A passive infra-red guidance system and method for augmenting operation of an autonomous vehicle on a roadway includes at least one forward-looking infra-red imaging sensor mounted on the vehicle in operative communication with an image processor tied into the vehicle's operational system. The system determines the left and right edges of the roadway using thermal imaging, and then determines the centerline of the travel lane in which the vehicle is travelling based on the determined left and right edges of the roadway. The system then compares the determined centerline of the travel lane with the actual position of the vehicle and identifies any adjustment needed for the vehicle's position based on the comparison. The left and right edge determination may comprise identifying a difference between a thermal signature representative of the roadway and a thermal signature representative of a non-roadway portion that is located proximate to the roadway portion.
Passive infra-red guidance system
2020-04-07
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | G05D SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES , Systeme zum Steuern oder Regeln nichtelektrischer veränderlicher Größen / B60K Anordnung oder Einbau von Antriebseinheiten oder von Kraft- bzw. Drehmomentübertragungen in Fahrzeugen , ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES / B60W CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION , Gemeinsame Steuerung oder Regelung von Fahrzeug-Unteraggregaten verschiedenen Typs oder verschiedener Funktion / G06V |