Patent · US Active

Detection of overhanging objects

US9915951B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
4References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 27, 2015
Grant dateMar 13, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 21, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S2013/9318
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle can encounter an external environment in which an object overhangs a current road of the autonomous vehicle. For example, the branch of a tree may overhang the road. Such an overhanging object can be detected and suitable driving maneuvers for the autonomous vehicle can be determined. Sensor data can be acquired from at least a forward portion of the external environment. One or more floating obstacle candidates can be identified based on the acquired sensor data. The identified one or more floating obstacle candidates can be filtered to remove any floating obstacle candidates that do not meet one or more predefined parameters. A driving maneuver for the autonomous vehicle can be determined at least partially based on a height clearance between the autonomous vehicle and floating obstacle candidates that remain after being filtered out. The autonomous vehicle can be caused to implement the determined driving maneuver.

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