Method and system for detecting and locating obstacles / elements on a road surface that are dangerous or potentially dangerous to tires and / or vehicle integrity

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method (1) for detecting and localizing obstacles / elements on a road pavement, comprising: acquiring (11) wheel speed values related to a wheel of a motorized vehicle driving on a road, and geographical reference data associated with the wheel speed values and indicative of a respective position of the motorized vehicle; detecting (12) an obstacle / element present on the road on the basis of the acquired wheel speed values, by identifying an entering instant when the wheel encounters the obstacle / element and a leaving instant when the wheel has crossed the obstacle / element, and by calculating a normalized peak-to-peak value related to the obstacle / element on the basis of a maximum and a minimum of the acquired wheel speed values related to a collision-related instant comprised between the entering instant and the leaving instant, and an average of the acquired wheel speed values related to a first collision-free instant immediately preceding the entering instant; determining (13) a severity degree associated with the obstacle / element on the basis of the normalized peak-to-peak value; determining (14) a position of the obstacle / element on the basis of the acquired geographical reference data associated with one or more than one of the acquired wheel speed values related to the collision-related instant and / or to the first collision-free instant and / or to a second collision-free instant immediately following the leaving instant; and storing (15) the position of the obstacle / element together with the severity degree associated with the obstacle / element.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to methods and systems for detecting and locating obstacles / elements (e.g., potholes, bulges, etc.) on road surfaces that pose a danger or potential danger to the integrity of tires and / or vehicles, for determining the severity / level of the detected obstacles / elements, and preferably for determining one or more geometric features of the detected obstacles / elements. Background Technology

[0002] As is well known, road surfaces need to be designed to ensure that the rolling surface is basically regular and has minimal deformation in order to meet the safety and comfort requirements of motor vehicles driven on them.

[0003] In fact, collisions between the wheels of a motor vehicle and / or with obstacles on the road surface (such as potholes, bumps, etc.) can damage the tires of the wheels (especially the tire carcass) and / or the motor vehicle (e.g., the rims and / or suspension).

[0004] For example, an external bulge on the tire sidewall often indicates that the cords inside the tire have broken due to a collision relative to / towards an obstacle, as driving over objects such as bumps and potholes can cause individual cord breakage.

[0005] If a damaged tire (e.g., a tire with some damaged cords) is not detected in time and therefore is not repaired / replaced in a timely manner, there is a risk of complete damage / destruction of the tire carcass, or even damage to the rim and / or suspension, by continuing to drive with the damaged tire in use (e.g., in the event of a further collision of the damaged tire relative to / to other obstacles).

[0006] Therefore, in the automotive industry, there is a clear need for tire damage detection technology that can automatically and promptly detect potential damage to the tires of motor vehicles.

[0007] For example, this known solution is disclosed in the applicant's international applications WO 2019 / 229627 A1, WO 2019 / 229628A1, WO 2019 / 229629A1, WO 2019 / 229630A1 and WO 2019 / 229634A1.

[0008] Specifically, WO 2019 / 229627 A1 relates to a tire damage detection system, comprising an acquisition device, a processing system, and a notification device. The acquisition device is airborne and mounted on a motorized vehicle equipped with two or more wheels fitted with tires, coupled to a vehicle bus of the motorized vehicle, and configured to acquire signals from the vehicle bus indicating the speed of the motorized vehicle and its wheels, and to output an amount indicating the speed of the motorized vehicle and its wheels. The processing system is configured to: store a predetermined tire damage model, receive the amount indicating the speed of the motorized vehicle and its wheels from the acquisition device, and be programmed to calculate a standardized wheel speed (the ratio of the indicated wheel speed to the speed of the motorized vehicle) based on the amount indicating the speed of the motorized vehicle and its wheels, and detect potential damage to the tires of the motorized vehicle's wheels based on the predetermined tire damage model and the standardized wheel speed. The notification device is configured to signal the user associated with the motor vehicle if the processing system detects potential damage to the tires of the wheels of the motor vehicle. In the tire damage detection system according to WO 2019 / 229627 A1, the processing system is a cloud computing system wirelessly and remotely connected to the acquisition device, and the notification device is an electronic communication device associated with the user and remotely connected to the cloud computing system via one or more wired and / or wireless networks.

[0009] Alternatively, WO 2019 / 229628 A1 relates to a tire damage detection method, the method comprising a tire damage detection step comprising: providing an acquisition device mounted avionics on a motorized vehicle equipped with two or more wheels fitted with tires and coupled to a vehicle bus of the motorized vehicle and a processing device / system storing a predetermined tire damage model; acquiring signals indicating the speed of the motorized vehicle and the wheels of the motorized vehicle from the vehicle bus via the acquisition device; outputting an amount indicating the speed of the motorized vehicle and its wheels by the acquisition device; receiving the amount indicating the speed of the motorized vehicle and the wheels of the motorized vehicle from the acquisition device via the processing device / system; calculating a standardized wheel speed, the ratio of the indicated wheel speed to the speed of the motorized vehicle, by the processing device / system based on the amount indicating the speed of the motorized vehicle and the wheels of the motorized vehicle; and detecting potential damage to the tires of the wheels of the motorized vehicle by the processing device / system based on the predetermined tire damage model and the standardized wheel speed. The tire damage detection method according to WO 2019 / 229628 A1 also includes a preliminary step comprising: conducting tests involving collisions of the test tire with / against different obstacles at different vehicle speeds; measuring / acquiring the test-related wheel and vehicle speeds during the tests; calculating the test-related standardized wheel speed based on the test-related wheel and vehicle speeds; and determining a predetermined tire damage model to be used by the processing device / system in the tire damage detection step based on the test-related standardized wheel speed and the test-related vehicle speed corresponding to the test tire collision.

[0010] Furthermore, WO 2019 / 229629 A1 relates to a tire damage detection system, which includes an acquisition device, a processing system, and a notification device. The acquisition device is airborne and mounted on a motorized vehicle equipped with two or more wheels fitted with tires, coupled to a vehicle bus of the motorized vehicle, and configured to acquire signals indicating the speed of the wheels of the motorized vehicle from the vehicle bus and output the amount of the indicated wheel speed. The processing system is configured to: store a predetermined tire damage model, receive the amount of the indicated wheel speed from the acquisition device, and be programmed to calculate a normalized wheel speed—the ratio of the indicated wheel speed to the average wheel speed indicating the speed of the motorized vehicle—based on the amount of the indicated wheel speed, and detect potential tire damage to the wheels of the motorized vehicle based on the predetermined tire damage model and the normalized wheel speed. The notification device is configured to: if the processing system detects potential tire damage to the wheels of the motorized vehicle, notify the user associated with the motorized vehicle of the detected potential damage by signaling. In a tire damage detection system according to WO 2019 / 229629 A1, the processing system is a cloud computing system that is wirelessly and remotely connected to the acquisition device, and the notification device is an electronic communication device associated with the user and remotely connected to the cloud computing system via one or more wired and / or wireless networks.

[0011] Furthermore, WO 2019 / 229630 A1 relates to a tire damage detection method, which includes a tire damage detection step comprising: providing an acquisition device mounted avionics on a motor vehicle equipped with two or more wheels fitted with tires and coupled to a vehicle bus of the motor vehicle and a processing device / system storing a predetermined tire damage model; acquiring signals indicating the speed of the wheels of the motor vehicle from the vehicle bus by the acquisition device; outputting an amount indicating the wheel speed by the acquisition device; receiving the amount indicating the wheel speed from the acquisition device by the processing device / system; calculating a standardized wheel speed, which is the ratio of the indicated wheel speed to an average wheel speed indicating the speed of the motor vehicle, based on the amount indicating the wheel speed; and detecting potential damage to the tires of the wheels of the motor vehicle by the processing device / system based on the predetermined tire damage model and the standardized wheel speed. The tire damage detection method according to WO 2019 / 229630A1 also includes a preliminary step, which includes: conducting tests involving collisions of the test tire with / against different obstacles at different speeds of motor vehicles; measuring / acquiring test-related wheel speeds during the tests; calculating test-related normalized wheel speeds based on the test-related wheel speeds; and determining a predetermined tire damage model to be used by the processing device / system in the tire damage detection step based on the test-related normalized wheel speeds corresponding to the test tire collisions and the associated test-related average wheel speeds.

[0012] Furthermore, WO 2019 / 229634 A1 relates to a tire damage detection system, which includes an acquisition device and a processing device / system. The acquisition device is airborne and mounted on a motorized vehicle equipped with two or more wheels fitted with tires, coupled to a vehicle bus of the motorized vehicle, and configured to acquire signals from the vehicle bus indicating the speed of the wheels of the motorized vehicle and output an amount indicating the wheel speed. The processing device / system is configured to store a predetermined tire damage model, which includes a predetermined set of thresholds and a predetermined set of time lengths related to different reference wheel speed values, and to receive an amount indicating wheel speed from an acquisition device, and is programmed to: analyze wheel speed through a sliding time window; select one of the predetermined thresholds and one of the predetermined time lengths based on a given reference wheel speed value or the average of wheel speed values ​​immediately before and / or after the sliding time window, wherein the sliding time window has the selected predetermined time length; detect the maximum and minimum values ​​of wheel speed within the sliding time window; calculate the difference between the maximum and minimum values; calculate the ratio of the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​to a given reference wheel speed value; and detect potential tire damage to the wheels of a motor vehicle if the ratio of the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​to the given reference wheel speed value exceeds the selected predetermined threshold. Summary of the Invention

[0013] In view of the above, the applicant believes it is necessary to conduct in-depth research to attempt to develop innovative technical solutions for detecting and locating obstacles / elements (e.g., potholes, bulges, etc.) on road surfaces that pose a danger or potential danger to tires and / or vehicle integrity, for determining the severity / level of the detected obstacles / elements, and preferably also for determining one or more geometric features of the detected obstacles / elements, thereby also being able to signal the location of the detected hazardous obstacles / elements to drivers (to allow them to avoid or deal with the hazardous obstacles / elements at an appropriate reduced speed) and / or road management companies (e.g., to appropriately plan and / or prioritize road maintenance work). In this way, the applicant has completed the present invention.

[0014] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a technical solution for detecting and locating obstacles / elements on road surfaces that pose a danger or potential danger to the integrity of tires and / or vehicles, for determining the severity / level of the detected obstacles / elements, and preferably also for determining one or more geometric features of the detected obstacles / elements.

[0015] This invention achieves this and other objectives because it relates to methods and systems for detecting and locating obstacles / elements on a road surface as defined in the appended claims.

[0016] In particular, the present invention relates to a method for detecting and locating obstacles / elements on a road surface, comprising:

[0017] • Obtain

[0018] - Wheel speed values ​​related to the wheels of a motorized vehicle driven on a road, and

[0019] - Geographic reference data associated with the wheel speed values ​​and indicating the corresponding location of the motorized vehicle;

[0020] • Detect obstacles / elements on the road based on the acquired wheel speed values ​​using the following operations:

[0021] - Identify the entry time when the wheel encounters the obstacle / element, and the departure time when the wheel passes the obstacle / element, and

[0022] - Calculate the normalized peak-to-peak value associated with the barrier / element based on the following:

[0023] - The maximum and minimum values ​​of the acquired wheel speeds related to the collision-related moments included between the entry and exit times, and

[0024] - The average value of the acquired wheel speeds relative to the first collision-free moment immediately preceding the said entry moment;

[0025] • Determine the severity associated with the obstacle / element based on the standardized peak-to-peak values;

[0026] • The location of the obstacle / element is determined based on acquired georeferenced data associated with one or more of the acquired wheel speed values, wherein the one or more wheel speed values ​​are related to the collision-related time and / or the first collision-free time and / or a second collision-free time immediately following the departure time; and

[0027] • Store the location of the obstacle / element along with the severity level associated with the obstacle / element. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To better understand the invention, preferred embodiments will now be described, purely as non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings (all not to scale), in which:

[0029] · Figure 1 A method for detecting and locating hazardous obstacles / elements according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically.

[0030] · Figure 2 and Figure 3An example of wheel speed behavior over time is shown when a motorized vehicle collides with a pothole;

[0031] · Figure 4 Examples of varying degrees of severity of collisions between the wheels of a motorized vehicle and / or against obstacles / elements on the road surface are shown;

[0032] · Figure 5 Examples of the results of crash tests conducted by the applicant on bulges of different heights by driving a motor vehicle at different speeds are shown;

[0033] · Figure 6 Examples of graphs related to different levels of integrity are shown;

[0034] · Figure 7 An example map relating to the Rome region of Italy is shown, in which detected hazardous obstacles / elements are displayed along with their corresponding severity levels; and

[0035] · Figure 8 A hazardous obstacle / element detection and location system according to a general embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated, the system being designed to perform... Figure 1 The method for detecting and locating hazardous obstacles / elements is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The following discussion is intended to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Various modifications to the embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown and described, but is to be given the broadest scope of protection consistent with the features defined in the appended claims.

[0037] The present invention relates to a method for detecting and locating obstacles / elements (e.g., potholes, bulges, etc.) on a road surface that pose a danger or potential danger to the integrity of tires and / or vehicles, for determining the severity / level of the detected obstacles / elements, and preferably also for determining one or more geometric features of the detected obstacles / elements.

[0038] in this regard, Figure 1 A method for detecting and locating hazardous obstacles / elements according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically (denoteed by 1 in general).

[0039] Specifically, the method 1 for detecting and locating hazardous obstacles / elements includes:

[0040] • Obtain ( Figure 1 Box 11 in the middle

[0041] - Wheel speed values ​​related to the wheels of motorized vehicles driven on roads (conveniently, motorized vehicles with two or more wheels (such as two- or three-wheeled motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks, etc.), equipped with internal combustion engines or of hybrid or electric type), and

[0042] - Georeferenced data that is associated with wheel speed values ​​and indicates the corresponding location of the mobile vehicle (e.g., the location provided by a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver (such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver) mounted on the mobile vehicle).

[0043] • Detection is performed based on the acquired wheel speed values ​​using the following operations ( Figure 1 Box 12) Obstacles / elements present on the road:

[0044] - Identify the entry time when the wheel encounters an obstacle / element, and the departure time when the wheel has passed the obstacle / element, and

[0045] - Calculate the normalized peak-to-peak value related to the barrier / element based on the following:

[0046] - The maximum and minimum values ​​of the acquired wheel speeds related to the collision-related moments included between the entry and exit times, and

[0047] - The average of the acquired wheel velocity values ​​associated with the first collision-free moment immediately preceding the entry moment, wherein the normalized peak-to-peak value is conveniently calculated as the ratio of the following two items:

[0048] - Peak-to-peak wheel speed due to collision with / against an obstacle / element (i.e., the difference between the maximum and minimum wheel speeds)

[0049] - The average wheel speed before the collision (wherein, the average speed indicates the speed of the motorized vehicle when it collides with the obstacle / element).

[0050] Wherein, the ratio represents the collision-related peak-to-peak wheel speed normalized relative to the collision vehicle speed;

[0051] • Determined based on normalized peak-to-peak value ( Figure 1 Box 13) is associated with the severity of the detected obstacle / element (i.e., the degree / level of danger or potential hazard posed by the detected obstacle / element to the integrity of the wheel's tires).

[0052] • Determined based on acquired georeferenced data associated with one or more of the acquired wheel speed values ​​( Figure 1The location of the obstacle / element detected in box 14), wherein the one or more wheel speed values ​​are related to a collision-related moment (i.e., a moment included between the entry and exit moments) and / or a first collision-free moment (i.e., a moment immediately preceding the entry moment) and / or a second collision-free moment immediately following the exit moment; and

[0053] • The determined location of the detected obstacle / element, along with the determined severity associated with the detected obstacle / element, is stored together. Figure 1 Box 15) is located, for example, on a memory or database.

[0054] Conveniently, the entry and exit times are identified by analyzing the acquired wheel speed values ​​using a sliding time window of predetermined length. Preferably, the predetermined time length is selected from predetermined window time length values ​​(e.g., stored predetermined window time length values) based on the current vehicle speed value indicating the current speed of the motorized vehicle (conveniently, the average current speed), wherein the current vehicle speed value can be conveniently calculated based on one or more of the acquired wheel speed values.

[0055] Conveniently, the normalized peak-to-peak values ​​associated with barriers / elements include:

[0056] ·form

[0057] - A collision-related velocity vector containing the acquired wheel velocity values ​​associated with the collision-related moments (i.e., those moments included between the entry and exit moments), and

[0058] - A collision-free velocity vector having the acquired wheel velocity values ​​associated with the first collision-free moments (i.e., those moments immediately preceding the entry moment); and

[0059] • The normalized peak-to-peak value is calculated based on the following:

[0060] - The maximum and minimum wheel velocity values ​​in the collision-related velocity vector, and

[0061] - The average value of the wheel speeds in the collision-free speed vector (wherein, as previously stated, the average value indicates the speed of the motorized vehicle when it collides with the obstacle / element).

[0062] Preferably, the collision vehicle velocity value is determined based on the calculated normalized peak-to-peak value and the velocity (conveniently, average velocity) of the vehicle when it collides with the obstacle / element. Figure 1 Box 13 in the diagram is associated with the severity of the detected obstacle / element.

[0063] Specifically, the speed value of a collision vehicle can be conveniently obtained through the following operations:

[0064] • Wheel speed value ( Figure 1 Box 11) is acquired together with the corresponding vehicle speed value of the motorized vehicle, and the collision vehicle speed value is calculated based on one or more vehicle speed values ​​among the acquired vehicle speed values ​​that relate to the first no-collision moment (i.e., those moments immediately preceding the entry moment); or

[0065] • The collision vehicle velocity value is calculated based on one or more wheel velocity values ​​(conveniently, one or more wheel velocity values ​​in the collision-free velocity vector) that are related to the first collision-free moment from the acquired wheel velocity values.

[0066] Conveniently, obtain wheel speed value ( Figure 1 Box 11) includes acquiring wheel speed values ​​associated with all wheels of the motor vehicle, wherein the hazard obstacle / element detection and localization method 1 further includes determining the driving direction of the motor vehicle based on acquired georeferenced data associated with one or more of the acquired wheel speed values, wherein the one or more wheel speed values ​​are associated with a first no-collision moment and a second no-collision moment, and wherein the direction of travel is determined based on the following ( Figure 1 The location of the detected obstacle / element (box 14 in the image):

[0067] • The location of the vehicle is determined based on acquired georeferenced data associated with one or more wheel speed values, wherein the one or more wheel speed values ​​are related to the collision-related time.

[0068] • The position of the wheels on the motorized vehicle that have collided with detected obstacles / elements (e.g., front / rear right / left wheels); and

[0069] • The determined direction of travel of the motor vehicle (thereby determining the location of the detected obstacle / element with increased accuracy, and also identifying the correct road lane in which the detected obstacle / element is located).

[0070] Preferably, the hazardous obstacle / element detection and location method 1 further includes estimating a first geometric feature of the obstacle / element based on the following (conveniently, the length of the obstacle / element in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle):

[0071] • The time difference between the identified entry and exit times; and

[0072] • The average of the acquired wheel velocity values ​​related to the collision-free moment (conveniently, the average of the wheel velocity values ​​in the collision-free velocity vector), or the velocity value of the collision vehicle.

[0073] Furthermore, the hazardous obstacle / element detection and location method 1 preferably further includes estimating a second geometric feature of the obstacle / element (conveniently, the height / depth of the obstacle / element) based on a normalized peak-to-peak value, a collision vehicle velocity value, and predetermined reference data / thresholds, wherein the predetermined reference data / thresholds can be initially obtained by the following operations:

[0074] • Conduct crash tests involving driving one or more motorized vehicles at different vehicle speeds against / against different obstacles / elements with different known geometric features (e.g., potholes, bumps, etc., with different known depths / heights and / or lengths).

[0075] • During the crash tests, the speeds of the test-related wheels are measured / acquired (and conveniently, the speeds of the test-related vehicles are also measured / acquired); and

[0076] • Calculate / determine reference data / thresholds for estimating the second geometric features of the detected obstacles / elements based on the test-related wheel speed (and conveniently, also based on the test-related vehicle speed).

[0077] Preferably, the determination is also based on the predetermined reference data / threshold (conveniently determined by initially performing the aforementioned crash test). Figure 1 Box 13 in the diagram is associated with the severity of the detected obstacle / element.

[0078] Preferably, the method 1 for detecting and locating hazardous obstacles / elements further includes:

[0079] • Warn the driver of the approaching obstacle / element of its presence (thus allowing the driver to avoid it or respond to it at an appropriate reduced speed); and / or

[0080] • The determined location of the obstacle / element, together with the determined severity associated with the obstacle / element (and conveniently, the estimated first and / or second geometric features of the obstacle / element), is signaled to the road management company responsible for the road (e.g., thereby allowing the road management company to properly plan and / or prioritize road maintenance work).

[0081] Hazardous obstacle / element detection and location method 1 can advantageously obtain ( Figure 1Box 11) is used to perform wheel speed values ​​and georeferenced data (and, conveniently, vehicle speed values) relating to the wheels of a single type or multiple / different types of motorized vehicles (e.g., two-wheeled or three-wheeled motorcycles and / or cars and / or buses and / or trucks, etc., equipped with internal combustion engines or of hybrid or electric type).

[0082] In view of the above, the hazardous obstacle / element detection and location method 1 can assess road conditions by detecting and locating hazardous obstacles / elements (such as potholes, bumps, etc.) on the road surface, and conveniently estimate the geometry of the hazardous obstacles / elements based on wheel speed analysis.

[0083] Specifically, the hazard / element detection and location method 1 conveniently provides information about road hazards / elements (such as their geometry and location on a map), and thus allows for advance warning to drivers to avoid potential collisions with said hazards / elements (e.g., by signaling their presence in advance and suggesting appropriate speed reduction to prevent damage to tires, rims, suspension, etc.). Furthermore, by utilizing the hazard / element detection and location method 1, road management companies can also be conveniently notified of road hazards / elements, enabling them to properly plan road maintenance work. Additionally, the information obtained through the hazard / element detection and location method 1 can also be used to evaluate vehicle components such as tires, suspension, steering systems, and chassis.

[0084] As mentioned earlier, detecting obstacles / elements on the road surface ( Figure 1 Box 12) in the diagram needs to correctly identify the entry and exit times related to the collision with respect to / against the obstacle / element. Therefore, it is necessary to correctly identify the wheel speed values ​​related to the time before the collision with respect to / against the obstacle / element (when the speed is almost constant) and the wheel speed values ​​related to the time during the collision (when the speed typically exhibits a minimum and then a maximum value depending on the type of obstacle / element (e.g., bumps or potholes) and vice versa).

[0085] Conveniently, in order to correctly identify the pre-collision time window and post-collision time window to be used for continuous analysis / processing, the following mathematical formula can be advantageously used to identify the moment when the wheel leaves the edge of the obstacle / element (such as a pothole):

[0086]

[0087] Where v i This represents the velocity value of the i-th wheel within a predetermined time window containing N wheel velocity samples. K represents the average wheel speed of N wheel speed samples within the time window, and K represents a predetermined constant threshold.

[0088] In this regard, you can refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 ,in Figure 2 and Figure 3 An example of wheel speed behavior over time during a pothole collision involving a motorized vehicle is shown. Specifically, see reference [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 3 By analyzing the waveforms generated by the collision with the craters, the entry time t0 and the exit time t1 can be identified. Furthermore, by analyzing the time difference Δt... imp =t1-t0 multiplied by the collision vehicle velocity value, the estimated length of the crater can be obtained.

[0089] Once the entry and exit times associated with the obstacle / element struck by the wheels of the motorized vehicle are identified, the corresponding normalized peak-to-peak P2P can be conveniently calculated using the following mathematical formula:

[0090]

[0091] Where V t Let V represent the aforementioned collision-related velocity vector, which includes wheel velocity values ​​related to the time span between the entry time t0 and the exit time t1 (i.e., during the brief period of the collision), and V p The aforementioned collision-free velocity vector includes wheel velocity values ​​related to the moment immediately preceding the collision (i.e., immediately preceding the entry time t0).

[0092] Then, the peak-to-peak P2P can be determined based on the calculated normalized peak-to-peak value. Figure 1 Box 13) in the table indicates the severity of the impact on the obstacle / element. For further information, please refer to... Figure 4 ,in Figure 4 Examples of varying degrees of severity of collisions between the wheels of a motorized vehicle and / or against obstacles / elements on the road surface are shown.

[0093] Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, preliminary crash tests can be conveniently performed. In this way, the exponential behavior of the relative peak-to-peak wheel speed signal against different obstacles / elements of varying heights / depths and lengths can be evaluated. In this regard, reference can be made to… Figure 5 ,in Figure 5 Examples of the results of crash tests conducted by the applicant, involving driving a motor vehicle at different speeds, against a first hump (continuous line) with a first height of 1 cm, a second hump (dotted line) with a second height of 3 cm, and a third hump (dashed line) with a third height of 8 cm.

[0094] As mentioned earlier, the severity level is determined for each obstacle / element. Figure 1 Box 13) indicates a hazard or potential hazard to tire integrity posed by the obstacle / element. In particular, the severity can be conveniently calculated by readjusting the standardized peak-to-peak response (P2P) of the motor vehicle used for the crash test:

[0095] • Severity = 1 (very mild) P2P < 50% Exp;

[0096] • Severity = 2 (mild) P2P > 60% Exp;

[0097] • Severity = 3 (Medium) P2P > 80% Exp;

[0098] • Severity = 4 (Severe) P2P > 100% Exp.

[0099] In this regard, you can refer to Figure 6 The figure shows an example of a graph of P2P versus speed in relation to different levels of integrity.

[0100] Therefore, the reference threshold can be conveniently adjusted by using additional collision tests with different bump / pit geometries and morphologies.

[0101] Figure 7 An example map relating to the Rome region of Italy is shown, in which detected hazardous obstacles / elements are displayed along with the corresponding severity level associated with each hazardous obstacle / element.

[0102] The present invention also relates to a system designed to:

[0103] • Detect and locate obstacles / elements on the road surface that pose a danger or potential danger to the integrity of tires and / or vehicles (e.g., potholes, bumps, etc.);

[0104] • Determine the severity / level of the detected obstacles / elements; and,

[0105] • Preferably, one or more geometric features of the detected obstacle / element are also identified.

[0106] in this regard, Figure 8 The functional architecture of a hazard obstacle / element detection and location system (represented by 2 in general) according to a general embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by a block diagram. The system is designed to perform hazard obstacle / element detection and location method 1.

[0107] Specifically, the hazard / obstacle detection and location system 2 includes an acquisition component 21, a processing component 22, a storage component 23, and a notification component 24.

[0108] The acquisition component 21 is configured to perform the wheel speed value and georeferenced data acquisition steps of the hazard obstacle / element detection and location method 1. Figure 1 (Box 11 in the middle).

[0109] Conveniently, the acquisition component 21 includes an acquisition device that is airborne mounted on the motor vehicle and coupled to the vehicle bus of the motor vehicle (e.g., based on a standard Controller Area Network (CAN) bus) to acquire wheel speed values ​​and georeferenced data (and conveniently, vehicle speed values) from the vehicle bus.

[0110] More generally, the acquisition component 21 preferably includes a plurality of acquisition devices, each of which is airborne on a corresponding motor vehicle and coupled to a corresponding vehicle bus of the corresponding motor vehicle to acquire corresponding wheel speed values ​​and corresponding georeferenced data (and conveniently, corresponding vehicle speed values) from the corresponding vehicle bus.

[0111] Processing unit 22 is configured as follows:

[0112] • Receive the acquired wheel speed values ​​and georeferenced data (and conveniently, the acquired vehicle speed values) from the acquisition unit 21;

[0113] • Perform the obstacle / element detection step of method 1 for hazard obstacle / element detection and location ( Figure 1 Box 12 in the middle), the steps for determining the severity level ( Figure 1 (Box 13 in the middle) and the position determination steps ( Figure 1 Box 14 in the middle; and

[0114] Conveniently, the previously described steps of estimating the first and / or second geometric features of the detected obstacles / elements are also performed.

[0115] Processing component 22 can be conveniently implemented based on the following:

[0116] • Distributed architecture, in which,

[0117] - A processing device (e.g., an electronic control unit (ECU) of an automotive type) is airborne and mounted on the motor vehicle, and connected to an acquisition device also mounted on the motor vehicle, to receive acquired wheel speed values ​​and georeferenced data (and conveniently, vehicle speed values) from the acquisition device, or

[0118] More generally, multiple processing units are each airborne on a respective mobile vehicle and connected to a corresponding acquisition unit also mounted on the respective mobile vehicle to receive, from the respective acquisition unit, corresponding wheel speed values ​​and georeferenced data (and conveniently, corresponding vehicle speed values); or

[0119] • A centralized architecture in which a cloud computing system is used, which is wirelessly and remotely connected to an acquisition device (e.g., via one or more mobile communication technologies, such as 2G, 3G, 4G and / or 5G cellular phone technology) to receive (corresponding) wheel speed values ​​and (corresponding) georeferenced data (and conveniently, (corresponding) vehicle speed values) acquired by the acquisition device.

[0120] Storage component 23 is configured as execution storage ( Figure 1 The step in box 15) is the process by which the processing unit 22 determines the location of the detected obstacle / element and the associated severity (and conveniently, the estimated geometric features of the detected obstacle / element).

[0121] Storage component 23 can:

[0122] This can be conveniently implemented in the distributed architecture through the following operations:

[0123] - A data storage device that is airborne and mounted on a mobile vehicle and coupled to a processing device also mounted on the mobile vehicle, or

[0124] More generally, the data is locally coupled to the corresponding data memory of each processing device; or

[0125] • This can be conveniently implemented in the centralized architecture by coupling it to the database of the cloud computing system.

[0126] The notification component 24 is configured to perform the step of warning the driver and / or road management company of the detected obstacle / element.

[0127] The notification component 24 can be easily implemented through the following operations:

[0128] • One or more software applications installed on the electronic devices used by drivers and / or the processing systems of road management companies; and / or

[0129] • Human-machine interface (HMI) components provided onboard in motor vehicles used by drivers.

[0130] In summary, the technical advantages and innovative features of this invention are obvious to those skilled in the art.

[0131] In particular, and importantly, it should be pointed out again that the present invention enables the detection, location, and severity characterization (and conveniently, geometric characterization) of obstacles / elements (such as potholes, bumps, etc.) on road surfaces that pose a danger or potential danger to the integrity of tires and / or vehicles.

[0132] Furthermore, the present invention can also signal the location of detected hazards / elements to drivers (to allow them to avoid or deal with the hazards / elements at an appropriate reduced speed) and / or road management companies (e.g., to properly plan and / or prioritize road maintenance work).

[0133] In summary, it is evident that many modifications and variations can be made to the invention, which fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method (1) for detecting and locating obstacles / elements on a road surface, comprising: • Obtain - Wheel speed values ​​related to the wheels of a motorized vehicle driven on a road, and - Geographic reference data associated with the wheel speed values ​​and indicating the corresponding location of the motorized vehicle; • Detect obstacles / elements on the road based on the acquired wheel speed values ​​using the following operations: - Identify the entry time when the wheel encounters the obstacle / element, and the departure time when the wheel passes the obstacle / element, and - Calculate the normalized peak-to-peak value associated with the barrier / element based on the following: - The maximum and minimum values ​​of the acquired wheel speeds related to the collision-related moments included between the entry and exit times, and - The average value of the acquired wheel speeds relative to the first collision-free moment immediately preceding the said entry moment; • Determine the severity associated with the obstacle / element based on the standardized peak-to-peak values; • The location of the obstacle / element is determined based on acquired georeferenced data associated with one or more of the acquired wheel speed values, wherein the one or more wheel speed values ​​are related to the collision-related moment and / or to the first collision-free moment and / or to a second collision-free moment immediately following the departure moment; and • Store the location of the obstacle / element along with the severity level associated with the obstacle / element.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The entry and exit times are identified by analyzing the wheel speed values ​​obtained using a sliding time window of predetermined length.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, Based on the current vehicle speed value indicating the current speed of the motorized vehicle, a predetermined time length is selected from the predetermined window time length values.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The current vehicle speed value is calculated based on one or more of the acquired wheel speed values.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, Calculating the normalized peak-to-peak values ​​associated with the barrier / element includes: ·form - A collision-related velocity vector having the acquired wheel velocity values ​​associated with the collision-related moment, and - A collision-free velocity vector having the acquired wheel velocity value related to the first collision-free moment; and The normalized peak-to-peak value is calculated based on the following: - The maximum and minimum wheel speed values ​​in the collision-related velocity vector, and - The average value of the wheel speeds in the collision-free speed vector.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The standardized peak-to-peak value is calculated as the ratio between the difference between the maximum and minimum wheel speed values ​​in the collision-related velocity vector and the average wheel speed values ​​in the non-collision velocity vector.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, Obtaining the wheel speed values ​​includes obtaining wheel speed values ​​related to all wheels of the motorized vehicle; The method (1) further includes: determining the driving direction of the motor vehicle based on acquired georeferenced data associated with one or more of the acquired wheel speed values, wherein the one or more wheel speed values ​​are related to the first collision-free moment and the second collision-free moment; The location of the detected obstacle / element is determined based on the following: • The location of the vehicle is determined based on acquired georeferenced data associated with one or more wheel speed values, wherein the one or more wheel speed values ​​are related to the collision-related time. • The position of the wheel on the motorized vehicle that has collided with the detected obstacle / element; and • The determined direction of travel of the motorized vehicle.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The severity associated with the obstacle / element is determined based on the normalized peak-to-peak value and the collision vehicle speed value, which indicates the speed of the motorized vehicle when it collides with the obstacle / element.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The collision vehicle speed value was obtained through the following operation: • The wheel speed value is obtained together with the corresponding vehicle speed value of the motorized vehicle, and the collision vehicle speed value is calculated based on one or more vehicle speed values ​​related to the first no-collision moment from the obtained vehicle speed values; or • The collision vehicle speed value is calculated based on one or more wheel speed values ​​among the acquired wheel speed values ​​that are related to the first collision-free moment.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising: The first geometric features of the barrier / element are estimated based on the following: • The time difference between the entry time and the departure time; as well as • The average value of the acquired wheel speeds related to the first collision-free moment, or the speed of the collision vehicle.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, further comprising: The second geometric features of the obstacle / element are estimated based on the standardized peak-to-peak value, the velocity value of the collision vehicle, and predetermined reference data / thresholds.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The predetermined reference data / threshold is initially obtained through the following operations: • Conduct collision tests involving driving one or more motorized vehicles at different vehicle speeds, relative to / against different obstacles / elements with different known geometric features; • Measure / acquire the speed of the test-related wheels and the speed of the test-related vehicle during the crash tests conducted; and • Based on the test-related wheel speed and the test-related vehicle speed, calculate / determine reference data / thresholds to be used to estimate the second geometric features of the detected obstacles / elements.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein, The severity associated with the detected obstacle / element is also determined based on the predetermined reference data / threshold.

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprises: • Warn the driver who is approaching the obstacle / element of its presence; And / or • The location of the obstacle / element, along with the severity associated with it, is signaled to the road management company responsible for the road.

15. A system (2) designed to perform the method (1) for detecting and locating obstacles / elements on a road surface according to any one of the preceding claims.

16. The system of claim 15, comprising: • Acquisition component (21), which is configured to acquire wheel speed values ​​and georeferenced data; • Processing unit (22) is configured to receive the acquired wheel speed value and the acquired georeferenced data from the acquisition unit (21), and to detect the obstacle / element, determine the severity associated with the obstacle / element, and determine the location of the obstacle / element; as well as • Storage component (23) configured to store the location of the obstacle / element and the severity associated with the obstacle / element as determined by the processing component (22).

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein, • The acquisition component (21) includes an acquisition device, the acquisition device being: - Installed airborne on a mobile transport vehicle. - The vehicle bus coupled to the motorized vehicle, and - Configured to acquire the wheel speed value and the georeferenced data from the vehicle bus; as well as • The processing component (22) includes: - A processing device, which is airborne and mounted on the motorized vehicle and connected to the acquisition device, or - A cloud computing system, which is remotely connected to the acquisition device.

18. A processing apparatus / system configured as a processing component (22) of the system (2) according to claim 16 or 17.

19. A computer program product comprising one or more software and / or firmware code portions, wherein the one or more software and / or firmware code portions are: • Capable of being loaded onto a processing device / system; and • When loaded, the processing device / system is configured as a processing component (22) of the system (2) according to claim 16 or 17.

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