Patch Smoothing for Clear Path Detection in Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous driving systems face challenges in efficiently processing complex road conditions to identify a clear path for vehicle navigation, requiring significant computational power and often bulky equipment to distinguish between various objects on the road.
Innovation Solution
The method involves analyzing images from a camera system using patch-based clear path detection, where patches are identified, smoothed, and validated to define a clear path for vehicle navigation, reducing the need for individual object classification and processing power by focusing on the likelihood of a path being clear based on visual cues from the ground and surrounding objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional object recognition methods are used to identify clear path, then object classification accuracy is improved, but processing time increases and computational power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into multiple patches that are processed independently and in parallel. Each patch is analyzed for clear path indication rather than processing the entire image as a single unit, which reduces processing time while maintaining accuracy through localized analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the relevant clear path indication information from patches rather than performing full object recognition and classification. By taking out only the necessary clear path data from each patch, the system avoids the computational overhead of complete object identification while still achieving accurate clear path detection.
2Reliability
If comprehensive object analysis is performed to ensure accurate clear path identification, then detection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the clear path indication from each patch rather than performing comprehensive object analysis. This extraction approach maintains detection reliability by focusing on the essential clear path information while significantly reducing device complexity by eliminating unnecessary object classification components.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of identifying objects and determining whether they block the path, the patent inverts the approach by directly analyzing whether each patch indicates a clear path. This inversion simplifies the system complexity while maintaining or improving reliability by focusing directly on the clear path determination.
3Measurement precision
If detailed object recognition is performed to distinguish between different road objects, then detection precision is improved, but processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The image is segmented into multiple patches that can be processed independently and in parallel, increasing processing speed. Each patch analysis focuses on clear path indication rather than detailed object recognition, maintaining sufficient detection precision for clear path determination while dramatically improving processing throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs partial object analysis by focusing only on clear path indication within patches rather than complete object recognition. This partial action approach achieves sufficient detection precision for navigation purposes while significantly improving processing speed by avoiding unnecessary detailed classification.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle utilizing analysis of an image generated by a camera device located upon the vehicle includes monitoring the image, identifying through patch-based clear path detection analysis of the image a first patch within the image that indicates a not clear path, analyzing the first patch through patch smoothing, invalidating the first patch based upon the analyzing the first patch through patch smoothing, utilizing the invalidated first patch to define a clear path of travel for the vehicle, and utilizing the clear path of travel to navigate the vehicle.