IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,311,957
Granted Patent B2
US 12,311,957 · App. 18/543,859 · Granted May 27, 2025

System and method for recalibration of an uncalibrated sensor

Inventors: Pingfan Meng (Dublin, CA); Zhenhao Pan (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
B60W50/00G01D18/004B60W2050/0083B60W2555/20G05D1/0088
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,311,957
App. No.
18/543,859
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided herein is a system and method for determining whether a sensor is calibrated and recalibrating of an uncalibrated sensor. The system comprises a sensor system comprising a sensor and an analysis engine configured to determine whether the sensor is uncalibrated. The system further comprises an error handling system configured to determine whether to perform a recalibration in response to the sensor system determining that the sensor is uncalibrated. The error handling system further comprises a recalibration engine configured to perform a recalibration.

Claims (28)

1. A system comprising:

a sensor within an autonomous or a semi-autonomous vehicle, the sensor comprising a Lidar, a radar, or a camera;

and one or more processors configured to:

perform a validation of the sensor to determine whether the sensor is calibrated;

in response to performing the validation, and determining that the sensor is uncalibrated, determining a type or a mode of an error handling procedure, selected from error handling procedures based on a historical rate of success associated with the type or the mode of the error handling procedure, wherein the error handling procedures comprise initiating a backup sensor, recalibrating the sensor, eliminating erroneous data from the sensor, and issuing an alert; and

perform the type or the mode of the error handling procedure.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the performing of the validation is in response to an inertial measurement unit (IMU) reading being outside of a threshold range.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the type or the mode of the error handling procedure comprises initiating the backup sensor at least partially simultaneously with recalibrating of the sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the type or mode of the error handling procedure is based on a frequency of an error in the sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the type or mode of the error handling procedure comprises determining an extent of the error handling procedure.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the extent of the error handling procedure comprises a full recalibration or a partial recalibration.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the validation is based on data from a different sensor.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the different sensor is of a different modality compared to the sensor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the type or the mode of the error handling procedure is based on a level of urgency of the error handling procedure.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the error handling procedure is performed simultaneously with an error handling of a different sensor, based on a level of urgency of the error handling procedure.

11. An error handling method for a sensor of a system, comprising:

perform a validation of a sensor to determine whether the sensor is calibrated;

in response to performing the validation, and determining that the sensor is uncalibrated, determine a type or a mode of an error handling procedure, selected from error handling procedures based on a historical rate of success associated with the type or the mode of the error handling procedure, wherein the error handling procedures comprise initiating a backup sensor, recalibrating the sensor, eliminating erroneous data from the sensor, and issuing an alert; and

perform the type or the mode of the error handling procedure.

12. The error handling method of claim 11 , wherein the performing of the validation is in response to an inertial measurement unit (IMU) reading being outside of a threshold range.

13. The error handling method of claim 11 , wherein the determining of the type or the mode of the error handling procedure comprises initiating the backup sensor at least partially simultaneously with recalibrating of the sensor.

14. The error handling method of claim 11 , wherein the determination of the type or mode of the error handling procedure is based on a frequency of an error in the sensor.

15. The error handling method of claim 11 , wherein the determination of the type or mode of the error handling procedure comprises determining an extent of the error handling procedure.

16. The error handling method of claim 15 , wherein the extent of the error handling procedure comprises a full recalibration or a partial recalibration.

17. The error handling method of claim 11 , wherein the validation is based on data from a different sensor.

18. The error handling method of claim 17 , wherein the different sensor is of a different modality compared to the sensor.

19. The error handling method of claim 11 , wherein the type or the mode of the error handling procedure is based on a level of urgency of the error handling procedure.

20. The error handling method of claim 11 , wherein the error handling procedure is performed simultaneously with an error handling of a different sensor, based on a level of urgency of the error handling procedure.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: MENG, PINGFAN; PAN, ZHENHAO
To: PONY.AI, INC.
Reel/Frame 065900/0899 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: PONY.AI, INC.
To: PONY AI INC.
Reel/Frame 065901/0043 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17474368 · Sep 14, 2021
Continuation 16407060 · May 8, 2019
Related Publication 20240116520A1 · Apr 11, 2024
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