How Car Factories Calibrate LIDAR Sensors for Self-Driving Cars
This patent describes a system for car factories to precisely adjust a vehicle's LIDAR sensors using special floor and wall targets, ensuring they accurately map the world for features like self-driving.
Original patent title: “Vehicle LIDAR sensor calibration system”
This patent describes a system for car factories to precisely adjust a vehicle's LIDAR sensors using special floor and wall targets, ensuring they accurately map the world for features like self-driving. Granted to Magna Electronics in 2022 with 22 claims and 4 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2038.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This calibration system helps car manufacturers accurately set up LIDAR sensors in new vehicles. It uses a horizontal target on the ground and a vertical target, both with distinct patterns of markers, placed in a special 'end of line calibration region' at the factory (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). When a vehicle is in this spot, its LIDAR sensor detects these markers (Claim 1). By processing the data from the LIDAR, the system figures out the exact positions of these markers relative to the vehicle (Claim 1). Based on these determined locations, the system then calculates any misalignment in the LIDAR sensor's 'roll,' 'pitch,' and 'yaw' (Claim 1). Finally, it adjusts the LIDAR system to correct these misalignments (Claim 1). For example, if a LIDAR sensor is slightly tilted down (pitch) or rotated to the side (yaw), this system can detect that and correct it before the car leaves the factory.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover calibration systems that only use a single target (e.g., only horizontal or only vertical), as it requires both a horizontal and a vertical target (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover calibration performed outside of a vehicle assembly facility's 'end of line calibration region' (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover systems that calibrate LIDAR sensors without determining misalignment across 'roll,' 'pitch,' and 'yaw' axes (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover calibration methods that do not rely on light reflecting targets arranged in predetermined patterns (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover calibration for sensors other than LIDAR, such as cameras or radar, or for LIDAR sensors that do not sense forward of the vehicle (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 2).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in using both horizontal and vertical targets with distinct patterns in a factory setting to precisely determine and correct misalignment across all three rotational axes (roll, pitch, and yaw) of a LIDAR sensor, ensuring comprehensive calibration.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Vehicle assembly lines for autonomous cars
Quality control stations for ADAS-equipped vehicles
Automotive manufacturing plants producing LIDAR-enabled vehicles
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Accurate LIDAR sensor calibration is critical for the safety and performance of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles. If a LIDAR sensor is misaligned, it could misinterpret the distance or position of objects, leading to incorrect decisions by the vehicle's computer. This system ensures that LIDAR sensors are precisely aligned before vehicles are delivered to customers, which is essential for reliable operation of features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and self-parking.
Filed
September 27, 2018
Granted
July 19, 2022
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Magna Electronics Inc., the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a major automotive supplier that continues to develop and integrate advanced driver-assistance systems. Other automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers like Bosch, Continental, and ZF also work on similar calibration technologies to ensure the accuracy of sensors in their vehicles, especially as autonomous driving features become more prevalent.
Market impact
This type of calibration system is essential for the mass production of vehicles with advanced sensing capabilities. It helps standardize the quality and reliability of LIDAR data, which is crucial for the widespread adoption of ADAS and autonomous driving. Without such precise end-of-line calibration, the performance and safety of these systems would be compromised, potentially slowing down market acceptance and increasing warranty costs for manufacturers.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This calibration system helps car manufacturers accurately set up LIDAR sensors in new vehicles. It uses a horizontal target on the ground and a vertical target, both with distinct patterns of markers, placed in a special 'end of line calibration region' at the factory (Claim 1). When a vehicle is in this spot, its LIDAR sensor detects these markers (Claim 1). By processing the data from the LIDAR, the system figures out the exact positions of these markers relative to the vehicle (Claim 1). Based on these determined locations, the system then calculates any misalignment in the LIDAR sensor's 'roll,' 'pitch,' and 'yaw' (Claim 1). Finally, it adjusts the LIDAR system to correct these misalignments (Claim 1). For example, if a LIDAR sensor is slightly tilted down (pitch) or rotated to the side (yaw), this system can detect that and correct it before the car leaves the factory.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in using both horizontal and vertical targets with distinct patterns in a factory setting to precisely determine and correct misalignment across all three rotational axes (roll, pitch, and yaw) of a LIDAR sensor, ensuring comprehensive calibration.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover calibration systems that only use a single target (e.g., only horizontal or only vertical), as it requires both a horizontal and a vertical target (Claim 1).
- Does not cover calibration performed outside of a vehicle assembly facility's 'end of line calibration region' (Claim 1).
- Does not cover systems that calibrate LIDAR sensors without determining misalignment across 'roll,' 'pitch,' and 'yaw' axes (Claim 1).
- Does not cover calibration methods that do not rely on light reflecting targets arranged in predetermined patterns (Claim 1).
- Does not cover calibration for sensors other than LIDAR, such as cameras or radar, or for LIDAR sensors that do not sense forward of the vehicle (Claim 2).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
14/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$88K – $281K
Midpoint $176K · 12.1 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Singh, J. (2022). How Car Factories Calibrate LIDAR Sensors for Self-Driving Cars (U.S. Patent No. 11,391,826). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11391826/vehicle-lidar-sensor-calibration-system
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Car Factories Calibrate LIDAR Sensors for Self-Driving Cars cover?
This patent describes a system for car factories to precisely adjust a vehicle's LIDAR sensors using special floor and wall targets, ensuring they accurately map the world for features like self-driving.
Who owns patent US 11391826?
Magna Electronics owns this patent, granted in 2022.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 27, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 11391826 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 4 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Accurate LIDAR sensor calibration is critical for the safety and performance of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles. If a LIDAR sensor is misaligned, it could misinterpret the distance or position of objects, leading to incorrect decisions by the vehicle's computer. This system ensures that LIDAR sensors are precisely aligned before vehicles are delivered to customers, which is essential for reliable operation of features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and self-parking.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover calibration systems that only use a single target (e.g., only horizontal or only vertical), as it requires both a horizontal and a vertical target (Claim 1).
Same assignee
More from Magna Electronics
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