Automatically creating a terrain mapping database

Abstract

A database for mapping off-road terrain of various characteristics in three-dimensional terms, comprising: a plurality of road segment entries, each containing data pertaining to the terrain characteristics of the segment; and a plurality of elbow entries, each containing (x, y, z) coordinates of the elbow and a record for each road segment having the elbow as one of its end points, the record comprising navigation directives for vehicles entering the segment from the elbow.

1 . A method of mapping a terrain, the method comprising:
 defining a set of road segments within the terrain;   receiving motion data from motion sensors disposed on an object traveling through one or more road segments of the set of road segments; and   determining, based on the motion data, terrain characteristics of the one or more road segments.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 identifying a road segment of the one or more road segments that has different terrain characteristics in different parts of the road segment; and   partitioning the identified road segment into two or more new road segments based on the identification.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising defining navigation directives for the one or more road segments based on the terrain characteristics of the one or more road segments. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising defining navigation directives for the one or more road segments based on the motion data the motion sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising defining navigation directives for the one or more road segments based on data from environmental sensors disposed on the object. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising defining navigation directives for the one or more road segments based on data from position sensors disposed on the object. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising defining navigation directives for the one or more road segments based on data from physiological monitoring sensors disposed on the object. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising defining navigation directives for the one or more road segments based on data from cameras disposed on the object. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising defining navigation directives for the one or more road segments based on data from microphones disposed on the object. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining each road segment of the set of road segments comprises:
 defining two end points for the respective road segment;   defining terrain characteristics for the respective road segment; and   defining, for each end point of the respective road segment, navigation directives for the object entering the respective road segment from the respective end point based on the defined terrain characteristics of the respective road segment.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising defining the navigation directives further based on a type of the object. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising defining the navigation directives further based on terrain characteristics of a road segment from which the object has entered the respective end point of the respective road segment. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising defining the navigation directives further based on skills of a user of the object. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising defining navigation directives further based on the motion data from the motion sensors. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising defining navigation directives further based on data from environmental sensors disposed on the object. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising defining navigation directives further based on data from position sensors disposed on the object. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising defining navigation directives further based on data from physiological monitoring sensors disposed on the object. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising defining navigation directives further based on data from cameras disposed on the object. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising defining navigation directives further based on data from microphones disposed on the object.