Patent ID: 8941739
Filing Date: 2015-01-27
Classification: G01N,G01S

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for detecting a road surface property, the apparatus comprising: a memory configured to store a reflectivity table that includes a degree of reflectivity of a rainy road relative to a reference reflectivity, and a degree of reflectivity of a snowy road relative to the reference reflectivity, and a degree of reflectivity of a dry road relative to the reference reflectivity and store a plurality of program instructions; a processor configured to execute the program instructions, the program instructions when executed configured to: measure a reflection wherein the reflection is an amount of a laser beam that is emitted through a light emitting unit of a laser sensor, reflected from the road surface, and received by a light receiving unit; calculate a degree of reflectivity wherein the degree of reflectivity is a measured ratio of the reflection in comparison to the reference reflectivity; and detect a road surface property corresponding to the calculated degree of reflectivity based on the reflectivity table; wherein the degree of reflectivity of a dry road is 1, the degree of reflectivity of a rainy road is less than 1, and the degree of reflectivity of a snowy road is greater than 1.