Route generation using road lane line quality

• US 9,851,212 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Stephens, Brett, Mullen, Jonathan Thomas, Elwart, Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/148,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20170322040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• 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: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality

Abstract

A method for routing a vehicle includes identifying one or more driving routes between a current location of a vehicle and a destination. The method includes determining a route cost for the one or more driving routes based on lane marking quality of a roadway within a corresponding driving route. The method includes selecting a route of the one or more routes with a lowest route cost. The method includes providing information about the route to a driver or control system for following the route.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying one or more driving routes between a current location of a vehicle and a destination;

determining a route cost for the one or more driving routes based on lane marking quality of a roadway within a corresponding driving route, wherein the indications of lane marking quality comprise one or more of an indication of lane marking geometry, an indication of lane marking type, or an indication of lane marking color, wherein determining the route cost comprises determining based on one or more of the indication of lane marking geometry, the indication of lane marking type, or the indication of lane marking color;

selecting a route of the one or more routes with a lowest route cost; and

providing information about the route to a driver or control system for following the route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a route cost for the corresponding route comprises calculating a sum of a function of lane marking quality for each section of road along the corresponding route.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a route cost for the corresponding route comprises determining whether each section of road along a route comprises a good lane marking quality.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a route cost for the corresponding route comprises determining whether lane markings for one or more sections of road along the route are detectable by an automated driver system or driver assistance system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the route with the lowest route cost comprises selecting a route with a highest percentage of roadway with a good lane marking quality.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining indications of lane marking quality for one or more sections of road within the one or more driving routes, wherein determining the route cost comprises determining based on the indications of lane marking quality.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining the indications of lane marking quality comprises retrieving the indications of lane marking quality from storage comprising one or more of:

a remote storage accessible over a network;

locally stored map data;

or

locally stored vehicle history data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the route cost comprises determining the route cost further based on one or more of current weather or current traffic.

9. A system comprising:

a route component configured to identify one or more driving routes between a current location of a vehicle and a destination;

a cost component configured to determine a route cost for the one or more driving routes based on lane marking quality of a roadway within a corresponding driving route, wherein the indications of lane marking quality comprise one or more of an indication of lane marking geometry, an indication of lane marking type, or an indication of lane marking color, wherein determining the route cost comprises determining based on one or more of the indication of lane marking geometry, the indication of lane marking type, or the indication of lane marking color;

a selection component configured to select a route of the one or more routes with a lowest route cost; and

a notification component configured to provide information about the route to a driver or control system for following the route.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the cost component determines a route cost for the corresponding route by calculating a sum of a function of lane marking quality for each section of road along the corresponding route.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the cost component determines a route cost for the corresponding route by determining whether each section of road along a route comprises a good lane marking quality.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the cost component determines a route cost for the corresponding route by determining whether lane markings for one or more sections of road along the route are detectable by an automated driver system or driver assistance system.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the selection component selects the route with the lowest route cost by selecting a route with a highest percentage of roadway with lane markings detectable by the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising an indication component configured to obtain indications of lane marking quality for one or more sections of road within the one or more driving routes, wherein the indication component obtains the indications of lane marking quality from storage comprising one or more of:

a remote storage accessible over a network;

locally stored map data;

or

locally stored vehicle history data;

wherein the cost component is configured to determine the route cost based on the indications of lane marking quality.

15. Computer readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to:

identify one or more driving routes between a current location of a vehicle and a destination;

obtain indications of lane marking quality for one or more sections of road within the one or more driving routes, wherein the indications of lane marking quality comprise one or more of an indication of lane marking geometry, an indication of lane marking type, or an indication of lane marking color;

determine a route cost for the one or more driving routes based on lane marking quality of a roadway within a corresponding driving route, wherein determining the route cost comprises determining based on one or more of the indication of lane marking geometry, the indication of lane marking type, or the indication of lane marking color;

select a route of the one or more routes with a lowest route cost; and

provide information about the route to a driver or control system for following the route.

16. The computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the instructions are configured to determine a route cost for the corresponding route by determining whether each section of road along a route comprises a good lane marking quality.

17. The computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the instructions are configured to determine a route cost for the corresponding route by determining whether lane markings for one or more sections of road along the route are detectable by an automated driver system or driver assistance system.

18. The computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the instructions are configured to select the route with the lowest route cost by selecting a route with a highest percentage of roadway with a good lane marking quality.