Systems and methods for adjusting a contour of a vehicle based on a protrusion

• US 10,030,991 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Chin, Hon Wah, Duncan, William D., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US14/675,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20150204681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees

Abstract

A system for informing a navigation system of a vehicle of a protrusion includes a sensor and a processing circuit. The sensor is configured to generate sensor data based on a position of cargo. The processing circuit is configured to determine a contour of the vehicle, detect protruding cargo extending outside the contour of the vehicle, where detecting the protruding cargo is based on the sensor data and the contour, and notify the navigation system of the vehicle of the protruding cargo.

Claims

1. A method of informing a navigation system of a vehicle of a protrusion, comprising:

acquiring sensor data from a sensor, wherein the sensor data is based on a position of cargo;

determining a contour of the vehicle;

detecting protruding cargo extending outside the contour of the vehicle, wherein detecting the protruding cargo is based on the sensor data and the contour; and

notifying the navigation system of the vehicle of the protruding cargo based on the protruding cargo extending beyond a threshold distance outside the contour of the vehicle;

wherein detecting the protruding cargo comprises estimating a protruding extremity of an occupant based on a skeletal anatomy of the occupant and a non-protruding portion of the occupant.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an updated contour of the vehicle based on the protruding cargo, and wherein notifying the navigation system of the vehicle of the protruding cargo includes notifying the navigation system of the updated contour.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting, via a transmitter, the updated contour to an external device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is coupled to the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sensor includes a camera.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the protruding cargo includes analyzing imaging data generated by the camera.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the sensor includes a radar device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the contour of the vehicle is determined based on the sensor data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the non-protruding portion of the occupant based on pressure data, wherein the sensor includes a pressure sensor configured to generate the pressure data at a particular location of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the non-protruding portion of the occupant based on touch data, wherein the sensor includes a capacitive sensor configured to generate the touch data at a particular location of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising inferring a potential dynamic protrusion of the cargo, and wherein detecting the protruding cargo is further based on the inferred potential dynamic protrusion.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the protruding cargo includes determining an amount of protrusion of the protruding cargo.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor system coupled to the vehicle, and wherein the optical sensor system is configured to generate information related to objects crossing an optical path of the optical sensor system, and wherein detecting the protruding cargo is further based on the information from the optical sensor system related to objects crossing the optical path.

14. A method of informing a navigation system of a vehicle of a protrusion, comprising:

acquiring sensor data from a sensor, wherein the sensor data is based on a position of cargo;

determining a contour of the vehicle;

detecting protruding cargo extending outside the contour of the vehicle, wherein detecting the protruding cargo is based on the sensor data and the contour; and

notifying the navigation system of the vehicle of the protruding cargo based on the protruding cargo extending beyond a threshold distance outside the contour of the vehicle;

wherein the cargo includes an occupant of the vehicle, wherein the protruding cargo includes a protruding extremity of the occupant, and wherein detecting the protruding cargo is based on information related to skeletal anatomy.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the skeletal anatomy is based on a model of the occupant or a model of an average human.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the protruding cargo comprises estimating a protruding extremity of the occupant based on a skeletal anatomy of the occupant and a non-protruding portion of the occupant.

17. A method of informing a navigation system of a vehicle of a protrusion, comprising:

acquiring sensor data from a sensor, wherein the sensor data is based on a position of cargo;

determining a contour of the vehicle;

detecting protruding cargo extending outside the contour of the vehicle, wherein detecting the protruding cargo is based on the sensor data and the contour; and

notifying the navigation system of the vehicle of the protruding cargo based on the protruding cargo extending beyond a threshold distance outside the contour of the vehicle;

wherein the sensor includes an RFID sensor, and wherein at least one RFID tag is coupled to the cargo.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the RFID sensor is a first RFID sensor, wherein detecting the protruding cargo is further based on calculating a distance of the RFID tag from the first RFID sensor and a second RFID sensor.

19. A method of identifying a susceptibility of a vehicle to a size restriction, comprising:

acquiring sensor data from a sensor, wherein the sensor data is based on a position of cargo;

determining a contour of the vehicle;

determining a size limit on a route of the vehicle;

detecting protruding cargo extending outside the contour of the vehicle, wherein detecting the protruding cargo is based on the sensor data and the contour;

generating an updated contour of the vehicle based on the protruding cargo, the updated contour comprising an updated contour across an entire span of the vehicle;

determining a susceptibility of the vehicle to the size limit based on the updated contour; and

notifying a navigation system of the vehicle of the susceptibility of the vehicle to the size limit based on the updated contour exceeding a threshold;

wherein the sensor includes an RFID sensor, and wherein at least one RFID tag is coupled to the cargo.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the navigation system is configured to control the route of the vehicle based upon the susceptibility.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising notifying an occupant of the vehicle of the susceptibility.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the size limit includes a height restriction.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the size limit is based on dimensions of a structure on the route, and further comprising notifying a device associated with the structure of the susceptibility.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising inferring a potential dynamic protrusion of the cargo based on an operation parameter of the vehicle, wherein detecting the protruding cargo is further based on the inferred potential dynamic protrusion.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor system coupled to the vehicle, and wherein the optical sensor system is configured to generate information related to objects crossing an optical path of the optical sensor system, and wherein detecting the protruding cargo is further based on the information from the optical sensor system related to objects crossing the optical path.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the sensor includes a GPS sensor, and wherein the GPS sensor is configured to provide geospatial information related to the location of the vehicle, and wherein notifying the navigation system is further based on the location of the vehicle.