# US 2019/0318173 A1 · Method and system for generating map information for emergency surfaces > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0318173 A1 - Document ID: US20190318173A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/316,956 - Filed: 2017-06-02 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-11 - Assignees: Continental Automotive GmbH - Applicants: Continental Automotive GmbH - Inventors: Steen KRISTENSEN; Henning HAMER; Ralph GREWE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190318173A1 ## CPC - G01C 21/3822: {Road feature data, e.g. slope data} - B60W 30/09: Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering - B60W 30/18009: {related to particular drive situations} - G01C 21/3815: {Road data} - G06V 20/588: {Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road} - B60W 2552/00: Input parameters relating to infrastructure - B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract A system for generating map information for one or more road sections of a digital road map comprises an interface for receiving data records for the one or more road sections. The data records describe properties of surfaces outside the immediate road area. The system further comprises a first module for evaluating the received data records in order to identify first surfaces outside the immediate road area that are able to be driven on by a vehicle after leaving the road and on which the vehicle can be brought to a standstill after leaving the road, a second module for generating a description of the first surfaces in a format suitable for digital road maps, and a third module for retrievably providing the description of the first surfaces in one or more formats suitable for digital road maps. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for generating map information for one or more road sections of a digital road map, comprising: an interface for receiving data records for the one or more road sections, wherein the data records describe properties of surfaces outside the immediate road area, a first module for evaluating the received data records in order to identify first surfaces outside the immediate road area that are able to be driven on by a vehicle after leaving the road and on which the vehicle can be brought to a standstill after leaving the road, a second module for generating a description of the first surfaces in a format suitable for digital road maps, a third module for retrievably providing the description of the first surfaces in one or more formats suitable for digital road maps. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising a fourth module for categorizing the first surfaces into different categories, wherein the categorization is effected on the basis of one or more of the criteria contained in the nonexhaustive list comprising a suitability of the first surface for different vehicle types, a condition of the top of the first surface, weather conditions for which the condition of the surface is valid, a probability and/or costs of damage to the surface that arises while the surface is being driven on. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second module additionally complements the description of the first surfaces with information representing ranges of speeds and/or trajectories for which and/or in compliance with which it is possible to drive on the surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is configured to receive a multiplicity of data records pertaining to each road section, wherein the multiplicity of data records have been captured or generated at different times and wherein the system is configured to indicate for first surfaces a probability of their being available for driving on in the course of a minimal risk maneuver at a given time, and/or to infer a suitability for a minimal risk maneuver from different properties of first surfaces at different times during a year. ### Claim 5 A method for generating map information for one or more road sections of a digital road map, comprising: receiving data records for the one or more road sections, wherein the data records describe properties of surfaces outside the immediate road area, evaluating the received data records in order to identify first surfaces outside the immediate road area that are able to be driven on by a vehicle after leaving the road and on which the vehicle can be brought to a standstill after leaving the road, generating a description of the first surfaces in a format suitable for digital road maps, retrievably providing the description of the first surfaces in one or more formats suitable for digital road maps. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, additionally comprising: categorization of the first surfaces into different categories, wherein the categorization is effected on the basis of one or more of the criteria contained in the nonexhaustive list comprising a suitability of the first surface for different vehicle types, a condition of the top of the first surface, weather conditions for which the condition of the surface is valid, a probability and/or costs of damage to the surface that arises while the surface is being driven on. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, additionally comprising: complementing the description of the first surfaces with information representing ranges of speeds and/or trajectories for which or in compliance with which it is possible to drive on the surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein a multiplicity of data records pertaining to each particular road section are received, wherein the multiplicity of data records have been captured or generated at different times and wherein for first surfaces a probability of their being available for driving on in the course of a minimal risk maneuver at a given time is indicated and/or wherein a suitability for a minimal risk maneuver is inferred from different properties of first surfaces at different times during a year. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, additionally comprising: receiving an enquiry regarding an availability of one or more first surfaces within a radius of a geo-position at a present time, and sending information representing the availability of surfaces within the radius for a minimal risk maneuver, which information is extracted from a respective data record most recently received for the one or more first surfaces. ### Claim 10 A computer program product for generating map information for one or more road sections of a digital road map, which is stored on a computer-readable medium and comprises program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause performance of operations comprising: receiving data records for the one or more road sections, wherein the data records describe properties of surfaces outside the immediate road area, evaluating the received data records in order to identify first surfaces outside the immediate road area that are able to be driven on by a vehicle after leaving the road and on which the vehicle can be brought to a standstill after leaving the road, generating a description of the first surfaces in a format suitable for digital road maps, retrievably providing the description of the first surfaces in one or more formats suitable for digital road maps. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer program product as claimed in claim 10, further comprising program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause performance of operations comprising: categorization of the first surfaces into different categories, wherein the categorization is effected on the basis of one or more of the criteria contained in the nonexhaustive list comprising a suitability of the first surface for different vehicle types, a condition of the top of the first surface, weather conditions for which the condition of the surface is valid, a probability and/or costs of damage to the surface that arises while the surface is being driven on. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The computer program product as claimed in claim 10, further comprising program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause performance of operations comprising: complementing the description of the first surfaces with information representing ranges of speeds and/or trajectories for which or in compliance with which it is possible to drive on the surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The computer program product as claimed in claim 10, wherein a multiplicity of data records pertaining to each particular road section are received, wherein the multiplicity of data records have been captured or generated at different times and wherein for first surfaces a probability of their being available for driving on in the course of a minimal risk maneuver at a given time is indicated and/or wherein a suitability for a minimal risk maneuver is inferred from different properties of first surfaces at different times during a year. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The computer program product as claimed in claim 10, further comprising program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause performance of operations comprising: receiving an enquiry regarding an availability of one or more first surfaces within a radius of a geo-position at a present time, and sending information representing the availability of surfaces within the radius for a minimal risk maneuver, which information is extracted from a respective data record most recently received for the one or more first surfaces.