Pose initialization optimization for improved localization
AssigneeZoox, Inc.
InventorsTaylor Andrew Arnicar, Brice Rebsamen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In order to operate reliably and effectively, an autonomous vehicle may at least partially rely on accurately determining an initial position and orientation of the vehicle within the environment. Without an accurate localization of the vehicle's location, position, and orientation in an environment, the vehicle's perception and/or planning components may be hindered, thereby reducing the effectiveness and/or safety of the vehicle. Techniques of the disclosure herein are related to initializing a localization component of a vehicle.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- a non-transitory memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
- detecting a pose initialization trigger event, the pose initialization trigger event causing an error associated with a pose of a vehicle;
- determining, based at least in part on first sensor data or a stored pose, an estimated location of the vehicle;
- determining, based at least in part on the estimated location, a set of candidate pose initialization locations within a radius distance of the estimated location;
- receiving second sensor data indicating environment features of an environment proximate the vehicle;
- determining a first confidence score for a first pose initialization location of the set of candidate pose initialization locations, wherein determining the first confidence score comprises:
- determining a difference between a portion of the second sensor data and a surface indicated by map data associated with the first pose initialization location, and
- determining a percentage of the second sensor data detected as static objects using the second sensor data;
- determining that the vehicle is located at the first pose initialization location based at least in part on at least one of determining that the first confidence score meets or exceeds a confidence threshold or that the first confidence score is a maximum confidence score among a set of confidence scores determined for the set of candidate pose initialization locations;
- determining, based at least in part on a geolocation and the map data associated with the first pose initialization location and a relative position of the vehicle determined based at least in part on the second sensor data and the map data, an initial pose of the vehicle configured to at least partially mitigate the error;
- and
- controlling the vehicle based at least in part on the initial pose.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
- receiving sensor data at a vehicle, the sensor data indicating an error associated with a pose of the vehicle;
- determining, based at least in part on the pose, a set of predetermined initialization locations within a first threshold distance of the vehicle;
- determining that a first initialization location of the set of predetermined initialization locations is available;
- determining, based at least in part on the sensor data and the first initialization location being available, an updated pose of the vehicle configured to at least partially mitigate the error;
- and
- controlling the vehicle based at least in part on the updated pose.
A method comprising:
- receiving sensor data at a vehicle, the sensor data indicating an error associated with a pose of the vehicle;
- determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, that the vehicle is located within a threshold distance of a set of candidate initialization locations;
- determining a first initialization location from among the set of candidate initialization locations, the first initialization location comprising a physical object having characteristics unique to the physical object;
- determining, based at least in part on the sensor data and the first initialization location, an updated pose of the vehicle configured to at least partially mitigate the error;
- and
- controlling the vehicle based at least in part on the updated pose.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.