# US 2018/0322778 A1 · Automatic learning for vehicle classification > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0322778 A1 - Document ID: US20180322778A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/772,106 - Filed: 2016-12-29 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-30 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: Stephanie R. Schumacher; Brian D. Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180322778A1 ## CPC - G06N 20/00: Machine learning - G06F 18/2178: {based on feedback of a supervisor} - G06V 20/54: of traffic, e.g. cars on the road, trains or boats - G06V 20/62: Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images - G08G 1/0175: {by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules} - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract The present disclosure provides an automatically updating vehicle classification system and method. The system comprises a processor which extracts from a vehicle image at least one of: a unique vehicle identifier from the vehicle image and visual features of the vehicle in the vehicle image. If the visual features are below a probability threshold for matching a vehicle class in a local database, the processor looks up the unique vehicle identifier in a registration database. The registration database stores vehicle registration information including unique vehicle identifiers and associated vehicle class information. If the vehicle class information associated with the vehicle identifier is not a class recognized by the processor, the processor creates a new vehicle class associated with the visual features of the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automatically updating vehicle classification system comprising: a processor which extracts from a vehicle image at least one of: a unique vehicle identifier from the vehicle image and visual features of the vehicle in the vehicle image; wherein if the visual features are below a probability threshold for matching a vehicle class in a local database, the processor looks up the unique vehicle identifier in a registration database; wherein the registration database stores vehicle registration information including unique vehicle identifiers and associated vehicle class information; wherein if the vehicle class information associated with the vehicle identifier is not a class recognized by the processor, the processor creates a new vehicle class associated with the visual features of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein vehicle class information includes at least one of or any combination of: make, model, body type, seat capacity, engine size, manufacture date, number of axels, and color. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the new vehicle class is not activated for use until the processor has looked up a predetermined minimum number of unique vehicle identifiers associated with the new vehicle class. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a camera that captures the vehicle image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor looks up the unique vehicle identifier in the registration database during a low volume time period. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein if the new class has only a single vehicle in it for a defined period of time, the single vehicle is designated as an outlier. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the processor designates outliers for manual review. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor creates new classes while the system is deployed for use. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor updates classes while the system is deployed for use. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the unique vehicle identifier is displayed on a number plate. ### Claim 11 A method for automatically updating a vehicle classification system comprising: providing a vehicle image; extracting, with a processor, at least one of: a unique vehicle identifier from the vehicle image and visual features of the vehicle in the vehicle image; if the visual features of the vehicle are below a probability threshold for matching a vehicle class in a local database, looking up, with the processor, the unique vehicle identifier in a registration database; wherein the registration database stores registration information including unique vehicle identifiers and associated vehicle class information; wherein if the vehicle class information associated with the unique vehicle identifier is not a vehicle class recognized by the processor, creating, with the processor a new vehicle class associated with the visual features of the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein vehicle class information includes any combination of: make, model, body type, number of axels, seat capacity, engine size, manufacture date and color. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the new vehicle class is not activated for use until the processor has looked up a minimum number of unique vehicle identifiers associated with the new class. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising capturing, with a camera, the vehicle image. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the processor looks up the unique vehicle identifier in the registration database during a low volume time period. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising designating the vehicle as an outlier if the new class has only the single vehicle in it for a defined period of time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising designating the outliers for manual review. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising creating, with the processor, new vehicle classes while the system is deployed for use. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the processor updates vehicle classes while the system is deployed for use. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the unique vehicle identifier is displayed on a number plate.