. But, here, it is used as a convenient location
for a sensor, specifically a lidar sensor 18. While the invention
is not limited to such a sensor, it is a typical one in the
location indicated for autonomous vehicles. LIDAR is not an
acronym, as is commonly believed, but is shorthand for Light
Detection and Ranging, an amalgam of Light and Radar. In effect, it
is a ranging radar that uses laser light instead of radio waves.
LIDAR uses ultraviolet, visible or near infrared light to image
objects, and is capable of doing so with a very high level of
resolution. Two types of pulse models are available, micropulse,
and high energy, with the lower energy, "eye safe" systems being
preferable for mobile sensing applications, as here. The particular
LIDAR device 18 used here, though the invention is not limited to
such, is an ibeo LUX 2010 Laserscanner. It is of the general type
described above, and is defined by a rectangular prism, with a
length L of approximately 150 mm, a width W of approximately 90
millimeters (at the front) and a depth D of approximately 90 mm. To
work properly, it needs a solid mounting and must be able to emit
and receive its light signal.
[0013] Still referring to FIG. 2, a structurally solid and opaque
inner panel 20, of rigid formed plastic or the like, and preferably
black or dark, is fixed solidly in or to the window opening 16 so
as to substantially fill it and prevent the transmission of light
in or out of vehicle 10, but for a central opening 22 within which
the lidar may be fixed. A concave depression 24 formed around
opening 22 allows the lidar unit 18 to be mounted further back
within the vehicle interior while still being unobstructed in terms
of emitting and receiving its light signal.
[0014] Referring next to FIGS. 3 and 4, The mounting for lidar unit
18 is completed by an exterior panel, indicated generally at 26
which, at least in the embodiment disclosed, may be essentially
identical to the rear side window 12 that it replaces.
Fundamentally, exterior panel 26 serves the function of sealing the
window opening 16 weather tight, while matching the pre existing
exterior surface contour to maintain aerodynamics and appearance.
The central area 28 of panel 26 is transmissive to whatever signal
the enclosed sensor emits and receives, in this case, light, and so
is sufficiently transparent to light in the case of a lidar unit
18. Central area 28 could be tinted so as to help match the
existing color scheme of the vehicle exterior, and still be
sufficiently transparent. In the case of a radar unit or the like
panel 26 could be completely opaque, and formed of any suitable
material for the passing of the signal involved. In the case of a
nearly transparent central area 28, an opaque or nearly opaque
border 30 is formed around the inner surface perimeter, which
serves to mask the window opening 16 to which the panel 26 is
attached, typically by an adhesive bead. Especially in the case
where the central 28 area is nearly transparent, the opaque inner
panel 20 helps to maintain the visual unobtrusiveness of the
mounting by preventing the passage of light into or out of the
exterior of the vehicle interior. Even in the case where the sensor
enclosed did not rely on visible light, a transparent central area
28 could help to maintain the original visible appearance of the
vehicle 10 in conjunction with the opaque inner panel 20.
[0015] While this invention has been described in terms of the
preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited,
but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that
follow.
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