US Patent 11592571 Free space detection apparatus and free space detection method

A free space detection apparatus for a vehicle is provided to detect a free space based on a lidar sensor and recognize a driving environment. The apparatus includes a point data processor that removes noise of point data acquired from the LIDAR sensor and derives a half line with respect to an obstacle point from which noise has been removed based on coordinates of the obstacle point. A map processor generates a map for space classification, checks whether the obstacle point or the half line with respect to the obstacle point is present in a cell of the map and determines cell states of the map. A free space detector detects a free space based on the cell states of the map.