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Construction zone sign detection using light detection and ranging

  • US 9,056,395 B1
  • Filed: 09/05/2012
  • Issued: 06/16/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:

  • receiving, at a computing device configured to control a vehicle, from a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor coupled to the computing device, LIDAR-based information comprising (i) a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud of a vicinity of a road on which the vehicle is travelling, wherein the 3D point cloud comprises points corresponding to light emitted from the LIDAR and reflected from one or more objects in the vicinity of the road, and (ii) intensity values of the reflected light for the points;

    selecting, using the computing device, a portion of the 3D point cloud representing an area at a height greater than a threshold height from a surface of the road;

    identifying, using the computing device, a shape in the selected portion;

    determining, using the computing device, a likelihood that the identified shape represents a construction zone sign based on an outline of the shape and respective intensity values of points representing the shape in selected portion;

    in response to the likelihood exceeding a threshold likelihood, determining a type of the construction zone sign based on the identified shape and determining a severity of road changes based on the type of the construction zone sign;

    modifying, using the computing device, a control strategy associated with a driving behavior of the vehicle based on the likelihood and the severity of the road changes; and

    controlling, using the computing device, the vehicle based on the modified control strategy.

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