GPS-based machine vision 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 (a) determine a first time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna and a second time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna, and (b) generate a first periodic signal having a known time of occurrence and a first frequency;
a synchronization system responsive to the GPS receiver configured to generate a second periodic signal that (a) has a known time of occurrence, (b) is synchronized to the first periodic signal and (c) has a second frequency equal to an integer multiple of the first frequency;
a first imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the first imager is (a) synchronously responsive to and triggered by the second periodic signal and (b) configured to image a first roadway mark to provide a first triggered roadway mark image; and
a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver and the first imager and (b) configured to determine a GPS location of the first roadway mark using positional interpolation based on the first time-tagged geographical location, the second time-tagged geographical location, and the first triggered roadway mark image.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
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. And 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.
79 Citations
37 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 (a) determine a first time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna and a second time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna, and (b) generate a first periodic signal having a known time of occurrence and a first frequency; a synchronization system responsive to the GPS receiver configured to generate a second periodic signal that (a) has a known time of occurrence, (b) is synchronized to the first periodic signal and (c) has a second frequency equal to an integer multiple of the first frequency; a first imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the first imager is (a) synchronously responsive to and triggered by the second periodic signal and (b) configured to image a first roadway mark to provide a first triggered roadway mark image; and a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver and the first imager and (b) configured to determine a GPS location of the first roadway mark using positional interpolation based on the first time-tagged geographical location, the second time-tagged geographical location, and the first triggered roadway mark image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 22, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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3. 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 first time-tagged geographical location of a GPS antenna mounted to a vehicle and a second time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna; generating a first periodic signal using the GPS receiver, the first periodic signal having a known time of occurrence and a first frequency; generating a second periodic signal using a synchronization system responsive to the GPS receiver, the second periodic signal (a) having a known time of occurrence, (b) synchronized to the first periodic signal and (c) having a second frequency equal to an integer multiple of the first frequency; imaging a first roadway mark using a first imager mounted to the vehicle to produce a first triggered roadway mark image, wherein the first imager is synchronously responsive to and triggered by the second periodic signal; and using a computer to determine a GPS location of the first roadway mark using positional interpolation based on the first time-tagged geographical location and the second time-tagged geographical location. - View Dependent Claims (4, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27)
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11. 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 (a) determine a first time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna and a second time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna, and (b) generate a first periodic signal having a known time of occurrence and a first frequency; a synchronization system responsive to the GPS receiver configured to generate a second periodic signal that (a) has a known time of occurrence, (b) is synchronized to the first periodic signal and (c) has a second frequency equal to an integer multiple of the first frequency; a first imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the first imager is (a) synchronously responsive to and triggered by the second periodic signal and (b) configured to image a first roadway mark on a roadway to provide a first triggered roadway image; a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver and the first imager, and (b) configured to; (1) determine a GPS location of the first roadway mark, and (2) determine a continuous smooth geographical location function best-fitted to the GPS location of the first roadway mark; and a marker responsive to the computer for replicating automatically the first roadway mark onto the roadway based on the continuous smooth geographical location function. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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20. 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 (a) determine a first time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna and a second time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna, and (b) generate a first periodic signal having a known time of occurrence and a first frequency; a synchronization system responsive to the GPS receiver configured to generate a second periodic signal that (a) has a known time of occurrence, (b) is synchronized to the first periodic signal and (c) has a second frequency equal to an integer multiple of the first frequency; an imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the imager is (a) synchronously responsive to and triggered by the second periodic signal and (b) configured to image a roadway mark to provide a triggered roadway mark image; a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver and the imager and (b) configured to; (1) determine a GPS location of the roadway mark using positional interpolation based on the first time-tagged geographical location and the second time-tagged geographical location, 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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25. 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 (a) determine a first time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna and a second time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna, and (b) generate a first periodic signal having a known time of occurrence and a first frequency; a synchronization system responsive to the GPS receiver configured to generate a second periodic signal that (a) has a known time of occurrence, (b) is synchronized to the first periodic signal and (c) has a second frequency equal to an integer multiple of the first frequency; an imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the imager is (a) synchronously responsive to and triggered by the second periodic signal and (b) configured to image a roadway mark to provide a triggered roadway mark image; and a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver and the imager, and (b) configured to; (1) determine a GPS location of the roadway mark using positional interpolation based on the first time-tagged geographical location, the second time-tagged geographical location, and the first triggered roadway mark image 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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30. 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 (a) determine a first time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna and a second time-tagged geographical location of the GPS antenna, and (b) generate a first periodic signal having a known time of occurrence and a first frequency; a synchronization system responsive to the GPS receiver configured to generate a second periodic signal that (a) has a known time of occurrence, (b) is synchronized to the first periodic signal and (c) has a second frequency equal to an integer multiple of the first frequency; an imager mounted to the vehicle, wherein the imager is (a) synchronously responsive to and triggered by the second periodic signal and (b) configured to image a roadway mark to provide a triggered roadway mark image; and a computer (a) responsive to the GPS receiver and the imager, and (b) configured to; (1) determine a GPS location of the roadway mark from the triggered roadway mark image and the geographical location of the GPS antenna, and (b) calculate a smooth continuous geographical location function from the GPS location of the roadway mark. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification