US 7,546,765 B1Granted

Scanning device and method for analyzing a road surface

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsRichard D. Janke, Mine Tasci, John D. Davis, James C. Tebbe, Herbert R. Butterfield, Timothy D. Roberts, David A. Ruiz, Kyle M. Smith, Donald E. Martini

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Abstract

A road surface scanning device and method for scanning a section of road in order to acquire road surface data, which in turn can be used to create a mathematical model of the road. In one embodiment, the road surface scanning device includes a frame, a carriage movably mounted to the frame, a scanner movably mounted to the carriage, and a pair of electric actuators that can move the scanner across the road surface. Information from adjacent scanner passes are electronically stitched together and, in a similar manner, information from adjacent surface segments are electronically joined to form a mathematical model of the road. Various techniques can then be used to process the road surface data and prepare it for use by other software applications.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A road surface scanning device, comprising:

a frame having a plurality of structural members including a longitudinal support that extends in a longitudinal direction of the scanning device, and a lateral support that extends in a lateral direction of the scanning device and is securely connected to the longitudinal support;
a carriage being movably attached to the frame so that it can move in the longitudinal direction of the scanning device;
a scanner for acquiring road surface data and having a laser head that emits an incident laser line towards the road surface, and a camera that receives a reflected laser line from the road surface;
a first actuator for moving the scanner along the carriage in the lateral direction of the scanning device;
and
a second actuator for moving the carriage along the frame in the longitudinal direction of the scanning device, wherein the first actuator moves the scanner along the carriage during a lateral scan, and the second actuator moves the carriage along the frame in between lateral scans.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.