Vehicle Road Slope Detection via 3D Camera Reconstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in detecting road slopes, leading to poor control performance as they cannot accurately determine whether they are on an up-sloped, down-sloped, or non-sloped road, affecting their ability to adjust parameters like the gas pedal and brake effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a camera to capture multiple images, perform three-dimensional reconstruction, and determine a gravity direction vector within the three-dimensional model, allowing the vehicle to detect road slope types and values, thereby providing necessary reference information for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous driving technology is used without road slope detection, then the vehicle can operate autonomously, but the vehicle control precision deteriorates due to inability to detect road slopes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of a camera and three-dimensional reconstruction algorithm to detect road slopes. The camera captures images of the road surface, and the reconstruction algorithm processes these images to calculate slope information, serving as a mediator between the autonomous driving system and the physical road conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical slope detection devices with an optical-based system. Instead of using mechanical sensors or inclinometers, the system uses a camera to capture images and computational algorithms to determine road slope, substituting mechanical measurement with optical sensing and digital processing.
2Device complexity
If traditional road shape prediction methods are used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the road information detection capability deteriorates due to inability to accurately detect slopes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts road slope information from ordinary road surface images through three-dimensional reconstruction. Instead of requiring specialized slope detection sensors, the system extracts the needed slope information from standard camera images by processing the spatial relationships between detected road features across multiple images.
3Ease of operation
If the vehicle cannot detect road slopes, then the control system is simpler to operate, but the vehicle control performance deteriorates due to lack of slope awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the vehicle to self-detect road slope conditions automatically without requiring manual input or complex operator intervention. The camera and reconstruction algorithm work autonomously to provide slope information to the control system, making the vehicle self-aware of its operating conditions while maintaining simple operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and an apparatus for determining road information, a vehicle and a computer readable storage medium. The method includes: triggering (101) the camera to capture M images during driving, M being an integer not less than 2; performing (102) three-dimensional reconstruction based on the M images to obtain a three-dimensional model; determining (103) a first vector of the three-dimensional model, the first vector indicating a gravity direction in the three-dimensional model; and determining (104) the road information of a road where the vehicle is located based on M spatial positions and the first vector, the M spatial positions being spatial positions of a center of the camera in the three-dimensional model at M time points and the M images are captured by the camera respectively at the M time points, the road information including a slope type and/or a slope value.