Water depth detection for vehicle navigation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10018475-B2
Application number	US-201615261352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2016
Priority date	Sep 9, 2016
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle navigation with water depth detection. An example disclosed method includes determining a current and a projected water depth for road segments of and around a current route to a destination. Additionally, the example method includes, in response to the current or the projected water depth of the road segments of the current route exceeding a first threshold, determining an alternate route to the destination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
memory storing instructions; and
a processor to execute the instructions to cause the vehicle to:
determine a current and a projected water depth for road segments of and around a current route to a destination based on weather data and historical flood data received from an external server, the weather data including current and expected rainfall, and the historical flood data including previous water depth measurements for the road segments associated with the current and the expected rainfall and historical locations of vehicles abandoned due to flooding; and
in response to the current or the projected water depth of the road segments of the current route exceeding a first threshold, determine an alternate route to the destination.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle to assign risk levels to the road segments of and around the current route to the destination based on a ground clearance of the vehicle and the current and the projected water depth of the road segments of and around the current route to the destination.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein to determine the alternate route to the destination, the instructions cause the vehicle to:
compare the risk levels of the road segments of and around the current route to the destination; and
select the alternate route including the road segments with lower risk levels.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle to adjust the risk levels based on weather data received from a weather station adjacent to one of the road segments.

5. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle to adjust the risk levels based on weather data received from a weather drone measuring the water depth of one of the road segments.

6. A method comprising:
determining, with a processor, a current and a projected water depth for road segments of and around a current route to a destination based on weather data and historical flood data received from an external server, the weather data including current and expected rainfall, and the historical flood data including previous water depth measurements for the road segments associated with the current and the expected rainfall and historical locations of vehicles abandoned due to flooding; and
in response to the current or the projected water depth of the road segments of the current route exceeding a first threshold, determining an alternate route to the destination.

7. The method of claim 6 , including assigning risk levels to the road segments of and around the current route to the destination based on a ground clearance of a vehicle and the current and the projected water depth of the road segments of and around the current route to the destination.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the alternate route to the destination includes:
comparing the risk levels of the road segments of and around the current route to the destination; and
selecting the alternate route to comprise the road segments with lower combined risk levels.

9. The method of claim 7 , including adjusting the risk levels based on weather data received from a weather station adjacent to one of the road segments.

10. The method of claim 7 , including adjusting the risk levels based on weather data received from a weather drone measuring the water depth of one of the road segments.

11. A method comprising:
receiving, from a server, data including current and expected rainfall and historical locations of vehicles abandoned due to flooding;
determining, with a vehicle processor, a projected water depth for road segments of and around a current route to a destination based on the received data; and
in response to the projected water depth of the road segments of the current route exceeding a first threshold, determining an alternate route to the destination.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hakeem Mohannad
• Khalid Umer
• Mattar Mohamed

Classifications

• B64U2101/35

  for science, e.g. meteorology · CPC title

• G01C21/20

  Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01C21/3415 Primary

  Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents · CPC title

• G01C21/3691

  Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions (arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09) · CPC title

• B64C39/02

  characterised by special use · CPC title