Patent ID: 8194927

Claim:
A method of detecting road lane markers using a light-based sensing technology, the method comprising the steps of: capturing reflectivity data using a light-based sensing device; generating a light intensity signal based on the captured reflectivity data received by the light-based sensing device; convolving the light intensity signal with a differential filter for generating a filter response that identifies a candidate lane marker region and ground segment regions juxtaposed on each side of the candidate lane marker region; calculating a weighted standard deviation of light intensity-based data points within the identified candidate lane marker region; calculating a standard deviation of light intensity-based data points within the ground segment regions juxtaposed to the candidate lane marker region; determining an objective value for the identified candidate lane marker region as a function of the weighted standard deviation of light intensity-based data points within the candidate lane marker region, the weighted standard deviation of light intensity-based data points within the ground segment regions juxtaposed to the identified candidate lane marker region, and a number of data points contained within the identified candidate lane marker region; and comparing the objective value to a respective threshold for determining whether the identified candidate lane marker region is a lane marker.