Cognitive system for localized LIDAR pollution detection using autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11636353-B2
Application number	US-201816165747-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2018
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

The present invention provides for a cognitive system using an autonomous vehicle includes a plurality of sensors configured to obtain the weather forecast for a pollution detectable area; a cognitive input to determine the pollution detectable area having highest sensitivity of pollution; a light detecting and ranging system configured to spatially probe pollution levels distributed in the pollution detectable area; an evaluation system to evaluate the probed pollution levels in the pollution detectable area; and a recommendation system for recommending an action to be taken based on evaluation system results of the probed pollution levels in the pollution detectable area, wherein the pollution levels are detected based light emitted by the light detecting and ranging system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cloud system, comprising:
a memory that stores computer executable components;
a processor, operably coupled to the memory, and that executes the computer executable components stored in the memory, wherein the computer executable components comprise:
a cognitive component configured to:
obtain real-time weather data from a plurality of sensors in a defined geographic region;
obtain a cognitive input defining at least one characteristic of the defined geographic region;
based on the real-time weather data and the cognitive input, determine a pollution detectable area within the defined geographic region meeting a defined criterion associated with pollution risk;
identifying a vehicle comprising a light detecting and ranging device operating in the pollution detectable area;
remotely activate the light detecting and ranging device of the vehicle to detect one or more pollution levels at one or more locations in the pollution detectable area;
receive, from the vehicle, pollution information comprising the one or more pollution levels at the at one or more locations;

an evaluation component configured to evaluate the pollution information; and
a recommendation component configured to recommend an action to be taken based on a result of the evaluation of the pollution information.

2. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the action comprises increasing staffing at a health facility in the pollution detectable area.

3. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the cognitive input comprises daily and real-time wind patterns.

4. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the cognitive input comprises cloud coverage.

5. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the cognitive input comprises traffic flow.

6. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the cognitive input comprises at-risk population density.

7. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the action comprises a traffic pattern adjustment.

8. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the cognitive component is further configured to remotely control the light detecting and ranging device to aim at an asphalt surface in the pollution detectable area to determine a dissipation rate of a pollutant.

9. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the cognitive component is further configured to remotely control the light detecting and ranging device to aim at a human height to determine a dissipation rate of a pollutant.

10. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the cognitive component is further configured to remotely control the light detecting and ranging device to aim at a higher than human height to determine a dissipation rate of a pollutant.

11. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the light detecting and ranging device detects wavelength atmospheric conditions ranging from about 250 nanometers to 10 micrometers and ranges there between.

12. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pollution levels are detected from about 200 nanometers to 360 nanometers and ranges there between.

13. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the evaluation component is further configured to detect a high-risk ozone area based on the pollution information.

14. The cloud system of claim 1 , wherein the evaluation component is further configured to generate a three-dimensional map of the pollution detectable area that identifies the one or more pollution levels at the one or more locations.

15. A method, comprising:
obtaining, by cloud system comprising a processor, real-time weather data from a plurality of sensors in a defined geographic region;
obtaining, by the cloud system, a cognitive input defining at least one characteristic of the defined geographic region;
based on the real-time weather data and the cognitive input, determining, by the cloud system, a pollution detectable area within the defined geographic region meeting a defined criterion associated with pollution risk;
identifying, by the cloud system, an autonomous vehicle comprising a light detecting and ranging device operating in the pollution detectable area;
remotely activating, by the cloud system, the light detecting and ranging device of the autonomous vehicle to detect one or more pollution levels at one or more locations in the pollution detectable area;
receiving, by the cloud system, from the vehicle, pollution information comprising the one or more pollution levels at the at one or more locations;
evaluating, by the cloud system, the pollution information; and
recommending, by the cloud system, an action to be taken based on a result of the pollution information.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises increasing staffing at a senior center in the pollution detectable area.

17. The method of claim 15 , generating, by the cloud system, a three-dimensional map of the pollution detectable area that identifies the one or more pollution levels at the one or more locations.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cognitive input comprises at least one of daily and real-time wind patterns, cloud coverage, traffic flow, or at-risk population density.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises restricting usage of defined type of the vehicle in the pollution detectable area.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises a zoning change in the pollution detectable area.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Briggs Benjamin D
• Clevenger Lawrence A
• Clevenger Leigh Anne H
• Rizzolo Michael

Classifications

• G06N5/04 Primary

  Inference or reasoning models · CPC title

• G01W2001/006

  Main server receiving weather information from several sub-stations · CPC title

• G01S17/88

  Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G01W1/06

  giving a combined indication of weather conditions (catathermometers for measuring "cooling value" related either to weather conditions or to comfort of other human environment G01W1/17; computers per se G06) · CPC title

• H04W4/38 Primary

  for collecting sensor information · CPC title