ROAD ESTIMATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING ROAD

• US 20120130634A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: SATOH, Taichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/461
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/52 of users

Abstract

A road estimation device receives data including core points assigned along a road and assigned with attributes for identifying the road. An input unit inputs map data including links in a unit of a divided region being one of divided areas. When the core points cross a boundary of an indicated divided region to be indicated, a selection unit selects a processing object core point inside the indicated divided region from the core points in the map data. An extraction unit extracts candidate links being candidate of a road represented by the processing object core point from the map data according to attributes of the links and the attribute of the processing object core point for estimating the road on a map.

Claims

1. A road estimation device configured to receive data including a plurality of core points from an external object, the core points being assigned along a road and being respectively assigned with attributes for identifying the road, the road estimation device further configured to extract links pertinent to the road represented by the core points for estimating the road on a map, the road estimation device comprising:

a map data input unit configured to input map data including links in a unit of a divided region being one of a plurality of divided areas, the links respectively having attributes corresponding to attributes of the core points;

a core point selection unit configured to,

when the core points cross a boundary of an indicated divided region, which is a divided region being an indicated object,

select, as a processing object core point, a core point inside the indicated divided region from the core points in the map data which the map data input unit inputs; and

a link extraction unit configured to extract candidate links being candidate of a road represented by the processing object core point from the map data according to the attributes of the links and the attribute of the processing object core point.

2. The road estimation device according to claim 1, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to,

when a distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to a core point located inside the boundary and closest to the boundary is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance,

select, as the processing object core point, a core point to an immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point, in addition to a core point located inside the indicated divided region, wherein the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point is a core point immediately after crossing the boundary from an inside of the indicated divided region to an outside of the indicated divided region.

3. The road estimation device according to claim 2, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to,

when a distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to an immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance,

wherein the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point is a core point immediately before crossing the boundary from the inside to the outside,

select, as the processing object core point, a core point to the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point.

4. The road estimation device according to claim 2, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to,

when a distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to an immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point is less than a predetermined distance,

wherein the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point is a core point immediately before crossing the boundary from the inside to the outside of the indicated divided region,

select, as the processing object core point, a core point to the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point.

5. The road estimation device according to claim 2, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to measure, as the distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to the core point, a length of a perpendicular line drawn from the core point to the boundary.

6. The road estimation device according to claim 2, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to measure, as the distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to the core point, by:

obtaining an intersection being between the boundary and a straight line, which connects the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point immediately after crossing the boundary with a core point being immediately preceding the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point; and

measuring a length from the core point to the intersection.

7. A road estimation device configured to receive data including a plurality of core points from an external object, the core points being assigned along a road and being respectively assigned with attributes for identifying the road, the road estimation device further configured to extract links pertinent to the road represented by the core points for estimating the road on a map, the road estimation device comprising:

a map data input unit configured to input map data including links in a unit of a divided region being one of a plurality of divided areas, the links respectively having attributes corresponding to attributes of the core points;

a core point selection unit configured to,

when the core points cross a boundary of an indicated divided region, which is a divided region being an indicated object,

select, as a processing object core point, a core point to an immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point, in addition to a core point inside the indicated divided region, from the core points in the map data which the map data input unit inputs,

wherein the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point is a core point immediately after crossing the boundary from an inside of the indicated divided region to an outside of the indicated divided region; and

a link extraction unit configured to extract candidate links being candidate of a road represented by the processing object core point from the map data according to the attributes of the links and the attribute of the processing object core point.

8. The road estimation device according to claim 7, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to,

when a distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to a core point located outside the boundary and closest to the boundary is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance,

select, as the processing object core point, a core point inside the indicated divided region.

9. The road estimation device according to claim 8, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to,

when a distance from the boundary to the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance,

select, as the processing object core point, a core point inside the indicated divided region.

10. The road estimation device according to claim 8, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to,

when a distance from the boundary to the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point is less than a predetermined distance,

select, as the processing object core point, a core point to the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point.

11. The road estimation device according to claim 8, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to measure, as the distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to the core point, a length of a perpendicular line drawn from the core point to the boundary.

12. The road estimation device according to claim 8, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to measure, as the distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to the core point, by:

obtaining an intersection being between the boundary and a straight line, which connects the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point immediately before crossing the boundary with a core point being immediately preceding the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point; and

measuring a length from the core point to the intersection.

13. A road estimation device configured to receive data including a plurality of core points from an external object, the core points being assigned along a road and being respectively assigned with attributes for identifying the road, the road estimation device further configured to extract links pertinent to the road represented by the core points for estimating the road on a map, the road estimation device comprising:

a map data input unit configured to input map data including links in a unit of a divided region being one of a plurality of divided areas, the links respectively having attributes corresponding to attributes of the core points;

a core point selection unit configured to,

when the core points cross a boundary of an indicated divided region, which is a divided region being an indicated object,

compare a distance, which is from the boundary to an immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point, with a distance, which is from the boundary to an immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point, in the map data which the map data input unit inputs,

wherein the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point is a core point immediately after crossing the boundary from an inside of the indicated divided region to an outside of the indicated divided region,

wherein the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point is a core point immediately before crossing the boundary from the inside to the outside,

when the distance to the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point is greater,

select, as the processing object core point, a core point located inside the indicated divided region and to the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point,

when the distance to the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point is greater,

select, as the processing object core point, a core point to the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point, in addition to a core point located inside the indicated divided region; and

a link extraction unit configured to extract candidate links being candidate of a road represented by the processing object core point from the map data according to the attributes of the links and the attribute of the processing object core point.

14. The road estimation device according to claim 13, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to measure, as the distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to the core point, a length of a perpendicular line drawn from the core point to the boundary.

15. The road estimation device according to claim 13, wherein the core point selection unit is further configured to measure, as the distance from the boundary of the indicated divided region to the core point, by:

obtaining an intersection being between the boundary and a straight line, which connects the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point with the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point crossing the boundary; and

measuring a length from the core point to the intersection.

16. A method for estimating a road, the method comprising:

receiving data including a plurality of core points from an external object, the core points being assigned along a road and assigned respectively with attributes for identifying the road;

inputting map data including links in a unit of a divided region being one of a plurality of divided areas, the links respectively having attributes corresponding to attributes of the core points;

selecting, when the core points cross a boundary of an indicated divided region, which is a divided region being an indicated object, a processing object core point being a core point inside the indicated divided region from the core points in the inputted map data; and

extracting candidate links being candidate of a road represented by the processing object core point from the map data according to the attributes of the links and the attribute of the processing object core point.

17. A method for estimating a road, the method comprising:

receiving data including a plurality of core points from an external object, the core points being assigned along a road and assigned respectively with attributes for identifying the road;

inputting map data including links in a unit of a divided region being one of a plurality of divided areas, the links respectively having attributes corresponding to attributes of the core points;

selecting, when the core points cross a boundary of an indicated divided region, which is a divided region being an indicated object, a processing object core point including a core point to an immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point in addition to a core point inside the indicated divided region, from the core points in the inputted map data, wherein the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point is a core point immediately after crossing the boundary from an inside of the indicated divided region to an outside of the indicated divided region; and

extracting candidate links being candidate of a road represented by the processing object core point from the map data according to the attributes of the links and the attribute of the processing object core point.

18. A method for estimating a road, the method comprising:

receiving data including a plurality of core points from an external object, the core points being assigned along a road and assigned respectively with attributes for identifying the road;

inputting map data including links in a unit of a divided region being one of a plurality of divided areas, the links respectively having attributes corresponding to attributes of the core points;

comparing, when the core points cross a boundary of an indicated divided region, which is a divided region being an indicated object, a distance, which is from the boundary to an immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point, with a distance, which is from the boundary to an immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point, in the inputted map data,

wherein the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point is a core point immediately after crossing the boundary from an inside of the indicated divided region to an outside of the indicated divided region,

wherein the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point is a core point immediately before crossing the boundary from the inside to the outside;

selecting, as a processing object core point, a core point located inside the indicated divided region and to the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point, when the distance to the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point is greater,

selecting, as the processing object core point, a core point to the immediately-after-crossing-boundary core point, in addition to a core point located inside the indicated divided region, when the distance to the immediately-before-crossing-boundary core point is greater; and

extracting candidate links being candidate of a road represented by the processing object core point from the map data according to the attributes of the links and the attribute of the processing object core point.