ROAD SURFACE PROPERTY ACQUIRING METHOD AND ROAD SURFACE PROPERTY ACQUIRING DEVICE

• US 20170307368A1
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Published: 10/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Topcon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Topcon Corporation
• Inventors: Sasaki, You, Ito, Tadayuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,514,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/303 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8851 Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/42 Global feature extraction by analysis of the whole pattern, e.g. using frequency domain transformations or autocorrelation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/50 by performing operations within image blocks; by using histograms, e.g. histogram of oriented gradients [HoG]; by summing image-intensity values; Projection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road

Abstract

To rapidly and reliably measure a road surface property using measurement results and determination results of a road surface in the past. A vehicle mounted with a road surface property acquiring device is guided to a specified point on a road and measurement is carried out. The past road surface data on a past road surface property is acquired, a present position of the vehicle is acquired, and a past road surface property image representing a feature amount of the road surface property in a range including the present position created based on the past road surface data is displayed; and the vehicle is guided from the present position to a specified area while measuring a state of the road surface with the road surface property acquiring device.

Claims

1. A road surface property acquiring method of guiding a vehicle mounted with a road surface property acquiring device to a specified point on a road and carrying out measurement;

the method comprising the steps of;

acquiring past road surface data on a past road surface property;

acquiring a present position of the vehicle;

displaying a past road surface property image representing a feature amount of the road surface property in a range including the present position created based on the past road surface data; and

guiding the vehicle from the present position to a specified area while measuring a state of the road surface with the road surface property acquiring device.

2. The road surface property acquiring method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of displaying a map image displaying a road.

3. The road surface property acquiring method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

acquiring present measurement data on a property of a road surface on which the vehicle is currently travelling; and

displaying a present road surface property image representing a feature amount of the road surface property created based on the present measurement data with the past road surface property image.

4. The road surface property acquiring method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of issuing a warning when the feature amount generated based on the past road surface property image at the present position exceeds a predefined value.

5. The road surface property acquiring method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of saving measurement data in a region including the present position when the feature amount generated based on the past road surface property image at the present position exceeds a predefined value.

6. The road surface property acquiring method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of generating a difference value of the past road surface data and present measurement data on a property of a road surface on which the vehicle is currently travelling at the present position, and issuing a warning when the difference value exceeds a predefined value.

7. The road surface property acquiring method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of generating a difference value of the past road surface data and the present measurement data at the present position, and saving measurement data in a region including the present position when the difference value exceeds a predefined value.

8. The road surface property acquiring method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

setting a unit area, to become a unit of processing, based on the past road surface data;

dividing the unit area into a plurality of sections and calculating a statistic from the past road surface data in each section;

extracting a section having a statistic satisfying a predefined reference value; and

detecting a deformed area candidate based on a changing amount of the statistic of the extracted section and a statistic of a section adjacent to the extracted section.

9. The road surface property acquiring method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

setting a region of a road exceeding the predefined value or a region of a road assumed as the deformed area candidate as a defective area; and

irradiating and pointing the defective area with a laser pointer when close to the defective area.

10. A road surface property acquiring device of guiding a vehicle mounted with a road surface property acquiring device to a specified point on a road and carrying out measurement;

the road surface property acquiring device comprising;

a means for acquiring past road surface data on a past road surface property;

a means for acquiring a present position of the vehicle;

a means for displaying a past road surface property image representing a feature amount of the road surface property in a range including the present position created based on the past road surface data; and

a means for guiding the vehicle from the present position to a specified area while measuring a state of the road surface with the road surface property acquiring device.

11. The road surface property acquiring device according to claim 10, further comprising a means for displaying a map image displaying a road.

12. The road surface property acquiring device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a means for acquiring present measurement data on a property of a road surface on which the vehicle is currently travelling; and

a means for displaying a present road surface property image representing a feature amount of the road surface property created based on the present measurement data with the past road surface property image.

13. The road surface property acquiring device according to claim 10, further comprising a means for issuing a warning when the feature amount generated based on the past road surface property image at the present position exceeds a predefined value.

14. The road surface property acquiring device according to claim 10, further comprising a means for saving measurement data in a region including the present position when the feature amount generated based on the past road surface property image at the present position exceeds a predefined value.

15. The road surface property acquiring device according to claim 10, further comprising a means for generating a difference value of the past road surface data and present measurement data on a property of a road surface on which the vehicle is currently travelling at the present position, and a means for issuing a warning when the difference value exceeds a predefined value.

16. The road surface property acquiring device according to claim 10, further comprising a means for generating a difference value of the past road surface data and the present measurement data at the present position, and a means for saving measurement data in a region including the present position when the difference value exceeds a predefined value.

17. The road surface property acquiring device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a means for setting a unit area, to become a unit of processing, based on the past road surface data;

a means for dividing the unit area into a plurality of sections and calculating a statistic from the past road surface data in each section;

a means for extracting a section having a statistic satisfying a predefined reference value; and

a means for detecting a deformed area candidate based on a changing amount of the statistic of the extracted section and a statistic of a section adjacent to the extracted section.

18. The road surface property acquiring device according to claim 10, further comprising a means for setting a region of a road exceeding the predefined value or a region of a road assumed as the deformed area candidate as a defective area, and irradiating and pointing the defective area with a laser pointer when close to the defective area.