System and method for GPS based automatic initiation of sensor calibration

1. A method implemented on computer having at least one processor, storage, and communication platform capable of connecting to a network for initiating calibration of one or more sensors disposed with an ego vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by an in-situ Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver disposed with the ego vehicle, a first [GPS signal;

determining a first geo-position associated with the ego vehicle based on the first GPS signal;

receiving a GPS related signal from a fiducial marker having a marker GPS receiver, after the marker GPS receiver receives a second GPS signal;

obtaining a second geo-position associated with the fiducial marker based on the GPS related signal;

estimating a distance between the ego vehicle and the fiducial marker based on the first geo-position and the second geo-position; and

determining, based on the distance, whether to initiate the calibration of the one or more sensors disposed with the ego vehicle using the fiducial marker.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiducial marker is one of a plurality of fiducial markers in a 3D configuration configured to enable the calibration of the one or more sensors of different types simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing a range related criterion;

determining whether the distance satisfies the range related criterion; and

activating, if the distance satisfies the range related criterion, a multi-sensor calibrator for calibrating the one or more sensors.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received GPS related signal provides information about at least one of:

a GPS pose of the fiducial marker determined based on the second GPS signal; or

the second GPS signal, the GPS pose including at least one of the second geo-position or an orientation of the fiducial marker.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining whether the distance satisfies a range related criterion;

determining, if the distance satisfies the range related criterion, whether the orientation of the fiducial marker satisfies an orientation related criterion;

adjusting, if the orientation does not satisfy the orientation related criterion, the ego vehicle in accordance with the orientation of the fiducial marker until the orientation related criterion is met; and

activating, when the orientation criterion is met, a multi-sensor calibrator for calibrating the one or more sensors.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of a visual sensor or a depth measurement sensor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ego vehicle is an autonomous driving vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

automatically detecting the GPS related signal from the fiducial marker; and

automatically adjusting an orientation of the ego vehicle with respect to the fiducial marker based on the first GPS signal and the GPS related signal, before determining whether to initiate the calibration of the one or more sensors.

9. Machine readable and non-transitory medium having information recorded thereon for initiating calibration of one or more sensors disposed with an ego vehicle, wherein the information, when read by the machine, causes the machine to perform:

receiving, by an in-situ GPS receiver disposed with the ego vehicle, a first GPS signal;

determining a first geo-position associated with the ego vehicle based on the first GPS signal;

receiving a GPS related signal from a fiducial marker having a marker GPS receiver, after the marker GPS receiver receives a second GPS signal;

obtaining a second geo-position associated with the fiducial marker based on the GPS related signal;

estimating a distance between the ego vehicle and the fiducial marker based on the first geo-position and the second geo-position; and

determining, based on the distance, whether to initiate the calibration of the one or more sensors disposed with the ego vehicle using the fiducial marker.

10. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the fiducial marker is one of a plurality of fiducial markers in a 3D configuration configured to enable the calibration of the one or more sensors of different types simultaneously.

11. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the information, when read by the machine, further causes the machine to perform:

accessing a range related criterion;

determining whether the distance satisfies the range related criterion; and

activating, if the distance satisfies the range related criterion, a multi-sensor calibrator for calibrating the one or more sensors.

12. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the received GPS related signal provides information about at least one of:

a GPS pose of the fiducial marker determined based on the second GPS signal; or

the second GPS signal, the GPS pose including at least one of the second geo-position or an orientation of the fiducial marker.

13. The medium of claim 12 , wherein the information, when read by the machine, further causes the machine to perform:

determining whether the distance satisfies a range related criterion;

determining, if the distance satisfies the range related criterion, whether the orientation of the fiducial marker satisfies an orientation related criterion;

adjusting, if the orientation does not satisfy the orientation related criterion, the ego vehicle in accordance with the orientation of the fiducial marker until the orientation related criterion is met; and

activating, when the range related criterion and the orientation related criterion are met, a multi-sensor calibrator for calibrating the one or more sensors.

14. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the ego vehicle is an autonomous driving vehicle.

15. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the information, when read by the machine, further causes the machine to perform:

automatically detecting the GPS related signal from the fiducial marker; and

automatically adjusting an orientation of the ego vehicle with respect to the fiducial marker based on the first GPS signal and the GPS related signal, before determining whether to initiate the calibration of the one or more sensors.

16. A system for initiating calibration of one or more sensors disposed with an ego vehicle comprising:

an in-situ GPS receiver disposed with the ego vehicle configured for

receiving a first GPS signal, and

determining a first geo-position associated with the ego vehicle based on the first GPS signal;

a marker signal receiver configured for receiving a GPS related signal from a fiducial marker having a marker GPS receiver, after the marker GPS receiver receives a second GPS signal; and

an automatic calibration initiator configured for

obtaining a second geo-position associated with the fiducial marker based on the GPS related signal,

estimating a distance between the ego vehicle and the fiducial marker based on the first geo-position and the second geo-position, and

determining, based on the distance, whether to initiate the calibration of the one or more sensors disposed with the ego vehicle using the fiducial marker.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the fiducial marker is one of a plurality of fiducial markers in a 3D configuration configured to enable the calibration of the one or more sensors of different types simultaneously.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the automatic calibration initiator comprises a calibration trigger configured for:

accessing a range related criterion; and

determining whether the distance satisfies the range related criterion; and

activating, if the distance satisfies the range related criterion, a multi-sensor calibrator for calibrating the one or more sensors.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the received GPS related signal provides information about at least one of:

a GPS pose of the fiducial marker determined based on the second GPS signal; or

the second GPS signal, the GPS pose including at least one of the second geo-position or an orientation of the fiducial marker.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the automatic calibration initiator comprises:

a marker distance estimator configured for determining whether the distance satisfies a range related criterion;

an orientation determiner configured for determining, if the distance satisfies the range related criterion, whether the orientation of the fiducial marker satisfies an orientation related criterion;

a vehicle orientation controller configured for adjusting, if the orientation does not satisfy the orientation related criterion, the ego vehicle in accordance with the orientation of the fiducial marker until the orientation related criterion is met; and

a calibration trigger configured for activating, when the range related criterion and the orientation related criterion are met, a multi-sensor calibrator for calibrating the one or more sensors.