Road geometry matching with componentized junction models

• US 10,234,294 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Robin, Budaj, Maro{hacek over (s)}
• Primary Examiner(s): Tissot, Adam D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berns, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/088,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20170284812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3819 Road shape data, e.g. outline of a route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3867 Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for road geometry matching with componentized junction models is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of predefined road component models, receiving map data representing a physical road junction, selecting a subset of the plurality of road component models to characterize the physical road junction represented by the received map data, and defining a road junction configuration for the physical road junction with the selected road component models.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing a plurality of predefined road component models of short road segments with lanes varying by a shape, by a lane count, or by the shape and the lane count;

receiving map data comprising line segments representing lanes of a physical road junction;

selecting a subset of the plurality of road component models to characterize the physical road junction by matching the subset of road component models to the line segments represented by the received map data;

accessing a table for an order for the subset of the plurality of the road component models;

assembling the subset of the plurality of the plurality of road components in response to the order for the subset of the plurality of the road component models;

modeling the physical road junction using the selected subset of the plurality of road component models; and

rendering the model of the physical road junction to generate an image of the junction view from the selected subset of the plurality of road component models.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of predefined road component models comprises a plurality of fork component models, a plurality of straight component models and a plurality of curved component models.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the straight component models vary by the lane count comprising a first number of lanes entering the straight road component model and a second number of lanes exiting the straight road component model.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the map data comprises line segments of a fixed length.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dividing the map data line segments of a fixed length.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the modeled physical road junction is a three-dimensional model.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the rendered image of the junction view.

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform;

accessing a plurality of predefined road component models of short road segments with lanes varying by a shape, by a lane count, or by the shape and the lane count;

receiving map data comprising line segments representing lanes of a physical road junction;

selecting a subset of the plurality of road component models to characterize the physical road junction by matching the subset of road component models to the line segments represented by the received map data;

accessing a table for an order for the subset of the plurality of the road component models;

assembling the subset of the plurality of the plurality of road components in response to the order for the subset of the plurality of the road component models;

modeling the physical road junction using the selected subset of the plurality of road component models; and

rendering the model of the physical road junction to generate an image of the junction view from the selected subset of the plurality of road component models.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein selecting the subset of the plurality of road component models comprises:

selecting a fork component model for characterizing a divergence or a convergence in the physical road junction;

selecting a straight component model or a curved component model for each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence based on a direction algorithm; and

selecting a straight component model or a curved component model for each line segment not leading from the divergence or convergence base on a distance algorithm.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein selecting the subset of the plurality of road component models comprises:

selecting a fork component model for characterizing line segments representing a divergence or a convergence in the physical road junction;

selecting a straight component model or a curved component model for each line segment not representing the divergence or the convergence in the physical road junction.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed are operable to:

receive a plurality of road component models;

receive map data comprising line segments representing a physical road junction;

select, using the received map data, a fork component model from the plurality of road component models for characterizing a divergence or a convergence in the physical road junction;

select, using the received map data, a plurality of straight component models from the plurality of road component models for characterizing one or more sequences of connected straight line segments;

select, using the received map data, a straight component model or a curved component model from the plurality of road component models for each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence that is not part of the one or more sequences of connected straight line segments; and

select, using the received map data, a straight component model or a curved component model from the plurality of road component models for each line segment that is not leading from the divergence or convergence and that is not part of the one or more sequences of connected straight line segments,

wherein selecting the plurality of straight component models for characterizing one or more sequences of connected straight line segments comprises;

identifying a sequence of connected straight line segments, the identifying comprising;

establishing a reference angle based on a direction of a first line segment in a sequence;

determining an angle for each subsequent line segment in the sequence with respect to the reference angle;

determining whether the sum of the angles for each of the subsequent line segments is less than a first threshold;

determining whether the sum of the angles for each pair of consecutive line segments are less than a second threshold; and

selecting, if the first threshold and second threshold are satisfied, the plurality of straight component models characterizing the sequence of connected straight line segments.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein selecting the fork component model comprises:

identifying a subset of fork component models from the plurality of road component models based on a fork lane count and a fork lane connectivity for the physical road junction; and

selecting the fork component model from the identified subset of fork component models based on angles of output paths of the physical road with respect to an input path of the physical road junction.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein selecting the straight component model or the curved component model for each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence that is not part of the one or more sequences of connected straight line segments comprises:

identifying an endpoint of each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence;

determining an angle between the end point of each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence relative to a direction of a corresponding output path of the fork model; and

selecting the straight component model or the curved component model for each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence based on the determined angle.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein selecting the straight component model or the curved component model for each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence comprises selecting the straight component model or the curved component model with the smallest angle that is greater than the determined angle.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein selecting the straight component model or the curved component model for each line segment that is not leading from the divergence or convergence and that is not part of the one or more sequences of connected straight line segments comprises:

identifying an endpoint of each line segment that is not leading from the divergence or convergence;

determining a distance to the endpoint of each line segment relative to an end of a preceding road component model; and

selecting the straight component model or the curved component model for each line segment that is not leading from the divergence or convergence with the minimum determined distance.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the straight component models comprise a first number of lanes entering the straight road component model and a second number of lanes exiting the straight road component model.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed are operable to:

receive a plurality of road component models;

receive map data comprising line segments representing a physical road junction;

select, using the received map data, a fork component model from the plurality of road component models for characterizing a divergence or a convergence in the physical road junction;

select, using the received map data, a plurality of straight component models from the plurality of road component models for characterizing one or more sequences of connected straight line segments;

select, using the received map data, a straight component model or a curved component model from the plurality of road component models for each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence that is not part of the one or more sequences of connected straight line segments; and

select, using the received map data, a straight component model or a curved component model from the plurality of road component models for each line segment that is not leading from the divergence or convergence and that is not part of the one or more sequences of connected straight line segments;

wherein selecting the straight component model or the curved component model for each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence that is not part of the one or more sequences of connected straight line segments comprises;

identifying an endpoint of each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence;

determining an angle between the end point of each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence relative to a direction of a corresponding output path of the fork model; and

selecting the straight component model or the curved component model for each line segment leading from the divergence or convergence based on the determined angle, wherein determining the endpoint of each line segment leading from the divergence or the convergence comprises adding the length of a road component model to the selected fork component model.