Sensor array for an autonomously operated utility vehicle and method for surround-view image acquisition

A sensor arrangement for an autonomously operated commercial vehicle to allow panoramic capture of surroundings, comprising:

• radar units mountable in a front corner area of the commercial vehicle;
• first downwardly directed cameras having a fisheye objective, which are mountable on front upper corner areas of the commercial vehicle;
• further sensors mountable in front upper corner areas of the commercial vehicle and allowing rearward image capture;
• second downwardly directed cameras having a fisheye objective, which are mountable on rear upper corner areas of the commercial vehicle, or at least one rearwardly directed sensor mountable on a rear of the commercial vehicle and allowing rearward image capture;
• and
• an evaluation module to evaluate image data from the radar units and image data from the first downwardly directed cameras and image data from the further sensor and image data from the second downwardly directed cameras or the at least one rearwardly directed sensor to achieve the panoramic capture of the surroundings of the commercial vehicle;
• wherein the commercial vehicle is a traction engine for a trailer,
• wherein the radar units, the first downwardly directed cameras, the further sensors, the second downwardly directed cameras or the at least one rearwardly directed sensor are configured to capture each point in a surrounding area of the commercial vehicle twice from different viewing angles,
• wherein the surrounding area is a self-contained area around the vehicle,
• wherein the evaluation unit is configured to produce a first panoramic image and a second panoramic image of the commercial vehicle, the first panoramic image is based on image data of a radar unit on a first vehicle side and image data from cameras or sensors on a second, opposite vehicle side, the second panoramic image is based for example on the image data of a radar unit on the second vehicle side with image data from cameras or sensors on the first vehicle side.

A commercial vehicle, which is operable in a driverless manner, comprising:

• a sensor arrangement to allow panoramic capture of surroundings of the commercial vehicle, including:
• radar units mountable in front corner areas of the commercial vehicle;
• downwardly directed cameras having a fisheye objective, which are mountable on front upper corner areas of the commercial vehicle;
• at least one rearwardly directed sensor mounted on a section of the commercial vehicle to allow rearward image capture;
• and
• an evaluation module to evaluate image data from the radar units, the downwardly directed cameras and the at least one rearwardly directed sensor to achieve the panoramic capture of the surroundings of the commercial vehicle;
• wherein the radar units and the at least one rearwardly directed sensor are configured to capture all points in a surrounding area of the commercial vehicle, and
• wherein the downwardly directed cameras are configured to likewise capture all points in the surrounding area of the commercial vehicle.

A method for providing panoramic image capture of surroundings of a commercial vehicle operable autonomously in a driverless manner, the method comprising:

• evaluating image data of a sensor arrangement, wherein the sensor arrangement allows the panoramic capture of the surroundings of the commercial vehicle, including:
• radar units mountable in front corner areas of the commercial vehicle;
• downwardly directed cameras having a fisheye objective, which are mountable on front upper corner areas of the commercial vehicle;
• at least one rearwardly directed sensor mounted on a section of the commercial vehicle to allow rearward image capture;
• and
• an evaluation module to evaluate image data from the radar units, the downwardly directed cameras and the at least one rearwardly directed sensor to achieve the panoramic capture of the surroundings of the commercial vehicle;
• wherein the radar units and the at least one rearwardly directed sensor are configured to capture all points in a surrounding area of the commercial vehicle, and
• wherein the downwardly directed cameras are configured to likewise capture all points in the surrounding area of the commercial vehicle;
• and
• capturing all points in the surrounding area of the commercial vehicle, wherein each point in the surrounding area is captured by at least two different sensors mounted at different positions on the commercial vehicle.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:

• a program code arrangement having program code for providing panoramic image capture of surroundings of a commercial vehicle operable autonomously in a driverless manner, by performing the following:
• evaluating image data of a sensor arrangement, wherein the sensor arrangement allows the panoramic capture of the surroundings of the commercial vehicle, including:
• radar units mountable in front corner areas of the commercial vehicle;
• downwardly directed cameras having a fisheye objective, which are mountable on front upper corner areas of the commercial vehicle;
• at least one rearwardly directed sensor mounted on a section of the commercial vehicle to allow rearward image capture;
• and
• an evaluation module to evaluate image data from the radar units, the downwardly directed cameras and the at least one rearwardly directed sensor to achieve the panoramic capture of the surroundings of the commercial vehicle;
• wherein the radar units and the at least one rearwardly directed sensor are configured to capture all points in a surrounding area of the commercial vehicle, and
• wherein the downwardly directed cameras are configured to likewise capture all points in the surrounding area of the commercial vehicle;
• and
• capturing all points in the surrounding area of the commercial vehicle, wherein each point in the surrounding area is captured by at least two different sensors mounted at different positions on the commercial vehicle.