Mapping active and inactive construction zones for autonomous driving

• US 9,141,107 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Ferguson, David I., Burnette, Donald Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US13/859,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20140309833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/45, 382/199, 348/118
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00184 related to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• 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

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to differentiating between active and inactive construction zones. In one example, this may include identifying a construction object associated with a construction zone. The identified construction object may be used to map the area of the construction zone. Detailed map information may then be used to classify the activity of the construction zone. The area of the construction zone and the classification may be added to the detailed map information. Subsequent to adding the construction zone and the classification to the detailed map information, the construction object (or another construction object) may be identified. The location of the construction object may be used to identify the construction zone and classification from the detailed map information. The classification of the classification may be used to operate a vehicle having an autonomous mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a first construction object associated with a construction zone;

mapping an area of the construction zone based on the identified construction object;

classifying, by a processor, an activity type of the construction zone based on characteristics of the construction zone, the activity type including at least active and inactive classifications;

adding the area of the construction zone and the classification to detailed map information of a road map;

subsequent to adding the construction zone and the classification to the detailed map information, identifying a second construction object at a given location;

identifying, from the detailed map information, the area of the construction zone and the classification based on the given location;

operating, at the area of the construction zone, a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode based on the classification stored in the detailed map information;

wherein the activity type of the construction zone is classified as active when the characteristics of the construction zone indicate that there have been changes to the roadway as compared to the detailed map information; and

wherein when the activity type of the construction zone is classified as active, operating the vehicle based on the classification includes operating the vehicle in a manual driving mode through the area of the construction zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying the activity type of the construction zone includes determining whether there have been any changes to the area of the construction zone from the detailed map information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity type of the construction zone is classified as inactive when the characteristics of the construction zone correspond to the features of the detailed map information for that area.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein when the activity type of the construction zone is classified as inactive, operating the vehicle based on the classification includes operating the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode through the area of the construction zone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the vehicle based on the classification includes determining whether to drive the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode or a manual driving mode.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after operating the vehicle based on the classification:

reclassifying the activity type of the construction zone; and

updating the classification of the construction zone in the detailed map information based on the reclassifying.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising sending the updated classification to a remote computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second construction object is the first construction object.

9. A system comprising:

memory storing detailed map information;

a processor configured to;

identify a first construction object associated with a construction zone;

map an area of the construction zone based on the identified construction object;

classify an activity type of the construction zone based on characteristics of the construction zone, the activity type including at least active and inactive classifications;

add the area of the construction zone and the classification to detailed map information of a road man;

subsequent to adding the construction zone and the classification to the detailed map information, identify a second construction object at a given location;

identify, from the detailed map information, the area of the construction zone and the classification based on the given location;

operate, at the area of the construction zone, a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode based on the classification stored in the detailed map information;

wherein operating the vehicle based on the classification includes determining whether to drive the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode or a manual driving mode; and

wherein the activity type of the construction zone is classified as active when the characteristics of the construction zone indicate that there have been changes to the roadway as compared to the detailed map information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein classifying the activity type of the construction zone includes determining whether there have been any changes to the area of the construction zone from the detailed map information.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the activity type of the construction zone is classified as inactive when the classifications of the construction zone correspond to the features of the detailed map information for that area.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to, after operating the vehicle based on the classification:

reclassify the activity type of the construction zone; and

update the classification of the construction zone in the detailed map information based on the reclassifying.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate instructions for controlling the driving behaviors of the vehicle in the area of the construction zone; and

add the instructions for controlling the driving behaviors of the vehicle to the detailed map information with the area of the construction zone and the classification, wherein operating, at the area of the construction zone, is further based on the instructions for controlling the driving behaviors of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the characteristics of the construction zone include at least the proximity of work in a shoulder to driving lanes.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the given location of the second construction object corresponds to the area of the construction zone.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to map the area of the construction zone by:

identifying a starting point of the construction zone based on the location of the first construction object; and

identifying an ending point of the construction zone based on a location of a third construction object.