Detection system and method
A detection system includes a first-sensor, a second-sensor, and a controller. The first-sensor is mounted on a host-vehicle. The first-sensor detects objects in a first-field-of-view. The second-sensor is positioned at a second-location different than the first-location. The second-sensor detects objects in a second-field-of-view that at least partially overlaps the first-field of view. The controller is in communication with the first-sensor and the second-sensor. The controller selects the second-sensor to detect an object-of-interest in accordance with a determination that an obstruction blocks a first-line-of-sight between the first-sensor and the object-of-interest.
1. A detection system, comprising:
a first-sensor positioned at a first-location on a host-vehicle, the first-sensor detecting and tracking objects in a first-field-of-view;
a plurality of second-sensors positioned at a plurality of second-locations different than the first-location, each of said plurality of second-sensors detecting objects in its respective second-field-of-view that at least partially overlaps the first-field-of-view;
a controller in communication with the first-sensor and the plurality of second sensors, the controller configured to:
track at least one object-of-interest in the first-field-of-view;
determine, during the tracking, that the first-field-of-view has become obstructed;
responsive to determining that the first-field-of-view has become obstructed:
select a second-sensor that has a least obstructed view of the object-of interest among the plurality of second-sensors;
receive sensor data from the second-sensor including the object-of interest;
use the sensor data to track the object-of-interest; and
operate the host-vehicle in a fully autonomous mode to avoid interference or collision with the object-of-interest.
2. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second-sensor is mounted on the host-vehicle.
3. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second-sensor is mounted on a second-vehicle.
4. The detection system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein data from the second-sensor is both requested and transferred from the second-vehicle to the host-vehicle using a communications protocol.
5. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second-sensor is part of a transportation-infrastructure.
6. The detection system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein data from the second-sensor is requested from the transportation-infrastructure by the host-vehicle using a communications protocol.
7. The detection system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein data from the second-sensor is transferred from the transportation-infrastructure to the host-vehicle using a communications protocol.
8. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second-sensor is directional and the second-field-of-view is adjusted to detect the object-of-interest.
9. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller selects the second-sensor based on a proximity of the second-sensor to both the host-vehicle and the object-of-interest.
10. The detection system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the controller polls available sensors within a communications-range and prioritizes data from the available sensors by a point-of-view of the second-sensor, a sensor-distance of the second-sensor from the host-vehicle, and an object-distance of the second-sensor to the object-of-interest.
11. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-of-interest is a pedestrian.
12. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-of-interest is an other-vehicle.
13. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-of-interest is a lane-marking.
14. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-of-interest is an edge of a roadway.
15. The detection system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-of-interest is a traffic-intersection.
16. A detection method, comprising:
detecting and tracking objects in a first-field-of-view with a first-sensor, the first-sensor positioned at a first-location on a host-vehicle;
detecting objects in a second-field-of-view with a plurality of second-sensors, the plurality of second-sensors positioned at a plurality of second-locations different than the first-location, the second-field-of-view of each of the plurality of second-sensors at least partially overlapping the first-field-of-view;
tracking, with a controller in communication with the first-sensor and the plurality of second-sensors, at least one object-of-interest in the first-field-of-view;
determining, during the tracking, that the first-field-of-view has become obstructed;
responsive to determining that the first-field-of-view has become obstructed:
selecting, with the controller, a second-sensor from the plurality of second sensors that has a least obstructed view of the object-of-interest among the plurality of second-sensors;
receiving sensor data from the second-sensor including the object-of-interest;
using the sensor data to track the object-of-interest; and
operating the host-vehicle in a in a fully autonomous mode to avoid interference or collision with the object-of-interest.
17. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the second-sensor is mounted on the host-vehicle.
18. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the second-sensor is mounted on a second-vehicle.
19. The detection method in accordance with claim 18 , wherein data from the second-sensor is both requested and transferred from the second-vehicle to the host-vehicle using a communications protocol.
20. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the second-sensor is part of a transportation-infrastructure.
21. The detection method in accordance with claim 20 , wherein data from the second-sensor is requested from the transportation-infrastructure by the host-vehicle using a communications protocol.
22. The detection method in accordance with claim 20 , wherein data from the second-sensor is transferred from the transportation-infrastructure to the host-vehicle using a communications protocol.
23. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the second-sensor is directional and the second-field-of-view is adjusted to detect the object-of-interest.
24. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the controller selects the second-sensor based on a proximity of the second-sensor to both the host-vehicle and the object-of-interest.
25. The detection method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the controller polls available sensors within a communications-range and prioritizes data from the available sensors by a point-of-view of the second-sensor, a sensor-distance of the second-sensor from the host-vehicle, and an object-distance of the second-sensor to the object-of-interest.
26. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the object-of-interest is a pedestrian.
27. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the object-of-interest is an other-vehicle.
28. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the object-of-interest is a lane-marking.
29. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the object-of-interest is an edge of a roadway.
30. The detection method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the object-of-interest is a traffic-intersection.