Method for detecting a clear path through topographical variation analysis
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsWende Zhang, Sanjeev M. Naik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle wherein the detecting includes a fusion of a plurality of analyses including monitoring an image from a camera device includes analyzing the image through clear path detection analysis to determine a clear path of travel within the image, analyzing an area in front of the vehicle utilizing a topographical variation analysis to determine a flat surface upon which the vehicle can travel, combining the clear path of travel and the determined flat surface to describe an enhanced clear path of travel, and utilizing the enhanced clear path of travel to navigate the vehicle.
Claims20
Method for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle, the detecting comprising a fusion of a plurality of analyses, the method comprising:
- monitoring an image from a camera device;
- analyzing the image through clear path detection analysis to determine a clear path of travel within the image;
- analyzing an area in front of the vehicle utilizing a topographical variation analysis to determine a flat surface upon which the vehicle can travel, the topographical variation analysis comprising at least one of:
- utilizing a ground plane estimation analysis to compile a map that describes height variation on a surface in the area in front of the vehicle to determine an elevation contour of a ground plane in front of the vehicle, and
- utilizing a snow elevation change analysis estimating a transition in height of snow in front of the vehicle;
- combining the clear path of travel and the determined flat surface to describe an enhanced clear path of travel;
- and
- utilizing the enhanced clear path of travel to navigate the vehicle.
Method for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle, the detecting comprising a fusion of a plurality of analyses, the method comprising:
- monitoring an image from a camera device;
- analyzing the image through clear path detection analysis to determine a clear path of travel within the image;
- analyzing an area in front of the vehicle utilizing snow elevation change analysis to determine a flat surface upon which the vehicle can travel;
- combining the clear path of travel and the determined flat surface to describe an enhanced clear path of travel;
- and
- utilizing the enhanced clear path of travel to navigate the vehicle.
Method for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle, the detecting comprising a fusion of a plurality of analyses, the method comprising:
- monitoring an image from a camera device;
- analyzing the image through clear path detection analysis to determine a clear path of travel within the image;
- analyzing an area in front of the vehicle utilizing a topographical variation analysis to determine a flat surface upon which the vehicle can travel, wherein the topographical variation analysis comprises ground plane estimation and snow elevation detection;
- combining the clear path of travel and the determined flat surface to describe an enhanced clear path of travel;
- and
- utilizing the enhanced clear path of travel to navigate the vehicle.
A system for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle, the detecting comprising a fusion of a plurality of analyses, the system comprising:
- a camera device;
- and
- a processing module
- monitor images from the camera device, and
- analyzing the images comprising
- determining a clear path of travel from other portions of the image that do not indicate a clear path of travel, and
- monitoring data describing topography in front of the vehicle,
- analyzing the data describing the topography in front of the vehicle comprising at least one of:
- utilizing a ground plane estimation analysis to compile a map that describes height variation on a surface in the area in front of the vehicle to determine an elevation contour of a ground plane in front of the vehicle, and
- utilizing a snow elevation change analysis estimating a transition in height of snow in front of the vehicle,
- analyzing the clear path and the analysis of the data describing the topography in front of the vehicle,
- enhancing the clear path based upon the analysis of the clear path and the analysis of the data describing the topography in front of the vehicle, and
- aiding navigation of the vehicle based upon the modified clear path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.