Waymo patents method to smooth object displays using map data
This patent describes a way to make objects on a car's screen look steadier by combining live sensor data with pre-mapped lane information. The system calculates a new, smoothed position for an object by blending its raw sensor location with the known center of a lane.
In the filing’s own words
The technology relates to generating a representation of an object detected by a perception system of a vehicle. For instance, a set of data points corresponding to an object is received from the perception system. Map information identifying shapes and locations of lanes as well as locations of center points for the lanes is retrieved. A representative point of the center points is selected based on the set of data points. A first position is determined based on the location of the representative point. A second position is determined based on the set of data points. The first and second positions are used to determine a third position for a representation of the object based on a distance the first position and the second position. The representation of the object is generated using the third position. The representation of the object is displayed on a display of the vehicle.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method for generating a representation of an object detected by a perception system of a vehicle, the method comprising: determining, by one or more processors, a first position for the representation of the object based on a location of a representative point selected from a plurality of locations of lane center points; determining, by the one or more processors, a second position for the representation of the object based on a set of data points received from the perception system that correspond to the object; determining, by the one or more processors, a third position for the representation of the object based on a distance between the first position and the second position; generating, by the one or more processors, the representation of the object using the third position; and displaying, by the one or more processors, the generated representation of the object on a display of the vehicle.
Facts
- Company
- Google (Waymo LLC)
- Official title
- Using map information to smooth objects generated from sensor data
- Patent number
- US12736329B2
- Application number
- 17391618
- Filed
- Aug 2, 2021
- Granted
- Sep 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G01B 11/24 Physics & computingB60K 35/10 Operations & transportB60K 35/22 Operations & transportB60K 35/29 Operations & transportB60K 35/60 Operations & transportB60K 35/80 Operations & transportMore from Google in Cars & transport
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.