Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an automated road repairing device designed to assist in road surface maintenance by accurately detecting and identifying crack locations and types, enabling efficient and executes precise repairing processes, thereby enhancing road safety and longevity while reducing manual labor and minimizing errors in the maintenance of road infrastructure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Road maintenance and repairing are crucial for ensuring the safety, efficiency, and longevity of transportation infrastructure. Over time, roads deteriorate due to factors like traffic load, weather conditions, and natural wear and tear, leading to cracks, potholes, and surface degradation. Regular maintenance helps identify and address these issues early, preventing further damage that could result in hazardous driving conditions, accidents, or costly repairs. Proper road upkeep improves vehicle performance, reduces fuel consumption, and extends the lifespan of both roads and vehicles. It also contributes to economic stability by supporting efficient transportation of goods and services. Additionally, well-maintained roads are essential for minimizing disruptions to daily life, improving travel comfort, and fostering regional connectivity. Neglecting road maintenance can lead to increased repair costs, traffic delays, and even damage to the environment. Thus, timely and effective road repair is vital for public safety, economic growth, and overall quality of life.

[0003] Traditional methods of road maintenance and repair typically involve manual inspections, patching cracks and potholes with materials like asphalt or concrete, and resurfacing roads to restore functionality. These methods are often labor-intensive and rely on visual assessments to identify damage. However, they have several drawbacks. First, they are reactive rather than proactive, addressing only visible issues and often missing underlying structural damage. Patching and resurfacing are temporary solutions, as the same issues may recur over time, leading to frequent repairs. Additionally, these methods do not account for the dynamic nature of road deterioration, such as changes in weather conditions or traffic load, which can affect the road’s stability. The reliance on manual labor also increases costs and delays. Moreover, traditional repairs may not address the underlying causes of road damage, such as poor drainage or inadequate materials, leading to recurring problems and inefficient resource use. Thus, these methods lack long-term sustainability and efficiency.

[0004] CN209854875U discloses a highway maintenance drainage device, which comprises a road surface, the inside spring groove that is provided with in road surface, its spring in slot lateral wall are connected with first spring, and first spring end is fixed with the fixed block, the fixed block below is provided with the drainage lid, and its drainage lid top lateral wall is provided with the water inlet, and the inside litter groove that is provided with of drainage lid, litter in slot lateral wall is connected with first litter, drainage lid middle part is connected with the hydraulic stem, and its hydraulic stem end-to-end connection has the hydraulic press, and the inside buffer solution that is provided with of hydraulic press, hydraulic press left side wall connection has the hydraulic pressure auxiliary rod, and its hydraulic pressure auxiliary rod end-to-end connection has the second litter, and the litter lateral wall is connected with the third spring, road surface bottom lateral wall is provided with the outlet, and the outlet below is connected. This highway maintenance drainage device adopts dual shock-absorbing structure, has improved the life of drainage lid to guaranteed that surface gathered water in time discharges, improved motor vehicle factor of safety that traveles.

[0005] CN219586537U relates to the field of maintenance devices, in particular to a road construction maintenance device. The road construction maintenance device comprises a bottom plate, wherein a lifting box is fixedly installed on one side of the top of the bottom plate, and a stirring box is fixedly installed on one side, away from the lifting box, of the top of the bottom plate. The road construction maintenance device provided by the utility model has the advantages that the first motor is started, the gear fixedly connected with the output end of the first motor rotates, so that the first toothed plate meshed with the gear moves downwards, the hairbrush is attached to the damaged part of a road, the electric telescopic rod is started, the sliding plate fixedly connected with the output end of the electric telescopic rod moves left and right, the guide blocks respectively fixedly connected with the two ends of the sliding plate move left and right along the guide rod, the hairbrush fixedly connected with the bottom of the sliding plate moves left and right, the damaged part of the road can be cleaned, filling and filling materials can be conveniently repaired, and the road construction maintenance device has the advantages of time and labor saving without cleaning by workers.

[0006] Conventionally, many devices are designed for maintenance purposes, but these devices typically lack the capability to assist users in road surface maintenance and repair by accurately identifying the location and type of cracks; instead, they may focus on general maintenance tasks or require manual identification, which can be inefficient and prone to errors, leading to suboptimal repair outcomes. Unlike these conventional devices, the present invention is specifically engineered to enhance road repair efficiency by incorporating advanced technology that precisely detects and categorizes cracks, providing users with detailed information for timely and accurate road surface restoration, ultimately improving the safety and longevity of roadways.

[0007] To address the limitations of conventional devices, there is a clear need in the field of road surface maintenance for the development of an advanced device that helps users accurately identify the location and type of cracks, enabling more efficient and precise repair processes. The developed device requires to eliminate the inefficiencies and errors associated with manual detection, providing users with reliable, real-time data for targeted repairs. By improving accuracy and reducing labor, such a device needs to ensure better road surface restoration, enhance safety, and extend the lifespan of road infrastructure, meeting the growing demands for more effective maintenance solutions in the industry.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to develop a device that assists the user in road surface maintenance and repair by accurately identifying the location and type of cracks, providing real-time data to help prioritize and target repair efforts, thereby improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing the overall safety and durability of the road infrastructure.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of determining the type of vehicles using the road for commute, and based on this data, evaluating the appropriate materials required for repairing the cracks, ensuring that the chosen materials are suitable for the specific traffic load, enhancing durability, and optimizing the repair process.

[0011] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a portable and reliable device for road repair and maintenance, designed for easy transportation and use in various locations, ensuring efficient identification, assessment, and repair of road damage while maintaining durability and consistent performance, allowing users to quickly address road issues with minimal effort and downtime.

[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to an automated road repairing device that helps users in road surface maintenance by accurately detecting and identifying the location and type of cracks, thereby streamlining the repair process, improving repair precision, reducing manual labor, and enhancing overall efficiency, safety, and durability of road infrastructure maintenance.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an automated road repairing device, comprising a housing positioned over a road surface by means of plurality of motorized wheels arranged beneath the housing, a GPS (Global Positioning System) module integrated with a microcontroller determine traffic flow in surroundings areas, a touch interactive display panel installed with the housing enable user to select an area where roads are to be repaired, an artificial intelligence based imaging unit installed over the housing determines presence and type of cracks over the road, a sensing module integrated with the housing monitor dimensions and depth of the detected cracks, a robotic arm installed over the housing position a multi-sectioned chamber with an electronic nozzle and configured with the arm over the detected cracks to dispense filler material within the cracks in view of filling the cracks, a robotic link installed over the housing position a spring-operated hammer configured with the link over the dispensed filler material for flattening the dispensed filler material.

[0015] While the invention has been described and shown with particular reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an automated road repairing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0018] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.

[0019] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.

[0020] The present invention describes an automated road repairing device that aids in road surface maintenance by precisely identifying the location and type of cracks, streamlining the repair process, improving efficiency, and ensuring accurate, timely road repairs while reducing manual labor and enhancing road safety and durability.

[0021] Referring to Figure 1, a perspective view of an automated road repairing device is illustrated, comprising a housing 101 with plurality of motorized wheels 102 arranged beneath the housing 101, a touch interactive display panel 103, an artificial intelligence based imaging unit 104 installed over the housing 101, a sensing module 105 integrated with the housing 101, a robotic arm 106 installed over the housing 101 configured with a multi-sectioned chamber with an electronic nozzle 107, and a robotic link 108 installed over the housing 101 with a spring-operated hammer 109.

[0022] The device proposed herein includes a housing 101 developed to be positioned over a road surface in view of repairing the surface. The housing 101 as mentioned herein is a cuboidal enclosure encasing various components associated with the device, wherein the housing 101 is made up of material that includes but not limited to stainless steel, which in turn ensures that the device is of generous size and is light in weight.

[0023] The housing 101 is equipped with motorized wheels 102 in association with a microcontroller, wherein the wheels 102 are installed with support of multiple rod like structure to maneuver the housing 101 throughout the road surface. The supporting rods helps to maintain an optimum distance between the base of the housing 101 and the road surface to enable the device to supervise the condition of the road surface.

[0024] In order to activate functioning of the device, a user is required to manually switch on the device by pressing a button positioned on the housing 101, wherein the button used herein is a push button. Upon pressing of the button, the circuits get closed allowing conduction of electricity that leads to activation of the device and vice versa.

[0025] Upon activation of the device by the user, a GPS (Global Positioning System) module integrated with an inbuilt microcontroller embedded within the housing 101 determines traffic flow in surroundings areas. The GPS (Global Positioning System) module is a satellite-based navigation system. The satellites present in space moving in fixed orbits transmits information about the real-time location of the housing 101 The signals travel at the speed of light and are intercepted by the GPS module such that the GPS module calculates the distance of each satellite and based on the time taken by the information to arrive at the receiver. The GPS module locates four or more satellites and calculates the distance between each of them. Using this information, the GPS module finds out the current location of the housing 101 Once the distance is determined, the GPS module uses a trilateration method to determine the exact position of the housing 101 and thus fetching the real-time location coordinates of the housing 101 to determine traffic flow in surroundings areas.

[0026] In accordance to the determined traffic flow in surroundings areas, the microcontroller activates a touch interactive display panel 103 installed with the housing 101 to enable an authorized user to select an area where roads are to be repaired. The touch interactive display panel 103 as mentioned herein is typically an (Liquid Crystal Display) screen that presents output in a visible form. The screen is equipped with touch-sensitive technology, allowing the user to interact directly with the display using their fingers. A touch controller IC (Integrated Circuit) is responsible for processing the analog signals generated when the user inputs details regarding an area where roads are to be repaired. The touch controller is typically connected to the microcontroller through various interfaces which may include but are not limited to SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) or I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit).

[0027] In response to input commands of the user, the microcontroller actuates the wheels 102 to position the housing 101 over the user-specified area. The motorized wheels 102 comprises a pair of wheel coupled with a motor via a shaft wherein upon receiving the command from the microcontroller by the motor, the motor starts to rotate in clockwise or anti-clockwise direction in order to provide movement to the wheels 102 via the shaft. The wheels 102 thus maneuvers the housing 101 for positioning over the user-specified area.

[0028] Upon positioning of the housing 101 over the user-specified area, the microcontroller activates an artificial intelligence based imaging unit 104 installed over the housing 101 to determine presence and type of cracks over the road. The imaging unit 104 comprises of an image capturing arrangement including a set of lenses that captures multiple images in the surroundings, and the captured images are stored within memory of the imaging unit 104 in form of an optical data. The imaging unit 104 also comprises of a processor that is integrated with artificial intelligence protocols, such that the processor processes the optical data and extracts the required data from the captured images. The extracted data is further converted into digital pulses and bits and are further transmitted to the microcontroller. The microcontroller processes the received data and determines presence and type of cracks over the road such as transverse cracks, longitudinal cracks, alligator cracks, block cracks, edge cracks, reflection cracks.

[0029] The imaging unit 104 works in sync with a sensing module 105 integrated with the housing 101 and including a laser sensor and depth sensor to monitor dimensions and depth of the detected cracks. The laser sensor and depth sensor work in tandem to monitor the dimensions and depth of detected cracks, providing precise measurements in sync with an imaging unit 104. The laser sensor projects a laser beam onto the surface, and the reflected light is captured by the sensor to calculate the distance between the sensor and the crack's surface. This process allows for highly accurate measurement of the crack’s length, width, and shape. Simultaneously, the depth sensor, which typically uses ultrasonic or LIDAR technology, measures the vertical depth of the crack by emitting sound waves or laser pulses and measuring the time it takes for the signal to return. These measurements are continuously synced with the imaging unit 104, which captures visual data of the crack. Together, the laser and depth sensors provide real-time, multidimensional data, enabling the microcontroller to perform comprehensive analysis of the crack’s dimensions and the depth and accordingly evaluates type and amount of filler material to be used for filing the crack.

[0030] The microcontroller via the GPS (Global Positioning System) module determines real time location of the housing 101 and accordingly access a communication module integrated with the microcontroller to determine type of vehicles using the road for commute based on which the microcontroller evaluates the material to be used for repairing the cracks, in an efficient manner.

[0031] The communication module mentioned herein includes, but not limited to Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) module, Bluetooth module, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) module for enabling the microcontroller to determine type of vehicles using the road for commute based on which the microcontroller evaluates the material to be used for repairing the cracks, effectively.

[0032] The microcontroller synchronously directs the touch interactive display panel 103 to visually present the detected cracks to the user, providing detailed information about their location and severity. This allows the user to assess the situation in real-time and take necessary actions, such as initiating repairs, adjusting the vehicle's route, or notifying relevant authorities, thereby ensuring timely intervention and minimizing potential damage or hazards caused by the road cracks, enhancing overall safety and maintenance efficiency.

[0033] Based on the evaluated type and amount of filler material to be used for filing the crack, the microcontroller activates a robotic arm 106 installed over the housing 101 to position a multi-sectioned chamber configured with the arm 106 over the detected cracks. The robotic arm 106 comprises of a robotic link 108 and a clamp attached to the link 108. The robotic link 108 is made of several segments that are attached together by joints also referred to as axes. Each joint of the segments contains a step motor that rotates and allows the robotic link 108 to complete a specific motion of the arm 106. Upon actuation of the robotic arm 106 by the microcontroller, the motor drives the movement of the clamp to position the multi-sectioned chamber over the detected cracks.

[0034] Upon positioning of the multi-sectioned chamber over the detected an electronic nozzle 107 installed with each sections of the chamber are actuated by the microcontroller to dispense the evaluated amount of the evaluated filler material, such as, asphalt, crack sealant, polymer-filler, geotextile membrane, binder, stored in each sections, within the cracks in view of filling the cracks. The electronic nozzle 107 works by utilizing electrical energy to automize the flow solution in a controlled flow pattern by converting the pressure energy of a fluid into kinetic energy, which increases the fluid's velocity to get dispensed. Upon actuation of nozzle 107 by the microcontroller, the electric motor or the pump pressurizes filler material within the chamber, increasing its pressure significantly. High pressure enables the solution to get dispensed out with a high force within the cracks in view of filling the cracks.

[0035] A temperature sensor integrated with each of the section of the chamber monitor temperature of the filler mater stored inside. The temperature sensor mentioned herein is an infrared (IR) based temperature sensor that operates by detecting infrared radiation emitted by the filler mater inside the section. The sensor includes an IR detector that receives radiation from the filler mater and converts the radiation into an electrical signal. This signal's intensity correlates with the temperature of the filler mater, as hotter the filler mater emits more IR radiation, which is then sent to the microcontroller in the form of an electrical signal. The microcontroller processes the signal to determine temperature of the filler mater stored inside and accordingly activates a heating element integrated with each sections of the chamber to regulate temperature of the filler material stored in each of sections of the chamber.

[0036] The heating element used herein is made up of metal and uses electricity as the energy source. The heating element uses electrical resistance to convert the electric energy into heat energy which is then transferred through to an air medium over the wire to regulate temperature of the filler material stored in each of sections of the chamber.

[0037] Upon filling of the cracks with filler material, the microcontroller actuates a robotic link 108 installed over the housing 101 to position a spring-operated hammer 109 configured with the link 108 over the dispensed filler material. The robotic link 108 is made of several segments that are attached together by joints also referred to as axes. Each joint of the segments contains a step motor that rotates and allows the robotic link 108 to complete a specific motion of the link 108. Upon actuation of the robotic link 108 by the microcontroller, the motor drives the movement of the link 108 to position the spring-operated hammer 109 over the dispensed filler material.

[0038] The microcontroller then activates the spring-operated hammer 109 for flattening the dispensed filler material. The spring-operated hammer 109 is a specialized type of hammer 109, including a hammer 109 integrated with an electromagnetic spring, in which the magnetic field is produced by an electric current. When the current is passed through the spring, a magnetic field gets generated around the spring, thus energizing the spring, the microcontroller controls the energization- deenergization of the spring for hammer 109ing and flattening the dispensed filler material over the crack.

[0039] Lastly, a battery is installed within the device which is connected to the microcontroller that supplies current to all the electrically powered components that needs an amount of electric power to perform their functions and operation in an efficient manner. The battery utilized here, is preferably a dry battery which is made up of Lithium-ion material that gives the device a long-lasting as well as an efficient DC (Direct Current) current which helps every component to function properly in an efficient manner. As the device is battery operated and do not need any electrical voltage for functioning. Hence the presence of battery leads to the portability of the device i.e., user is able to place as well as moves the device from one place to another as per the requirements.

[0040] The present invention works best in the following manner, where the housing 101 as disclosed in the invention is developed to be positioned over road surface in view of repairing the surface. Upon activation of the device by the user, the GPS (Global Positioning System) module determines traffic flow in surroundings areas. In accordance to the determined traffic flow in surroundings areas, the microcontroller activates the touch interactive display panel 103 to enable the authorized user to select the area where roads are to be repaired. In response to input commands of the user, the microcontroller actuates the wheels 102 to position the housing 101 over the user-specified area. Upon positioning of the housing 101 over the user-specified area, the microcontroller activates the artificial intelligence based imaging unit 104 to determine presence and type of cracks over the road. The imaging unit 104 works in sync with the sensing module 105 and including the laser sensor and depth sensor to monitor dimensions and depth of the detected cracks. The microcontroller synchronously directs the touch interactive display panel 103 to visually present the detected cracks to the user, providing detailed information about their location and severity.

[0041] In continuation, based on the evaluated type and amount of filler material to be used for filing the crack, the microcontroller activates the robotic arm 106 to position the multi-sectioned chamber over the detected cracks. Upon positioning of the multi-sectioned chamber over the detected the electronic nozzle 107 is actuated by the microcontroller to dispense the evaluated amount of the evaluated filler material, such as, asphalt, crack sealant, polymer-filler, geotextile membrane, binder, stored in each sections, within the cracks in view of filling the cracks. Upon filling of the cracks with filler material, the microcontroller actuates the robotic link 108 to position the spring-operated hammer 109 over the dispensed filler material for flattening the dispensed filler material.

[0042] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. , Claims:1) An automated road repairing device, comprising:

i) a housing 101 positioned over a ground surface by means of plurality of motorized wheels 102 arranged beneath said housing 101, wherein a GPS (Global Positioning System) module is integrated with a microcontroller associated with said device to determine traffic flow in surroundings areas;

ii) a touch interactive display panel 103 installed with said housing 101 display said detected traffic flow in order to enable an authorized user to select an area where roads are to be repaired and accordingly actuates said wheels 102 to position said housing 101 over said user-specified area;

iii) an artificial intelligence based imaging unit 104 installed over said housing 101 and integrated with a processor for capturing and processing images of said road, based on said captured images, a microcontroller link 108ed with said imaging unit 104 determines presence and type of cracks over said road;

iv) a sensing module 105 integrated with said housing 101 and synced with said imaging unit to monitor dimensions and depth of said detected cracks, wherein based on said detected type of said cracks and output of said sensing module 105, said microcontroller evaluates type and amount of filler material to be used for filing said crack;

v) a robotic arm 106 installed over said housing 101 and directed by said microcontroller to position a multi-sectioned chamber configured with said arm 106 over said detected cracks, wherein each section of said chamber is developed to store filler materials of various types including asphalt, crack sealant, polymer-filler, geotextile membrane, binder etc; and

vi) an electronic nozzle 107 and a pump installed with each of said sections and directed by said microcontroller to dispense said evaluated amount of said evaluated filler material within said cracks in view of filling said cracks, wherein a robotic link 108 installed over said housing 101 and directed by said microcontroller to position a spring-operated hammer 109 configured with said link 108 over said dispensed filler material for flattening said dispensed filler material.

2) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensing module 105 includes a laser sensor and depth sensor.

3) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said type of cracks includes but not limited to transverse cracks, longitudinal cracks, alligator cracks, block cracks, edge cracks, reflection cracks.

4) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microcontroller via said GPS (Global Positioning System) module determine real time location of said housing 101 and accordingly access a communication module is integrated with said microcontroller to determine type of vehicles using said road for commute based on which said microcontroller evaluates said material to be used for repairing said cracks.

5) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said touch interactive display panel 103 is directed by said microcontroller to display said detected type of cracks over said road to enable said user to take necessary actions accordingly.

6) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a heating element is integrated with each section that actuates to regulate temperature of said filler material as monitored by a temperature sensor integrated with each of said section.

7) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a battery is associated with said device for powering up electrical and electronically operated components associated with said device.