US-12624959-B2 - Systems and methods for multi-elevation foot traffic scanning

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for obtaining characterizations of paths to be traversed, such as foot paths. A scanning tool may be configured to capture information or data characterizing aspects of such a path. The scanning tool may comprise multiple sensors for capturing image/visual data from multiple perspectives, as well as for capturing data reflecting physical features or conditions of the path. Such information can be combined and quantified or otherwise characterized to provide insight into micromobility zones.

Inventors

• Hideki Hada

Assignees

• TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20220520

Claims (19)

1. 1 . An apparatus, comprising: a mobility mechanism operatively connected to a frame; a first set of sensors mounted to the frame capturing different perspective views of a scene including a pathway, the sensors adapted to capture viewpoints for persons traversing the pathway; and a second set of sensors operatively connected to the frame capturing physical measurements characterizing the pathway based on the mobility mechanism traversing the pathway, wherein the first set of sensors and the second set of sensors are actively controlled to capture data only during a first distance interval at a start of the pathway and a second distance interval at an end of the pathway, wherein the first distance interval is bounded based on determining that the second set of sensors have started moving, and wherein the second distance interval is bounded based on determining that the second set of sensors have stopped moving.
2. 2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first set of sensors comprises imaging sensors.
3. 3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a vertical structure and a horizontal structure moveably connected to the vertical structure.
4. 4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first set of sensors are operatively connected to the vertical structure at different heights along the vertical structure.
5. 5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second set of sensors are operatively connected to the horizontal structure.
6. 6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a first sensor of the second set of sensors comprises an angle sensor adapted to measure an angle of deviation from a level surface of the pathway.
7. 7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the angle sensor is disposed approximately at a point where the vertical structure and the horizontal structure are moveably connected.
8. 8 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein second and third sensors of the second set of sensors comprises torque sensors further operatively connected to the mobility mechanism.
9. 9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the torque sensors measure resistance experienced by the mobility mechanism when traversing the pathway.
10. 10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a communications unit through which the perspective views and the physical measurements are transmitted to a remote path analysis server generating a map of the pathway by combining the perspective views and the physical measurements.
11. 11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second set of sensors is actively controlled to not capture data during a section of the pathway located in between the first distance interval and the second distance interval.
12. 12 . A method, comprising: receiving data regarding a scanned path from a set of one or more sensors capturing physical measurements characterizing a pathway by traversing the scanned path with the set of one or more sensors, the sensors adapted to capture viewpoints for persons traversing the pathway, wherein the set of one or more sensors is actively controlled to capture data only during a first distance interval at a start of the pathway and a second distance interval at an end of the pathway, wherein the first distance interval is bounded based on determining that the set of one or more sensors have started moving, and wherein the second distance interval is bounded based on determining that the set of one or more sensors have stopped moving; combining the received data to generate a map of the scanned path; and characterizing aspects of the scanned path based on the combined received data.
13. 13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the data regarding the scanned path comprises receiving sensor data from a first set of sensors disposed on a scanning tool, each of the first set of sensors comprising imaging devices disposed at varying heights along the scanning tool.
14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein receiving the data regarding the scanned path comprises receiving sensor data from a second set of sensors disposed on the scanning tool, the second set of sensors comprising an angle sensor and a torque sensor.
15. 15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining at least one of a time and location associated with the received data.
16. 16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein characterizing aspects of the scanned path comprises assigning a value quantifying the aspects of the scanned path based on physical features of the scanned path.
17. 17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein characterizing aspects of the scanned path comprises assigning a value quantifying the aspects of the scanned path based on an amount of torque needed to overcome a physical feature of the scanned path.
18. 18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein characterizing aspects of the scanned path comprises assigning a value quantifying the aspects of the scanned path based on an angle of deviation of a physical feature of the scanned path relative to a level section of the scanned path.
19. 19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the set of one or more sensors is actively controlled to not capture data during a section of the pathway located in between the first distance interval and the second distance interval.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This non-provisional patent application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63/209,160, filed on Jun. 10, 2021, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to scanning technologies, and more particularly, the present disclosure relates to devices enabling scanning of foot paths from differing heights at the same time, where upon combining the different scans, mobility challenges for those with mobility difficulties can be better understood or addressed. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART Sensors such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors may be used to measure the distance, e.g., from a vehicle, to an obstacle in the vehicle's vicinity. A LiDAR sensor measures distance to a peripheral object using laser light such as infrared rays. For example, a LiDAR sensor scans infrared laser light three-dimensionally (in the horizontal and vertical directions) to obtain three-dimensional (3D) point cloud data of the vicinity of the vehicle. Cameras may also be used to capture images of an area(s) surrounding a vehicle. An image captured by the camera can be analyzed with a deep learning technique such as SSD (Single Shot Multibox Detector), for example, so that attributes of various objects (vehicles, passengers, structures, etc.) included in the image can be recognized. By combining the 3D point cloud data obtained by the LiDAR sensor with the image recognition achieved by the camera, it becomes possible to determine the distance of objects from, in this case, the vehicle, and attributes of those objects. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In accordance with one embodiment, an apparatus, comprises a frame, and a mobility mechanism operatively connected to the frame, The apparatus further comprises a first set of sensors operatively connected to the frame capturing different perspective views of a scene including a pathway, a second set of sensors operatively connected to the frame capturing physical measurements characterizing the pathway based on the mobility mechanism traversing the pathway. In some embodiments, the first set of sensors comprises imaging sensors. In some embodiments, the frame comprises a vertical structure and a horizontal structure moveably connected to the vertical structure. In some embodiments, the first set of sensors are operatively connected to the vertical structure at different heights along the vertical structure. In some embodiments, the second set of sensors are operatively connected to the horizontal structure. In some embodiments, a first sensor of the second set of sensors comprises an angle sensor adapted to measure an angle of deviation from a level surface of the pathway. In some embodiments, the angle sensor is disposed approximately at a point where the vertical structure and the horizontal structure are moveably connected. In some embodiments, second and third sensors of the second set of sensors comprises torque sensors further operatively connected to the mobility mechanism. In some embodiments, the torque sensor measures resistance experienced by the mobility mechanism when traversing the pathway. In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a communications unit through which the perspective views and the physical measurements are transmitted to a remote path analysis server generating a map of the pathway by combining the perspective views and the physical measurements. In accordance with one embodiment, a method comprises: receiving data regarding a scanned path from a scanning tool traversing the scanned path; combining the received data to generate a map of the scanned path; and characterizing aspects of the scanned path based on the combined received data. In some embodiments, receiving the data regarding the scanned path comprises receiving sensor data from a first set of sensors disposed on a scanning tool, each of the first set of sensors comprising imaging devices disposed at varying heights along the scanning tool. In some embodiments, receiving the data regarding the scanned path comprises receiving sensor data from a second set of sensors disposed on the scanning tool, the second set of sensors comprising an angle sensor and a torque sensor. In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining at least one of a time and location associated with the received data. In some embodiments, characterizing aspects of the scanned path comprises assigning a value quantifying the aspects of the scanned path based on physical features of the scanned path. In some embodiments, characterizing aspects of the scanned path comprises assigning a value quantifying the aspects of the scanned path based on an amount of torque needed to overcome a physical feature of the scanned path. In some embodiments, characterizing aspects of the scanned path comprises assigning a value quantifying the aspects of the scanned path based on an an