Patent Document ID: 9989456
Application ID: 13781017
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of automated determination of retroreflectivity values for reflective surfaces disposed along a roadway comprising: activating a light source on a capture vehicle, while the capture vehicle is moving along the roadway, to illuminate an area that includes at least one reflective surface, the at least one reflective surface including a foreground surface and a background surface; determining a plurality of light intensity values with at least one intensity sensor directed to cover a field of view which includes at least a portion of the area illuminated by the light source; while the capture vehicle is moving, capturing a color image with a camera mounted on the capture vehicle and directed to cover a field of view which includes at least a portion of the area illuminated by the light source, the camera being distinct from the at least one intensity sensor; and using a computer processing system to: identify a portion of the plurality of light intensity values, the portion of the plurality of light intensity values being associated with one of the at least one reflective surfaces; analyze the portion of the plurality of light intensity values; and determine at least one retroreflectivity value for the one of the at least one reflective surfaces using the portion of the plurality of light intensity values, the captured color image, and at least one of: a sheeting color of the background surface of the one of the at least one reflective surfaces and a sheeting color of the foreground surface of the one of the at least one reflective surfaces.