SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GROUND PLANE DETECTION

• US 20190324471A1
• Filed: 04/19/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Original Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Inventors: KIM, Dae Jin, BATUR, Aziz Umit
• Granted Patent: US 10,705,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Improved processing of sensor data (e.g., LiDAR data) can be used to distinguish between free space and objects/hazards. Autonomous vehicles can use such information for performing autonomous driving and/or parking operations. LiDAR data can include a plurality of range measurements (e.g., forming a 3D point cloud). Each of the range measurements can correspond to a respective LiDAR channel and azimuth angle. The processing of LiDAR data can include identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points based on one or more point criteria. The one or more point criteria can include a ground projection criterion and an angular variation criterion.

Claims

1. A system configured to be incorporated into a vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors comprising one or more LiDAR channels; and

one or more processors coupled to the one or more LiDAR sensors, the processor configured to process ranging data from the one or more LiDAR sensors, the ranging data including a plurality of range measurements, wherein processing the ranging data comprises;

identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points based on one or more point criteria, wherein the one or more point criteria comprise a ground projection criterion and an angular variation criterion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

generate navigation commands for the vehicle in accordance with the identification of a subset of the ranging data as ground points or non-ground points.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each range measurement of the plurality of range measurements corresponds to one of the one or more LiDAR channels and to one of a plurality of azimuth angles.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein processing the ranging data comprises decomposing the ranging data into height projection data and ground projection data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points comprises, for each respective path comprising a range measurement for each of the one or more LiDAR sensors at an azimuth angle of the respective path:

computing differentials of the ground projection data between the adjacent LiDAR channels of the one or more LiDAR channels.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the ground projection criterion is satisfied for a range measurement when the ground differential is greater than zero.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points comprises, for each respective path:

computing differentials of the height projection data between adjacent LiDAR channels of the one or more LiDAR channels.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points comprises, for each respective path:

computing angular variations along the respective path using the differentials of the height projection data and the differentials of the ground projection data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the angular variation criterion is satisfied when an angular variation along the path is less than an angular variation threshold.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

identify free space based on the minimum distance along one or more paths to one or more non-ground points, wherein each respective path of the one or more paths comprises a range measurement for each of the one or more LiDAR sensors at an azimuth angle of the respective path.

11. A method comprising:

processing ranging data from one or more light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors, the LiDAR sensors comprising one or more LiDAR channels, the ranging data including a plurality of range measurements, wherein processing the ranging data comprises;

identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points based on one or more point criteria, wherein the one or more point criteria comprise a ground projection criterion and an angular variation criterion.

12. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

generating navigation commands for the vehicle in accordance with the identification of a subset of the ranging data as ground points or non-ground points.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein processing the ranging data comprises decomposing the ranging data into height projection data and ground projection data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points comprises, for each respective path comprising a range measurement for each of the one or more LiDAR sensors at an azimuth angle of the respective path:

computing differentials of the ground projection data between the adjacent LiDAR channels of the one or more LiDAR channels.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the ground projection criterion is satisfied for a range measurement when the ground differential is greater than zero.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points comprises, for each respective path:

computing differentials of the height projection data between adjacent LiDAR channels of the one or more LiDAR channels.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points comprises, for each respective path:

computing angular variations along the respective path using the differentials of the height projection data and the differentials of the ground projection data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the angular variation criterion is satisfied when an angular variation along the path is less than an angular variation threshold.

19. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

identifying free space based on the minimum distance along one or more paths to one or more non-ground points, wherein each respective path of the one or more paths comprises a range measurement for each of the one or more LiDAR sensors at an azimuth angle of the respective path.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:

processing ranging data from one or more light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors, the LiDAR sensors comprising one or more LiDAR channels, the ranging data including a plurality of range measurements, wherein processing the ranging data comprises;

identifying one or more of the plurality of range measurements as ground points or non-ground points based on one or more point criteria, wherein the one or more point criteria comprise a ground projection criterion and an angular variation criterion.