Metal bridge detection systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10408937-B2
Application number	US-201615271068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2016
Priority date	Sep 20, 2016
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

Example metal bridge detection systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a method receives LIDAR data from a LIDAR system mounted to a vehicle and receives camera data from a camera system mounted to the vehicle. The method analyzes the received LIDAR data and the camera data to identify a metal bridge proximate the vehicle. If a metal bridge is identified, the method adjusts vehicle operations to improve vehicle control as it drives across the metal bridge.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving first weather data;
(a) determining that the first weather data indicates a likelihood of ice or snow proximate the vehicle;
in response to (a) activating a metal bridge detection system and performing, by the metal bridge detection system:
(i) receiving LIDAR data from a LIDAR system mounted to a vehicle;
(ii) receiving camera data from a camera system mounted to the vehicle;
(iii) analyzing the received LIDAR data and the camera data to identify a metal bridge proximate the vehicle; and
(iv) responsive to identifying a metal bridge proximate the vehicle, adjusting vehicle operations to improve vehicle control as it drives across the metal bridge;

receiving second weather data;
(b) determining that the second weather data does not indicate a likelihood of ice or snow proximate the vehicle; and
in response to (b) deactivating the metal bridge detection system and refraining from performing (i)-(iv) using the metal bridge detection system.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving navigational information that indicates the existence of a bridge ahead of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reporting the existence of the metal bridge to a shared database.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein reporting the existence of the metal bridge to a shared database includes reporting a geographic location associated with the metal bridge.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting vehicle operations includes:
determining the vehicle's longitudinal slip; and
responsive to determining a non-zero longitudinal slip, reducing the speed of the vehicle until the longitudinal slip is zero.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal bridge is a metal grate bridge.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the metal grate bridge includes a metal road surface that has apertures therethrough.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the metal grate bridge includes a metal road surface, and wherein adjusting vehicle operations includes steering the vehicle to a different lane that does not include a metal road surface.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

10. A method comprising:
receiving LIDAR data from a LIDAR system mounted to a vehicle;
receiving camera data from a camera system mounted to the vehicle;
receiving first weather data;
(a) determining that the first weather data indicates a likelihood of ice or snow proximate the vehicle;
in response to (a) activating a metal bridge detection system and performing, by a metal bridge detection system:
(i) analyzing the received LIDAR data and the camera data to identify a metal bridge proximate the vehicle; and
(ii) responsive to identifying a metal bridge proximate the vehicle:
determining a longitudinal slip associated with the vehicle; and
responsive to determining a non-zero longitudinal slip, reducing a speed of the vehicle;

receiving second weather data;
(b) determining that the second weather data does not indicate a likelihood of ice or snow proximate the vehicle; and
in response to (b) deactivating the metal bridge detection system and refraining from performing (i) and (ii) using the metal bridge detection system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein reducing a speed of the vehicle includes reducing a speed of the vehicle until a non-zero longitudinal slip is achieved.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising receiving navigational information that indicates the existence of a bridge ahead of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising reporting the existence of the metal bridge to a shared database.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the metal bridge is a metal grate bridge, and wherein at least a portion of the metal grate bridge includes a metal road surface that has apertures therethrough.

15. An apparatus comprising:
a LIDAR system configured to capture LIDAR data associated with an area proximate the vehicle;
a camera configured to capture camera data associated with the area proximate the vehicle; and
a metal bridge detection system configured to analyze the LIDAR data and the camera data to identify a metal bridge proximate the vehicle, wherein the metal bridge detection system is further configured to adjust, responsive to identifying a metal bridge, vehicle operations to improve vehicle control as the vehicle drives across the metal bridge;
a controller programmed to:
receive weather data;
evaluate whether that weather data indicates a likelihood of ice or snow proximate the vehicle;
if the weather data indicates the likelihood of ice and snow proximate the vehicle, enable the metal bridge detection system; and
if the weather data does not indicate the likelihood of ice and snow proximate the vehicle, deactivate the metal bridge detection system.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the metal bridge detection system includes a vehicle traction manager configured to determine a longitudinal slip associated with the vehicle and adjust the vehicle's speed if the longitudinal slip is not zero.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a vehicle control actuator configured to perform the at least one vehicle operation by adjust the vehicle's steering or braking systems.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the metal bridge detection system is coupled to an automated driving system.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Myers Scott Vincent
• Micks Ashley Elizabeth
• Kadetotad Sneha
• Banvait Harpreetsingh

Classifications

• B60W2552/05

  Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads · CPC title

• G01S17/86

  Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders · CPC title

• G01S2013/9318

  Controlling the steering · CPC title

• G01S2013/93185

  Controlling the brakes · CPC title

• G01S2013/9322

  using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data · CPC title