Communication of infrastructure information to a vehicle via ground penetrating radar

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for communication of infrastructure information to a vehicle via ground penetrating radar. A vehicle comprising an antenna positioned to broadcast radio waves below the vehicle, a ground penetrating radar system, and an active safety module. The ground penetrating radar system determines types of reflectors and a spatial relationship between the reflectors based on radar cross-sections detected by the antenna, and generates a signature based on the shapes and the spatial relationship. The active safety module determines environmental data based on the signature, and autonomously control the vehicle based on the environmental data.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 broadcasting, with a ground penetrating radar antenna affixed to a vehicle, radio waves below the vehicle;   determining, with a processor, shapes of reflectors and a spatial relationship between the reflectors based on radar cross-sections detected by the antenna; and   generating a signature based on the shapes and the spatial relationship; and   determining environmental data based on the signature; and   autonomously controlling the vehicle based on the environmental data.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the radio waves have a frequency between 10 MHz and 2.4 GHz. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the radar cross-sections are indicative of at least two types of the reflectors. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , including detecting the reflectors that are embedded in a subsurface layer of a road. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the environmental data includes at least a direction of travel and a lane identifier for a portion of a road on which the vehicle is driving. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the radar cross-sections are cause by the reflectors that are selected from a group of a flat plate, a sphere, and a tetrahedron. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the spatial relationship is a three-dimensional spatial relationship indicating that at least two of the reflectors are embedded at different depths in a subsurface layer of a road.