Patent Document ID: 8605947
Application ID: 12581838
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. Method for detecting a clear path of travel for a host vehicle including fusion of clear path detection by image analysis and detection of an object within an operating environment of the host vehicle, the method comprising: monitoring an image from a camera device; analyzing the image through clear path detection analysis to determine a clear path of travel within the image; monitoring two sets of sensor data describing the object, each set of sensor data comprising a range, a time-rate of change of range, and an azimuth angle of the object; fusing, over a series of discrete time events, the two sets of sensor data to determine a tracked position and velocity of the object; analyzing the tracked position and velocity of the object to determine an impact of the object to the clear path, comprising: extracting a defined area of interest in the image corresponding to the tracked position and velocity of the object, analyzing the defined area of interest to extract features indicative of the object, and classifying the extracted features to determine the impact of the object to the clear path; utilizing the determined impact of the object to describe an enhanced clear path of travel; when the velocity of the object indicates the object is in motion, identifying a clear path image area, comprising: determining a previously traversed path travelled by the object based on the tracked position and velocity of the object, and identifying the clear path image area based on the previously traversed path, the clear path image area being devoid of other objects; and utilizing the enhanced clear path of travel and the identified clear path image area to navigate the host vehicle.