Method for inspecting road surface condition, road surface condition inspection device, and road surface condition inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12427992-B2
Application number	US-202318165451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2023
Priority date	Feb 16, 2022
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A method for inspecting a road surface condition includes the steps of obtaining detailed information on a road surface condition set for each inspection point based on a traveling record of a vehicle, and information on an own position of the vehicle, generating an inspection execution plan of the vehicle in the inspection point when the inspection point is included in a predetermined range in an advancing direction of the vehicle with the own position as a reference, performing evaluation of a road surface condition in the inspection point based on a traveling condition of the vehicle that is obtained during the inspection execution plan, and updating the detailed information on a road surface condition set for the inspection point based on latest information on the road surface condition the evaluation of which is performed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of improved sensing and updating data of a road surface condition of a road on which travel of a vehicle, which is configured at least as an autonomous vehicle, is controlled, the method comprising:
implementing an obtaining, based on a past traveling record of the vehicle and information on a current own position of the vehicle, of detailed information on the road surface condition,
the detailed information indicating at least that the road surface condition is set for each of a plurality of inspection points,
the inspection points comprise a first inspection point and a second inspection point, and
both relative to an advancing direction of the vehicle as the vehicle is controlled to travel along the road and as the obtaining of the detailed information is implemented, the first inspection point is physically closer to the vehicle than is the second inspection point to the vehicle;

generating an inspection execution plan instructing the vehicle to perform an evaluation of the road surface condition at the first inspection point and the second inspection point as the vehicle is controlled to travel along the road, and generating the inspection execution plan comprises determining, based on an interval between the first inspection point and the second inspection point, that the vehicle is to, within a predetermined range along the road to the first inspection point and the second inspection point, decelerate along the road relative to approaching the first inspection point thereby increasing a time period in which the vehicle is planned to perform the evaluation at least at one of the first inspection point and the second inspection point;
controlling, based on the inspection execution plan, the vehicle to travel along the road and to, as the vehicle is controlled to travel along the road, perform the evaluation, and controlling the vehicle to travel along the road comprises controlling the vehicle to both decelerate along the road relative to approaching the first inspection point and to perform at least part of the evaluation as the vehicle is decelerated; and
updating the detailed information on the road surface condition based on the vehicle performing the evaluation while being controlled to decelerate along the road relative to approaching the first inspection point.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein of generating the inspection execution plan further includes setting a priority order of at least the first inspection point and the second inspection point.

3. The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein setting the priority order comprises:
obtaining information on weather;
predicting, based on the information on weather, changes in the road surface condition at the first inspection point and the second inspection point; and
setting the priority order based on at least one of the changes being determined to be a larger change relative to at least one other of the changes.

4. The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein setting the priority order comprises:
obtaining, by controlling a camera mounted on the vehicle, surrounding environment information in the advancing direction of the vehicle;
predicting, based on the surrounding environment information in the advancing direction of the vehicle, changes in the road surface condition at the first inspection point and the second inspection point; and
setting the priority based on at least one of the changes being determined to be a larger change relative to at least one other of the changes.

5. The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein generating the inspection execution plan comprises determining to control the vehicle to decelerate along the road relative to approaching the first inspection point based on the priority order and on determining an interval between the first inspection point and the second inspection point.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting an abnormality of the vehicle while the vehicle is controlled to perform the evaluation according to the inspection execution plan; and
based on detecting the abnormality, controlling the vehicle to stop performing the evaluation.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, before the vehicle is controlled to perform the evaluation according to the inspection execution plan, that a predetermined execution avoidance condition is satisfied; and
based on determining that the predetermined execution avoidance condition is satisfied, controlling the vehicle to stop performing the evaluation.

8. The method according to claim 7 ,
wherein the predetermined execution avoidance condition includes at least one of a fact that an occupant is recognized in an interior of the vehicle, and a fact that an object is recognized in a predetermined area.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, before generation of the inspection execution plan, that a predetermined generation avoidance condition is satisfied; and
based on determining that the predetermined execution avoidance condition is satisfied, controlling the vehicle to stop performing the evaluation.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that an object is recognized in a predetermined area; and
changing, based on determining that the object is recognized in the predetermined area and before controlling the vehicle to perform the evaluation according to the inspection execution plan, a travel plan of the vehicle,
changing the travel plan includes changing an approach of the vehicle relative to the object.

11. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the detailed information indicates at least one of information on slipperiness of a road surface of the road, information related to unevenness of the road surface, information related to a gradient of the road surface, information related to a shape of the road surface, information on an upper speed limit, and information on an operation record of a traveling safety function of the vehicle.

12. A road surface condition inspection device that performs an improved sensing and updating of data of a road surface condition of a road on which travel of a vehicle, which is configured at least as an autonomous vehicle, is controlled, the road surface condition inspection device comprising:
one or a plurality of storage devices that store detailed information on the road surface condition; and
one or a plurality of processors, wherein
the detailed information indicates at least that the road surface condition is set for each of a plurality of inspection points,
the inspection points comprise a first inspection point and a second inspection point, and
both relative to an advancing direction of the vehicle as the vehicle is controlled to travel along the road and at least at a time of generating an inspection execution plan, the first inspection point is physically closer to the vehicle than is the second inspection point to the vehicle, and

wherein the one or the plurality of processors is configured to:
generate an inspection execution plan instructing the vehicle to perform an evaluation of the road surface condition at the first inspection point and the second inspection point as the vehicle is controlled to travel along the road, and generating the inspection execution plan comprises determining, based on an interval between the first inspection point and the second inspection point, that the vehicle is to, within a predetermined range along the road to the first inspection point and the second inspection point, decelerate along the road relative to approaching the first inspection point there

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Okamoto Yuki
• Futagami Kosuke
• Watanabe Yoshinori
• Sone Atsushi
• Amagai Sho
• Kodama Atsushi
• Hirate Yosuke
• Kawanai Taichi
• Kamata Nobuhide

Classifications

• B60W2420/403

  Image sensing, e.g. optical camera · CPC title

• G06V20/588 Primary

  Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road · CPC title

• B60W2555/20

  Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain · CPC title

• G06V20/59

  inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions · CPC title

• B60W60/00182

  in response to weather conditions · CPC title