System for determining clearance of approaching overhead structure

• US 9,546,876 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kleve, Robert B., King, Anthony G., Wolski, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): ODEH, NADEEM N
• Application Number:
  US14/067,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20150120178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 701/408
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0165 to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/823 Obstacle sensing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/914 Height Control System
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3811 Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees

Abstract

A vehicle system for detecting low clearance locations may include a controller configured to access a geographical information database configured to maintain a plurality of predefined points of interest defined by a clearance height. The controller may communicate with a first sensor to detect a low clearance structure and determine, via a second sensor, a location of the low clearance structure. The controller may update the geographical information database with the location of the low clearance structure to generate a point of interest.

Claims

1. A system for alerting of low clearance locations comprising:

a controller configured to;

receive, via a user interface, a user selection of a selectable vehicle height from a plurality of predefined heights, each of the predefined heights associated with a selectable cargo option;

detect, via a first sensor, a vehicle location and retrieve associated structure data including a clearance height based on the location;

compare the clearance height with the selectable height; and

alert the user via the interface in response to the selectable height exceeding the clearance height.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine, via a second sensor, a sensed clearance height.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to populate a geographical information database cataloging a structure location and the sensed clearance height of the associated structure.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to update the database in response to detecting, via the second sensor, the sensed structure and the sensed clearance height.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive remote point of interest (POI) data including a POI clearance height and a POI location; and

update the database to include the POI location and POI clearance height.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

retrieve structure data identifying a plurality of structures; and

filter at least a subset of the structures being remote from the vehicle location.

6. The system of 3, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine, via the second sensor, a clearance height of an additional structure; and

update the database with the clearance height and location of the additional structure.

8. A system for alerting of low clearance locations comprising:

a controller configured to;

receive, via a user interface, a user selection of a selectable vehicle height from a plurality of predefined heights, each of the predefined heights associated with a selectable cargo option;

detect a vehicle location and retrieve associated structure data including a clearance height based on the location; and

provide an alert in response to the selectable height exceeding the clearance height.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to populate a geographical information database cataloging a structure location and associated clearance height of the associated structure.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to update the database in response to detecting, via the second sensor, the associated structure data and an updated associated clearance height.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a remote point of interest (POI) including a POI clearance height and a POI location; and

update the database to include the POI location and POI clearance height.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine, via the second sensor, a clearance height of an additional structure; and

update the database with the clearance height and location of the additional structure.