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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023264696-A1
Application number	US-202318165451-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 7, 2023
Priority date	Feb 16, 2022
Publication date	Aug 24, 2023
Grant date	—

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 for inspecting a road surface condition that performs inspection of a road surface condition, comprising the steps of:
obtaining detailed information on a road surface condition set for each of inspection points 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 each of the inspection points when the each of the inspection points 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 each of the inspection points based on a traveling condition of the vehicle obtained during the inspection execution plan; and updating the detailed information on a road surface condition set for the each of the inspection points based on latest information on the road surface condition the evaluation of which is performed.

2 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the step of generating the inspection execution plan includes a step of setting a priority order of two or more of the inspection points when the two or more of the inspection points are included in the predetermined range.

3 . The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein the step of setting the priority order comprises the steps of:
obtaining information on weather;
predicting changes in road surface conditions in the two or more of the inspection points included in the predetermined range based on the information on weather; and
setting a higher priority order to an inspection point with a larger prediction change in the road surface condition.

4 . The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein the step of setting the priority order comprises the steps of:
obtaining surrounding environment information in the advancing direction of the vehicle captured by a camera mounted on the vehicle;
predicting changes in road surface conditions in the two or more of the inspection points included in the predetermined range based on the surrounding environment information in the advancing direction of the vehicle; and
setting a higher priority order to an inspection point with a larger prediction change in the road surface condition.

5 . The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein the step of generating the inspection execution plan further comprises a step of calculating an interval between two adjacent inspection points when a priority order is set for the two or more of the inspection points included in the predetermined range, and when the interval is less than a predetermined distance, the inspection execution plan is generated with respect to an inspection point having a relatively high priority order, and when the interval is the predetermined distance or more, the inspection execution plan is generated with respect to each of both the two adjacent inspection points.

6 . The method according to claim 1 ,
further comprising
a step of determining whether or not abnormality of the vehicle is detected during the inspection execution plan,
wherein when it is determined that abnormality of the vehicle is detected, execution of the evaluation of the road surface condition based on a traveling condition of the vehicle to be obtained during the inspection execution plan is stopped, or update of the detailed information on a road surface condition based on the latest information on the road surface condition the evaluation of which is performed is stopped.

7 . The method according to claim 1 ,
further comprising
a step of determining whether or not a predetermined execution avoidance condition is satisfied before execution of the inspection execution plan,
wherein execution of the inspection execution plan is stopped when it is determined that the predetermined execution avoidance condition is satisfied.

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
a step of determining whether or not a predetermined generation avoidance condition is satisfied before generation of the inspection execution plan, wherein
when it is determined that the predetermined generation avoidance condition is satisfied, generation of the inspection execution plan is stopped.

10 . The method according to claim 1 ,
further comprising the steps of:
determining whether or not an object is recognized in a predetermined area; and
changing a travel plan of the vehicle included in the inspection execution plan before execution of the inspection execution plan, when it is determined that the object is recognized in the predetermined area,
wherein a travel plan after changed by the step of changing the travel plan includes a travel plan that suppresses approaching the object.

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

12 . A road surface condition inspection device that performs inspection of a road surface condition, comprising:
one or a plurality of storage devices that store 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; and one or a plurality of processors, wherein the one or the plurality of processors is configured to:
when the inspection point is included in a predetermined range in an advancing direction of the vehicle with the own position as a reference, generate an inspection execution plan of the vehicle in the inspection point,
perform 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
update the detailed information on a road surface condition that is set for the inspection point, based on latest information on the road surface condition the evaluation of which is performed.

13 . A road surface condition inspection system that performs inspection of a road surface condition, comprising:
a vehicle, and a management device communicable with the vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a road surface condition inspection device including a first processor and a first storage device, and a vehicle side communication device, the management device comprises a second processor, a second storage device, and a management side communication device, the first storage device includes information on an own position of the vehicle, the second storage device includes detailed information on a road surface condition that is set for each inspection point based on a traveling record of the vehicle, wherein the first processor is configured to:
obtain the detailed information on a road surface condition from the management device;
when the inspection point is included in a predetermined range in an advancing direction of the vehicle with the own position as a reference, generate an inspection execution plan of the vehicle in the inspection point;
perform evaluation of a road surface condition in the inspection point based on a traveling condition of the

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

• 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

• B60W40/06 Primary

  Road conditions · CPC title

• B60W40/068

  Road friction coefficient · CPC title

• B60W40/064

  Degree of grip · CPC title

• B60W2555/20

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