ACTIVE DETECTION SYSTEM FOR LOW GROUND CLEARANCE VEHICLES
First Claim
1. A vehicle ground collision prevention system, comprising:
- one or more processing devices configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;
a vehicle information module configured to obtain an underbody profile, wheel diameters, and inter-axle distances for a vehicle;
a road feature profile module configured to obtain a geometric profile of a road feature;
an interference boundary module configured to generate an interference boundary based on the road feature geometric profile and the wheel diameters and inter-axle distances of the vehicle, wherein the interference boundary is an upper envelope bounding the trajectories of all points on the road feature geometric profile as observed in a vehicle-fixed reference frame as the vehicle passes over the road feature;
a ground clearance calculation module configured to calculate a ground clearance curve for the vehicle-road feature pair by comparing the underbody profile of the vehicle with the interference curve and to determine a minimum ground clearance over the ground clearance curve; and
a communication module configured to provide information regarding the minimum ground clearance to the vehicle'"'"'s driver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle ground collision prevention method involves acquiring a geometric profile of a road feature, the geometric profile defining a shape of the upper surface of the road feature, acquiring wheel diameters and inter-axle distances for a vehicle, generating an interference boundary based on the road feature geometric profile, wheel diameters and inter-axle distances, where the interference boundary is an upper envelope bounding the trajectories of all points on the road feature geometric profile as observed in a vehicle-fixed reference frame as the vehicle passes over the road feature, acquiring an underbody profile of the vehicle, the underbody profile defining the shape of the lower surface of the vehicle, calculating a ground clearance curve for the vehicle-road feature pair by comparing the underbody profile with the interference curve, determining a minimum ground clearance over the ground clearance curve, and providing information regarding the minimum ground clearance to the vehicle'"'"'s driver.
21 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vehicle ground collision prevention system, comprising:
one or more processing devices configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising; a vehicle information module configured to obtain an underbody profile, wheel diameters, and inter-axle distances for a vehicle; a road feature profile module configured to obtain a geometric profile of a road feature; an interference boundary module configured to generate an interference boundary based on the road feature geometric profile and the wheel diameters and inter-axle distances of the vehicle, wherein the interference boundary is an upper envelope bounding the trajectories of all points on the road feature geometric profile as observed in a vehicle-fixed reference frame as the vehicle passes over the road feature; a ground clearance calculation module configured to calculate a ground clearance curve for the vehicle-road feature pair by comparing the underbody profile of the vehicle with the interference curve and to determine a minimum ground clearance over the ground clearance curve; and a communication module configured to provide information regarding the minimum ground clearance to the vehicle'"'"'s driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vehicle ground collision prevention method, comprising:
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acquiring a geometric profile of a road feature, the geometric profile defining a shape of the upper surface of the road feature; acquiring wheel diameters and inter-axle distances for a vehicle; generating an interference boundary based on the road feature geometric profile, wheel diameters and inter-axle distances, wherein the interference boundary is an upper envelope bounding the trajectories of all points on the road feature geometric profile as observed in a vehicle-fixed reference frame as the vehicle passes over the road feature; acquiring an underbody profile of the vehicle, the underbody profile defining the shape of the lower surface of the vehicle; calculating a ground clearance curve for the vehicle-road feature pair by comparing the underbody profile of the vehicle with the interference curve; determining a minimum ground clearance over the ground clearance curve; and providing information regarding the minimum ground clearance to the vehicle'"'"'s driver. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification