Sign to vehicle identification system

• US 10,339,804 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Janovec, Jeffrey D., Smith, Kenneth L., Duoos, Michael R., Ballen, Todd A., Potts, Travis L., Howard, James, Dahlin, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heinle, Courtney D
• Application Number:
  US15/540,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20170372607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/22 by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/2247 Characters composed of bars, e.g. CMC-7
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/00 Non-electrical signal transmission systems, e.g. optical systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission

Abstract

Disclosed is an identification system to improve safety on roads and allow for the driver or for the vehicle itself, if it is autonomous or semi-autonomous, to have readable and useful information about road signs, roadways, and adjacent roadway information. The disclosed identification system comprises a marker with marker communication information that can be read by a vehicle information system to provide information to the vehicle. Information that the marker communication information may convey would allow the vehicle information system to detect or recognize, or both detect and recognize critical road sign, roadway information, and adjacent roadway information. Then, the vehicle information system could respond to the information received from the marker communication information.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a sign comprising sign communication information;

a marker positioned at a predetermined location relative to the sign, wherein the marker comprises retroreflective material defining marker communication information; and

a vehicle information system comprising a light source configured to emit light to the marker, a reader configured to receive marker communication information, and a processor configured;

to generate output information based on the received marker communication information and positional information related to at least one of a position of the autonomous vehicle or the predetermined location of the marker;

send, to an internet-based information storage system, the generated output information that is based on the marker communication information and the positional information;

receive additional information relating to the generated output information; and

in response to determining that the received marker communication information is relevant to the autonomous vehicle, control a function of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the additional information received from the internet-based information storage system that relates to the generated output information, wherein the received marker communication information comprises retroreflected light from the light source that is retroreflected by the retroreflective material.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the output information comprises at least one of visual information to be provided to a driver of a vehicle;

audio information to be provided to the driver of the vehicle;

control of a function of the vehicle;

a recognition of the sign communication information;

a distance to the sign;

a URL code;

a fixed IP address code;

or information received from an internet-based information storage system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the marker is attached to the sign.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the marker is separate from the sign and positioned to precede the sign, relative to the direction of a moving vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the marker communication information comprises optical communication information including at least one of machine-readable text, a graphic, indicia, a pattern, a shape, a retroreflective property, or a code.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the marker further comprises a passive communication device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the light emitted from the light source comprises near-infrared (IR) light or IR light.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the received marker communication information comprises retroreflected light at a specific wavelength.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the retroreflective material comprises retroreflective film that retroreflects light from the light source at a specific angle with respect to the reader.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the marker further comprises multi-layer optical film that reflects one or more specific wavelengths of the light source away from the reader.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the marker further comprises a wavelength-specific dye to provide the marker communication information.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the marker further comprises an active communication device comprising an energy source.

13. The system of claim 4, wherein the reader comprises a camera configured to receive the optical communication information, and wherein the processor is configured to generate the output information based on pattern recognition or optical character recognition of the received optical communication information.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the retroreflective material comprises at least one of microsphere-based sheeting or cube corner sheeting.

15. A vehicle information system comprising:

a light source configured at a vehicle to emit light to a marker positioned at a predetermined location relative to a sign and that includes retroreflective material defining marker communication information;

a reader configured at a vehicle to receive marker communication information from the marker and positional information related to at least one of a position of the autonomous vehicle or the predetermined location of the marker, wherein the received marker communication information comprises light from the light source that is retroreflected by the retroreflective material; and

a processor configured at a vehicle to generate output information based on the received marker communication information and positional information related to at least one of a position of the autonomous vehicle or the predetermined location of the marker;

send, to an internet-based information storage system, the generated output information that is based on the marker communication information and the positional information;

receive additional information relating to the generated output information; and

in response to determining that the received marker communication information is relevant to the autonomous vehicle, control a function of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the additional information received from the internet-based information storage system that relates to the generated output information.

16. The vehicle information system of claim 15, wherein the output information comprises at least one of visual information to be provided to a driver of a vehicle;

audio information to be provided to the driver of the vehicle;

control of a function of the vehicle;

a recognition of the sign communication information;

a distance to the sign;

a URL code;

a fixed IP address code;

or information received from an internet-based information storage system.

17. The vehicle information system of claim 15, wherein the light emitted from the light source comprises near-infrared (IR) light or IR light.

18. The vehicle information system of claim 15, wherein the received marker communication information comprises light from the light source that is retroreflected by the retroreflective material at a specific wavelength.

19. The vehicle information system of claim 15, wherein the marker communication information comprises optical communication information including at least one of machine-readable text, a graphic, indicia, a pattern, a shape, a retroreflective property, or a code.

20. The vehicle information system of claim 19, wherein the reader comprises a camera configured to receive the optical communication information, and wherein the processor is configured to generate the output information based on pattern recognition or optical character recognition of the received optical communication information.