Road pavement deterioration inspection system

US6615648B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignees

• The Roads and Traffic Authority on New South Wales · AU
• COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION · AU

Inventors

• Ronald Allan Ferguson · Alyth, GB
• David Norman Pratt · Hornsby, AU
• Paul Richard Turtle · Sydney, AU
• Ian Barry MacIntyre · Melbourne, AU
• Daniel Peter Moore · Melbourne, AU
• Patrick Dale Kearney · Melbourne, AU
• Michael Best · Dursley, GB
• James L. Gardner · Escondido, US
• Mark Berman · Tulsa, US
• Michael BUCKLEY · Hornsby, AU
• Joseph Edmond Breen · Berowra, AU
• Ronald Jones · Fairfax Station, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 25, 2000
• Grant date: Sep 9, 2003
• Expiry date: Sep 25, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01C7/04
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system for acquiring, processing, storing, analyzing and reporting data relating to the condition of a road or other pavement surface (102) in real time. The system includes a digital camera (104) mounted on a vehicle and positioned relative to a pavement surface (102) so as to capture images of the pavement surface (102) while the camera (104) is moving relative to the surface (102). The system also includes an illumination assembly (100) to illuminate the region from which an image is taken and an interface between the digital camera (104) and at least one computer. The system also includes a processor in the computer for processing the images to detect and classify cracks and other pavement surface (102) features.