Magna Electronics Inc.

Sebastian Pliefke

Jagmal Singh

Holger Hess

Yuesheng Lu

Steven V Byrne

Thomas Wierich

Paul Jarmola

Walter Gordon Woodington

Horst Daniel Diessner

Christian Weber

Sergio D Biarge

Helmut A Wodrich

Helmut Arnold Hardow Wodrich

A method includes disposing a spherical radar reflector at a location exterior a vehicle equipped with the vehicular sensing system. The vehicular sensing system includes at least two radar sensors disposed at the vehicle and a controller that processes received radio frequency (RF) signals received by the plurality of receivers of each radar sensor of the at least two radar sensors. Calibration RF signals are transmitted by at least one transmitting antenna of a plurality of transmitters of a first radar sensor and a second radar sensor the at least two radar sensors, and reflected first calibration RF signals are received by the plurality of receivers of the first radar sensor and the second radar sensor. Based on a distance between the first radar sensor, the second radar sensor, and the spherical reflector, the vehicular sensing system determines an orientation of the first radar sensor and the second radar sensor.

Vehicular radar system with automatic sensor alignment

A method of calibrating a vehicular vision system includes mounting a camera at a vehicle moving along a vehicle assembly line. Responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera, ground features adjacent to the vehicle are determined and the determined ground features are tracked over two or more frames of captured image data using optical flow. A misalignment of the camera is determined via tracking the determined ground features as the vehicle moves along the straight path portion of the end of line test portion of the vehicle assembly line. Responsive to determination of misalignment of the camera at the vehicle, the vehicular vision system is calibrated using an assumption that the determined ground features lie in a plane parallel to a planar portion of a ground surface adjacent the straight path portion of the end of line test portion of the vehicle assembly line.

System and method for calibrating vehicular vision system

A method for calibrating a vehicular radar sensing system includes disposing two spaced apart calibrating radars at respective transmitting locations that are spaced from a vehicle calibration location at an end of line portion of a vehicle assembly line, and moving a vehicle along the vehicle assembly line, the vehicle including an electronic control unit (ECU) and a vehicular radar operable to sense exterior of the vehicle. Signals are transmitted via the first and second calibrating radars at the transmitting locations and, with the vehicle at the vehicle calibration location, the plurality of radar receivers of the vehicular radar receive the transmitted signals transmitted by the first and second calibrating radars, and the vehicular radar generates an output that is processed at the ECU. Responsive to processing at the ECU of the output of the vehicular radar, misalignment of the vehicular radar at the vehicle is determined.

System and method for calibrating vehicular radar sensing system

A vehicular control system includes a rear backup camera viewing at least rearward of the vehicle. With a trailer hitched to the vehicle, and based at least in part on image processing of captured image data during a backing-up maneuver, the image processor determines a distance between an axle of the trailer and the hitch of the vehicle and determines a trailer angle of the trailer hitched to the vehicle. During the backing-up maneuver of the trailer hitched to the vehicle, the vehicular control system determines a path of the trailer responsive to (i) a steering angle of the vehicle, (ii) the determined trailer angle of the trailer and (iii) the determined distance between the axle of the trailer and the hitch of the vehicle. The vehicular control system displays information to assist the driver in backing up the trailer hitched to the vehicle.

Vehicular control system with trailering assist function

A method for calibrating a vehicular sensing system includes disposing the sensing system at a vehicle, with the sensing system including at least two radar sensors disposed at the vehicle so as to have respective fields of sensing exterior of the vehicle. At least one spherical radar reflector is disposed at a position exterior the vehicle where the fields of sensing of the at least two radar sensors overlap. A calibration mode of the sensing system is entered, and calibration radio waves are transmitted by at least one transmitter, and reflected calibration radio waves are received by receivers of the at least two radar sensors. The reflected calibration radio waves include the calibration radio waves reflected off the at least one spherical radar reflector. A controller calibrates the sensing system responsive to processing the received reflected calibration radio waves.

A vehicular control system includes a camera having an exterior field of view at least forward of the vehicle. During a forward maneuver of the vehicle towing a trailer, the vehicular control system detects an object present exterior of the vehicle which ought not be impacted during the forward maneuver of the vehicle towing the trailer based at least in part on image processing by an image processor of image data captured by the camera. Responsive at least in part to detection of the object, the vehicular control system determines a forward driving path for the vehicle towing the trailer that avoids the detected object so that the trailer does not run over or contact the detected object. The vehicular control system determines the forward driving path at least in part responsive to (i) processing of captured image data and (ii) trailer data pertaining to physical characteristics of the trailer.

A calibration system for calibrating a radar sensing system for a vehicle includes at least one calibrating radar transmitter spaced from a location where the vehicle may be positioned. The vehicle includes a radar sensor disposed at the vehicle so as to sense exterior of the vehicle. The radar sensor includes a plurality of transmitters that transmit radio signals and a plurality of receivers that receive radio signals that are transmitted radio signals reflected from an object. A processor is operable to process an output of the receivers. With the vehicle positioned at the location, the at least one calibrating transmitter transmits signals that are received by the receivers of the radar sensor. Responsive to processing by the processor of the output of the receivers when receiving signals transmitted by the at least one calibrating transmitter, the calibration system determines if the radar sensor is misaligned at the vehicle.

Calibration system for vehicle radar system

A method of calibrating a vehicular camera includes mounting a camera at a vehicle moving along a vehicle assembly line. Responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera, features at the ground adjacent to the vehicle are determined and the determined features are tracked over two or more frames of captured image data. Responsive to processing of frames of captured image data during movement of the vehicle along a straight path, a misalignment of the camera is determined. The misaligned camera is calibrated using an assumption that the determined ground features lie in a plane parallel to a planar portion of the ground surface adjacent the straight path portion of the vehicle assembly line. The determination of misalignment and the calibration of the camera are performed without use of a target pattern at the vehicle assembly line.

Targetless vehicle camera calibration system

A vehicular control system includes a camera having an exterior field of view at least rearward of the vehicle and operable to capture image data. A trailer is attached to the vehicle and image data captured by the camera includes image data captured when the vehicle is maneuvered with the trailer at an angle relative to the vehicle. The vehicular control system determines a path of the trailer responsive at least to a steering angle of the vehicle. The vehicular control system detects an object present exterior of the vehicle during maneuvering of the vehicle and the trailer and based at least in part on image processing of captured image data. The vehicular control system plans a driving path for the vehicle that avoids the detected object so that the vehicle and the trailer do not run over or contact the detected object.

A vehicular trailer backup assist system is operable to steer a vehicle, with a trailer connected at the rear of the vehicle, during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle and trailer. The system electronically overlays a plurality of zones over displayed video images, with each individual zone of the overlayed plurality of zones being indicative of a respective individual region rearward of the vehicle and trailer. Responsive to a selected zone of travel for the trailer, the control controls steering of the vehicle to steer the vehicle to guide the trailer towards the respective individual region that is encompassed by the selected zone of travel during reversing of the vehicle and trailer. The driver of the vehicle manually adjusts steering of the vehicle to more accurately steer the vehicle towards a target location within the respective individual region that is encompassed by the selected zone of travel.

Vehicular trailer backup assist system

A vehicular camera calibration system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle and being operable to capture image data. Responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera, the camera calibration system determines features at the ground adjacent to the vehicle and tracks the determined features over two or more frames of captured image data. Responsive to processing of frames of captured image data during movement of the vehicle along a straight path on a planar surface, the camera calibration system is operable to determine a misalignment of the camera. The camera calibration system calibrates the misaligned camera by using an assumption that the determined features lie in a plane parallel to the planar surface along which the vehicle is traveling. The camera calibration system calibrates the camera by reducing ambiguity in vectors normal to the planar surface.

A method for calibrating a camera of a vehicular vision system includes capturing a first frame of image data by the camera during a first ignition cycle of the vehicle, and, responsive to ending the first ignition cycle of the vehicle, saving to memory the first frame of captured image data. A second frame of image data is captured by the camera during a second ignition cycle of the vehicle following the first ignition cycle. The first frame of captured image data is compared by an image processor to the second frame of captured image data to determine a change in orientation of the camera. Responsive to determination of the change in orientation of the camera, processing by the image processor of frames of image data captured by the camera during the second ignition cycle is adjusted to accommodate the determined change in orientation of the camera.

Vehicle vision system with camera calibration

A camera calibration system for a vehicle includes a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the cameras. The image processor is operable, via processing of image data captured by the cameras, to determine a change in orientation of at least one of the cameras. The image processor determines the change in orientation from a previous orientation during a previous ignition cycle of the vehicle and a current orientation at the onset of a current or subsequent ignition cycle of the vehicle.

A camera calibration method for calibrating at least one camera of a vehicle includes providing a target area for a vehicle to be positioned at, with the vehicle having a forward camera, a rearward camera and opposite side cameras. When the vehicle is positioned at the target area, a target is electronically generated at an area that is encompassed by the field of view of one of the cameras or at an overlapping portion of the fields of view of two of the cameras of the vehicle. Image data is captured by the two cameras that is representative of the generated target. Image data captured by the two cameras is processed to detect the target in the fields of view of the two cameras. At least one of the two cameras is calibrated responsive to detection of the target.

Calibration system and method for vehicular surround vision system

A method for calibrating a camera of a vehicular vision system includes providing a camera and an image processor at the vehicle. A monoview noncoplanar three dimensional calibration pattern distributed on a semi-sphere is determined via processing of image data captured by the camera. Responsive to determination of the monoview noncoplanar three dimensional calibration pattern distributed on the semi-sphere, extrinsic parameters of the camera and intrinsic parameters of the camera are estimated. The system performs at least one of (i) a linear refinement of the estimated extrinsic parameters and intrinsic parameters and (ii) a non-linear refinement of the estimated extrinsic parameters and intrinsic parameters. Responsive to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the camera, the camera is calibrated at least in part by using the determined monoview noncoplanar three dimensional semi-spherical calibration pattern.

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Sailauf, Germany

Sebastian Pliefke