Vertical road profile estimation
AssigneeAptiv Technologies AG
InventorJens Westerhoff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illustrative example embodiment of a computer implemented method for estimating a vertical profile of a road in front of or behind a host vehicle includes monitoring a detection point at a surrounding or preceding vehicle by a sensor on the host vehicle, determining at least one value for a height of the detection point with respect to a reference level at the host vehicle based on the elevation angle of the detection point, and estimating the vertical profile of the road based on the at least one value for the height of the detection point. An estimation of a height of the object with respect to a road surface may be corrected by the estimated vertical profile.
Claims15
A method of estimating a height of an object located in a vicinity of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a sensor configured to detect an elevation angle relative to the vehicle, the method comprising:
- using the sensor for monitoring a detection point of a second vehicle, which is distinct from the object, including determining a plurality of positions of the detection point and a corresponding plurality of elevation angles with respect to a reference level at the vehicle, wherein the detection point is defined within a region of a wheel of the second vehicle and the region is located adjacent to a surface of the road;
- estimating a vertical profile of a portion of a road based on the plurality of positions and the plurality of elevation angles;
- detecting the object by the sensor;
- determining a height of the object based on determining an elevation angle between the object and the reference level;
- and
- adjusting the determined height of the object based on the estimated vertical profile of the portion of the road.
A system for estimating a height of an object located in a vicinity of a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a sensor configured to detect the object and an elevation angle relative to the vehicle;
- and
- a controller that is configured to
- use information from the sensor for monitoring a detection point of a second vehicle, which is distinct from the object, including determining a plurality of positions of the detection point and a corresponding plurality of elevation angles with respect to a reference level at the vehicle, wherein the detection point is defined within a region of a wheel of the second vehicle and the region is located adjacent to a surface of the road;
- estimate a vertical profile of a portion of a road based on the plurality of positions and the plurality of elevation angles;
- determine a height of the object based on an elevation angle between the object and the reference level;
- and
- adjust the determined height of the object based on the estimated vertical profile of the portion of the road.
A non-transitory storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by a controller, cause the controller to:
- use information from a sensor supported on a vehicle for monitoring a detection point of a second vehicle, wherein the sensor is configured to detect an object, which is distinct from the second vehicle, in a vicinity of the vehicle and an elevation angle, and wherein the monitoring includes determining a plurality of positions of the detection point and a corresponding plurality of elevation angles with respect to a reference level at the vehicle, wherein the detection point is defined within a region of a wheel of the second vehicle and the region is located adjacent to a surface of the road;
- estimate a vertical profile of a portion of a road based on the plurality of positions and the plurality of elevation angles;
- determine a height of the object based on an elevation angle between the object and the reference level;
- and
- adjust the determined height of the object based on the estimated vertical profile of the portion of the road.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.