MUMBAI, India, March 13 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202641025678 A) filed by B Sharath Chandra; Muntha Raju; K Dhivya; M Sowjanya; D Gopi Reddy; and C Jashwitha, Hyderabad, Telangana, on March 4, for 'a system and method for real-time detection of road potholes using image processing on embedded platforms.'
Inventor(s) include B Sharath Chandra; Muntha Raju; K Dhivya; M Sowjanya; D Gopi Reddy; and C Jashwitha.
The application for the patent was published on March 13, under issue no. 11/2026.
According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "The present invention relates to a system and method for real-time detection of road potholes using image processing techniques on embedded platforms such as Raspberry Pi. Potholes are a major road infrastructure problem, causing vehicle damage, increasing maintenance costs, and posing safety risks to commuters. Traditional manual inspection methods are inefficient, time-consuming, and prone to errors, while existing automated approaches often require high-end computing resources or lack real-time capability. The proposed invention provides a low-cost, scalable, and automated solution that enables continuous monitoring of road surfaces and accurate detection of potholes in real-time. The system comprises a vehicle-mounted camera module that captures images or video of the road surface during transit. The captured data is processed on an embedded platform using optimized algorithms for image preprocessing, including noise reduction, grayscale conversion, and contrast enhancement. Subsequent feature extraction and detection employ edge detection, contour analysis, and morphological operations to identify potholes and assess their size, depth, and severity. Adaptive techniques ensure reliable performance under varying environmental conditions, such as changes in lighting, shadows, water puddles, or debris. Detected potholes are logged and reported in real-time through a dashboard or alert system, enabling road maintenance authorities or fleet operators to take immediate corrective action. Historical data is stored for trend analysis and predictive maintenance planning. The invention emphasizes non-intrusive operation, ensuring seamless monitoring without interrupting vehicle operation. Overall, the system provides an efficient, accurate, and cost-effective method for automated pothole detection, enhancing road safety, reducing vehicle damage, and supporting data-driven infrastructure maintenance and management."
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
