ENHANCED CLEAR PATH DETECTION IN THE PRESENCE OF TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE INDICATOR

• US 20100100268A1
• Filed: 10/19/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Naik, Sanjeev M., Zhang, Wende
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A method for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle utilizing analysis of a plurality of images generated by a camera device located upon the vehicle includes monitoring the images. The images are analyzed including determining a clear path upon which a potential road surface can be estimated from other portions of the images that do not indicate a potential road surface, and determining an image of a traffic infrastructure indication. The method further includes determining the content of the traffic infrastructure indication, modifying the clear path based upon the content of the traffic infrastructure indication, and utilizing the modified clear path in navigation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. Method for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle utilizing analysis of a plurality of images generated by a camera device located upon the vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring the images;

analyzing the images comprising

determining a clear path upon which a potential road surface can be estimated from other portions of the images that do not indicate a potential road surface,

determining an image of a traffic infrastructure indication;

determining the content of the traffic infrastructure indication;

modifying the clear path based upon the content of the traffic infrastructure indication; and

utilizing the modified clear path in navigation of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an image of a traffic infrastructure indication comprises determining a roadside sign.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the roadside sign comprises a stop sign.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein modifying the clear path based upon the content of the traffic infrastructure indication comprises indicating road past the stop sign to be not clear path until the vehicle stops at the stop sign.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the roadside sign comprises a road geometry sign.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the roadside sign comprises a road construction indication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an image of a traffic infrastructure indication comprises determining a traffic signal indication.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein modifying the clear path based upon the content of the traffic infrastructure indication comprises indicating road past the traffic signal to be not clear path when the traffic signal indication indicates a stop condition.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the content of the traffic infrastructure indication comprises storing the image of the traffic infrastructure indicator in a database for comparison and cross referencing for context.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the content of the traffic infrastructure indication comprises utilizing pattern recognition to determine the content of the traffic infrastructure indication.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the content of the traffic infrastructure indication comprises monitoring a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication link.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a GPS digital map device;

and

wherein determining the image of the traffic infrastructure indication comprises determining a traffic direction signal based upon data from the GPS digital map device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enhancing the traffic infrastructure indication based upon the clear path; and

utilizing the enhanced traffic infrastructure indication in navigation of the vehicle.

14. Method for determining an enhanced clear path of travel for a vehicle utilizing analysis of a plurality of images generated by a camera device located upon the vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring images from the camera device;

analyzing the images comprising determining a clear path upon which a potential road surface can be estimated from other portions of the images that do not indicate a potential road surface;

monitoring a device generating data describing a traffic infrastructure indication;

analyzing the data describing the traffic infrastructure indication to describe a threshold condition;

analyzing the threshold condition and the clear path to determine an enhanced clear path; and

utilizing the enhanced clear path in navigation of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

monitoring informational inputs describing operation of the vehicle; and

wherein analyzing the data describing the traffic infrastructure indication to describe the threshold condition is based upon the informational inputs.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring informational inputs describing operation of the vehicle comprises monitoring a speed of the vehicle and a distance of the vehicle from the traffic infrastructure indication;

and

wherein analyzing the data describing the traffic infrastructure indication to indicate the threshold condition comprises

analyzing the data describing the traffic infrastructure indication utilizing a database to discern a traffic signal,

comparing the monitored speed of the vehicle and the distance of the vehicle from the traffic signal, and

indicating the threshold condition based upon the comparing.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein analyzing the data describing the traffic infrastructure indication to describe the threshold condition comprises determining a current speed limit;

and

wherein analyzing the threshold condition and the clear path to determine the enhanced clear path comprises;

comparing the clear path to the current speed limit; and

modifying the clear path based upon the comparing.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein analyzing the data describing the traffic infrastructure indication to describe the threshold condition comprises determining an upcoming road geometry;

and

wherein analyzing the threshold condition and the clear path to determine the enhanced clear path comprises;

comparing the clear path to the upcoming road geometry; and

modifying the clear path based upon the comparing.

19. A system for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle utilizing analysis of a plurality of images generated by a camera device located upon the vehicle, the system comprising:

a camera device located upon the vehicle and configured to generate a plurality of images;

a control module configured to monitor the images and analyze the images from the camera device, wherein analyzing the images from the camera device comprises

determining a clear path upon which a potential road surface can be estimated from other portions of the image that do not indicate a potential road surface,

determining an image of a traffic infrastructure indication,

determining the content of the traffic infrastructure indication,

modifying the clear path based upon the content of the traffic infrastructure indication, and

utilizing the clear path in navigation of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising an autonomous steering system operating based upon the analyzing the images from the camera device.