Vehicle with internal and/or external monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10774488-B2
Application number	US-201815877686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2018
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A street sweeper configured to clean a street can include: at least one broom or sprayer configured to clean a street, a street surface deviation detection device coupled to the street sweeper, the street surface deviation detection device being configured to detect visual signatures of defects in a surface of the street; and a position device to measure the position of the street sweeper, wherein the position device is programmed to send the position to a central server.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A street sweeper configured to clean a street, the street sweeper comprising:
at least one broom or sprayer configured to clean a street;
a street surface deviation detection device coupled to the street sweeper, the street surface deviation detection device being configured to detect visual signatures of defects in a surface of the street; and
a position device to measure a position of the street sweeper, wherein the position device is programmed to send the position to a central server;
wherein the central server generates a road map that indicates positions of street surface defects on the road map based on position information provided by the position device and the detected visual signatures of defects provided by the street surface deviation detection device.

2. The street sweeper of claim 1 , wherein the street surface deviation detection device is programmed to capture one or more images of the visual signatures of defects and to send the one or more images to the central server.

3. The street sweeper of claim 2 , wherein the central server is programmed to calculate a location of the visual signatures of defects.

4. The street sweeper of claim 2 , wherein the street surface deviation detection device is a visual camera.

5. The street sweeper of claim 2 , wherein the street surface deviation detection device is an infrared camera, a still camera, or a video camera.

6. The street sweeper of claim 1 , further comprising:
a meter module to detect a consumption of water by the street sweeper;
wherein the meter module is programmed to quantify an amount of water used by the street sweeper and to send the amount of water to the central server.

7. The street sweeper of claim 6 , wherein the meter module is part of an analysis module programmed to measure a plurality of parameters associated with the street sweeper.

8. The street sweeper of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of parameters includes parameters associated with operation of the street sweeper.

9. The street sweeper of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of parameters includes parameters associated with an environment surrounding the street sweeper.

10. The street sweeper of claim 1 , wherein the street surface deviation detection device further includes a scanning laser rangefinder.

11. A system, comprising:
a street sweeper configured to clean a street, the street sweeper including a meter module to detect a consumption of water by the street sweeper, wherein the meter module is programmed to quantify an amount of water used by the street sweeper and to send the amount of water to a central server;
a street surface deviation detection device coupled to the street sweeper, the street surface deviation detection device being configured to detect visual signatures of defects in a surface of the street; and
the central server programmed to receive the amount of water.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the street surface deviation detection device is programmed to capture one or more images of the visual signatures of defects and to send the one or more images to the central server.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the central server is programmed to receive a sweeper position and to calculate a location of the visual signatures of defects.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the street surface deviation detection device is a visual camera.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the street surface deviation detection device is an infrared camera, a still camera, or a video camera.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the meter module is part of an analysis module programmed to measure a plurality of parameters associated with the street sweeper.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of parameters includes parameters associated with operation of the street sweeper.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of parameters includes parameters associated with an environment surrounding the street sweeper.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the street surface deviation detection device further includes a scanning laser rangefinder.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the street surface deviation detection device includes a camera.

Assignees

• Fed Signal Corp

Inventors

• Rohrbaugh Scott Thomas

Classifications

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• G01B11/306

  for measuring evenness · CPC title

• E01H1/103 Primary

  in which the soiled loosening or washing liquid is removed, e.g. by suction (removing liquids in general E01H1/108) · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title