Method for providing obstacle maps for vehicles

• US 10,460,603 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Walessa, Marc, Kormann, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US15/713,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20180012494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/06 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A method for the preparation of an obstacle map, wherein the obstacle map comprises cells, includes assigning each of the cells to segments of an environment of the vehicle, and assigning to each of the cells information as to whether the corresponding segment of the environment is occupied by an obstacle. The method also includes preparing an environment map that comprises the cells, and determining a threshold value specification, where the threshold value specification specifies different threshold values for the cells of the environment map. The threshold value specification is determined depending on a trajectory of the vehicle. An obstacle map is then determined on the basis of the environment map and the threshold value specification.

Claims

1. A method for the preparation of an obstacle map, wherein the obstacle map comprises cells, wherein the method comprises:

assigning each of the cells to segments of an environment of the vehicle;

assigning to each of the cells information as to whether the corresponding segment of the environment is occupied by an obstacle;

preparing an environment map, wherein the environment map comprises the cells;

determining a threshold value specification,

wherein the threshold value specification specifies different threshold values for the cells of the environment map,

wherein the threshold value specification is determined depending on a trajectory of the vehicle; and

preparing an obstacle map basis of the environment map and the threshold value specification.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a threshold value pattern is repeatedly taken into account when determining the threshold value specification, wherein the threshold value pattern provides different threshold value increments for different cells of a group of cells.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the threshold value specification comprises a threshold value map that gives a threshold value increment for each of the cells of the environment map.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, when taking into account the threshold value pattern when determining the threshold value specification, the threshold value increments of the threshold value pattern are added to the threshold values of the threshold value map.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the threshold value pattern is taken into account when determining the threshold value specification depending on a position and/or on an alignment of the vehicle in the environment map.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the threshold value pattern is taken into account when determining the threshold value specification depending on a position and/or on an alignment of the vehicle in the environment map.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the threshold value pattern is taken into account when determining the threshold value specification depending on a position and/or on an alignment of the vehicle in the environment map.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threshold value specification is further dependent on at least one of time and sensor measurements of the environment into the environment map.

9. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the threshold value specification is further dependent on at least one of time and sensor measurements of the environment into the environment map.

10. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the threshold value specification is further dependent on at least one of time and sensor measurements of the environment into the environment map.

11. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the threshold value specification is further dependent on at least one of time and sensor measurements of the environment into the environment map.

12. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the threshold value specification is further dependent on at least one of time and sensor measurements of the environment into the environment map.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a same segment of the environment is assigned to each cell of the environment map as corresponding cells of the obstacle map, and

wherein information for a given cell of the obstacle map is determined based on a comparison of an occupancy probability of a corresponding cell of the environment map with a threshold value given for the corresponding cell of the environment map in accordance with the threshold value specification.

14. The method as claimed in claim 2,

wherein a same segment of the environment is assigned to each cell of the environment map as corresponding cells of the obstacle map, and

wherein information for a given cell of the obstacle map is determined based on a comparison of an occupancy probability of a corresponding cell of the environment map with a threshold value given for the corresponding cell of the environment map in accordance with the threshold value specification.

15. The method as claimed in claim 3,

wherein a same segment of the environment is assigned to each cell of the environment map as corresponding cells of the obstacle map, and

wherein information for a given cell of the obstacle map is determined based on a comparison of an occupancy probability of a corresponding cell of the environment map with a threshold value given for the corresponding cell of the environment map in accordance with the threshold value specification.

16. The method as claimed in claim 4,

wherein a same segment of the environment is assigned to each cell of the environment map as corresponding cells of the obstacle map, and

wherein information for a given cell of the obstacle map is determined based on a comparison of an occupancy probability of a corresponding cell of the environment map with a threshold value given for the corresponding cell of the environment map in accordance with the threshold value specification.

17. The method as claimed in claim 5,

wherein a same segment of the environment is assigned to each cell of the environment map as corresponding cells of the obstacle map, and

wherein information for a given cell of the obstacle map is determined based on a comparison of an occupancy probability of a corresponding cell of the environment map with a threshold value given for the corresponding cell of the environment map in accordance with the threshold value specification.

18. The method as claimed in claim 8,

wherein a same segment of the environment is assigned to each cell of the environment map as corresponding cells of the obstacle map, and

wherein information for a given cell of the obstacle map is determined based on a comparison of an occupancy probability of a corresponding cell of the environment map with a threshold value given for the corresponding cell of the environment map in accordance with the threshold value specification.

19. An electronic control device for a vehicle, wherein the control device is configured to:

assign each of a plurality of cells comprising an obstacle map to segments of an environment of the vehicle;

assign to each of the plurality of cells information as to whether the corresponding segment of the environment is occupied by an obstacle;

prepare an environment map, wherein the environment map comprises the cells;

determine a threshold value specification,

wherein the threshold value specification specifies different threshold values for the plurality of cells of the environment map,

wherein the threshold value specification is determined depending on a trajectory of the vehicle; and

prepare an obstacle map basis of the environment map and the threshold value specification.

20. A vehicle comprising a control device, wherein the control device is configured to:

assign each of a plurality of cells comprising an obstacle map to segments of an environment of the vehicle;

assign to each of the plurality of cells information as to whether the corresponding segment of the environment is occupied by an obstacle;

prepare an environment map, wherein the environment map comprises the cells;

determine a threshold value specification,

wherein the threshold value specification specifies different threshold values for the plurality of cells of the environment map,

wherein the threshold value specification is determined depending on a trajectory of the vehicle; and

prepare an obstacle map basis of the environment map and the threshold value specification.