Method for determining speed limit information, storage medium, device, and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method, a storage medium, an apparatus and a vehicle for determining speed limit information of a vehicle, the method comprising: in response to the vehicle driving to a distance from a target area being within a threshold distance, capturing a road image of a road on which the vehicle is driving by using a camera on the vehicle; performing image processing on the road image to determine a current road on which the vehicle is located; and determining current speed limit information of the vehicle on the current road. According to the method of the present disclosure, the current speed limit information of the vehicle can be accurately determined when the vehicle is difficult to determine the speed limit information due to difficulty in determining the road on which the vehicle is currently driving.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method, storage medium, device, and vehicle for determining speed limit information of a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Autonomous vehicles, such as those operating in autonomous driving mode without requiring a human driver, can be used to assist in transporting passengers or goods from one location to another. Autonomous vehicles utilizing automated driving or driver assistance technologies can employ Intelligent Speed ​​Limit Information (ISLI) or Intelligent Speed ​​Limit Control (ISLC) functions while in operation. The Intelligent Speed ​​Limit Information function aims to help drivers understand and comply with road speed limits in real time, thereby improving driving safety and adherence to traffic rules. For example, the Intelligent Speed ​​Limit Information function can obtain speed limit information and notify the driver. If the vehicle's speed exceeds the current road speed limit, the Intelligent Speed ​​Limit Information function can issue a speeding warning in a timely manner, reminding the driver to slow down. The Intelligent Speed ​​Limit Control function can automatically adjust the vehicle's speed based on speed limit information to keep it within the speed limit range, thereby further reducing the risk of speeding. Intelligent Speed ​​Limit Information and Intelligent Speed ​​Limit Control functions can improve driving safety, enhance the driving experience, and promote traffic order. However, existing intelligent speed limit reminder functions have difficulty determining which road's speed limit information to use as the current speed limit when the vehicle is changing roads or traveling on sections where elevated roads overlap with ground-level roads, resulting in inaccurate speed limit information being conveyed to the driver.

[0003] Therefore, a solution is desired that can accurately convey speed limit information to drivers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle is provided, comprising: in response to the vehicle traveling to a distance within a threshold distance from a target area, capturing a road image of the road on which the vehicle is traveling using a camera on the vehicle; performing image processing on the road image to determine the current road on which the vehicle is located; and determining the current speed limit information of the vehicle on the current road.

[0005] For example, in the method of an embodiment of this disclosure, the target area includes the area near the entrance of a highway ramp.

[0006] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of image processing the road image includes: determining that the road in the road image includes a wide dashed line, determining that the wide dashed line is located on a first side of the vehicle at a first moment, and determining that the wide dashed line is located on a second side of the vehicle opposite to the first side at a second moment after the first moment.

[0007] For example, according to the method of an embodiment of the present disclosure, determining the current road where the vehicle is located includes: in response to determining that the wide dashed line is located on a second side of the vehicle opposite to the first side at a second time after the first time, determining the ramp as the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling.

[0008] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of image processing the road image includes: determining that the road in the road image includes a wide dashed line, determining that the wide dashed line is located on a first side of the vehicle at a first moment, and determining that the wide dashed line becomes a guide line located on the first side of the vehicle at a second moment after the first moment.

[0009] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, determining the current road in which the vehicle is located includes: determining the ramp as the current road of the vehicle in response to determining that the wide dashed line located on the first side of the vehicle becomes a guide line located on the first side of the vehicle at a second time after the first time.

[0010] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of image processing the road image includes: determining that the road in the road image includes a wide dashed line, determining that the wide dashed line is located on a first side of the vehicle at a first moment, and recording the number of first lanes included in the road where the vehicle is located at the first moment, determining that the wide dashed line is located on a second side of the vehicle opposite to the first side at a second moment after the first moment, and recording the number of second lanes included in the road where the vehicle is located at the second moment, and determining that the number of first lanes is different from the number of second lanes.

[0011] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of image processing the road image includes: determining that the road in the road image includes a wide dashed line, determining that the wide dashed line is located on a first side of the vehicle at a first moment, and recording the number of first lanes included in the road on which the vehicle travels at the first moment, determining that the wide dashed line located on the first side of the vehicle becomes a guide line located on the first side of the vehicle at a second moment after the first moment, and recording the number of second lanes included in the road on which the vehicle travels at the second moment, and determining that the number of first lanes is different from the number of second lanes.

[0012] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, determining the current road where the vehicle is located includes: in response to determining that the first number of lanes is different from the second number of lanes, determining the ramp as the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling.

[0013] For example, in the method according to an embodiment of this disclosure, the width of the wide dashed line is 17 to 19 centimeters.

[0014] For example, according to the method of an embodiment of this disclosure, the target area includes road sections where elevated roads overlap with ground-level roads.

[0015] For example, the method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure further includes: in response to the vehicle traveling on a section of road where an elevated road and a ground road overlap, and the difference between the speed limit information provided by the navigation application and the speed limit information obtained based on the road image is greater than a first threshold, capturing a road image of the road on which the vehicle is traveling using a camera on the vehicle.

[0016] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, image processing of the road image includes: identifying the curb of the road segment on which the vehicle is traveling, and determining whether the vehicle is traveling on the elevated road or on the ground road based on features of the curb of the road segment.

[0017] For example, according to the method of an embodiment of this disclosure, determining the current speed limit information of the vehicle on the current road includes: obtaining the speed limit information of the vehicle on the current road by means of a navigation application or by using a camera to capture speed limit signs on the current road.

[0018] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method described above, which will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for determining speed limit information of a vehicle is provided, comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memories storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method described above, which will not be elaborated further here for the sake of brevity.

[0020] For example, an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the apparatus is one or more of an in-vehicle processing apparatus, an in-vehicle camera apparatus, and a remote processing apparatus.

[0021] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including the computer-readable storage medium or the device described above, which will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0022] According to the method, storage medium, device, and vehicle disclosed herein for determining vehicle speed limit information, when a vehicle changes roads or travels on a section where elevated roads overlap with ground-level roads, it is possible to accurately determine which of several adjacent roads' speed limit information should be used as the current speed limit information for the vehicle, thereby displaying appropriate speed limit information to the user to facilitate appropriate driving decisions. Furthermore, the method for determining vehicle speed limit information according to this disclosure is low in complexity and easy to implement. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of specific embodiments of the present disclosure will become clearer from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1A and Figure 1B A schematic diagram of a vehicle driving scenario is shown.

[0025] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another vehicle driving scenario is shown.

[0026] Figure 3 A flowchart of a method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 4A A flowchart of a method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0028] Figure 4B A flowchart is shown of another method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 4C A schematic diagram of a vehicle driving scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0030] Figure 5A A flowchart of a method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0031] Figure 5B A flowchart is shown of another method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 5C A schematic diagram of a vehicle driving scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 6AA flowchart of a method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] Figure 6B A schematic diagram of a vehicle driving scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0035] Figure 6C A schematic diagram of another vehicle driving scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0036] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a device for determining vehicle speed limit information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0037] Figure 8 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0038] Figure 9 A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Before proceeding with the detailed description below, it may be advantageous to define certain words and phrases used throughout this disclosure. The terms “comprising” and “including” and their derivatives mean, but are not limited to, “including”. The phrase “at least one”, when used with a list of items, means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used, and that only one item in the list may be required. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” includes any one of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, A and B and C.

[0040] Definitions of other specific words and phrases are provided throughout this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that, in many, if not most, cases, such definitions apply to the prior and future use of the words and phrases thus defined.

[0041] The various embodiments of the principles of this disclosure described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of this disclosure can be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device. In some cases, the actions described in this disclosure may be performed in a different order and still achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require a specific order or sequential sequence to achieve the desired result. In certain embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0042] The text and accompanying drawings are provided by way of example only to aid in understanding this disclosure. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims appended to this disclosure in any way. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals generally indicate the same elements. Although certain embodiments and examples have been provided, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, based on the content of this disclosure, that changes may be made to the illustrated embodiments and examples without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0043] Figure 1A and Figure 1B A schematic diagram of a vehicle driving scenario is shown.

[0044] like Figure 1A As shown, vehicle 110 can use a positioning-based navigation application to travel on highway 120. A speed limit sign 150 with an indication value of "120" can be installed next to highway 120, indicating that the speed limit on highway 120 is 120 km / h (or other speed units). A ramp 130 can be configured adjacent to highway 120 to allow vehicle 110 to exit highway 120. A speed limit sign 140 with an indication value of "40" can be installed next to ramp 130, indicating that the speed limit on ramp 130 is 40 km / h (or other speed units).

[0045] When vehicle 110 is traveling on a route planned by a navigation application, road changes may occur. For example, as... Figure 1A As shown, the vehicle is traveling on highway 120, and the navigation application instructs the vehicle to enter ramp 130 to reach its destination. However, when vehicle 110 is changing lanes, the speed limit information provided by the navigation application to vehicle 110 may be somewhat delayed. This is because the positioning component of vehicle 110's in-vehicle chip cannot quickly and accurately identify whether vehicle 110 has entered the lane to be changed. For example, as... Figure 1B As shown, within a certain distance after vehicle 110 enters ramp 130 from highway 110, the speed limit information sent to the vehicle by the navigation application is often still the highway speed limit information (e.g., "120"). If the vehicle's camera fails to accurately identify the speed limit sign 140 of ramp 130 and vehicle 110 has activated adaptive cruise control (ACC), then vehicle 110 may travel at the highway 110 speed limit information (e.g., "120") for a certain distance in ramp 130. This poses a significant risk to the safe driving of vehicle 110.

[0046] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another vehicle driving scenario is shown.

[0047] like Figure 2As shown, vehicle 210 can use a positioning-based navigation application to travel on ground road 220. A speed limit sign 230 with an indication value of "40" can be placed next to ground road 220 to indicate that the speed limit information for ground road 220 is 40 km / h (or other speed units). An elevated road 240 can be configured above ground road 220 using multiple pillars (e.g., pillars 261, 262, etc.). The elevated road 240 can overlap all or at least partially with ground road 220. A speed limit sign 140 with an indication value of "120" can be placed next to elevated road 240 to indicate that the speed limit information for elevated road 240 is 120 km / h (or other speed units).

[0048] When vehicle 210 is traveling in the overlapping area of ​​elevated road 240 and ground-level road 230, navigation applications may have difficulty identifying whether vehicle 210 is traveling on elevated road 240 or ground-level road 230. For example, Figure 2 As shown, vehicle 210 can travel on ground road 230, and the navigation application can provide vehicle 210 with the vehicle's current speed limit information. However, the navigation application may incorrectly identify vehicle 210 as traveling on elevated road 240 and provide vehicle 210 with a speed limit of "120". If vehicle 210 has ACC enabled, then vehicle 210 may be traveling on ground road 230 at the speed limit information of elevated road 240 (e.g., "120"). This poses a significant risk to the safe driving of vehicle 210. Furthermore, vehicle 210's camera can identify the speed limit sign 230 on ground road 230 and provide vehicle 210 with a speed limit of "40". In this case, vehicle 210 with ACC enabled may not be able to determine the accurate speed limit information between the speed limit information of "120" and the speed limit information of "40", thus causing inconvenience or safety risks to the user.

[0049] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figure 3 As shown, method 300 may include steps S310-S330.

[0050] In step S310, in response to the vehicle traveling within a threshold distance from the target area, a road image of the road the vehicle is traveling on can be captured using a camera on the vehicle. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a road image of the road the vehicle is traveling on can be captured using a camera on the vehicle in response to the vehicle potentially being unable to determine the speed limit information of the currently traveling road. For example, there may be one or more adjacent roads within a certain distance of the currently traveling road, and the vehicle cannot determine the currently traveling road. The one or more adjacent roads may be horizontally adjacent to the currently traveling road, and the vehicle may need to switch roads, for example... Figure 1A and Figure 1B Ramp 130 in the middle is horizontally adjacent to the highway 120 currently being traveled by vehicle 110. One or more adjacent roads may be vertically adjacent to the road currently being traveled by the vehicle, for example, Figure 2 The elevated road 240 can vertically approach the ground road 220 currently being traveled by vehicle 110, and vehicle 110 cannot determine which road it is currently traveling on. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, when the vehicle travels to a distance within a threshold distance from the target area, it can be determined that the vehicle may potentially be unable to determine the current accurate speed limit information. The vehicle can use a camera configured in the vehicle's camera to capture an image of the road ahead of the vehicle. The road image may include objects present on the road, such as lane markings, curbs, etc., but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0051] In step S320, image processing can be performed on the road image to determine the current road where the vehicle is located. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, one or more image processing algorithms can be used to process the road image to extract features of objects included in the road image. By using the features of the objects, the current road where the vehicle is located can be determined.

[0052] In step S330, the current speed limit information of the vehicle on the current road can be determined. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the current speed limit information of the vehicle can be determined based on the determined current road on which the vehicle is traveling. For example, the speed limit information of the vehicle on the current road can be obtained by using a navigation application or by using a camera to capture speed limit signs on the current road.

[0053] Figure 4A A flowchart of a method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4B A flowchart is shown of another method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4C A schematic diagram of a vehicle driving scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4C Zhongyu Figure 1A and Figure 1BElements that are identical or similar to those in the text will not be described again. For example... Figure 4A As shown, method 400 may include steps S401-S406.

[0054] In S401, in response to the vehicle traveling within a threshold distance from the target area, a road image of the road on which the vehicle is traveling can be captured using a camera on the vehicle. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, when the distance between the vehicle and the entrance of a ramp is within a threshold distance, a road image of the road on which the vehicle is traveling can be captured using a camera on the vehicle, and a subsequent process of confirming the vehicle's speed limit information can be performed.

[0055] In S402, it can be determined that the road in the road image includes a wide dashed line. (Refer to...) Figure 4C It can be determined that the road image captured by the vehicle's camera includes a wide dashed line 450. The wide dashed line 450 can indicate the presence of an on-ramp 430 ahead of the highway 420. The width of the wide dashed line can be 17 to 19 centimeters, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0056] In S403, it can be determined that the wide dashed line is located on the first side of the vehicle at the first moment. The first side relates to traffic regulations: when the prescribed road direction is for vehicles to travel on the right side of the road, the first side can be, for example, the right side of the vehicle; when the prescribed road direction is for vehicles to travel on the left side of the road, the first side can be, for example, the left side of the vehicle. Here, we take the example of a vehicle traveling on the right side of the road, referring to... Figure 4C It can be determined that the wide dashed line 450 can be located on the first side of the vehicle 410 at the first moment, such as the right side.

[0057] In S404, it can be determined that the wide dashed line is located on the second side of the vehicle opposite to the first side at the second moment after the first moment. Similarly, the second side relates to traffic regulations: when the prescribed road direction is for vehicles to travel on the right side of the road, the second side can be, for example, the left side of the vehicle; when the prescribed road direction is for vehicles to travel on the left side of the road, the second side can be, for example, the right side of the vehicle. Here, taking the example of a vehicle traveling on the right side of the road, refer to... Figure 4C It can be determined that the wide dashed line 450 can be located to the left of vehicle 410 at the second moment. In this way, it can be determined that vehicle 410 crosses the wide dashed line 450.

[0058] In step S405, the ramp can be identified as the road the vehicle is currently traveling on. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the act of crossing the wide dashed line in step S404 indicates that the vehicle 410 is entering, is about to enter, or has already entered the ramp 430.

[0059] On S406, the current speed limit information for the vehicle on the current road can be determined. (Refer to...) Figure 4CThe speed limit information indicated by the speed limit sign 440, which has a value of "40", can be used as the current speed limit information for vehicle 410.

[0060] like Figure 4B As shown, method 400' may include steps S411-S417. Figure 4B Zhongyu Figure 4A The same or similar steps will not be described again.

[0061] In step S413, it can be determined that the wide dashed line is located on the first side of the vehicle at the first moment, and the number of the first lanes included in the road where the vehicle is located at the first moment can be recorded. (Refer to...) Figure 4C It can be determined that the wide dashed line 450 can be located on the first side of the vehicle 410 at the first moment, for example, on the right side when the vehicle is traveling on the right side of the road. The road where the vehicle 410 is located at the first moment can include four lanes, for example, lane 1, lane 2, lane 3 and lane 4.

[0062] In step S414, it can be determined that the wide dashed line is located on the second side of the vehicle opposite to the first side at the second time point after the first time point, and the number of the second lanes included in the road where the vehicle is located at the second time point is recorded. (Refer to...) Figure 4C It can be determined that the wide dashed line 450 can be located on the second side of vehicle 410 at the second moment, for example, on the left side if the vehicle is traveling on the right side of the road. The road where vehicle 410 is located at the second moment can include one lane, for example, lane 4.

[0063] In step S415, it can be determined that the number of lanes in the first lane is different from the number of lanes in the second lane. (Refer to...) Figure 4C The road in which vehicle 410 is located at the first moment may include 4 lanes, and the road in which vehicle 410 is located at the second moment may include 1 lane. It can be determined that the number of lanes in the first moment is different from the number of lanes in the second moment; for example, the number of lanes in the second moment is reduced compared to the number of lanes in the first moment. In this way, it can be determined that vehicle 410 has changed lanes, for example, entering ramp 430 from highway 420.

[0064] In step S416, the ramp can be identified as the road the vehicle is currently traveling on. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the lane number change determined in step S415 can indicate that the vehicle 410 is entering, is about to enter, or has already entered the ramp 430.

[0065] Figure 5A A flowchart of a method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5B A flowchart is shown of another method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5C A schematic diagram of a vehicle driving scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5C Zhongyu Figure 1A , Figure 1B as well as Figure 4C Elements that are identical or similar to those in the text will not be described again. For example... Figure 5A As shown, method 500 may include steps S501-S506. Figure 5A Zhongyu Figure 4A and Figure 4B The same or similar steps will not be described again.

[0066] In S503, it can be determined that the wide dashed line is located on the first side of the vehicle at the first moment. The first side relates to traffic regulations: when the prescribed road direction is for vehicles to travel on the right side of the road, the first side may be, for example, the left side of the vehicle; when the prescribed road direction is for vehicles to travel on the left side of the road, the first side may be, for example, the right side of the vehicle. For simplicity, the method for determining speed limit information according to this disclosure will be described here using the example of a vehicle traveling on the right side of the road. Here, using the example of a vehicle traveling on the right side of the road, the first side is the left side. (Refer to...) Figure 5C It can be determined that the wide dashed line 450 can be located to the left of vehicle 410 at the first moment.

[0067] In S504, it can be determined that the wide dashed line becomes a guide line on the first side of the vehicle in the second moment after the first moment. Taking the example of a vehicle traveling on the right side of the road, refer to... Figure 5C It can be determined that at the second moment, guide line 560 is located to the left of vehicle 410. In this way, it can be determined that vehicle 510 has entered ramp 530.

[0068] In step S505, the ramp can be identified as the road the vehicle is currently traveling on. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the act of entering ramp 530 in step S504 indicates that vehicle 410 is entering, is about to enter, or has already entered ramp 530.

[0069] like Figure 5B As shown, method 500' may include steps S511-S517. Figure 5B Zhongyu Figure 4A , Figure 4B as well as Figure 5A The same or similar steps will not be described again.

[0070] In step S513, it can be determined that the wide dashed line is located on the first side of the vehicle at the first moment, and the number of the first lanes included in the road on which the vehicle is traveling at the first moment is recorded. If the vehicle is traveling on the right side of the road, the first side is the left side. (Refer to...) Figure 5C It can be determined that the wide dashed line 550 can be located to the left of vehicle 510 at the first moment. The road where vehicle 510 is located at the first moment can include 4 lanes, for example, lane 1, lane 2, lane 3 and lane 4.

[0071] In step S514, it can be determined that the wide dashed line located on the first side of the vehicle becomes a guide line on the first side of the vehicle at the second time point after the first time point, and the number of second lanes included in the road on which the vehicle travels at the second time point is recorded. When the vehicle is traveling on the right side of the road, refer to... Figure 5C It can be determined that at the second moment, the guide line 560 is located to the left of vehicle 410. The road where vehicle 510 is located at the second moment may include one lane, for example, lane 4.

[0072] In step S515, it can be determined that the number of lanes in the first lane is different from the number of lanes in the second lane. (Refer to...) Figure 5C The road in which vehicle 510 is located at the first moment may include 4 lanes, and the road in which vehicle 510 is located at the second moment may include 1 lane. It can be determined that the first number of lanes is different from the second number of lanes; for example, the second number of lanes is reduced compared to the first number of lanes. In this way, it can be determined that vehicle 510 has engaged in the behavior of entering ramp 530.

[0073] In step S516, the ramp can be identified as the road the vehicle is currently traveling on. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the lane number change determined in step S515 can indicate that the vehicle 510 is entering, is about to enter, or has already entered the ramp 530.

[0074] Figure 6A A flowchart illustrating a method for determining speed limit information of a vehicle according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figure 6A As shown, method 600 may include steps S601-S604. Figure 6B A schematic diagram of a vehicle driving scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6C A schematic diagram of another vehicle driving scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0075] In step S601, in response to the vehicle traveling within a threshold distance to a section of road overlapping the elevated road and the ground-level road, a road image of the road on which the vehicle is traveling can be captured using a camera on the vehicle. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, in response to the vehicle traveling on a section of road overlapping the elevated road and the ground-level road, and the difference between the speed limit information provided by the navigation application and the speed limit information obtained based on the road image being greater than a first threshold, a road image of the road on which the vehicle is traveling can be captured using a camera on the vehicle. (Refer to...) Figure 2Vehicle 210 can travel on the section where the elevated road 240 overlaps with the ground-level road 220. The speed limit information provided by the navigation application can be a speed limit of "120" for the elevated road 240, and the camera of vehicle 210 can recognize a speed limit of "40". The first threshold can be set to 70 (or more or less), and the difference between the speed limit information provided by the navigation application and the speed limit information obtained through road images can be determined to be 80. Therefore, road images of the road on which the vehicle travels can be captured using the camera on the vehicle.

[0076] In step S602, the curb of the road segment on which the vehicle is traveling can be identified. A curb, also called a curbstone or kerb, refers to the portion located at the edge of the road on both sides. Different types of roads (e.g., elevated roads and surface roads) may have different forms of curbs.

[0077] In step S603, the vehicle's location—whether it is traveling on an elevated road or a ground-level road—is determined based on the characteristics of the roadside curb. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the height characteristics of the roadside curb can be extracted. For example... Figure 6B The curb 611 of the ground road shown can be relatively low in height, and as... Figure 6C The curb 612 of the elevated road shown can be relatively high. By using characteristics such as the height of the curb of a road segment, it can be determined whether a vehicle is traveling on an elevated road or on a ground-level road.

[0078] In step S604, the current speed limit information of the vehicle on the current road can be determined. By determining whether the vehicle is traveling on an elevated road or a ground road in step S603, the speed limit information of the elevated road or the ground road can be used as the current speed limit information of the vehicle.

[0079] According to the method, storage medium, device, and vehicle disclosed herein for determining vehicle speed limit information, when a vehicle changes roads or travels on a section where elevated roads overlap with ground-level roads, it is possible to accurately determine which of several adjacent roads' speed limit information should be used as the current speed limit information for the vehicle, thereby displaying appropriate speed limit information to the user to facilitate appropriate driving decisions. Furthermore, the method for determining vehicle speed limit information according to this disclosure is low in complexity and easy to implement.

[0080] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a device for determining vehicle speed limit information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0081] like Figure 7As shown, the device 700 for determining vehicle speed limits includes a processor 710 and a memory 720. The memory 720 includes one or more computer program modules 721. The one or more computer program modules 721 are stored in the memory 720 and can be configured to be read and executed by the processor 710. The one or more computer program modules 721 include instructions for performing the various methods described above according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. When executed by the processor 710, they can perform one or more steps of the various methods described above and their additional aspects according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0082] The memory 720 and the processor 710 can be interconnected via a bus system and / or other forms of connection mechanism (not shown). For example, the bus can be a Peripheral Component Interconnect Standard (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. The communication bus can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc.

[0083] For example, processor 710 may be a central processing unit (CPU), digital signal processor (DSP), graphics processing unit (GPU), or other form of processing unit with data processing capabilities and / or program execution capabilities, such as field-programmable gate array (FPGA), electronic control unit (ECU), microcontroller unit (MCU), domain controller (DCU), etc. Processor 710 may be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor, and may control other components in device 700 used to determine vehicle speed limit information to perform desired functions.

[0084] Exemplarily, memory 720 may include any combination of one or more computer program products, which may include various forms of computer-readable storage media, such as volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. Volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM) and / or cache. Non-volatile memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), USB memory, flash memory, etc. One or more computer program modules 721 may be stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and processor 710 may run one or more computer program modules 721 to implement various functions of the device 700 for determining vehicle speed limits. Various application programs and various data, as well as various data used and / or generated by the application programs, may also be stored in the computer-readable storage medium.

[0085] For example, the device 700 for determining vehicle speed limits may also include input devices such as cameras, touchscreens, touchpads, keyboards, mice, webcams, microphones, accelerometers, and gyroscopes; output devices such as liquid crystal displays, speakers, and vibrators; storage devices such as magnetic tapes and hard disks (HDDs or SDDs); and communication devices such as network interface cards like LAN cards and modems. The communication devices allow the device 700 for determining vehicle speed limits to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data, performing communication processing via networks such as the Internet. A drive is connected to the I / O interface as needed. Removable storage media, such as disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, and semiconductor memories, are installed on the drive as needed so that computer programs read from them can be installed into the storage device as required.

[0086] For example, the device 700 for determining vehicle speed limits may further include a peripheral interface (not shown in the figure). This peripheral interface can be various types of interfaces, such as a USB interface, a Lightning interface, etc. The communication device can communicate wirelessly with networks and other devices, such as the Internet, intranets and / or wireless networks such as cellular telephone networks, wireless local area networks (LANs) and / or metropolitan area networks (MANs). Wireless communication can use any of a variety of communication standards, protocols, and technologies, including but not limited to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (e.g., based on IEEE 702.11a, IEEE 702.11b, IEEE 702.11g, and / or IEEE 702.11n standards), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, protocols for email, instant messaging, and / or Short Message Service (SMS), or any other suitable communication protocol.

[0087] The device 700 for determining vehicle speed limits can be, for example, a system-on-a-chip (SOC) or a device including the SOC. For instance, it can be any device such as a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, e-reader, game console, television, digital camera, navigation device, home appliance, communication base station, industrial controller, server, etc., or any combination of data processing devices and hardware. The embodiments of this disclosure do not limit this. The specific functions and technical effects of the device 700 for determining vehicle speed limit information can be found in the foregoing description of various methods and additional aspects for determining vehicle speed limit information according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, and will not be repeated here.

[0088] For example, the device 700 for determining vehicle speed limit information may be one or more of an on-board processing device, an on-board camera device, and a remote processing device. For example, the on-board camera device may be a front-facing camera device installed in a motor vehicle to support driver assistance functions. Here, the input device of the on-board camera device may include the front-facing camera. When the motor vehicle is traveling forward, the front-facing camera can capture images of speed limit signs located on the path ahead of the motor vehicle and identify the speed limit information corresponding to the speed limit sign via an image recognition algorithm. Here, the front-facing camera can send the speed limit information to the processor 710. Here, depending on the specific electrical architecture of the motor vehicle, the processor 710 may be an electronic control unit (ECU), microcontroller unit (MCU), or domain controller (DCU) installed in the motor vehicle; this disclosure does not impose limitations. The processor 710 can execute the various methods and additional aspects of determining vehicle speed limits described above according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, which will not be repeated here.

[0089] Figure 8 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0090] like Figure 8 As shown, a non-transitory readable storage medium 800 stores computer instructions 810, which, when executed by a processor, perform one or more steps of the various methods and their additional aspects as described above.

[0091] For example, the non-temporarily readable storage medium 800 may be any combination of one or more computer-readable storage media, such as a computer-readable storage medium containing program code for performing the various methods described above.

[0092] For example, when the program code is read by a computer, the computer can execute the program code stored in the computer storage medium to perform one or more steps of the various methods and additional aspects described above, such as those according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0093] For example, the non-transitory readable storage medium may include a memory card of a smartphone, a storage component of a tablet computer, a hard disk of a personal computer, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), flash memory, and other non-transitory readable storage media or any combination thereof.

[0094] Figure 9 A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0095] Vehicle 900 may include, but is not limited to, cars, tractor-trailers (with or without trailers), buses, recreational vehicles, minivans, or sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

[0096] like Figure 9 As shown, vehicle 900 may include device 910, which may be as described above. Figure 7 The device shown is used to determine vehicle speed limit information or such Figure 8 The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium.

[0097] Although this disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to those skilled in the art. This disclosure is intended to cover such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0098] Any description in this invention should not be construed as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential element that must be included within the scope of the claims. The scope of the patent subject matter is defined only by the claims.

Claims

1. A method for determining speed limit information for a vehicle, comprising: In response to the vehicle traveling to a distance within a threshold distance from the target area, a road image of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is captured using a camera on the vehicle. The road image is processed to determine the current road where the vehicle is located; as well as Determine the current speed limit information of the vehicle on the current road.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The target area includes the area near the entrances to highway ramps.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, Image processing of the road image includes: The road in the road image is determined to include a wide dashed line. It is determined that the wide dashed line is located on the first side of the vehicle at the first moment, and It is determined that the wide dashed line is located on the second side of the vehicle opposite to the first side at a second time after the first time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, Determining the current road where the vehicle is located includes: In response to determining that the wide dashed line is located on the second side of the vehicle opposite to the first side at a second time after the first time, the ramp is determined as the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein, Image processing of the road image includes: The road in the road image is determined to include a wide dashed line. It is determined that the wide dashed line is located on the first side of the vehicle at the first moment. It is determined that the wide dashed line becomes a guide line located on the first side of the vehicle at a second time after the first time.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, Determining the current road where the vehicle is located includes: In response to determining that the wide dashed line located on the first side of the vehicle becomes a guide line located on the first side of the vehicle at a second time after the first time, the ramp is determined as the current road of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein, Image processing of the road image includes: The road in the road image is determined to include a wide dashed line. It is determined that the wide dashed line is located on the first side of the vehicle at a first moment, and the number of the first lanes included in the road where the vehicle is located at the first moment is recorded. Determine that the wide dashed line is located on the second side of the vehicle opposite to the first side at a second time point after the first time point, and record the number of second lanes included in the road where the vehicle is located at the second time point. It is determined that the number of lanes in the first lane is different from the number of lanes in the second lane.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein, Image processing of the road image includes: The road in the road image is determined to include a wide dashed line. Determine that the wide dashed line is located on the first side of the vehicle at a first moment, and record the number of first lanes included in the road on which the vehicle is traveling at the first moment. It is determined that the wide dashed line located on the first side of the vehicle becomes a guide line on the first side of the vehicle at a second time after the first time, and the number of second lanes included in the road on which the vehicle travels at the second time is recorded. It is determined that the number of lanes in the first lane is different from the number of lanes in the second lane.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, Determining the current road where the vehicle is located includes: In response to determining that the first number of lanes is different from the second number of lanes, the ramp is determined as the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling.

10. The method according to any one of claims 3-8, wherein, The width of the wide dashed line is 17 to 19 centimeters.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The target area includes road sections where elevated roads overlap with ground-level roads.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: In response to the vehicle traveling on a section of road where the elevated road and the ground road overlap, and the difference between the speed limit information provided by the navigation application and the speed limit information obtained based on the road image is greater than a first threshold, the camera on the vehicle captures a road image of the road on which the vehicle is traveling.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Image processing of the road image includes: Identify the curb of the road segment on which the vehicle travels. The vehicle is determined to be traveling on the elevated road or on the ground road based on the characteristics of the roadside of the road segment.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the current speed limit information of the vehicle on the current road includes: The vehicle's speed limit information on the current road is obtained by using a navigation application or by capturing speed limit signs on the current road using a camera.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-14.

16. A device for determining speed limit information of a vehicle, comprising: One or more processors; as well as One or more memories storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-14.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein, The device is one or more of the following: in-vehicle processing device, in-vehicle camera device, and remote processing device.

18. A vehicle comprising the computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 or the device of claim 16 or 17.

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