Infrastructure monitoring system on autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11467574-B2
Application number	US-201816040432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2018
Priority date	Jul 20, 2017
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

Provided herein are platforms for determining a non-navigational quality of at least one infrastructure by a plurality of autonomous or semi-autonomous land vehicles through infrastructure recognition and assessment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A platform for determining a non-navigational quality of at least one infrastructure, the platform comprising:
a) a plurality of autonomous or semi-autonomous land vehicles, each vehicle comprising:
(i) a sensor configured to collect a sensed data corresponding to the at least one infrastructure, the sensor including at least one of a lidar or a radar;
(ii) an autonomous or semi-autonomous land propulsion system; and
(iii) a communication device; and

b) the platform further comprising a processor configured to provide an application comprising:
(i) a navigation module directing the autonomous or semi-autonomous land propulsion system of at least one of the plurality of vehicles via the communication device;
(ii) a communication module receiving the sensed data via the communication device;
(iii) an infrastructure recognition module applying an infrastructure recognition algorithm to determine a classification of the at least one infrastructure based at least on the sensed data; and
(iv) an infrastructure assessment module applying an infrastructure assessment algorithm to determine the non-navigational quality of the at least one infrastructure based at least on the sensed data and the classification of the at least one infrastructure.

2. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the sensor further comprises a camera, a video camera, a microphone, a radiation sensor, a chemical sensor, a light sensor, a tactile sensor, or any combination thereof.

3. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the non-navigational infrastructure quality of the infrastructure is non-informational.

4. The platform of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the infrastructure recognition algorithm and the infrastructure assessment algorithm comprise a machine learning algorithm, a rule-based algorithm, or both, and wherein the infrastructure assessment algorithm determines the non-navigational infrastructure quality does not communicate navigational information.

5. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the platform further comprises a remote server in communication with one or more of the vehicles, wherein the remote server comprises the processor and the application.

6. The platform of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the vehicles comprise the processor and the application.

7. The platform of claim 1 wherein each vehicle included in the plurality of autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles includes the processor and the application.

8. The platform of claim 1 , further comprising a data storage receiving and storing at least one of the sensed data, the classification, and the non-navigational quality.

9. The platform of claim 8 , wherein the application further comprises a trend assessment module applying a pattern recognition algorithm to determine a historical trend based on at least one of stored sensed data, stored classifications, and the stored non-navigational qualities.

10. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the at least one infrastructure comprises a utility pole, a utility line, a road sign, a road surface, road marking, a road reflector, a sidewalk, a traffic light, a streetlight, a manhole cover, a wall, a fence, a building, a plant, a parking meter, or any combination thereof.

11. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the classification comprises a utility pole class, a utility line class, a road sign class, a road surface class, road marking class, a road reflector class, a sidewalk class, a traffic light class, a streetlight class, a manhole cover class, a wall class, a fence class, a building class, a plant class, a parking meter class, or any combination thereof.

12. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the non-navigational quality comprises an obstruction quality, a visibility quality, a luminosity quality, or any combination thereof.

13. The platform of claim 12 , wherein the non-navigational quality comprises a surface quality, wherein the surface quality comprises a cleanliness quality, a graffiti quality, a pothole quality, an uncovered manhole quality, a damage quality, an iciness quality, a snowiness quality, a flooding quality, or any combination thereof.

14. The platform of claim 12 , wherein the obstruction quality comprises a tree or bush obstruction quality, an accident obstruction quality, a law enforcement roadblock obstruction quality, a construction obstruction quality, a power/utility line obstruction quality, a damaged utility pole obstruction quality, a discarded object obstruction quality, or any combination thereof.

15. The platform of claim 12 , wherein the visibility quality comprises a contrast, a color, a reflectiveness, a readability, a size, a presence, or any combination thereof.

16. The platform of claim 12 , wherein the luminosity quality comprises a brightness, a color, a contrast, or any combination thereof.

17. A platform for determining a non-navigational quality of at least one infrastructure, the platform comprising:
a) a plurality of autonomous or semi-autonomous land vehicles, each vehicle comprising:
(i) a sensor configured to collect a sensed data corresponding to the at least one infrastructure, the sensor including at least one of a lidar or a radar;
(ii) an autonomous or semi-autonomous land propulsion system; and
(iii) a communication device; and

b) the platform further comprising a processor configured to provide an application comprising:
(i) a navigation module directing the autonomous or semi-autonomous land propulsion system of at least one of the plurality of vehicles via the communication device;
(ii) a communication module receiving the sensed data via the communication device;
(iii) an infrastructure recognition module applying an infrastructure recognition algorithm to determine a classification of the at least one infrastructure based at least on the sensed data;
(iv) an infrastructure assessment module applying an infrastructure assessment algorithm to determine the non-navigational quality of the at least one infrastructure based at least on the sensed data and the classification of the at least one infrastructure; and
a user interface allowing an administrative user to configure the infrastructure recognition algorithm, the infrastructure assessment algorithm, or both.

18. The platform of claim 17 , wherein the user interface allows the administrative user to configure the infrastructure recognition algorithm or the infrastructure assessment algorithm by uploading algorithm rules or algorithm criteria.

19. The platform of claim 17 , wherein the user interface is a graphic user interface or an application programming interface.

20. The platform of claim 17 , wherein the platform further comprises a remote server in communication with one or more of the vehicles, and wherein the remote server comprises the user interface.

21. A platform for determining a non-navigational quality of at least one infrastructure, the platform comprising:
a) a plurality of autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles, each vehicle comprising
(i) at least one sensor configured to collect a sensed data corresponding to the at least one infrastructure,
(ii) an autonomous or semi-autonomous propulsion system, and
(iii) a communication device; and

b) the platform further comprising a processor configured to provide an application, the application being remote from the plurality of autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles, the application comprising
(i) a navigation module directing the autonomous or semi-autonomous propulsion system of at least one of the plurality

Assignees

• Nuro Inc

Inventors

• Ferguson David
• Zhu Jiajun
• Leipold Cosimo
• Jirapinyo Pichayut

Classifications

• G06T2207/30184

  Infrastructure · CPC title

• G08G1/20

  Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles · CPC title

• G06V20/56

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

• G06F16/29

  Geographical information databases · CPC title

• G06N5/025

  Extracting rules from data · CPC title