Method and System for Autonomous Vehicles

• US 20160132705A1
• Filed: 11/11/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James J. Kovarik, Joseph E. Kovarik
• Original Assignee: James J. Kovarik, Joseph E. Kovarik
• Inventors: Kovarik, Joseph E., Kovarik, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,892,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/30 Arrangements interacting with transmitters or receivers otherwise than by visible means, e.g. using radar reflectors or radio transmitters E01F11/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/578 consisting of preformed elements, e.g. tapes, block-type elements specially designed or arranged to make up a traffic line E01F9/582, E01F9/588, E01F9/594 take precedence; studs, blocks or like markers per se E01F9/553
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10376 the interrogation device being adapted for being moveable
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

A method and system for facilitating cost effective, reliable, system redundant, self-driving vehicles involves the employment of specialized lane marking components that permit unprecedented sensor feedback, and in particular, a system and method that enables accurate lane marking recognition despite adverse weather conditions, which presently pose problems experienced by self-driving systems that rely upon vision based camera systems.

Claims

1. A lane position detection system comprising:

one or more rare earth magnetic components embedded into pavement marking material, together with at least one or more RFID tags positioned at stationary locations along a traffic lane, said magnetic component being detectable by a magnetic sensor located near at least one tire or wheel on the left side of a vehicle, with said magnetic sensor being powered by at least one piezoelectric power generation system associated with at least one wheel of the vehicle, and said one or more RFID tags being embedded in pavement marking material at a position so that the magnetic components do not interfere with an RFID reader located on a passing vehicle;

said RFID reader positioned and oriented in a vehicle and secured to the vehicle so as to be near the traffic lane so that the vehicle can detect the traffic lane when the RFID reader receive a response from at least one of the one or more RFID tags.

2. An autonomous vehicle system pavement marking material, comprising:

a microprocessor embedded in the pavement marking material;

a magnetic reader embedded in the pavement marking material and electronically coupled to the microprocessor capable of accessing information regarding a vehicle passing in close proximity to the pavement marking material; and

a power source embedded within the pavement marking material for supplying power to the microprocessor and the magnetic reader.

3. The pavement marking material of claim 2, where the power source is one of:

an embedded battery, is RF energy received from a wireless network.

4. The pavement marking material of claim 2, further comprising input components electronically coupled to the power source and the microprocessor, the input components being one of a light sensor, a GPS module;

a location sensor;

a RF transmitter for supporting data transmissions.