Method for identifying edges of curbs

A system for identifying edges of curbs in an environment of a mobile platform, comprising:

• an optical camera system, which is mechanically coupled to the mobile platform and configured to provide at least one optical image of the environment of the mobile platform;
• an imaging system configured to generate a topographic profile of a ground surface of the environment of the mobile platform, the imaging system including the optical camera system and/or a lidar system and/or a radar system, wherein the topographic profile indicates altitude values of a two-dimensional surface;
• and
• a data processing device, which is coupled in terms of signals to the optical camera system and to the imaging system, and which is configured using a computing unit and/or a system-on-chip to:
• determine linear structures in the at least one optical image, wherein the linear structures in the at least one optical image are determined using a linear structure of an upper edge of a curb and a linear structure of a lower edge of the curb by projecting the linear structure of the upper edge onto a virtual ground surface, and by comparing a first triangle, which is formed from the upper edge of the curb, the lower edge of the curb, and the projected line of the upper edge of the curb onto a virtual ground, to a second triangle, which is formed from a camera position, a perpendicular projection of the camera position onto a ground surface, and the lower edge of the curb, with respect to similar triangles;
• project the linear structures into the topographic profile of the ground surface, wherein the linear structures of the at least one optical image are transformed into world coordinates for the projection into the topographic profile of the ground surface;
• verifying the edges of curbs by examining, on both sides of the projected linear structures, the topographic profile for altitude jumps corresponding to a curb structure;
• and
• connecting the verified altitude jumps in order to identify the edges of the curbs.

A method, comprising:

• providing a system for identifying edges of curbs in an environment of a mobile platform, including:
• an optical camera system, which is mechanically coupled to the mobile platform and configured to provide at least one optical image of the environment of the mobile platform,
• an imaging system configured to generate a topographic profile of a ground surface of the environment of the mobile platform, the imaging system including the optical camera system and/or a lidar system and/or a radar system, wherein the topographic profile indicates altitude values of a two-dimensional surface, and
• a data processing device, which is coupled in terms of signals to the optical camera system and to the imaging system, and which is configured using a computing unit and/or a system-on-chip to:
• determine linear structures in the at least one optical image, wherein the linear structures in the at least one optical image are determined using a linear structure of an upper edge of a curb and a linear structure of a lower edge of the curb by projecting the linear structure of the upper edge onto a virtual ground surface, and by comparing a first triangle, which is formed from the upper edge of the curb, the lower edge of the curb, and the projected line of the upper edge of the curb onto a virtual ground, to a second triangle, which is formed from a camera position, a perpendicular projection of the camera position onto a ground surface, and the lower edge of the curb, with respect to similar triangles,
• project the linear structures into the topographic profile of the ground surface, wherein the linear structures of the at least one optical image are transformed into world coordinates for the projection into the topographic profile of the ground surface,
• verify the edges of curbs by examining, on both sides of the projected linear structures, the topographic profile for altitude jumps corresponding to a curb structure, and
• connect the verified altitude jumps in order to identify the edges of the curbs;
• and
• using, by the mobile platform, the provided system.