Apparatus and method for detecting road surface properties

1. An apparatus for detecting a road surface property, the apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a reflectivity table that includes a degree of reflectivity of a rainy road relative to a reference reflectivity, and a degree of reflectivity of a snowy road relative to the reference reflectivity, and a degree of reflectivity of a dry road relative to the reference reflectivity and store a plurality of program instructions;

a processor configured to execute the program instructions, the program instructions when executed configured to:

measure a reflection wherein the reflection is an amount of a laser beam that is emitted through a light emitting unit of a laser sensor, reflected from the road surface, and received by a light receiving unit;

calculate a degree of reflectivity wherein the degree of reflectivity is a measured ratio of the reflection in comparison to the reference reflectivity; and

detect a road surface property corresponding to the calculated degree of reflectivity based on the reflectivity table;

wherein the degree of reflectivity of a dry road is 1, the degree of reflectivity of a rainy road is less than 1, and the degree of reflectivity of a snowy road is greater than 1.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the program instructions when executed are further configured to:

provide property information relating to the detected road surface.

3. A method of detecting a road surface property, the method comprising: storing, on a memory, a reflectivity table which includes a degree of reflectivity of a rainy road relative to a reference reflectivity, a degree of reflectivity of a snowy road relative to the reference reflectivity and a degree of reflectivity of a dry road relative to the reference reflectivity;

measuring, by a controller, a reflection wherein the reflection is amount of a laser beam that is emitted through a light emitting unit of a laser sensor, reflected from the road surface, and received by a light receiving unit;

calculating, by the controller, a degree of reflectivity, wherein the degree of reflectivity is a ratio of the measured reflection to in comparison to the reference reflectivity; and

detecting, by the controller, a road surface property corresponding to the calculated degree of reflectivity based on the reflectivity table;

wherein the degree of reflectivity of a dry road is 1, the degree of reflectivity of a rainy road is less than 1, and the degree of reflectivity of a snowy road is greater than 1.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

providing, to by the controller, property information relating the detected road surface.

5. An apparatus for detecting a road surface property, the apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a reflectivity table that includes a degree of reflectivity of a rainy road relative to a reference reflectivity, a degree of reflectivity of a snowy road relative to the reference reflectivity, and a degree of reflectivity of a dry road relative to the reference reflectivity and store a plurality of program instructions;

and configured to store a plurality of program instructions;

a processor configured to execute the program instructions, the program instructions when executed configured to:

detect abnormalities on a road surface based on a surface image of a road in front of a vehicle captured by an image capturing device;

operate a laser sensor upon detection of an abnormality on the road surface;

measure a reflection wherein the reflection is an amount of a laser beam that is emitted through a light emitting unit of the laser sensor, reflected from the road surface, and received by a light receiving unit;

calculate a degree of reflectivity wherein the degree of reflectivity is a ratio of the measured reflection in comparison to the reference reflectivity; and

detect a road surface property that corresponds to the calculated degree of reflectivity based on the reflectivity table;

wherein the degree of reflectivity of a dry road is 1, the degree of reflectivity of a rainy road is less than 1, and the degree of reflectivity of a snowy road is greater than 1.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the program instructions when executed are further configured to:

provide property information of relating to the determined road surface.

7. A method of detecting a road surface property, the method comprising:

Storing, in a memory, a reflectivity table that includes a degree of reflectivity of a rainy road relative to a reference reflectivity, a degree of reflectivity of a snowy road relative to the reference reflectivity, and a degree of reflectivity of a dry road relative to the reference reflectivity;

detecting, by a controller, abnormalities on the road surface based on a surface image of a road in front of a vehicle captured by an image capturing device;

operating, by the controller, a laser sensor upon detection of an abnormality of the road surface by the image processing unit;

measuring, by the controller, a reflection wherein the reflection is an amount of a laser beam that is emitted through a light emitting unit of the laser sensor, reflected from the road surface, and received by a light receiving unit;

calculating, by the controller, a degree of reflectivity wherein the degree of reflectivity is a ratio of the measured reflection in comparison to the reference reflectivity; and

detecting, by the controller, the road surface property corresponding to the calculated degree of reflectivity based on the reflectivity table;

wherein the degree of reflectivity of a dry road is 1, the degree of reflectivity of a rainy road is less than 1, and the degree of reflectivity of a snowy road is greater than 1.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

providing, to by the controller, property information relating to the determined road surface.