WATER DEPTH DETECTION FOR VEHICLE NAVIGATION

• US 20180073879A1
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Published: 03/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hakeem, Mohannad, Khalid, Umer, Mattar, Mohamed
• Granted Patent: US 10,018,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/21 for providing Internet access
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/35 for science, e.g. meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle navigation with water depth detection. An example disclosed method includes determining a current and a projected water depth for road segments of and around a current route to a destination. Additionally, the example method includes, in response to the current or the projected water depth of the road segments of the current route exceeding a first threshold, determining an alternate route to the destination.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

memory storing instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to cause the vehicle to;

determine a current and a projected water depth for road segments of and around a current route to a destination based on weather data and historical flood data received from an external server, the weather data including current and expected rainfall, and the historical flood data including previous water depth measurements for the road segments associated with the current and the expected rainfall and historical locations of vehicles abandoned due to flooding; and

in response to the current or the projected water depth of the road segments of the current route exceeding a first threshold, determine an alternate route to the destination.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the vehicle to assign risk levels to the road segments of and around the current route to the destination based on a ground clearance of the vehicle and the current and the projected water depth of the road segments of and around the current route to the destination.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein to determine the alternate route to the destination, the instructions cause the vehicle to:

compare the risk levels of the road segments of and around the current route to the destination; and

select the alternate route including the road segments with the lower risk levels.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the instructions cause the vehicle to adjust the risk levels based on weather data received from a weather station adjacent to one of the road segments.

5. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the instructions cause the vehicle to adjust the risk levels based on weather data received from a weather drone measuring the water depth of one of the road segments.

6-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method comprising:

determining, with a processor, a current and a projected water depth for road segments of and around a current route to a destination based on weather data and historical flood data received from an external server, the weather data including current and expected rainfall, and the historical flood data including previous water depth measurements for the road segments associated with the current and the expected rainfall and historical locations of vehicles abandoned due to flooding; and

in response to the current or the projected water depth of the road segments of the current route exceeding a first threshold, determining an alternate route to the destination.

10. The method of claim 9, including assigning risk levels to the road segments of and around the current route to the destination based on a ground clearance of the vehicle and the current and the projected water depth of the road segments of and around the current route to the destination.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the alternate route to the destination includes:

comparing the risk levels of the road segments of and around the current route to the destination; and

selecting the alternate route to comprise the road segments with the lower combined risk levels.

12. The method of claim 10, including adjusting the risk levels based on weather data received from a weather station adjacent to one of the road segments.

13. The method of claim 10, including adjusting the risk levels based on weather data received from a weather drone measuring the water depth of one of the road segments.

14-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A method comprising:

receiving, from an server, data including current and expected rainfall and historical locations of vehicles abandoned due to flooding;

determining, with a vehicle processor, a projected water depth for road segments of and around a current route to a destination based on the received data; and

in response to the projected water depth of the road segments of the current route exceeding a first threshold, determining an alternate route to the destination.