| CPC B60W 60/001 (2020.02) [G06T 7/70 (2017.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); B60W 2556/50 (2020.02); G06T 2207/10024 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30256 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A system for a host vehicle operating on a road surface illuminated by the Sun, comprising:
a polarimetric camera positioned at a height (h) above a ground plane of the road surface and configured to collect polarimetric image data of a drive scene inclusive of the road surface;
a global positioning system (“GPS”) receiver operable for determining a present location of the host vehicle;
a compass operable for determining a directional heading of the host vehicle;
a path planning module; and
an electronic control unit (“ECU”) configured to:
receive the polarimetric image data, the present location, date, and time, and the directional heading from the polarimetric camera, the GPS receiver, and the compass, respectively;
estimate a location of the Sun relative to the host vehicle using the present location, date, and time, and the directional heading;
construct a normalized representation of the polarimetric image data using the location of the Sun, via normalization logic of the ECU, in which an angle of linear polarization (“AoLP”) and a degree of linear polarization (“DoLP”) of the road surface equal predetermined fixed values of 0° and 0, respectively, such that the ground plane fits a standardized canonical representation; and
execute a control action aboard the host vehicle using the normalized representation of the polarimetric image data, including:
outputting the normalized representation of the road surface to the path planning module; and
during an autonomous or semi-autonomous drive event of the host vehicle, causing the path planning module to auto-generate a driving path on the road surface using the normalized representation of the road surface, the driving path utilizing identified free space that separates drivable surfaces of the road surface from non- drivable surfaces of the road surface.
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