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US 12,583,447 B1Granted
Roadway hazard detection and avoidance
OwnerScott C Harris, Benjamin J Kwitekinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A autonomous driving vehicle and system. Sensors that are used for driving are also used for characterizing the roadway for hazards such as potholes and rumble strips. The vehicle avoids the hazards when driving. The vehicle can send information about the hazards to other close vehicles, and also send the information to a server that creates a global database.
Claims16
A autonomous driving vehicle system comprising:
- a vehicle;
- a sensor, attached to the vehicle and detecting conditions around the vehicle and producing signals indicative of roadway conditions around the vehicle that are detected, and producing outputs indicative thereof;
- a computer operating for automated driving operation of the vehicle by navigating to a destination, the computer using the outputs for the navigating in order to avoid collisions with other vehicles on the roadway and to stay within specified areas of the roadway;
- the computer operating for using the outputs from the sensor for analyzing a roadway ahead of the vehicle, to identify items in the roadway using the signals from the sensor, where the items in the road that are identified by the signals from the sensor,
- the computer analyzing the items in the roadway to determine sizes of the items, and based on the sizes, characterizing the items in the roadway as being hazards that are likely to interfere with the operation of the vehicle, when the items have a specified size and as not being hazards that are likely to interfere with the operation of the vehicle, when the items do not have the specified size;
- the computer forming a database of the hazards that are likely to interfere with the operation of the vehicle in the roadway including locations of the hazards in the roadway;
- wherein the information indicative of the database of hazards is sent to a global database server, and where the global database server verifies the hazards by finding the same information received multiple times from multiple sources, to form verified as correct information about a hazard, and where verified as correct information about a hazard is sent to other vehicles, and information about a hazard that is not verified as correct is not sent to other vehicles;
- the computer receiving information from the global database server about hazards from other vehicles that are verified as correct and adds the information to the database of hazards in the roadway;
- and
- the computer carrying out the navigating to the destination using the database of hazards in the roadway to avoid the hazards in the roadway.
7 more elements
A method of routing and driving an autonomous driving vehicle comprising:
- producing a route in a vehicle;
- using an autonomous driving system to drive the vehicle along the route;
- producing signals indicative of roadway conditions around the vehicle from a sensor, attached to the vehicle;
- using a computer operating for automated driving operation of the vehicle by navigating to a destination, the computer using the outputs from the sensor for the navigating in order to avoid collisions with other vehicles on the roadway and to stay within specified areas of the roadway;
- using the computer for using the outputs from the sensor for analyzing a roadway ahead of the vehicle, to identify items in the roadway using the signals from the sensor,
- using the computer analyzing the items in the roadway, and characterizing the items in the roadway as being hazards that are likely to interfere with the operation of the vehicle, when the items have a specified size and as not being hazards that are likely to interfere with the operation of the vehicle, when the items do not have the specified size;
- using the computer for forming a database of the hazards that are likely to interfere with the operation of the vehicle in the roadway including locations of the hazards in the roadway;
- wherein the information indicative of the database of hazards is sent to a global database server, and where the global database server verifies the hazards by finding the same information received multiple times from multiple sources, to form verified as correct information about a hazard, and where verified as correct information about a hazard is sent to other vehicles, and information about a hazard that is not verified as correct is not sent to other vehicles;
- the computer receiving information from the global database server about hazards from other vehicles that are verified as correct and adds the information to the database of hazards in the roadway;
- and
- using the computer carrying out the navigating to the destination using the database of hazards in the roadway to avoid the hazards in the roadway.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.