Terrain map updating system
First Claim
1. A terrain mapping system, comprising:
- at least one sensor configured to gather a plurality of current points defining a surface of a site at a time t;
a database containing a plurality of previously-gathered points defining the surface of the site at a time T prior to t;
a controller in communication with the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to;
receive time-location information indicating the time-location of one or more machines operating on the site;
identify one or more points of the plurality of current points defining the surface of the site at the time t that correspond to the received time-location information of the one or more machines operating on the site;
filter the identified one or more points from the plurality of current points defining the surface of the site at the time t;
compare a characteristic of at least one of the filtered plurality of points defining the surface of the site at the time t to a characteristic of a corresponding at least one of the plurality of previously-gathered points defining the surface of the site at the time T prior to t;
determine if an update to the database is warranted based on the comparison; and
update the database based on the at least one of the filtered plurality of points defining the surface of the site at the time t if it is determined that an update is warranted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A terrain mapping system is disclosed. The system has at least one sensor configured to gather a plurality of current points defining a current surface of a site and a database containing a plurality of previously-gathered points defining a previous surface of the site. The system also has a controller in communication with the at least one sensor. The controller is configured to compare a height of at least one of the plurality of the current points to a height of a corresponding at least one of the plurality of previously-gathered points and to determine if an update to the database is warranted based on the comparison. The controller is further configured to update the database if it is determined that an update is warranted.
55 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A terrain mapping system, comprising:
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at least one sensor configured to gather a plurality of current points defining a surface of a site at a time t; a database containing a plurality of previously-gathered points defining the surface of the site at a time T prior to t; a controller in communication with the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to; receive time-location information indicating the time-location of one or more machines operating on the site; identify one or more points of the plurality of current points defining the surface of the site at the time t that correspond to the received time-location information of the one or more machines operating on the site; filter the identified one or more points from the plurality of current points defining the surface of the site at the time t; compare a characteristic of at least one of the filtered plurality of points defining the surface of the site at the time t to a characteristic of a corresponding at least one of the plurality of previously-gathered points defining the surface of the site at the time T prior to t; determine if an update to the database is warranted based on the comparison; and update the database based on the at least one of the filtered plurality of points defining the surface of the site at the time t if it is determined that an update is warranted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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6. A computer-implemented terrain mapping method, comprising:
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gathering a plurality of current points defining a surface of a site at a time t; accessing a database of a corresponding plurality of points defining the surface of the site at a time T prior to t; receiving time-location information indicating the time-location of one or more machines operating on the site; identifying one or more points of the plurality of current points defining the surface of the site at the time t that correspond to the received time-location information of the one or more machines operating on the site; filtering the identified one or more points from the plurality of current points defining the surface of the site at the time t; comparing a characteristic of at least one of the filtered plurality of points defining the surface of the site at the time t to a characteristic of a corresponding at least one of a plurality of previously-gathered points defining the surface of the site at the time T prior to t; determining, based on the comparison, whether a difference in the characteristic of the at least one of the filtered plurality of points defining the surface of the site at the time t and the characteristic of the at least one of the plurality of previously-gathered points defining the surface of the site at the time T prior to t is greater than a threshold; and updating the database with the at least one of the filtered plurality of points defining the surface of the site at the time t based on a determination that the difference in the characteristic is greater than the threshold. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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10. A terrain mapping system, comprising:
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at least one sensor configured to gather a plurality of current points defining a surface of a site at a time t; a database containing a corresponding plurality of points defining the surface of the site at a time T prior to t; and a controller configured to; receive time-location information indicating the time-location of one or more machines operating on the site; identify one or more points of the plurality of current points defining the surface of the site at the time t that correspond to the received time-location information of the one or more machines operating on the site; filter the identified one or more points from the plurality of current points defining the surface of the site at the time t; compare a characteristic of at least one of the filtered plurality points defining the surface of the site at the time t to a characteristic of a corresponding at least one of a plurality of previously-gathered points defining the surface of the site at the time T prior to t; determine, based on the comparison, whether a difference in the characteristic of the at least one of the filtered plurality of points defining the surface of the site at the time t and the characteristic of the at least one of the plurality of previously-gathered points defining the surface of the site at the time T prior to t is greater than a threshold; and update the database with the at least one of the filtered plurality of points defining the surface of the site at the time t based on a determination that the difference in the characteristic is greater than the threshold. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification