Moving traffic obstacle detection and avoidance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11209825-B2
Application number	US-201715640489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2017
Priority date	Jul 1, 2017
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

The disclosure provides systems and methods for detecting and managing moving traffic obstacles. In embodiments, a database of historical and potential moving traffic obstacles is generated from vehicle sensor data. The database includes vehicle manoeuvre data and characterizations thereof. The database is used to map moving traffic obstacle locations such that driving aids and autonomous vehicles can account for such obstacles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling a route of an object comprising:
a processor;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store program instructions for instructing the processor to carry out a method for controlling the route of the object, the method comprising:
predicting a location of one or more moving traffic obstacles for entry in a moving traffic obstacle database by identifying one or more maneuvers performed by one or more additional objects, the one or more maneuvers being indicative of an existence of the moving traffic obstacle;
receiving a starting location and a destination location from a device onboard the object;
determining a first potential route between the starting and destination locations, the first potential route comprising a first set of segments of a first road, each segment of the first road comprising one or more lanes;
determining at least one future location for each of one or more of the moving traffic obstacles traveling along the first potential route from the moving traffic obstacle database, the moving traffic obstacle database comprising an interconnected array of paths, wherein each moving traffic obstacle along the first potential route comprises a traffic object moving along earth's surface such that the future location for each moving traffic obstacle along the first potential route is different than a current location of the corresponding moving traffic obstacle along the first potential route;
determining a second potential route between the starting and destination locations, the second potential route comprising a second set of segments of a second road, each segment of the second road comprising one or more lanes, the second set of segments of the second road and the first set of segments of the first road being non-equal;
determining at least one future location for each of one or more of the moving traffic obstacles traveling along the second potential route from the moving traffic obstacle database, wherein each moving traffic obstacle along the second potential route comprises a traffic object moving along earth's surface such that the future location for each moving traffic obstacle along the second potential route is different than a current location of the corresponding moving traffic obstacle along the second potential route;
identifying a preferred route from the first and second routes, the preferred route having a minimum amount of the moving traffic obstacles; and
communicating instructions to the device to follow the preferred route, wherein the object subsequently follows the preferred route.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the moving traffic obstacle database comprises the interconnected array of paths, and the method further comprises:
collecting test sensor data for a plurality of test objects traversing a first path;
determining, from the test sensor data, a presence of one of the moving traffic obstacles at a hazard location along the first path, and determining a characteristic of the one of the moving traffic obstacles;
adding the hazard location to the moving traffic obstacle database.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the moving traffic obstacle is whether the moving traffic obstacle is stationary or mobile.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the object is an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises automatically following the preferred route.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the object is a vehicle and wherein the system comprises a display, and wherein the method further comprises displaying the preferred route on the display.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the minimum amount of moving traffic obstacles is a minimum number of moving traffic obstacles or a minimum severity of a traffic effect caused by one or more of the moving traffic obstacles, or a combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second potential routes each comprise a plurality of connecting paths, and wherein at least one of the connecting paths from the first potential route differs from at least one of the connecting paths from the second potential route.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the moving traffic obstacle database comprises the interconnected array of paths, and wherein the method further comprises:
collecting test sensor data for a plurality of test objects serially traversing a test path, wherein the test path is selected from the array of paths, and wherein the test sensor data further comprises time stamp metadata;
identifying in the test sensor data maneuver actions and their associated time stamps at predefined locations along the test path;
grouping the identified maneuver actions from the test sensor data according to their time and locations; and
identifying one or more of the moving traffic obstacles from the grouped maneuver action data.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bills Tierra
• Bryant Reginald
• Long Xiangzhu
• Walcott Aisha
• Wamburu John

Classifications

• B60W60/0011

  involving control alternatives for a single driving scenario, e.g. planning several paths to avoid obstacles · CPC title

• B60W60/0027

  using trajectory prediction for other traffic participants · CPC title

• B60W30/0956

  the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters · CPC title

• G05D1/0278

  using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• G01C21/3453 Primary

  Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments · CPC title