Method for updating a geographic database for an in-vehicle navigation system

• US 20100014712A1
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen Of America (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen Of America (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Held, Daniel, Sampedro Diaz, Luis, Rosario, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3852 Data derived from aerial or satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions

Abstract

A method for updating a geographic database containing image data and road vector data to be used in vehicle navigation systems includes determining whether a vehicle is in an on-road position based on information provided by the vehicle navigation system. A geographically coded image is generated with a vehicle-mounted camera if the vehicle is not in an on-road position according to the information provided by the vehicle navigation system. The geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera is analyzed in order to determine whether the geographic database requires updating.

Claims

1. A method for updating a database, which comprises the steps of:

determining whether a vehicle is in an on-road position based on information provided by an in-vehicle navigation system;

generating a geographically coded image by using a vehicle-mounted camera, if the vehicle is not in an on-road position according to the information provided by the in-vehicle navigation system; and

analyzing the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera in order to determine whether a geographic database requires updating.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera includes comparing the geographically coded image to stored photorealistic image data.

3. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

analyzing the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera in order to detect road characteristics in the geographically coded image, if the geographically coded image matches geographically corresponding image data stored as photorealistic image data; and

concluding that the vehicle is in an actual off-road position and that no update of the geographic database is required if no road is detected in the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera.

4. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

analyzing the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera in order to detect road characteristics in the geographically coded image, if the geographically coded image matches geographically corresponding image data stored as photorealistic image data;

checking whether new road vector data are available on a remote server, if a road is detected in the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera; and

downloading the new road vector data from the remote server, if new road vector data are available on the remote server.

5. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

analyzing the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera in order to detect road characteristics in the geographically coded image, if the geographically coded image matches geographically corresponding image data stored as photorealistic image data;

checking whether new road vector data are available on a remote server, if a road is detected in the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera; and

reporting a road vector update based on readings provided by the in-vehicle navigation system while driving along the road which has been detected, if no new road vector data are available on the remote server.

6. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

analyzing the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera by comparing the geographically coded image to stored photorealistic image data; and

reporting a low reliability of the in-vehicle navigation system, if the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera does not match geographically corresponding stored photorealistic image data for a current position, but one of a last matched road and a nearest road is detected in the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera.

7. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

analyzing the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera by comparing the geographically coded image to stored photorealistic image data; and

concluding that the vehicle is in an actual off-road position and that no update of the geographic database is required, if the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera does not match geographically corresponding stored photorealistic image data for a current position and neither a last matched road nor a nearest road nor road characteristics are detected in the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera.

8. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

analyzing the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera by comparing the geographically coded image to stored photorealistic image data; and

checking whether new data are available for downloading, if road characteristics are detected in the geographically coded image generated by the vehicle-mounted camera but the geographically coded image does not match geographically corresponding stored photorealistic image data for a current position and if further neither a last matched road nor a nearest road is detected in the geographically coded image.

9. The method according to claim 8, which comprises downloading new data if new data are available for downloading from a remote server.

10. The method according to claim 8, which comprises:

reporting an existence of a new road based the road characteristics detected in the geographically coded image if no new data are available for downloading; and

generating geographically coded images of the new road by using the vehicle-mounted camera.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of generating geographically coded images of the new road includes generating geographically coded images of an intersection between the new road and a known road.

12. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

checking whether the geographically coded image can be generated with a sufficient quality based on at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a weather condition and a light condition; and

reporting a request for a further analysis of a given position, if the geographically coded image cannot be generated with a sufficient quality.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of reporting a request for a further analysis of a given position includes a request for imagery to be taken by another vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

determining whether a new road is detected with a given confidence level; and

adding the new road directly to a database of the in-vehicle navigation system if the new road is detected with the given confidence level.

15. The method according to claim 14, which comprises displaying, with the in-vehicle navigation system, the new road as an unconfirmed road until the new road is confirmed and updated in a main database.

16. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

sending a start location and a destination location from the in-vehicle navigation system to a remote server;

performing, with the remote server, a route calculation for the vehicle by considering new roads added by other vehicle to a main database on the remote server; and

sending a calculated route from the remote server to the vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 1, which comprises using the vehicle-mounted camera and a further vehicle-mounted camera for generating geographically coded images such that the vehicle-mounted camera and the further vehicle-mounted camera capture images of a ground area forward and, respectively, rearward of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 1, which comprises using the vehicle-mounted camera and at least one further vehicle-mounted camera for generating geographically coded images such that the vehicle-mounted camera captures images of a ground area forward or rearward of the vehicle and such that the at least one further vehicle-mounted camera captures images of at least a ground area sideways of the vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the geographically coded image includes searching the geographically coded image for at least one road characteristic selected from the group consisting of a road outline, a curb, a road surface marking, a traffic sign and another vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the vehicle is in an on-road position includes comparing measured position data with stored road vector data.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the geographically coded image includes an image of a ground area adjacent to the vehicle and at least one geographic coordinate.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the geographically coded image covers a substantially trapezoidal ground area adjacent to the vehicle and includes four geographic coordinates indicating four corner points of the substantially trapezoidal ground area.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the in-vehicle navigation system is a satellite navigation system using a geographic database containing at least road vector data and photorealistic image data.