ENHANCED ROADWAY MARK LOCATOR, INSPECTION APPARATUS, AND MARKER
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a geographical location of a roadway mark from a moving vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a GPS antenna mounted to a vehicle;
a GPS receiver responsive to the GPS antenna and configured to determine a raw geographical location of the GPS antenna;
a first imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the first imager is (a) synchronously responsive to the GPS receiver and (b) configured to image a first roadway mark to provide a first roadway mark image;
a plurality of sensors configured to collect data about the conditions of the vehicle; and
a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver, the first imager, and the plurality of sensors and (b) configured to determine a GPS location of the first roadway mark using a Bayesian model-based filter which accounts for the raw geographical location of the GPS antenna and the data collected by the plurality of sensors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for locating, inspecting, or placing marks on a roadway. The apparatus includes a GPS-based machine vision locator for sampling discrete geographical location data of a pre-existing roadway mark evident on the roadway. A computer may determine a continuous smooth geographical location function fitted to the sampled geographical location data. A marker is responsive to the GPS-based locator and geographical location function for replicating automatically the pre-existing roadway mark onto the roadway. The apparatus is typically part of a moving vehicle. A related method is disclosed for locating, inspecting, and placing marks on a resurfaced roadway. A similar apparatus can be used to guide a vehicle having a snow plow along a snow-covered roadway, or a paving machine along an unpaved roadway surface. The apparatus provides for accurate determination of roadway mark locations, roadway mark inspection apparatus and roadway markers using Bayesian model-based filtered enhanced GPS geographical location data.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining a geographical location of a roadway mark from a moving vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a GPS antenna mounted to a vehicle; a GPS receiver responsive to the GPS antenna and configured to determine a raw geographical location of the GPS antenna; a first imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the first imager is (a) synchronously responsive to the GPS receiver and (b) configured to image a first roadway mark to provide a first roadway mark image; a plurality of sensors configured to collect data about the conditions of the vehicle; and a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver, the first imager, and the plurality of sensors and (b) configured to determine a GPS location of the first roadway mark using a Bayesian model-based filter which accounts for the raw geographical location of the GPS antenna and the data collected by the plurality of sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for determining a geographical location of a roadway mark from a moving vehicle, comprising:
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determining with a GPS receiver a raw geographical location of a GPS antenna mounted to a vehicle; collecting data about the conditions of the vehicle using a plurality of sensors; imaging a first roadway mark using a first imager mounted to the vehicle to produce a first roadway mark image, wherein the first imager is synchronously responsive to the GPS receiver; and using a computer which is responsive to the GPS receiver, the first imager, and the plurality of sensors to determine a GPS location of the first roadway mark using a Bayesian model-based filter which accounts for the raw geographical location of the GPS antenna and the data collected by the plurality of sensors. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus for locating and placing marks on a roadway, the apparatus comprising:
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a GPS antenna mounted to a vehicle; a GPS receiver responsive to the GPS antenna and configured to determine a raw geographical location of the GPS antenna; a first imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the first imager is (a) synchronously responsive to the GPS receiver and (b) configured to image a roadway mark to provide a roadway mark image; a plurality of sensors configured to collect data about the conditions of the vehicle; a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver, the first imager, and the plurality of sensors, and (b) configured to; (1) determine a GPS location of the first roadway mark using a Bayesian model-based filter which accounts for the raw geographical location of the GPS antenna and the data collected by the plurality of sensors, and (2) determine a continuous smooth geographical location function best-fitted to the GPS location of the roadway mark; and a marker responsive to the computer for replicating automatically the roadway mark onto the roadway based on the continuous smooth geographical location function. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus for guiding a vehicle having a snow plow along a roadway, the apparatus comprising:
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a GPS antenna mounted to a vehicle; a GPS receiver responsive to the GPS antenna and configured to determine a raw geographical location of the GPS antenna; a first imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the first imager is (a) synchronously responsive to the GPS receiver and (b) configured to image a first roadway mark to provide a first roadway mark image; a plurality of sensors configured to collect data about the conditions of the vehicle; a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver, the first imager, and the plurality of sensors and (b) configured to; (1) determine a GPS location of the roadway mark using a Bayesian model-based filter which accounts for the raw geographical location of the GPS antenna and the data collected by the plurality of sensors, and (2) determine a continuous smooth geographical location function best-fitted to the GPS location of the roadway mark; and a system responsive to the computer for positioning the snow plow based on the continuous smooth geographical location function.
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36. An apparatus for locating and placing marks on a roadway, the apparatus comprising:
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a GPS antenna mounted to a vehicle; a GPS receiver responsive to the GPS antenna and configured to determine a raw geographical location of the GPS antenna; an imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the imager is (a) synchronously responsive to the GPS receiver and (b) configured to image a roadway mark to provide a roadway mark image; a plurality of sensors configured to collect data about the conditions of the vehicle; and a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver, the imager, and the plurality of sensors, and (b) configured to; (1) determine a GPS location of the roadway mark using a Bayesian model-based filter which accounts for the raw geographical location of the GPS antenna and the data collected by the plurality of sensors, and (2) determine a continuous smooth geographical location function best-fitted to the GPS location of the roadway mark; and a nozzle array and control system responsive to the computer for replicating automatically the roadway mark at a location defined by the continuous smooth geographical location function by placing a marking material on the roadway.
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37. An apparatus for determining a continuous smooth geographical location function of a roadway mark comprising:
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a GPS antenna mounted to a vehicle; a GPS receiver responsive to the GPS antenna and configured to determine a raw geographical location of the GPS antenna; an imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the imager is (a) synchronously responsive to the GPS receiver and (b) configured to image a roadway mark to provide a roadway mark image; a plurality of sensors configured to collect data about the conditions of the vehicle; and a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver, the imager, and the plurality of sensors, and (b) configured to; (1) determine a GPS location of the roadway mark using a Bayesian model-based filter which accounts for the raw geographical location of the GPS antenna and the data collected by the plurality of sensors, and (b) calculate a smooth continuous geographical location function from the GPS location of the roadway mark. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification