Claims:We claim:

1. A method for generating safe navigation path for a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by a navigation path generation system, a reference path between a source and a destination, wherein the reference path is confined between a left boundary and a right boundary;
generating, by the navigation path generation system, a plurality of left scan lines and a plurality of right scan lines originating from the reference path, with respect to an axis of pre-defined axis of orientation, wherein an end point of each of the plurality of left scan lines meets the left boundary and an end point of each of the plurality of right scan lines meets the right boundary;
generating, by the navigation path generation system, one or more left segments along the left boundary, based on the end point of each of the plurality of left scan lines and one or more right segments along the right boundary, based on the end point of each of the plurality of right scan lines;
projecting, by the navigation path generation system, a perpendicular stretch from a centre of each of the one or more left segments to the right boundary and a perpendicular stretch from a centre of each of the one or more right segments to the left boundary;
determining, by the navigation path generation system, a centre point of the perpendicular stretch projected from the centres of each of the one or more left and right segments; and
generating, by the navigation path generation system, the safe navigation path for the vehicle based on the centre point of the perpendicular stretch projected from the centres of each of the one or more left and right segments.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reference path is received from a static map generated using a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of left scan lines and the plurality right scan lines are generated at pre-defined length intervals of the reference path;

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generation of each the one or more left segments and right segments is further based on a pre-defined angular threshold, and a pre-defined segment length threshold.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the one or more left and right segments is a straight line, generated based on a deviation angle between the end point of each of the plurality of left and right scan lines and a corresponding reference end point indicating a beginning of the one or more left and right segments, wherein the deviation angle is lesser than the pre-defined angular threshold.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the one or more left segments are generated to maximise a count of the end point of each of the plurality of left scan lines, falling on the generated one or more left segments.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the one or more right segments are generated to maximise a count of end point of each of the plurality of right scan lines, falling on the generated one or more right segments.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the perpendicular stretch from the centre of each of the one or more left segments is projected to at least one of the one or more right segments and the perpendicular stretch from the centre of each of the one or more right segments is projected to at least one of the one or more left segments.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the safe navigation path is generated based on a curve fitting of the centre point of the perpendicular stretch projected from the centres of each of the one or more left and right segments.

11. A navigation path generation system for generating a safe navigation path for a vehicle, the navigation path generation system comprising;
an Electronic Control Unit (ECU), configured to:
receive, a reference path between a source and a destination, wherein the reference path is confined between a left boundary and a right boundary;
generate, a plurality of left scan lines and a plurality of right scan lines originating from the reference path, with respect to an axis of pre-defined axis of orientation, wherein an end point of each of the plurality of left scan lines meets the left boundary and an end point of each of the plurality of right scan lines meets the right boundary;
generate, one or more left segments along the left boundary, based on the end point of each of the plurality of left scan lines and one or more right segments along the right boundary, based on the end point of each of the plurality of right scan lines;
project, a perpendicular stretch from a centre of each of the one or more left segments to the right boundary and a perpendicular stretch from a centre of each of the one or more right segments to the left boundary;
determine, a centre point of the perpendicular stretch projected from the centres of each of the one or more left and right segments; and
generate, the safe navigation path for the vehicle based on the centre point of the perpendicular stretch projected from the centres of each of the one or more left and right segments.

12. The navigation path generation system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

13. The navigation path generation system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the reference path is received from a static map generated using a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system.

14. The navigation path generation system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plurality of left scan lines and the plurality of right scan lines are generated at pre-defined length intervals of the reference path;

15. The navigation path generation system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the generation of each the one or more left segments and right segments is further based on a pre-defined angular threshold, and a pre-defined segment length threshold.

16. The navigation path generation system as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of the one or more left and right segments is a straight line, generated based on a deviation angle between the end point of each of the plurality of left and right scan lines and a corresponding reference end point indicating a beginning of the one or more left and right segments, wherein the deviation angle is lesser than the pre-defined angular threshold.

17. The navigation path generation system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the one or more left segments are generated to maximise a count of the end point of each of the plurality of left scan lines, falling on the generated one or more left segments.

18. The navigation path generation system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the one or more right segments are generated to maximise a count of end point of each of the plurality of right scan lines, falling on the generated one or more right segments.

19. The navigation path generation system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the perpendicular stretch from the centre of each of the one or more left segments is projected to at least one of the one or more right segments and the perpendicular stretch from the centre of each of the one or more right segments is projected to at least one of the one or more left segments.

20. The navigation path generation system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the safe navigation path is generated based on a curve fitting of the centre point of the perpendicular stretch projected from the centres of each of the one or more left and right segments.

Dated this 3rd day of December, 2017

R Ramya Rao
Of K&S Partners
Agent for the Applicant
, Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to navigation of vehicles. Particularly, but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to a method and a system for generating a safe navigation path for a vehicle.