Patent · US Active

Object detection and classification for autonomous vehicles

US8195394B1 · kind B1 · utility

168Cited by
8References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 13, 2011
Grant dateJun 5, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 13, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG08G1/096775
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to safe and effective use of autonomous vehicles. More specifically, objects detected in a vehicle's surroundings may be detected by the vehicle's various sensors and identified based on their relative location in a roadgraph. The roadgraph may include a graph network of information such as roads, lanes, intersections, and the connections between these features. The roadgraph may also include the boundaries of areas, including for example, crosswalks or bicycle lanes. In one example, an object detected in a location corresponding to a crosswalk area of the roadgraph may be identified as a person. In another example, an object detected in a location corresponding to a bicycle area of the roadgraph and identified as a bicycle. By identifying the type of object in this way, an autonomous vehicle may be better prepared to react to or simply avoid the object.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.