Method for detecting and modeling of object on surface of road

Abstract

A method for detecting and modelling of an object on a surface of a road by first scanning the road and generating a 3D model of the scanned road (which 3D model of the scanned road contains a description of a 3D surface of the road) and then creating a top-view image of the road. The object is detected on the surface of the road by evaluating the top-view image of the road. The detected object is projected on the surface of the road in the 3D model of the scanned road. The object projected on the surface of the road in the 3D model of the scanned road is modelled.

1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a camera unit configured to capture one or more images of a road; and   a processor configured to:
 generate a 3D model of the road based at least on the one or more images, the 3D model representing at least a surface of the road; 
 generate a top-view image of the road based on the 3D model; 
 detect an object in the top-view image of the road; 
 project the detected object onto the surface of the road in the 3D model; and 
 generate a model of the object projected onto the surface of the road in the 3D model. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a future direction of travel of the vehicle based on the generated model. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a position of the vehicle based on the generated model. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a self-driving vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the 3D model of the road to a remote server. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the top-view image of the road to a remote server. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to receive, from the remote server, a second model of the object projected onto the surface of the road in a second 3D model. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a future direction of travel of the vehicle based on the second model. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a position of the vehicle based on the second model. 
     
     
         10 . A method for generating a model of an object on a road, comprising:
 generating a 3D model of the road based at least on one or more images, the 3D model representing at least a surface of the road;   generating a top-view image of the road based on the 3D model;   detecting an object in the top-view image of the road;   projecting the detected object onto the surface of the road in the 3D model; and   generating a model of the object projected onto the surface of the road in the 3D model.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising determining a future direction of travel of a vehicle based on the generated model. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising determining a position of a vehicle based on the generated model. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising transmitting the 3D model of the road to a remote server. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising transmitting the top-view image of the road to a remote server. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising receiving, from the remote server, a second model of the object projected onto the surface of the road in a second 3D model. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising determining a position of a vehicle based on the second model. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:
 generate an aggregate top-view image of a road based on a plurality of top-view images; 
 detect an object in the aggregate top-view image of the road; 
 generate an aggregate 3D model based on the plurality of 3D models, the aggregate 3D model representing at least a surface of the road; 
 project the detected object onto the surface of the road in the aggregate 3D model; and 
 generate a model of the object projected onto the surface of the road in the aggregate 3D model. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive a plurality of 3D models of the road from one or more vehicles; and   generate each of the plurality of top-view images based on a corresponding one of the plurality of 3D models of the road.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the plurality of top-view images from one or more vehicles. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the generated model to at least one vehicle.