Pothole and road condition classication using human driven telemetry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024367657-A1
Application number	US-202318313244-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 5, 2023
Priority date	May 5, 2023
Publication date	Nov 7, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for road condition classification that include one or more sensors configured to obtain sensor data pertaining to operation of a vehicle along a roadway by a human; and one or more processors that are coupled to the one or more sensors and that are configured to at least facilitate analyzing the sensor data as to one or more threshold values pertaining to the operation of the vehicle; and identifying one or more conditions of the roadway, based on the analyzing of the sensor data. Further, learned input is provided to the vehicle control system to operate with lane position behavior similar to a human driven vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
obtaining sensor data pertaining to operation of a vehicle along a roadway by a human, from one or more sensors of the vehicle; analyzing the sensor data, via one or more processors, as to one or more threshold values pertaining to the operation of the vehicle; and identifying one or more conditions of the roadway, via the one or more processors, based on the analyzing of the sensor data.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating a map database for the roadway that is stored in a computer memory, generating an updated map database in the computer memory, based on the identifying of the one or more conditions; and utilizing the updated map database for subsequent autonomous control of the vehicle, one or more other vehicles, or both, in accordance with instructions provided by the one or more processors.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of utilizing the updated map database comprises automatically controlling steering of the vehicle, the one or more other vehicles, or both, in accordance with the instructions provided by the one or more processors, in order to avoid the one or more conditions of the roadway.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of utilizing the updated map database comprises automatically controlling a suspension system of the vehicle, the one or more other vehicles, or both, in accordance with the instructions provided by the one or more processors, in order to mitigate effects from the one or more conditions of the roadway.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the step of obtaining the sensor data comprises obtaining the sensor data pertaining to lateral control by the human of the vehicle along the roadway, from the one or more sensors of the vehicle while the vehicle is operated by the human; and the step of identifying the one or more conditions comprises identifying the one or more conditions of the roadway on which the vehicle is travelling, based on the analyzing of the sensor data pertaining to the lateral control by the human of the vehicle along the roadway.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor data pertains to a position of the vehicle inside a lane of the roadway; the step of analyzing the sensor data comprises determining, via the one or more processors, whether a difference between the position of the vehicle and a center of the lane is greater than a predetermined threshold; and the step of identifying the one or more conditions comprises identifying the one or more conditions of the roadway based on whether the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor data pertains to an angular position of a steering wheel of the vehicle; the step of analyzing the sensor data comprises determining, via the one or more processors, whether a difference between the angular position of the steering wheel and a default angular position of the steering wheel is greater than a predetermined threshold; and the step of identifying the one or more conditions comprises identifying the one or more conditions of the roadway based on whether the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor data pertains to an angular acceleration of a steering wheel of the vehicle; the step of analyzing the sensor data comprises determining, via the one or more processors, whether a difference between the angular acceleration of the steering wheel and a default angular acceleration of the steering wheel is greater than a predetermined threshold; and the step of identifying the one or more conditions comprises identifying the one or more conditions of the roadway based on whether the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor data pertains to a position of one or more shocks of a suspension system of the vehicle; the step of analyzing the sensor data comprises determining, via the one or more processors, whether:
a difference between the position of the one or more shocks and a default position of the one or more shocks is greater than a first predetermined threshold; and
the difference between the position of the one or more shocks and the default position of the one or more shocks is less than a second predetermined threshold; and
the step of identifying the one or more conditions comprises identifying the one or more conditions of the roadway based on whether:
the difference is greater than the first predetermined threshold; and
the difference is less than the second predetermined threshold.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
classifying, via the one or more processors, the one or more conditions as comprising:
a pothole of the roadway, when the difference is greater than the first predetermined threshold; and
a bump of the roadway, when the difference is less than the second predetermined threshold.

11 . A system comprising:
one or more sensors configured to obtain sensor data pertaining to operation of a vehicle along a roadway by a human; and one or more processors that are coupled to the one or more sensors and that are configured to at least facilitate:
analyzing the sensor data as to one or more threshold values pertaining to the operation of the vehicle; and
identifying one or more conditions of the roadway, based on the analyzing of the sensor data.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a computer memory configured to store a map database for the roadway; wherein the one or more processors are further configured to at least facilitate:
updating the map database, generating an updated map database in the computer memory, based on the identifying of the one or more conditions; and
utilizing the updated map database for subsequent autonomous control of the vehicle, one or more other vehicles, or both.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to at least facilitate automatically controlling steering of the vehicle, the one or more other vehicles, or both, in accordance with instructions provided by the one or more processors, in order to avoid the one or more conditions of the roadway.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to at least facilitate automatically controlling a suspension system of the vehicle, the one or more other vehicles, or both, in accordance with instructions provided by the one or more processors, in order to mitigate effects from the one or more conditions of the roadway.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the one or more sensors are configured to obtain the sensor data pertaining to a position of the vehicle inside a lane of the roadway; and the one or more processors are further configured to at least facilitate:
determining whether a difference between the position of the vehicle and a center of the lane is greater than a predetermined threshold; and
identifying the one or more conditions of the roadway based on whether the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the one or more sensors are configured to obtain the sensor data pertaining to an angular position of a steering wheel of the vehicle; and the one or more processors are further configured to at least facilitate:
determining whether a difference between the angular position of the steering wheel and a default angular position of the steering wheel is greater than a predetermined

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Hart Nathaniel W
• Wright Adam L
• Craig David A

Classifications

• B60W2400/00

  Indexing codes relating to detected, measured or calculated conditions or factors · CPC title

• B60W60/001

  Planning or execution of driving tasks · CPC title

• B60W40/06 Primary

  Road conditions · CPC title

• B60W2552/35

  Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes · CPC title

• B60W10/20

  including control of steering systems · CPC title