SPIKE BARRIER DETECTION VEHICULAR SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

A spike barrier detection vehicular system including an image receiver configured to receive an image having a spike barrier and a vehicular approach prevention direction determiner configured to determine a vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier, based on the image comprising the spike barrier.

Claims

1. A spike barrier detection vehicular system comprising: an image receiver configured to receive an image comprising a spike barrier; and a vehicular approach prevention direction determiner configured to determine a vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier, based on the image comprising the spike barrier.

2. The spike barrier detection vehicular system as in claim 1, wherein the image receiver is configured to receive at least two images from a plurality of imaging devices, each image from a respective imaging device.

3. The spike barrier detection vehicular system as in claim 2, further comprising: a vehicular plan image constructor configured to construct a vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier based on the image comprising the spike barrier; wherein the vehicular approach prevention direction determiner is configured to determine the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier, based on the vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier.

4. The spike barrier detection vehicular system as in claim 3, wherein the spike barrier comprises at least two vehicular immobility projections; further comprising a length determiner configured to determine a first average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a first edge of the spike barrier based on the vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier and a second average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a second edge of the spike barrier based on the vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier; wherein the first average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction and the second average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction.

5. The spike barrier detection vehicular system as in claim 1, wherein the spike barrier comprises at least two vehicular immobility projections; further comprising a length determiner configured to determine a first average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a first edge of the spike barrier and a second average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a second edge of the spike barrier; wherein the first average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction and the second average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction.

6. The spike barrier detection vehicular system as in claim 4, wherein the vehicular approach prevention direction determiner is configured to determine that the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier is towards the first edge of the spike barrier if the first average length is longer than the second average length and that the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier is towards the second edge of 15 the spike barrier if the second average length is longer than the first average length.

7. The spike barrier detection vehicular system as in claim 4, wherein each vehicular immobility projection comprises a respective converging end configured to puncture a tyre; and wherein the vehicular approach prevention direction determiner is configured to determine that the converging ends are orientated towards the first edge of the spike barrier if the first average length is longer than the second average length and that the converging ends are orientated towards the second edge of the spike barrier if the second average length is longer than the first average length.

8. A spike barrier detection vehicular system comprising: an image receiver configured to receive an image comprising a spike barrier, wherein the spike barrier comprises at least two vehicular immobility projections; wherein the image receiver is configured to receive at least two images from a plurality of imaging devices, each image from a respective imaging device; a vehicular plan image constructor configured to construct a vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier based on the image comprising the spike barrier; a length determiner configured to determine a first average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a first edge of the spike barrier based on the vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier and a second average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a second edge of the spike barrier based on the vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier; wherein the first average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction and the second average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction; and a vehicular approach prevention direction determiner configured to determine a vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier, based on the image comprising the spike barrier; wherein the vehicular approach prevention direction determiner is configured to determine the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier, based on the vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier; wherein the vehicular approach prevention direction determiner is configured to determine that the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier is towards the first edge of the spike barrier if the first average length is longer than the second average length and that the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier is towards the second edge of the spike barrier if the second average length is longer than the first average length; wherein each vehicular immobility projection comprises a respective converging end configured to puncture a tyre; and wherein the vehicular approach prevention direction determiner is configured to determine that the converging ends are orientated towards the first edge of the spike barrier if the first average length is longer than the second average length and that the converging ends are orientated towards the second edge of the spike barrier if the second average length is longer than the first average length.

9. A computer-implemented spike barrier detection vehicular method comprising: receiving an image comprising a spike barrier; and determining a vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier, based on the image comprising the spike barrier.

10. The computer-implemented spike barrier detection vehicular method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising receiving at least two images from a plurality of imaging devices, each image from a respective imaging device.

11. The computer-implemented spike barrier detection vehicular method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising: constructing a vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier based on the image comprising the spike barrier; wherein the act of determining the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier comprises the act of determining the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier, based on the vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier.

12. The computer-implemented spike barrier detection vehicular method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the act of receiving the image comprising the spike barrier comprises the act of receiving the image comprising the spike barrier, wherein the spike barrier comprises at least two vehicular immobility projections; the method further comprising: determining a first average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a first edge of the spike barrier based on the vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier, wherein the first average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction; and determining a second average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a second edge of the spike barrier based on the vehicular plan view image comprising the spike barrier, wherein the second average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction.

13. The computer-implemented spike barrier detection vehicular method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the act of receiving the image comprising the spike barrier comprises the act of receiving the image comprising the spike barrier, wherein the spike barrier comprises at least two vehicular immobility projections; further comprising: determining a first average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a first edge of the spike barrier, wherein the first average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction; and determining a second average length between the at least two vehicular immobility projections and a second edge of the spike barrier, wherein the second average length determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction.

14. The computer-implemented spike barrier detection vehicular method as set forth in claim 12, wherein determining the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier comprises determining that the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier is towards the first edge of the spike barrier if the first average length is longer than the second average length and that the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier is towards the second edge of the spike barrier if the second average length is longer than the first average length.

15. The computer-implemented spike barrier detection vehicular method as set forth in claim 12: wherein receiving the image comprising the spike barrier comprises receiving the image comprising the spike barrier, wherein each vehicular immobility projection comprises a respective converging end configured to puncture a tyre; and wherein determining the vehicular approach prevention direction of the spike barrier comprises the act of determining that the converging ends are orientated towards the first edge of the spike barrier if the first average length is longer than the second average length and that the converging ends are orientated towards the second edge of the spike barrier if the second average length is longer than the first average length.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] These and other features, aspects, and advantages will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

[0071] FIG. 1 shows a spike barrier detection vehicular system;

[0072] FIG. 2 shows a spike barrier;

[0073] FIG. 3 shows a motor vehicle comprising the spike barrier detection vehicular system of FIG. 1; and

[0074] FIG. 4 shows a diagram for a spike barrier detection vehicular method.

[0075] In the drawings, like parts are denoted by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] In the summary above, in this description, in the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the disclosure. It is to be understood that the disclosure in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the disclosure, or a particular claim, that feature may also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the disclosure, and in the disclosures generally.

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a spike barrier detection vehicular system 100 that may include an image receiver 110, a vehicular plan image constructor 120, a spike barrier detector 130, a length determiner 140 and a vehicular approach prevention direction determiner 150. The spike barrier detection vehicular system 100 may comprise hardware, such as at least one processor, volatile memory or/and nonvolatile memory, software comprising instructions executable by a processor, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0078] The image receiver 110 may be configured to receive an image, for instance, a vehicular image from captured by a vehicular camera. The image receiver 110 may also be configured to receive at least two images from a plurality of imaging devices, each image from a respective imaging device. For example, the image receiver 110 may receive at least two vehicular images from at least two vehicular cameras, for instance, a front camera and a rear camera. The image receiver 110 may comprise hardware, such as at least one processor, volatile memory or/and nonvolatile memory, software comprising instructions executable by a processor, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0079] The vehicular plan image constructor 120 is configured to construct a vehicular plan view image based on an image received by the image receiver 110. The vehicular plan image constructor 120 may be configured to construct a vehicular plan view image based on at least two images received by the image receiver 110. The vehicular plan image constructor 120 may comprise a geometric projection algorithm configured to construct the vehicular plan view image. For instance, the vehicular plan image constructor 120 may comprise a geometric projection algorithm configured to convert an image comprising a side view of a spike barrier into another image comprising a plan view of the spike barrier. The vehicular plan image constructor 120 may comprise hardware, such as at least one processor, volatile memory or/and nonvolatile memory, software comprising instructions executable by a processor, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0080] The spike barrier detector 130 may be configured to detect a spike barrier from an image received by the image receiver 110. The spike barrier detector 130 may also be configured to detect a spike barrier from a vehicular plan view image. The spike barrier detector 130 may comprise a machine learning system trained to recognise a spike barrier. The spike barrier detector 130 may also comprise a neural network trained to recognise a spike barrier. The spike barrier detector 130 may comprise hardware, such as at least one processor, volatile memory or/and nonvolatile memory, software comprising instructions executable by a processor, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0081] FIG. 2 shows a spike barrier 160 comprising vehicular immobility projections 162 arranged in a row, wherein each vehicular immobility projection 162 comprises a respective converging end 164 configured to puncture a tyre, for instance, a motor vehicle tyre. The spike barrier 160 comprises a first edge 166 substantially parallel to the row of vehicular immobility projections 162 and proximate the converging ends 164, and a second edge 168 opposite the first edge 166 and remote from the converging ends 164. The spike barrier 160 may be configured such that its vehicular approach prevention direction 180 is towards the first edge 166 of the spike barrier 160.

[0082] The length determiner 140 may be configured to determine a first average length 170 between at least two vehicular immobility projections 162 and a first edge 166 of a spike barrier 160 based on an image received from the image receiver 110, and a second average length 172 between the at least two vehicular immobility projections 162 and a second edge 168 of the spike barrier 160 based on the image received from the image receiver 110, wherein the first average length 170 determined is substantially parallel to a vehicular approach prevention direction 180 and the second average length 172 determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction 180. The length determiner 140 may also be configured to determine a first average length 170 between at least two vehicular immobility projections 162 and a first edge 166 of a spike barrier 160 based on a vehicular plan view image, and a second average length 172 between the at least two vehicular immobility projections 162 and a second edge 168 of the spike barrier 160 based on the vehicular plan view image, wherein the first average length 170 determined is substantially parallel to a vehicular approach prevention direction 180 and the second average length 172 determined is substantially parallel to the vehicular approach prevention direction 180. The length determiner 140 may comprise hardware, such as at least one processor, volatile memory or/and nonvolatile memory, software comprising instructions executable by a processor, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0083] The vehicular approach prevention direction determiner 150 may be configured to determine a vehicular approach prevention direction 180 of a spike barrier 160 based on an image received from the imaged receiver 110. The vehicular approach prevention direction determiner 150 may be configured to determine a vehicular approach prevention direction 180 of a spike barrier 160 based a vehicular plan view image.

[0084] The vehicular approach prevention direction determiner 150 may be configured to determine that a vehicular approach prevention direction 180 of a spike barrier 160 is towards a first edge 166 of the spike barrier 166 if a first average length 170 is longer than a second average length 170. The vehicular approach prevention direction determiner 150 may also be configured to determine that converging ends 164 are orientated towards a first edge 166 of a spike barrier 160 if a first average length 170 is longer than the second average length 172. The vehicular approach prevention direction determiner 150 may comprise hardware, such as at least one processor, volatile memory or/and nonvolatile memory, software comprising instructions executable by a processor, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0085] FIG. 3 shows a motor vehicle 190 comprising the spike barrier detection vehicular system 100. The motor vehicle 190 may be a car.

[0086] FIG. 4 shows a diagram for a spike barrier detection vehicular method 200 using the spike barrier detection vehicular system 100. The steps or acts of the spike barrier detection vehicular method 200 may be performed by at least one processor, for instance, by the at least one processor executing instructions stored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

[0087] At step 202, the spike barrier detection vehicular method 200 begins, for example, when a motor vehicle 160 is started. Then at step 204, at least one image, for instance, a vehicular image from a vehicular camera, is received by the image receiver 110. Optionally, at step 206, a vehicular plan view image is constructed by the vehicular plan image constructor 120 based on the at least one image received by the image receiver 110.

[0088] At step 208, a spike barrier 160 comprised in the vehicular plan view image or the at least one image is detected or recognised by the spike barrier detector 130. Subsequently, at step 210, a first average length 170 between at least two vehicular immobility projections 162 and a first edge 166 of the spike barrier 160 is determined by the length determiner 140, and a second average length 172 between the at least two vehicular immobility projections 162 and a second edge 168 of the spike barrier 160 is determined by the length determiner 140, wherein the first average length 170 determined and the second average length 172 determined are substantially parallel to a vehicular approach prevention direction 180.

[0089] Thereafter, at step 212, the vehicular approach prevention direction 180 is determined by determining whether the first average length 170 or the second average length 172 is longer, by the vehicular approach prevention direction determiner 150.

[0090] Finally, at step 214, the spike barrier detection vehicular method 200 ends, for example, when the ignition is turned off.

[0091] Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments or aspects, other embodiments or aspects are possible.

[0092] For example, an additional step of alerting a driver of the motor vehicle 190, may be included after step 212, if the motor vehicle 190 approaches the spike barrier 160 in the vehicular approach prevention direction 180.

[0093] Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

[0094] All features disclosed in this specification (including the appended claims, abstract, and accompanying drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.