Evaluating surface conditions on roads

Abstract

Various systems and methods related to evaluating a surface condition on a road for a vehicle are presented herein. Techniques for determining road surface conditions using reflectance values and distances are described. In one example implementation, a system includes: a memory storing a computer executable component; and a processor that executes computer-executable components stored in the memory, where the computer-executable components may include: a sensor component including a laser detection and ranging sensor, the sensor component being capable of obtaining reflectance values and distances associated with a portion of a road; a mapping component that can generate a heat map of reflectivity values and distances; an indexing assembly that may determine a number of times the echoes are received from the sensor assembly, the number of times the echoes are received being indicative of a surface condition on the road; and a road condition component that may determine a surface condition of the road from the heat map and the number of received echoes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates generally to evaluating the surface condition of portions of a road and, more particularly, to generating a thermal map of reflectivity and distance to determine the surface condition of a road. Background Art

[0002] Autonomous vehicles are becoming more common around the world and are expected to become one of the most common modes of transportation. It is desirable to determine the road surface conditions to prevent or significantly limit accidents involving autonomous vehicles. In addition, it may be desirable to actively survey the path ahead of the vehicle to determine the surface conditions to assist in safe driving.

[0003] The above background related to autonomous vehicles and systems is intended only to provide an overview of some of the current issues and is not intended to be exhaustive. Additional contextual information may become more apparent after reviewing the following detailed description. Summary of the invention

[0004] The following is an overview to provide a basic understanding of one or more embodiments of the present invention. This overview is not intended to identify key or critical elements, or to delineate any scope of a particular embodiment or any scope of the claims. Its sole purpose is to present concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description presented later. In one or more embodiments described herein, a system, apparatus, computer-implemented method, device, and / or computer program product are presented to assist in evaluating surface conditions on a road.

[0005] According to one embodiment, a system may include a memory storing computer executable components and a processor executing the computer executable components stored in the memory. The computer executable components may include a sensor component, the sensor component including a laser detection and ranging sensor, and may obtain a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of a road. In addition, the computer executable components may also include a mapping component, and the mapping component may generate a heat map of the reflectivity value and the distance. The computer executable components may include an index component, and the index component may determine the number of echoes received from the sensor component, and the number of echoes received indicates the surface condition of the road. In addition, the computer executable components may also include a road condition component, and the road condition component may determine the surface condition of the road from the heat map and the number of echoes received.

[0006] In various embodiments, the sensor assembly may emit one or more pulsed light waves that are reflected from the surface of the road to be received by the sensor assembly to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle. In addition, the sensor assembly may also emit one or more pulsed light waves that are reflected from the surface of the road to be received by the sensor assembly to determine the reflectivity value. In addition, the road condition component may compare the heat map with one or more reflectivity value distributions representing one or more predefined surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

[0007] In various embodiments, the road condition component may determine that the portion of the road may be dry, slightly wet, muddy, or wet (or soaking wet) in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed as two, three, or four from one or more pulsed light waves transmitted by the sensor assembly. In addition, the road condition component may also determine that the portion of the road may be snowy or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed as five from the one or more pulsed light waves. In addition, the road condition component may also determine that the portion of the road includes a dry surface in response to a reflectivity value reaching a maximum of 0.125 for a distance greater than 10 meters between the portion of the road and the vehicle.

[0008] In other embodiments, elements associated with the disclosed system may be embodied in different forms, such as computer-implemented methods, computer program products, or other forms. For example, in one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for evaluating a surface condition on a road may include obtaining, by a device operatively coupled to a processor, a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of the road. Additionally, the computer-implemented method may also include generating, by the device, a heat map of the reflectivity values ​​and the distances. In addition, the computer-implemented method may also include determining, by the device, a number of received echoes, the number of received echoes indicating a surface condition on the road. The computer-implemented method may include determining, by the device, the surface condition of the road from the heat map and the number of received echoes.

[0009] In various embodiments, the computer-implemented method may include emitting, by the device, one or more pulsed light waves that may be reflected from the surface of the road to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle. In addition, the computer-implemented method may also include emitting, by the device, one or more pulsed light waves that may be reflected from the surface of the road to determine a reflectivity value of the surface. In addition, the computer-implemented method may also include comparing, by the device, the heat map with one or more reflectivity value distributions representing one or more predefined surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

[0010] In various embodiments, the computer-implemented method may include determining, by the device, in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed as two, three, or four from one or more pulsed light waves emitted toward a portion of the road, that the portion of the road may be dry, slightly damp, muddy, or wet. In addition, the computer-implemented method may also include determining, by the device, in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed as five from the one or more pulsed light waves, that the portion of the road may be snowy or icy. In addition, the computer-implemented method may also include determining, by the device, that the portion of the road includes a dry surface in response to a reflectivity value reaching a maximum of 0.125 for a distance greater than 10 meters between the portion of the road and the vehicle.

[0011] In other embodiments, a computer program product for evaluating a surface condition on a road may include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to obtain a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of the road via a laser detection and ranging sensor. Additionally, the program instructions may also cause the processor to generate a heat map of the reflectivity value and the distance. In addition, the program instructions may also cause the processor to determine the number of echoes received, the number of echoes received indicating the surface condition of the road. The program instructions may cause the processor to determine the surface condition of the road from the heat map and the number of echoes received.

[0012] In various embodiments, the program instructions may cause the processor to emit one or more pulsed light waves that are reflected from the surface of the road to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle. In addition, the program instructions may cause the processor to emit one or more pulsed light waves that are reflected from the surface of the road to determine the reflectivity value of the surface. In addition, the program instructions may cause the processor to compare the heat map with one or more reflectivity value distributions representing one or more predefined surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

[0013] In various embodiments, the program instructions may cause the processor to determine that the portion of the road may be dry, slightly wet, muddy, wet, snowy, or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed as two, three, or four from one or more pulsed light waves emitted toward a portion of the road. In addition, the program instructions may cause the processor to determine that the portion of the road may be snowy or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed as five from the one or more pulsed light waves.

[0014] In various embodiments, elements related to the disclosed systems and apparatus may be embodied in different forms, such as a computer-implemented method, a computer program product, or other forms. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 A block diagram of an example system is shown according to one or more implementations described herein.

[0016] Figure 2 A block diagram is shown of exemplary, non-limiting computer-executable components according to one or more implementations described herein.

[0017] Figure 3 Exemplary, non-limiting scenarios are shown according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0018] Figure 4 Example frames from a vehicle camera and corresponding surface condition diagrams are shown according to one or more implementations described herein.

[0019] Figure 5A A number of reflectivity value distributions for various surface conditions are shown according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0020] Figure 5B A number of reflectivity value distributions for various surface conditions are shown according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0021] Fig. 6A A number of heat maps comparing reflectivity values ​​versus distance for various surface conditions are shown according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0022] Figure 6B A number of heat maps comparing reflectivity values ​​versus distance for various surface conditions are shown according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0023] Fig. 7A A plurality of echo index number graphs are shown for various surface conditions for use in determining the number of times an echo was received, according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0024] Figure 7B A plurality of echo index number graphs are shown for various surface conditions for use in determining the number of times an echo was received, according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0025] Figure 8 A flow chart illustrating a computer-implemented method for assessing surface conditions on a roadway according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0026] Fig. 9 A continuation of a flowchart of a computer-implemented method for evaluating surface conditions on a roadway is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein.

[0027] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of a computing environment is presented in which various embodiments described herein may be implemented.

[0028] Fig.11 is a schematic block diagram of an example computing environment with which the disclosed subject matter can interact. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following detailed description is illustrative only and is not intended to limit the embodiments and / or the application or uses of the embodiments. In addition, it is not intended to be bound by any express or implied information presented in any of the foregoing background technology, summary of the invention and / or this detailed description.

[0030] It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being "coupled" to another element, one or more different types of couplings may be described, including but not limited to chemical coupling, communication coupling, capacitive coupling, electrical coupling, electromagnetic coupling, inductive coupling, operational coupling, conductive coupling, acoustic coupling, ultrasonic coupling, optical coupling, physical coupling, thermal coupling, and / or another type of coupling. As referred to herein, an "entity" may include a person, a client, a user, a computing device, a software application, an agent, a machine learning model, an artificial intelligence, and / or another entity. It should be understood that such an entity may facilitate implementation of the present disclosure according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0031] The computer processing systems, computer-implemented methods, devices and / or computer program products described herein employ hardware and / or software to solve problems that are highly technical in nature (e.g., assessing surface conditions on a road), which are not abstract concepts and cannot be performed as a set of psychological behaviors of a human being.

[0032] In various embodiments described herein, road friction and surface condition assessments may be used to predict how safe a road is, and may additionally change the driving controls of a vehicle based on the detected safety level. For example and without limitation, in the field of autonomous driving, data obtained from a laser detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor may be used for object detection and distance assessment. However, LiDAR sensors may also be used for more applications, such as assessing road state attributes, such as road surface conditions. For example and without limitation, LiDAR sensors may be used to determine whether a portion of a road is dry, wet, snowy, muddy, icy, etc., based on reflectivity values ​​and distances. In addition, LiDAR sensors may survey the area in front of the vehicle (whether or not there is natural light) to determine the surface condition of the road.

[0033] Now turn to Figure 1, shows an exemplary, non-limiting system 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The system 100 may include a computerized tool that may be configured to perform various operations related to evaluating surface conditions on a road. According to various exemplary embodiments, the system 100 may be deployed on a vehicle 102 (e.g., Figure 1 on or in the vehicle shown. Figure 1 The vehicle 102 is depicted as an automobile, but the architecture of the system 100 is not limited thereto. For example, the system 100 described herein may be implemented using multiple types of vehicles 102. Exemplary vehicles 102 that may be incorporated into the exemplary system 100 may include, but are not limited to: an automobile (e.g., an autonomous vehicle or a semi-autonomous vehicle), an airplane, a train, a motorcycle, a cart, a truck, a semi-truck, a bus, a boat, a recreational vehicle, a helicopter, a jet, an electric scooter, an electric bicycle, combinations thereof, and / or the like. It is also worth noting that the system 100 may be implemented in multiple types of automobiles, such as battery electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, internal combustion engine vehicles, or other suitable types of vehicles.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the system 100 may include one or more onboard vehicle systems 104, which may include one or more input devices 106, one or more other vehicle electronic systems and / or devices 108, and / or one or more computing devices 110. Additionally, the system 100 may include one or more external devices 112, which may be communicatively and / or operatively coupled to the one or more computing devices 110 of the one or more onboard vehicle systems 104 via one or more networks 114 and / or direct electrical connections (e.g., Figure 1 104 ). For example, the one or more networks 114 may include a machine learning network that can be used to learn a thermal map of reflectivity values ​​obtained online for use in real-time implementation. In various embodiments, one or more of the onboard vehicle systems 104, input devices 106, vehicle electronic systems and / or devices 108, computing devices 110, external devices 112, and / or networks 114 can be communicatively or operably coupled (e.g., via a bus or wireless network) to each other to perform one or more functions of the system 100.

[0035] The one or more input devices 106 may display one or more interactive graphical entity interfaces ("GUIs") that facilitate accessing and / or controlling various functions and / or applications of the vehicle 102. The one or more input devices 106 may display one or more interactive GUIs that facilitate accessing and / or controlling various functions and / or applications. The one or more input devices 106 may include one or more computerized devices that may include, but are not limited to: a personal computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a cellular phone (e.g., a smart phone or mobile device), a computerized tablet computer (e.g., including a processor), a smart watch, a keyboard, a touch screen, a mouse, a combination thereof, and / or the like. An entity or user of the system 100 may utilize the one or more input devices 106 to input data into the system 100. Additionally, the one or more input devices 106 may include one or more displays that may present one or more outputs generated by the system 100 to the entity. For example, the one or more displays may include, but are not limited to, cathode ray tube displays (“CRTs”), light emitting diode displays (“LEDs”), electroluminescent displays (“ELDs”), plasma display panels (“PDPs”), liquid crystal displays (“LCDs”), organic light emitting diode displays (“OLEDs”), combinations thereof, and / or the like.

[0036] For example, the one or more input devices 106 may include a touch screen that may present one or more graphic touch controls that may correspond to controls, applications, functions of applications, interactive data, hyperlinks to data, and the like for functions of the vehicle 102, where the selection via touch and / or the interaction with the graphic touch control activates the corresponding function. For example, one or more GUIs displayed on the one or more input devices 106 may include selectable graphic elements, such as buttons or bars, corresponding to vehicle navigation applications, media applications, phone applications, reversing camera functions, car settings functions, parking assist functions, and / or the like. In various embodiments, selecting a button or bar corresponding to an application or function may result in the generation of a new window or GUI including additional optional icons or widgets associated with the selected application. For example, the selection of one or more optional icons herein may result in the generation of a new GUI or window including additional buttons or widgets with one or more optional options. The type and appearance of the control may vary. For example, the graphic touch control may include icons, symbols, widgets, windows, tabs, text, images, combinations thereof, and / or the like.

[0037] The one or more input devices 106 may include suitable hardware for registering input events in response to touch (e.g., by a finger, stylus, gloved hand, pen, etc.). In various embodiments, the one or more input devices 106 may detect (e.g., by a finger, stylus, gloved hand, pen, etc.) the position of an object within a close range (e.g., a few centimeters) of the touch screen above the one or more input devices 106 without the object contacting the screen. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, references to "on the touch screen" refer to contact between an object (e.g., a physical finger) and the one or more input devices 106, while references to "above the touch screen" refer to positioning of an object within a close range (e.g., a defined distance from the touch screen) of the touch screen but not contacting the touch screen.

[0038] The type of input device 106 may vary and may include, but is not limited to, a resistive touch screen, a surface capacitive touch screen, a projected capacitive touch screen, a surface acoustic wave touch screen, and an infrared touch screen. In various embodiments, the one or more input devices 106 may be located on a dashboard of the vehicle 102, such as on or within a center stack or center console of the dashboard. However, the location of the one or more input devices 106 within the vehicle 102 may vary.

[0039] The one or more other vehicle electronic systems and / or devices 108 may include one or more additional devices and / or systems of the vehicle 102 (e.g., in addition to the one or more input devices 106 and / or computing device 110) that may be controlled based at least in part on commands issued by the one or more computing devices 110 (e.g., via the one or more processing units 116) and / or commands issued by the one or more external devices 112 communicatively coupled thereto. For example, the one or more other vehicle electronic systems and / or devices 108 may include: seat motors; one or more seat belt systems; one or more airbag systems; one or more displays; one or more infotainment systems; one or more speakers; a media system (e.g., audio and / or video); a backup camera system; a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ("HVAC") system; a lighting system; a cruise control system; a power lock system; a navigation system; an automated driving system; a vehicle sensor system; a telecommunications system; combinations thereof, and / or the like. Other exemplary other vehicle electronic systems and / or devices 108 may include one or more sensors, which may include distance sensors, seats, one or more seat position sensors, one or more collision sensors, odometers, altimeters, speedometers, accelerometers, engine features and / or components, fuel gauges, flow meters, cameras (e.g., digital cameras, thermal imagers, infrared cameras, and / or the like), lasers, radar systems, laser detection and ranging systems, microphones, vibrometers, humidity sensors, thermometers, seat belt sensors, wheel speed sensors, combinations thereof, and / or the like. For example, a speedometer of the vehicle 102 may detect the speed at which the vehicle 102 is traveling. In addition, the one or more sensors may detect and / or measure one or more conditions external to the vehicle 102, such as: whether the vehicle 102 is traveling through a rainy environment; whether the vehicle 102 is traveling through winter conditions (e.g., snowy and / or icy conditions); whether the vehicle 102 is traveling through very hot conditions (e.g., desert conditions); and / or the like. Exemplary navigation information may include, but is not limited to, the destination of the vehicle 102, the location of the vehicle 102, the type of vehicle 102, the speed of the vehicle 102, environmental conditions surrounding the vehicle 102, the planned route of the vehicle 102, traffic conditions that the vehicle 102 is expected to encounter, the operating status of the vehicle 102, combinations thereof, and / or the like.

[0040] The one or more computing devices 110 may facilitate execution and control of one or more operations of the vehicle 102, including one or more of the following: the one or more input devices 106, and the one or more other vehicle electronic systems / devices 108 using machine-executable instructions. In this regard, embodiments of the system 100 and other systems described herein may include one or more machine-executable components implemented within one or more machines (e.g., implemented in one or more computer-readable storage media associated with one or more machines, such as the computing device 110). When executed by the one or more machines (e.g., processors, computers, virtual machines, etc.), such components may cause the one or more machines to perform the described operations.

[0041] For example, the one or more computing devices 110 may include or be operatively coupled to at least one memory 118 and / or at least one processing unit 116. The one or more processing units 116 may be any of a variety of available processors. For example, dual microprocessors and other multi-processor architectures may also be used as processing units 116. In various embodiments, the at least one memory 118 may store software instructions implemented as functions and / or applications, which, when executed by the at least one processing unit 116, facilitate the execution of operations defined by the software instructions. In the illustrated embodiment, these software instructions may include one or more operating systems 120, one or more computer executable components 122, and / or one or more other vehicle applications 124. For example, the one or more operating systems 120 may be used to control and / or allocate resources of the one or more computing devices 110. It should be understood that the claimed subject matter may be implemented with various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0042] The one or more computer executable components 122 and / or the one or more other vehicle applications 124 can utilize resource management performed by the one or more operating systems 120 through program modules and program data also stored in the one or more memories 118. The one or more computer executable components 122 can provide various features and / or functions to assist in the assessment of surface conditions on the road herein. For example, other vehicle applications 124 can include, but are not limited to: navigation applications, media player applications, phone applications, vehicle settings applications, parking assistance applications, emergency roadside assistance applications, combinations thereof, and / or the like. The features and functions of the one or more computer executable components 122 will be discussed in more detail below.

[0043] The one or more computing devices 110 may also include one or more interface ports 126, one or more communication units 128, and a system bus 130 that may communicatively couple various features of the one or more computing devices 110 (e.g., the one or more interface ports 126, the one or more communication units 128, the one or more memories 118, and / or the one or more processing units 116). The one or more interface ports 126 may connect the one or more input devices 106 (and potentially other devices) and the one or more other vehicle electronic systems / devices 108 to the one or more computing devices 110. For example, the one or more interface ports 126 may include: a serial port, a parallel port, a game port, a universal serial bus ("USB"), and the like.

[0044] The one or more communication units 128 may include suitable hardware and / or software that may facilitate connecting one or more external devices 112 to the one or more computing devices 110 (e.g., via wireless connections and / or wired connections). For example, the one or more communication units 128 may be operatively coupled to the one or more external devices 112 via one or more networks 114. The one or more networks 114 may include wired and / or wireless networks, including, but not limited to, personal area networks (“PANs”), local area networks (“LANs”), cellular networks, wide area networks (“WANs”, such as the Internet), and the like. For example, the one or more external devices 112 may communicate with the one or more computing devices 110 (or vice versa) using substantially any desired wired or wireless technology, including, but not limited to, Wireless Fidelity (“Wi-Fi”), Global System for Mobile Communications (“GSM”), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (“UMTS”), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (“WiMAX”), Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (enhanced “GPRS”), fifth generation (“5G”) communication systems, sixth generation (“6G”) communication systems, third generation partnership project (“3GPP”) long term evolution (“LTE”), third generation partnership project 2 (“3GPP2”) ultra mobile broadband (“UMB”), high speed packet access (“HSPA”), Zigbee and other 802.XX wireless technologies and / or legacy telecommunication technologies, near field communication (“NFC”) technologies, Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”), RF4CE protocol, WirelessHART protocol, 6LoWPAN (IPv6 over low power wireless area network), Z-Wave, ANT, ultra-wideband ("UWB") standard protocol, and / or other proprietary and non-proprietary communication protocols. In this regard, the one or more communication units 128 may include software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware configured to facilitate wired and / or wireless communication between the one or more computing devices 110 and the one or more external devices 112. Although the one or more communication units 128 are shown as separate units not stored in the memory 118 for clarity of illustration, it should be understood that one or more (software) components of the communication unit may be stored in the memory 118 and include computer executable components.

[0045] The one or more external devices 112 may include any suitable computing device, including a display and input devices (e.g., a touch screen), which can communicate with the one or more computing devices 110 included within the onboard vehicle system 104 and interface with the one or more computer-executable components 122 (e.g., using a suitable application program interface (“API”)). For example, the one or more external devices 112 may include, but are not limited to: a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet personal computer (“PC”), a digital assistant (“PDA”), a head-up display (“HUD”), a virtual reality (“VR”) headset, an augmented reality (“AR”) headset or other type of wearable computing device, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, combinations thereof, and the like.

[0046] Figure 2 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary, non-limiting computer executable component 122 that can assist in evaluating a surface condition on a road according to one or more embodiments described herein. For the sake of brevity, repeated descriptions of similar elements employed in other embodiments described herein are omitted. Figure 2 As shown, one or more computer executable components 122 may include a sensor component 202, a mapping component 204, an indexing component 206, and a road condition component 208. The sensor component 202 may include a laser detection and ranging sensor (e.g., or connected to a laser detection and ranging sensor). In addition, the sensor component 202 may also obtain a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of the road. For example and without limitation, the sensor component 202 may be configured to determine a reflectivity value of a portion of the road. Additionally, the sensor component 202 may be configured to determine the distance between the vehicle 102 and the road for the identified portion (e.g., the reflectivity value associated with it).

[0047] In various examples, in order to obtain the reflectivity value and distance associated with a portion of the road, the sensor assembly 202 can be configured to transmit / send / emit one or more pulsed light waves in various directions. The one or more pulsed light waves can generally be directed to the road (e.g., to a portion of the road that the vehicle 102 is traveling toward) to evaluate the quality of the surface condition on the road. Determining the surface condition of the road (e.g., or on portions of the road) can assess the safety of the vehicle 102 traveling on the road. For example and without limitation, in rainy and snowy weather environments, determining the surface condition of the road is very important for whether it is safe to travel (e.g., or at what speed safe driving can be achieved).

[0048] Moreover, in various embodiments, the sensor assembly 202 may emit one or more pulsed light waves that may be reflected from the surface of the road to produce one or more echoes that are received by the sensor assembly 202 to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle 102. The sensor assembly 202 may emit light waves that may be reflected from an object and / or surface and may return to the sensor assembly 202. For example and without limitation, the sensor assembly 202 may determine the distance between a portion of the road and the vehicle 102 by emitting the one or more pulsed light waves and receiving one or more echoes having various index numbers (e.g., as assigned by LiDAR). The sensor assembly 202 may additionally determine a reflectivity value of a portion of the road. Furthermore, the sensor assembly 202 may obtain the reflectivity value by measuring the amount of light reflected from the surface of the road. In further embodiments, the non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 may utilize the reflectivity value and the distance to generate a heat map.

[0049] In various examples, the non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 may include a mapping component 204 that may generate a heat map 210 of reflectivity values ​​and distances for one or more portions of a road as sensed by a sensor component 202 (e.g., laser detection and ranging). The mapping component 204 may be configured to generate a chart / diagram to compare reflectivity values ​​and associated distances for a portion of a road. The mapping component 204 may generate the heat map 210 for analysis by the road condition component 208 in the process of assessing the surface condition of the road. In various examples, the non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 or the road condition component 208 may compare the reflectivity values ​​with one or more predefined reflectivity value distributions representing one or more surface conditions. Additionally, the road condition component 208 may also compare the heat map with one or more predefined heat maps representing one or more surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

[0050] In various embodiments, the road condition component 208 may determine that a portion of the road is dry, slightly wet, muddy, or wet in response to receiving one or more echoes with index numbers of two, three, or four due to one or more pulsed light waves transmitted by the sensor component 202. Moreover, the road condition component 208 may determine that a portion of the road may be snowy or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes with index numbers of five due to the one or more pulsed light waves. The non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 may also include an index component 206, which may determine the number of echoes received by the sensor component 202, the number of echoes received indicating the surface condition of the road. In addition, the index component 206 may assign index numbers to the one or more received echoes. In various embodiments, the index component 206 (e.g., or a laser detection and ranging sensor) may assign an index number of two to the first received echo. Similarly, for the second received echo, the index component 206 may assign an index number of three to the second received echo. Index component 206 may assign an index number of four to the third echo received, and an index number of five to the fourth echo received. For example and without limitation, the greater / larger the number of echoes received by sensor component 202, the more reflective the surface condition is. Road condition component 208 may determine the surface condition of the road from heat map 210 and the number of echoes received.

[0051] In various embodiments, for example, Figure 3 As shown generally, sensor assembly 202 can transmit one or more pulsed light waves 300 onto a surface of road 302. In various embodiments, road 302 can include various surface conditions, including but not limited to dry, slightly damp, muddy, wet, snowy, or icy. Sensor assembly 202 can be configured to transmit one or more pulsed light waves to different portions of the road to generate a map (e.g., of reflectivity values) of the road. For example, from Figure 3As can be seen, the sensor assembly 202 can emit a pulse light wave 300 to an icy portion 304 of the road. The sensor assembly 202 can receive echoes reflected from the icy portion 304 (e.g., echo signals reflected from the surface) at a first echo 306 (point), a second echo 308 (point), and a third echo 310 (point). In various embodiments, the echoes 306, 308, 310 (points) can be respective reflective portions of the surface of the road. For example and without limitation, the more / larger the number of echoes received by the sensor assembly 202, the higher the reflectivity of the road surface (e.g., the higher the potential danger of crossing a portion of the road without changing speed or route). In addition, in various examples, a return pulse (e.g., of one or more echoes) having the highest reflectivity value can be assigned a first index number (e.g., index number two); a return pulse having the second highest reflectivity value can be assigned a second index number (e.g., index number three); and a return pulse having the lowest reflectivity value can be assigned a third index number (e.g., index number four).

[0052] In various embodiments, for example, Figure 4 As generally shown in FIG. 4 , a vehicle 102 may travel on a road 302, and a camera of the vehicle 102 may capture an image 400 of the road. In addition, the non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 may generate a reflectivity graph 402 for the road, as provided by the sensor assembly 202 (e.g., LiDAR). The sensor assembly 202 may emit one or more pulsed light waves to various portions of the road (e.g., as shown by the points generated in the reflectivity graph 402). The reflectivity graph 402 may include colors to indicate the degree of reflectivity for each point on the reflectivity graph 402. Portions of the road that include relatively dry (higher friction) surface conditions may be represented by red and yellow; additionally, portions of the road that include wet / snowy (lower friction) surface conditions may be represented by blue and green.

[0053] In various embodiments, as from Figure 4As can be seen in general, the first dry portion 404 and the second dry portion 406 on the reflectivity graph 402 can correspond to the first road portion 408 and the second road portion 410 in the captured image of the road. The first dry portion 404 and the second dry portion 406 can be paths in the road on which the vehicle wheels travel (e.g., including less snow or ice than portions of the road that the vehicle wheels do not often contact). When the vehicle 102 passes along the path, the sensor assembly 202 can actively receive reflectivity values ​​and distances for the road to generate the reflectivity graph 402. In addition, the reflectivity values ​​obtained via the sensor assembly 202 can range from 0 to 0.2 (e.g., or a different range depending on the manufacturer of the laser detection and ranging). Reflectivity values ​​close to 0.0 can be regarded as high friction surfaces (e.g., dry surfaces), and reflectivity values ​​close to 2.0 can be regarded as low friction surfaces (e.g., wet surfaces).

[0054] In various embodiments, for example, Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown generally, the non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 can compare the reflectivity value for each portion of the road with one or more predefined reflectivity distributions to determine the surface condition. For example and without limitation, the first surface condition can be a dry surface condition and can include a first distribution chart 500 representing the expected reflectivity values ​​for the dry surface. The dry surface condition can be different from the remaining surface conditions because the reflectivity values ​​for the dry surface condition can be generally uniformly distributed (e.g., at least compared to the predefined reflectivity distributions of other surface conditions). As can be seen from the first distribution chart 500, in the dry surface condition, the reflectivity values ​​can include a considerable number of values ​​above 0.075. In addition, for distances greater than about 10 meters, the reflectivity values ​​for the dry surface condition can be distributed between about 0 and about 0.125.

[0055] In various embodiments, for example, Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown generally, the second surface condition may be a slightly wet surface and may include a second distribution graph 502 representing expected reflectivity values ​​for a slightly wet surface. Additionally, the third surface condition may be a wet surface and may include a third distribution graph 504 representing expected reflectivity values ​​for a wet surface. The fourth surface condition may be a muddy surface and may include a fourth distribution graph 506 representing expected reflectivity values ​​for a muddy surface. Furthermore, the fifth surface condition may be a snowy surface and may include a fifth distribution graph 508 representing expected reflectivity values ​​for a snowy surface. The sixth surface condition may be an icy surface and may include a sixth distribution graph 510 representing expected reflectivity values ​​for an icy surface.

[0056] In various embodiments, for reflectivity values ​​between 0 and about 0.025 for distances greater than about 10 meters, the road condition component 208 may determine the surface condition as a slightly wet surface, a wet surface, or a snowy surface, as shown in the second distribution chart 502, the third distribution chart 504, or the fifth distribution chart 508. When comparing an icy surface to a slightly wet surface, a wet surface, and a snowy surface, an icy surface may include a higher reflectivity value at a distance greater than 10 meters, but the reflectivity value of an icy surface may generally be lower than the reflectivity value of a dry surface. Additionally, the distribution for a muddy surface (e.g., the fourth distribution chart 506) may be substantially similar to the distribution for an icy surface (e.g., the sixth distribution chart 510); however, the reflectivity value of a muddy surface may generally be lower than the reflectivity value of an icy surface.

[0057] Additionally, the non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 may compare the reflectivity values ​​for each portion of the road with the first distribution chart 500, the second distribution chart 502, the third distribution chart 504, the fourth distribution chart 506, the fifth distribution chart 508, and the sixth distribution chart 510 (via the road condition component 208) to determine one or more surface conditions for the road.

[0058] In various embodiments, for example, Fig. 6A and Figure 6B As generally shown in FIG. 1 , the non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 (e.g., mapping component 204) can generate one or more predefined heat maps representing one or more surface conditions to determine the surface condition for a portion of a road. For example and without limitation, the mapping component 204 can generate: a first predefined heat map 600 representing dry surface conditions; a second predefined heat map 602 representing slightly wet surface conditions; a third predefined heat map 604 representing wet surface conditions; a fourth predefined heat map 606 representing muddy surface conditions; a fifth predefined heat map 608 representing snowy surface conditions; and a sixth predefined heat map 610 representing icy surface conditions.

[0059] In various embodiments, one or more heatmaps may be a graph of reflectivity values ​​versus distance and occurrence / occurrence.The road condition component 208 may determine surface conditions for a portion of a road by comparing the generated heatmap to one or more predefined heatmaps 600-610.

[0060] In various embodiments, the road condition component 208 can further consider the number of echoes received from the sensor component 202 via the index component 206. The number of echoes received can be relevant to determining the surface condition of the road. Figure 3, the index component 206 can receive any number of echoes in response to one or more pulsed light waves emitted by the sensor component 202 being reflected from the surface of the road. For example, as shown, the index component 206 can assign an index number of two to the first echo 306, an index number of three to the second echo 308, and an index number of four to the third echo 310. In various embodiments, the more reflective the surface conditions on the road are, the more / greater the number of echoes received by the sensor component 202 or the index component 206.

[0061] In various examples, for example, Fig. 7A and Figure 7B As generally shown in FIG. 1 , the non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 can compare the number of received echoes with one or more surface condition echo index number charts. For example and without limitation, the index component 206 and / or the road condition component 208 can compare the number of received echoes (index numbers) with the first echo index number chart 700 (indicating dry surface conditions), the second echo index number chart 702 (indicating slightly wet surface conditions), the third echo index number chart 704 (indicating wet surface conditions), the fourth echo index number chart 706 (indicating muddy surface conditions), the fifth echo index number chart 708 (indicating snowy surface conditions), and the sixth echo index number chart 710 (indicating icy surface conditions).

[0062] In various embodiments, the road condition component 208 can compare the number of received echoes to one or more echo index number graphs 700, 702, 704, 706, 708, 710. In addition, in response to the index component 206 determining five echoes for a portion of the road, the road condition component 208 can determine that the surface condition is snow or ice (e.g., echo index number graphs 708 and 710). In response to determining that a portion of the road is snow or ice, the road condition component 208 can compare the generated heat map 210 for the portion with the fifth predefined heat map 608 and the sixth predefined heat map 610 to determine the surface condition (e.g., between snow or ice).

[0063] In various embodiments, additionally or alternatively, in response to the index component 206 assigning an index number of three to one or more echoes associated with a portion of the road, the road condition component 208 can determine that the portion of the road includes a wet surface. The road condition component 208 can further compare the generated heat map 210 with the third predefined heat map 604 to determine / confirm the surface condition (e.g., wet surface condition). In addition, in response to the index component 206 assigning an index number of four to one or more echoes associated with a portion of the road, the road condition component 208 can determine that the portion of the road includes a dry surface, a slightly wet surface, or a muddy surface. The road condition component 208 can further compare the generated heat map 210 with the first predefined heat map 600, the second predefined heat map 602, and the fourth predefined heat map 606. In this way, the non-limiting surface condition assessment system 100 can determine the surface condition for a portion of the road.

[0064] Figure 8 A flow chart 800 is shown of a computer-implemented method for assessing surface conditions on a road in accordance with at least one embodiment.

[0065] At 802 , the computer-implemented method 800 may include acquiring, by a device operatively coupled to a processor, a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of a roadway.

[0066] At 804 , the computer-implemented method 800 may include generating, by the device, a heat map of reflectivity values ​​and distances.

[0067] Additionally, at 806 , the computer-implemented method 800 may include determining, by the device, a number of received echoes, the number of received echoes indicating a surface condition of the road.

[0068] At 808 , the computer-implemented method 800 may include determining, by the device, a surface condition of the road from the heat map and the number of received echoes.

[0069] In various embodiments, step 802 included in the computer-implemented method 800 may further include steps 812 and 814. Further, at 812, the computer-implemented method 800 may include emitting one or more pulsed light waves by the device, the one or more pulsed light waves reflected from the surface of the road to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle 102. Additionally, at 814, the computer-implemented method 800 may include emitting one or more pulsed light waves by the device, the one or more pulsed light waves reflected from the surface of the road to determine the reflectivity value of the surface.

[0070] In various embodiments, for example, as in Fig. 9As generally shown in , the step 810 included in the computer-implemented method 800 may also include a step 816. Further, at 816, the computer-implemented method 800 may include comparing, by the device, the reflectivity value with one or more predefined reflectivity value distributions representing one or more surface conditions, and comparing, by the device, the heat map with one or more predefined heat maps representing one or more surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

[0071] In various embodiments, step 806 included in the computer-implemented method 800 may also include steps 818, 820, and 822. Further, at 818, the computer-implemented method 800 may include determining the number of received echoes. The computer-implemented method 800 may, in response to detecting three received echoes, include comparing the generated heat map with the third predefined heat map by the device. In addition, in response to detecting four received echoes, the computer-implemented method 800 may include comparing the generated heat map with the first predefined heat map, the second predefined heat map, and the fourth predefined heat map by the device. In response to detecting five received echoes, the computer-implemented method 800 may include comparing the generated heat map with the fourth predefined heat map and the fifth predefined heat map by the device. In addition, at 826, the computer-implemented method 800 may include determining, by the device, the surface condition for a portion of the road.

[0072] Next watch Fig.10 , Fig.10 This article describes in detail Figure 1-9 Additional context for one or more embodiments described herein.

[0073] The systems described herein may be coupled (e.g., communicatively, electrically, operatively, optically, inductively, acoustically, etc.) to one or more local or remote (e.g., external) systems, sources, and / or devices (e.g., electronic control systems (ECUs), classical and / or quantum computing devices, communication devices, etc.). For example, the system 100 (or other systems, controllers, processors, etc.) may be coupled (e.g., communicatively, electrically, operatively, optically, etc.) to one or more local or remote (e.g., external) systems, sources, and / or devices using data cables (e.g., High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Recommended Standard (RS), Ethernet cables, etc.) and / or one or more wired networks described below.

[0074] In various embodiments, the systems herein may be coupled to one or more local or remote (e.g., external) systems, sources, and / or devices (e.g., electronic control units (ECUs), classical and / or quantum computing devices, communication devices, etc.) via a network (e.g., communicatively, electrically, operatively, optically, inductively, acoustically, etc.). In these embodiments, such a network may include one or more wired and / or wireless networks, including, but not limited to, cellular networks, wide area networks (WANs) (e.g., the Internet), and / or local area networks (LANs). For example, the system 100 may communicate with one or more local or remote (e.g., external) systems, sources, and / or devices (e.g., computing devices using such a network), which may include virtually any desired wired or wireless technology, including, but not limited to: powerline Ethernet, VHF, UHF, AM, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Fiber optic communications, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (Enhanced GPRS), 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Zigbee and other 802.XX wireless technologies and / or legacy telecommunication technologies, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), RF4CE protocol, WirelessHART protocol, L-band voice or data information, 6LoWPAN (IPv6 over low-power wireless area network), Z-Wave, ANT, ultra-wideband (UWB) standard protocol and / or other proprietary and non-proprietary communication protocols. In this example, the system 100 may therefore include hardware (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a transceiver, a decoder, an antenna (e.g., an ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna, Low energy (BLE) antennas, etc.), quantum hardware, quantum processors, etc.), software (e.g., a set of threads, a set of processes, software in execution, quantum pulse scheduling, quantum circuits, quantum gates, etc.), or a combination of hardware and software that facilitates communication information between the system herein and a remote (e.g., external) system, source, and / or device (e.g., a computing and / or communication device, such as, for example, a smart phone, smart watch, wireless headphones, etc.).

[0075] The systems herein may include one or more computer and / or machine readable, writable and / or executable components and / or instructions that, when executed by a processor (e.g., processing unit 116, which may include a classical processor, a quantum processor, etc.), may facilitate the performance of operations defined by such component(s) and / or instruction(s). In addition, in many embodiments, any component associated with the systems herein, as described herein with or without reference to the various figures of the subject disclosure, may include one or more computer and / or machine readable, writable and / or executable components and / or instructions that, when executed by a processor, may facilitate the performance of operations defined by such component(s) and / or instruction(s). Accordingly, according to various embodiments, the systems disclosed herein and / or any components associated therewith may employ a processor (e.g., processing unit 116) to execute such computer and / or machine readable, writable and / or executable component(s) and / or instruction(s) to facilitate the performance of one or more operations described herein with reference to the systems herein and / or any such components associated therewith.

[0076] The system herein may include any type of system, device, machine, equipment, component and / or instrument, which includes a processor and / or can communicate with one or more local or remote electronic systems and / or one or more local or remote devices via wired and / or wireless networks. All such embodiments are foreseeable. For example, a system (e.g., system 100 or any other system or device described herein) may include a computing device, a general-purpose computer, a field programmable gate array, an AI accelerator ASIC, an ASIC, an airborne computing device, a communication device, an airborne communication device, a server device, a quantum computing device (e.g., a quantum computer), a tablet computing device, a handheld device, a server-class computing machine and / or a database, a laptop, a laptop, a desktop computer, a wearable device, an Internet of Things device, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a consumer appliance and / or instrumentation, an industrial and / or commercial device, a digital assistant, a multimedia Internet-enabled phone, a multimedia player and / or other types of devices.

[0077] To provide additional context for the various embodiments described herein, Fig.10 The following discussion is intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment 1000 in which the various embodiments described herein may be implemented. Although the embodiments have been described above in the general context of computer-executable instructions that may be executed on one or more computers, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments may also be combined with other program modules and / or implemented as a combination of hardware and software.

[0078] Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various methods may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including single-processor or multi-processor computer systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, distributed computing systems, as well as personal computers (e.g., ruggedized personal computers), field programmable gate arrays, handheld computing devices, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, and the like, each of which may be operably coupled to one or more related devices.

[0079] The illustrated embodiments of the embodiments herein may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0080] Computing devices generally include a variety of media, which may include computer-readable storage media, machine-readable storage media, and / or communication media, which terms are used differently from each other herein as follows. Computer-readable storage media or machine-readable storage media can be any available storage media that can be accessed by a computer, and include volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example and not limitation, computer-readable storage media or machine-readable storage media may be implemented in conjunction with any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable or machine-readable instructions, program modules, structured data, or unstructured data.

[0081] Computer readable storage media may include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other storage technology, compact disk read-only memory (CDROM), digital versatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray disk (BD) or other optical disk storage, cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, solid-state drives or other solid-state storage devices, or other tangible and / or non-transitory media that can be used to store the desired information. In this regard, the terms "tangible" or "non-transitory" as applied to storage devices, memories, or computer-readable media herein should be understood as excluding only the propagation of transient signals themselves as a modification, and not as a disclaimer of all standard storage devices, memories, or computer-readable media themselves that propagate not only transient signals.

[0082] Computer-readable storage media may be accessed by one or more local or remote computing devices, such as via access requests, queries, or other data retrieval protocols, to perform various operations on the information stored by the media.

[0083] Communication media generally embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other structured or unstructured data in a data signal, such as a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery or transport media. The term "modulated data signal" or signal refers to a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal or signals. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, optical, infrared and other wireless media.

[0084] Reference again Fig.10 , an exemplary environment 1000 for implementing various embodiments of various aspects described herein includes a computer 1002, which includes a processing unit 1004, a system memory 1006, and a system bus 1008. The system bus 1008 couples system components, including but not limited to the system memory 1006 to the processing unit 1004. The processing unit 1004 can be any of a variety of commercially available processors, field programmable gate arrays, AI accelerator application specific integrated circuits, or other suitable processors. Dual microprocessors and other multi-processor architectures can also be used as the processing unit 1004.

[0085] The system bus 1008 may be any of a variety of types of bus structures, which may be further interconnected to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. The system memory 1006 includes ROM 1010 and RAM 1012. A basic input / output system (BIOS) may be stored in a non-volatile memory such as a ROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an EEPROM, wherein the BIOS includes basic routines that help transfer information between elements within the computer 1002, such as during startup. The RAM 1012 may also include high-speed RAM, such as static RAM for caching data. Note that a unified extensible firmware interface (s) may be utilized herein.

[0086] The computer 1002 also includes an internal hard disk drive (HDD) 1014 (e.g., EIDE, SATA), one or more external storage devices 1016 (e.g., a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD) 1016, a memory stick or flash drive reader, a memory card reader, etc.), and an optical drive 1020 (e.g., which can read or write from a CD-ROM disk, a DVD, a BD, etc.). Although the internal HDD 1014 is shown as being located within the computer 1002, the internal HDD 1014 can also be configured for external use in a suitable chassis (not shown). In addition, although not shown in the environment 1000, a solid state drive (SSD) can be used in addition to the HDD 1014 or in place of the HDD 1014. The HDD 1014, (one or more) external storage devices 1016, and the optical drive 1020 can be connected to the system bus 1008 via a HDD interface 1024, an external storage interface 1026, and an optical drive interface 1028, respectively. The interface 1024 for external drive implementations may include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface technologies. Other external drive connection technologies are also contemplated by the embodiments described herein.

[0087] The drives and their associated computer-readable storage media provide non-volatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, etc. For the computer 1002, the drives and storage media are adapted to store any data in a suitable digital format. Although the above description of computer-readable storage media refers to the corresponding type of storage device, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that other types of computer-readable storage media, whether currently existing or developed in the future, may also be used in the exemplary operating environment, and further, any such storage media may include computer-executable instructions for performing the methods described herein.

[0088] A number of program modules may be stored in the drives and RAM 1012, including an operating system 1030, one or more application programs 1032, other program modules 1034, and program data 1036. All or portions of the operating system, applications, modules, and / or data may also be cached in RAM 1012. Various commercially available operating systems or combinations of operating systems may be utilized to implement the systems and methods described herein.

[0089] Computer 1002 can optionally include emulation technology. For example, a hypervisor (not shown) or other medium can emulate the hardware environment for operating system 1030, and the emulated hardware can optionally be different from Fig.10. In such an embodiment, the operating system 1030 may include a virtual machine (VM) in a plurality of VMs hosted at the computer 1002. In addition, the operating system 1030 may provide a runtime environment, such as a Java runtime environment or a .NET framework, for the application 1032. The runtime environment is a consistent execution environment that allows the application 1032 to run on any operating system that includes a runtime environment. Similarly, the operating system 1030 may support containers, and the application 1032 may be in the form of a container, which is a lightweight, independent, executable software package that includes, for example, code for the application, a runtime, system tools, system libraries, and settings.

[0090] In addition, the computer 1002 may enable a security module, such as a trusted processing module (TPM). For example, using a TPM, the boot component may hash the next boot component in time and wait for the result to match the security value before loading the next boot component. This process may occur at any layer in the code execution stack of the computer 1002, for example, at the application execution level or at the operating system (OS) kernel level, thereby achieving security at any level of code execution.

[0091] A user may enter commands and information into the computer 1002 through one or more wired / wireless input devices (e.g., a keyboard 1038, a touch screen 1040, and a pointing device such as a mouse 1042). Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, an infrared (IR) remote control, a radio frequency (RF) remote control or other remote control, a joystick, a virtual reality controller and / or a virtual reality headset, a game controller, a stylus pen, an image input device (e.g., a camera), a gesture sensor input device, a visual motion sensor input device, an emotion or facial detection device, a biometric input device (e.g., a fingerprint or iris scanner), or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 1004 through an input device interface 1044, which may be coupled to the system bus 1008, but may also be connected through other interfaces, such as a parallel port, an IEEE 1394 serial port, a game port, a USB port, an IR interface, a Interfaces, etc.

[0092] A monitor 1046 or other type of display device may also be connected to the system bus 1008 via an interface, such as a video adapter 1048. In addition to the monitor 1046, computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers, printers, and the like.

[0093] The computer 1002 can operate in a network environment to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer 1050, using logical connections via wired and / or wireless communications. The remote computer(s) 1050 can be a workstation, server computer, router, personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainment device, peer device, or other public network node, and generally includes many or all of the elements described relative to the computer 1002, but for the sake of simplicity, only a memory / storage device 1052 is shown. The depicted logical connections include wired / wireless connections to a local area network (LAN) 1054 and / or a larger network, such as a wide area network (WAN) 1056. Such LAN and WAN networking environments are common in offices and companies, and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all of which can be connected to a global communication network, such as the Internet.

[0094] When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 1002 can be connected to the local network 1054 through a wired and / or wireless communication network interface or adapter 1058. The adapter 1058 can facilitate wired or wireless communication to the LAN 1054, which can also include a wireless access point (AP) disposed thereon for communicating with the adapter 1058 in a wireless mode.

[0095] When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 1002 may include a modem 1060 or may be connected to a communication server on the WAN 1056 via other means for establishing communications on the WAN 1056, such as through the Internet. The modem 1060, which may be internal or external and a wired or wireless device, may be connected to the system bus 1008 via the input device interface 1044. In a networked environment, program modules described relative to the computer 1002, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory / storage device 1052. It should be appreciated that the network connections shown are examples and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.

[0096] When used in a LAN or WAN networking environment, the computer 1002 may access a cloud storage system or other network-based storage system in addition to or in lieu of the external storage device 1016 described above. In general, the connection between the computer 1002 and the cloud storage system may be established over the LAN 1054 or WAN 1056, for example, via an adapter 1058 or a modem 1060, respectively. When the computer 1002 is connected to the associated cloud storage system, the external storage interface 1026 may manage the storage provided by the cloud storage system like other types of external storage with the help of the adapter 1058 and / or the modem 1060. For example, the external storage interface 1026 may be configured to provide access to cloud storage sources as if those sources were physically connected to the computer 1002.

[0097] The computer 1002 is operable to communicate with any wireless device or entity that is operably arranged in wireless communication, such as printers, scanners, desktop and / or portable computers, portable data assistants, communication satellites, any equipment or location associated with a wirelessly detectable tag (e.g., a kiosk, newsstand, store shelf, etc.), and telephones. This may include Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) and Wireless technology. Therefore, the communication can be a predefined structure like traditional networks, or just an ad hoc communication between at least two devices.

[0098] Reference now Fig.11 , shows a schematic block diagram of a computing environment 1100 according to this specification. The system 1100 includes one or more clients 1102 (e.g., computers, smart phones, tablet computers, cameras, PDAs). The one or more clients 1102 can be hardware and / or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). For example, the (one or more) clients 1102 can accommodate (one or more) cache files and / or related context information by adopting the specification.

[0099] The system 1100 also includes one or more servers 1104. The one or more servers 1104 can also be hardware or hardware combined with software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). For example, the server 1104 can accommodate threads to perform the conversion of media items by adopting aspects of the present disclosure. A possible communication between the client 1102 and the server 1104 can be in the form of a data packet adapted to be transmitted between two or more computer processes, wherein the data packet can include the head space and / or input of the coding analysis. For example, the data packet can include cache files and / or related context information. The system 1100 includes a communication framework 1106 (e.g., a global communication network such as the Internet), which can be used to facilitate communication between (one or more) clients 1102 and (one or more) servers 1104.

[0100] Communication may be facilitated via wired (including fiber optic) and / or wireless technologies. The client(s) 1102 are operably connected to one or more client data stores 1108, which may be used to store local information to the client(s) 1102 (e.g., one or more cache files and / or related contextual information). Similarly, the server(s) 1104 are operably connected to one or more server data stores 1110, which may be used to store local information to the server(s) 1104. Furthermore, the client(s) 1102 are operably connected to the one or more server data stores 1110.

[0101] In one exemplary implementation, a client 1102 may transmit an encoded file (e.g., an encoded media item) to a server 1104. The server 1104 may store the file, decode the file, or transmit the file to another client 1102. Note that a client 1102 may also transmit an uncompressed file to a server 1104, and the server 1104 may compress the file and / or convert the file according to the present disclosure. Likewise, the server 1104 may encode the information and transmit the information to one or more clients 1102 via the communication framework 1106.

[0102] The illustrated aspects of the present disclosure may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0103] The above description includes non-limiting examples of various embodiments. Of course, for the purpose of describing the disclosed subject matter, it is not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methods, and those skilled in the art will recognize that further combinations and permutations of the various embodiments are possible. The disclosed subject matter is intended to encompass all such changes, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0104] With respect to the various functions performed by the above-described components, devices, circuits, systems, etc., the terms used to describe such components (including references to "means") are intended to also include, unless otherwise specified, any structure (e.g., functional equivalents) that performs the specified functions of the described components, even if not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structures. Additionally, while particular features of the disclosed subject matter may be disclosed for only one of several implementations, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other implementations, which may be desirable and advantageous for any given or particular application.

[0105] The terms "exemplary" and / or "illustrative" as used herein are intended to mean used as examples, instances, or illustrations. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited to such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as "exemplary" and / or "illustrative" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to exclude equivalent structures and techniques known to those skilled in the art. In addition, where the terms "comprising," "having," "containing," and other similar words are used in the detailed description or claims, these terms are intended to be included in a manner similar to the term "comprise" as an open transition word, without excluding any additional or other elements.

[0106] As used herein, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or." For example, the phrase "A or B" is intended to include instances of A, B, and both A and B. Additionally, the articles "a" and "an" as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean "one or more" unless otherwise specified or clear from context in the singular form.

[0107] The term "group" as used herein does not include an empty set, i.e., a set with no elements therein. Thus, a "group" in the present disclosure includes one or more elements or entities. Likewise, the term "group" as used herein refers to a collection of one or more entities.

[0108] The description of the illustrative embodiments of the subject disclosure provided herein, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Although specific embodiments and examples are described herein for illustrative purposes, various modifications may be made within the scope of these embodiments and examples, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In this regard, although the subject matter has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments and corresponding drawings (if applicable), it should be understood that other similar embodiments may be used, or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiments to perform the same, similar, alternative or replacement functions of the disclosed subject matter without deviation. Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to any single embodiment described herein, but should be interpreted in breadth and scope in accordance with the claims appended hereto.

[0109] The following clauses describe various non-limiting aspects of the various embodiments described herein.

[0110] Item 1: A system comprising: a processor that executes computer executable components stored in a non-volatile computer readable memory, the computer executable components comprising: a sensor component that includes a laser detection and ranging sensor and obtains a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of a road; a mapping component that generates a heat map of the reflectivity values ​​and the distance; an indexing component that determines a number of echoes received from the sensor component, the number of echoes received indicating a surface condition of the road; and a road condition component that determines the surface condition of the road from the heat map and the number of echoes received.

[0111] Clause 2: The system of any preceding clause, wherein the sensor assembly transmits one or more pulsed light waves that are reflected from the surface of the road to be received by the sensor assembly to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle.

[0112] Clause 3: The system of any preceding clause, wherein the sensor assembly transmits one or more pulsed light waves that are reflected from the surface of the road to be received by the sensor assembly to determine a reflectivity value.

[0113] Clause 4: A system of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the road condition component compares the reflectivity value to one or more predefined reflectivity value distributions representing one or more surface conditions, and compares the heat map to one or more predefined heat maps representing one or more surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

[0114] Clause 5: A system of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the road condition component determines whether the portion of the road is dry, slightly damp, muddy or wet in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed two, three or four from one or more pulsed light waves transmitted by the sensor component.

[0115] Clause 6: The system of any preceding clause, wherein the road condition component determines that the portion of the road is snowy or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed five from the one or more pulsed light waves.

[0116] Clause 7: The system of any preceding clause, wherein the road condition component determines that the portion of the road comprises a dry surface in response to the reflectivity value reaching a maximum of 0.125 for a distance between the portion of the road and the vehicle greater than 10 meters.

[0117] Clause 8: A computer-implemented method for evaluating a surface condition on a road, the computer-implemented method comprising: obtaining, by a device operatively coupled to a processor, a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of a road; generating, by the device, a heat map of the reflectivity value and the distance; and determining, by the device, a number of received echoes, the number of received echoes indicating a surface condition of the road; and determining, by the device, the surface condition of the road from the heat map and the number of received echoes.

[0118] Clause 9: The computer-implemented method of any preceding clause, further comprising: emitting, by the device, one or more pulsed light waves that are reflected from a surface of the road to determine a distance between the surface and the vehicle.

[0119] Clause 10: The computer-implemented method of any preceding clause, further comprising: emitting, by the device, one or more pulsed light waves, the one or more pulsed light waves reflecting from a surface of the road to determine a reflectivity value of the surface.

[0120] Clause 11: The computer-implemented method of any of the preceding clauses further includes: comparing, by a device, the reflectivity value with one or more predefined reflectivity value distributions representing one or more surface conditions; and comparing, by a device, the generated heat map with one or more predefined heat maps representing one or more surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

[0121] Clause 12: The computer-implemented method of any of the preceding clauses further comprising: determining, by the device, whether the portion of the road is dry, slightly damp, muddy or wet in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed two, three or four from one or more pulsed light waves emitted toward the portion of the road.

[0122] Clause 13: The computer-implemented method of any of the preceding clauses, further comprising: determining, by the device, that the portion of the road is snowy or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed five from the one or more pulsed light waves.

[0123] Clause 14: The computer-implemented method of any preceding clause, further comprising: determining, by the device, that the portion of the road comprises a dry surface in response to the reflectivity value reaching a maximum of 0.125 for a distance between the portion of the road and the vehicle greater than 10 meters.

[0124] Clause 15: A computer program product for evaluating a surface condition on a road, the computer program product comprising a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therein, the program instructions executable by a processor so that the processor: obtains a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of a road via a laser detection and ranging sensor; generates a heat map of the reflectivity value and the distance; determines the number of received echoes, the number of received echoes indicating the surface condition of the road; and determines the surface condition of the road from the heat map and the number of received echoes.

[0125] Clause 16: The computer program product of any preceding clause, wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: emit one or more pulsed light waves that reflect from the surface of the road to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle.

[0126] Clause 17: The computer program product of any preceding clause, wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: emit one or more pulsed light waves that reflect from a surface of the road to determine a reflectivity value of the surface.

[0127] Clause 18: A computer program product of any of the preceding claims, wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: compare the reflectance value with one or more predefined reflectance value distributions representing one or more surface conditions; and compare the generated heat map with one or more predefined heat maps representing one or more surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

[0128] Clause 19: A computer program product of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: determine whether the portion of the road is dry, slightly damp, muddy, wet, snowy or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed two, three or four from one or more pulsed light waves emitted toward the portion of the road.

[0129] Clause 20: The computer program product of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: determine that the portion of the road is snowy or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed five from the one or more pulsed light waves.

[0130] In various cases, any appropriate combination of clauses 1-7 may be implemented.

[0131] In each case, any appropriate combination of clauses 8-14 may be implemented.

[0132] In various circumstances, any appropriate combination of clauses 15-20 may be implemented.

[0133] The description of the illustrated embodiments of the subject disclosure provided herein, including what is described in the abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Although specific embodiments and examples are described herein for illustrative purposes, various modifications considered within the scope of these embodiments and examples are possible, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In this regard, although the subject matter has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments and corresponding drawings, it should be understood that other similar embodiments may be used, or the described embodiments may be modified and added to perform the same, similar, alternative or alternative functions of the disclosed subject matter without departing therefrom, where applicable. Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to any single embodiment described herein, but should be interpreted according to the breadth and scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A system comprising: A processor that executes computer executable components stored in a non-transitory computer readable memory, wherein the computer executable components include: A sensor assembly including a laser detection and ranging sensor, obtaining a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of a road; a mapping component that generates a heat map of reflectivity values ​​and distances; an indexing component that determines a number of echoes received from the sensor component, the number of echoes received being indicative of a surface condition of the road; and A road condition component that determines the surface condition of the road from the heat map and the number of received echoes.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor assembly transmits one or more pulsed light waves that are reflected from the surface of the road to be received by the sensor assembly to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor assembly transmits one or more pulsed light waves that are reflected from the surface of the road to be received by the sensor assembly to determine a reflectivity value.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The road condition component compares the reflectivity value to one or more predefined reflectivity value distributions representing one or more surface conditions and compares the heat map to one or more predefined heat maps representing one or more surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The road condition component determines whether the portion of the road is dry, slightly damp, muddy or wet in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed two, three or four as a result of one or more pulsed light waves transmitted by the sensor component.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein: The road condition component determines that the portion of the road is snowy or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed as five due to the one or more pulsed light waves.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein: The road condition component determines that the portion of the road comprises a dry surface in response to the reflectivity value reaching a maximum of 0.125 for a distance between the portion of the road and the vehicle greater than 10 meters.

8. A computer-implemented method for assessing surface conditions on a road, the computer-implemented method comprising: acquiring, by a device operatively coupled to the processor, a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of a roadway; Generating a heat map of reflectivity values ​​and distances by the device; as well as determining, by the device, a number of received echoes, the number of received echoes being indicative of a surface condition of the road; as well as The surface condition of the road is determined by the device from the heat map and the number of received echoes.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: One or more pulsed light waves are emitted by the device and reflected from the surface of the road to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: One or more pulsed light waves are emitted by the device and reflected from the surface of the road to determine a reflectivity value of the surface.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: comparing, by means of the device, the reflectance value to one or more predefined reflectance value distributions representing one or more surface conditions; and comparing, by the device, the generated thermal map with one or more predefined thermal maps representing one or more surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: The device determines whether the portion of the road is dry, slightly damp, muddy or wet in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed two, three or four due to one or more pulsed light waves emitted toward the portion of the road.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising: The device determines that the portion of the road is snowy or icy in response to receiving one or more echoes indexed as five due to the one or more pulsed light waves.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising: The device determines, in response to the reflectivity value reaching a maximum of 0.125 for a distance between the portion of the road and the vehicle greater than 10 meters, that the portion of the road comprises a dry surface.

15. A computer program product for assessing a surface condition on a road, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable memory having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to: obtaining a reflectivity value and a distance associated with a portion of a road via a laser detection and ranging sensor; Generate heatmaps of reflectance values ​​and distances; determining a number of received echoes, the number of received echoes being indicative of a surface condition of the road; and The surface condition of the road is determined from the heat map and the number of received echoes.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein: The program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: One or more pulsed light waves are emitted that reflect from the surface of the road to determine the distance between the surface and the vehicle.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein: The program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: One or more pulsed light waves are emitted that reflect from the surface of the road to determine the reflectivity of the road surface.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein: The program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: comparing the reflectance value to one or more predefined reflectance value distributions representing one or more surface conditions; and The generated heat map is compared to one or more predefined heat maps representing one or more surface conditions to determine the surface condition.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein: The program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: In response to receiving one or more echoes indexed two, three, or four due to one or more pulsed light waves emitted toward the portion of the road, it is determined that the portion of the road is dry, slightly damp, muddy, wet, snowy, or icy.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein: The program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to: In response to receiving one or more echoes indexed as five as a result of the one or more pulsed light waves, it is determined that the portion of the road is snowy or icy.

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