Intelligent road pothole detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021208093-A1
Application number	US-202016735246-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 6, 2020
Priority date	Jan 6, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system includes a conductive material configured along a segment of a road, a signal generator electrically coupled to the conductive material, where the signal generator is configured to generate an electrical signal for transmission across the conductive material, and an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the signal generator and the conductive material. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether the electrical signal from the signal generator is propagating through the conductive material, and in response to determining that the electrical signal does not propagate through the conductive material, determine that a pothole is present at a location along the segment of the road comprising the conductive material.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
a conductive wire material configured within a segment of a surface course of a road; a signal generator electrically coupled to the conductive wire material, wherein the signal generator is configured to generate a predetermined modulated electrical signal having a predetermined frequency for transmission across the conductive wire material; and an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the signal generator and the conductive wire material, and configured to:
determine whether the predetermined frequency of the predetermined modulated electrical signal generated by the signal generator is different from a frequency of an electrical signal received by the electronic control unit after propagating through the conductive wire material, and
in response to determining that the frequency of the electrical signal received by the electronic control unit after propagating through the conductive wire is different from the predetermined frequency, determine that a pothole is present at a location along the segment of the road comprising the conductive wire material.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:
in response to determining that the predetermined modulated electrical signal is propagating through the conductive wire material, determine a resistance of the conductive wire material; determine whether the resistance of the conductive wire material is above a predetermined resistance threshold; and in response to determining that the resistance of the conductive wire material is above the predetermined resistance threshold, determine that the pothole is present at the location along the segment of the road comprising the conductive wire material.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:
transmit a notification to a remote computing device, wherein the notification indicates the presence of the pothole along the segment of the road comprising the conductive wire material.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined modulated electrical signal generated by the signal generator includes a predetermined DC voltage.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the electronic control unit determines whether the predetermined modulated electrical signal generated by the signal generator is propagating through the conductive wire material by comparing a value of the predetermined DC voltage with a value of a voltage received from the conductive wire material.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive wire material configured along the segment of the road comprises a plurality of conductive paths and the electronic control unit is configured to electrically couple to one or more of the plurality of conductive paths using a multiplexer.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a conductive paint applied to a surface of the road.

9 . (canceled)

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive wire material includes a plurality of wires configured within the segment of the surface course of the road.

11 . A method comprising:
generating a predetermined modulated electrical signal having a predetermined frequency with a signal generator; transmitting the predetermined modulated electrical signal to a conductive wire material configured along a segment of a road; determining, with an electronic control unit, whether the predetermined frequency of the predetermined modulated electrical signal generated by the signal generator is different from a frequency of an electrical signal received by the electronic control unit after propagating through the conductive wire material; and in response to determining that the frequency of the electrical signal received by the electronic control unit after propagating through the conductive wire is different from the predetermined frequency, determining that a pothole is present at a location along the segment of the road comprising the conductive wire material.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
in response to determining that the predetermined modulated electrical signal is propagating through the conductive wire material, determining a resistance of the conductive wire material; determining whether the resistance of the conductive wire material is above a predetermined resistance threshold; and in response to determining that the resistance of the conductive wire material is above the predetermined resistance threshold, determining that the pothole is present at the location along the segment of the road comprising the conductive wire material.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
transmitting a notification to a remote computing device, wherein the notification indicates the presence of the pothole along the segment of the road comprising the conductive wire material.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined modulated electrical signal generated by the signal generator includes a predetermined DC voltage.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein determining whether the predetermined modulated electrical signal generated by the signal generator is propagating through the conductive wire material includes comparing a value of the predetermined DC voltage with a value of a voltage received from the conductive wire material.

16 . (canceled)

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the conductive wire material configured within the segment of the surface course of the road comprises a plurality of conductive paths and the electronic control unit is configured to electrically couple to one or more of the plurality of conductive paths using a multiplexer.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising a conductive paint applied to a surface of the road.

19 . (canceled)

20 . A system comprising:
a conductive wire material configured within a segment of a surface course of a road; a signal generator electrically coupled to the conductive wire material, wherein the signal generator is configured to generate a predetermined modulated electrical signal having a predetermined frequency, predetermined period, and predetermined waveform shape for transmission across the conductive wire material; and an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the signal generator and the conductive wire material, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:
determine whether the predetermined modulated electrical signal generated by the signal generator is propagating through the conductive wire material,
in response to determining that the frequency of the electrical signal received by the electronic control unit after propagating through the conductive wire is difference from the predetermined frequency, determine that a pothole is present at a location along the segment of the road comprising the conductive wire material;
in response to determining that the predetermined modulated electrical signal is propagating through the conductive wire material, determine a characteristic of the electrical signal that propagated through the conductive wire material, wherein the characteristic includes at least one of a frequency, a period, or a waveform shape;
compare the characteristic of the electrical signal that propagated through the conductive wire material with a corresponding characteristic of the predetermined modulated electrical signal generated by the signal generator; and
determine the presence of the pothole based on the comparison of the characteristic of

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Haugen Brian J
• Wiesenberg Ryan M

Classifications

• E01C23/01 Primary

  Devices or auxiliary means for setting-out or checking the configuration of new surfacing, e.g. templates, screed {or reference line} supports (form rails E01C19/50); Applications of apparatus for measuring, indicating, or recording the surface configuration of existing surfacing, e.g. profilographs (E01C23/07 takes precedence; measuring roughness or irregularity in general G01B) · CPC title

• E01C11/00

  Details of pavings {(E01C1/005, E01C5/003, E01C5/005, E01C7/145, E01C7/185, E01C7/325 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N27/20 Primary

  Investigating the presence of flaws · CPC title

• G08B21/185

  Electrical failure alarms · CPC title

• G01N27/041

  of a solid body · CPC title