LOCAL MAP GENERATING DEVICE, LOCAL MAP GENERATING SYSTEM, GLOBAL MAP GENERATING DEVICE, GLOBAL MAP GENERATING SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM

• US 20140074393A1
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kojima, Yoshiko, Meguro, Junichi, Suzuki, Noriyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,103,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/409
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59

Abstract

An image pickup device picks-up forward images, and a GPS information acquiring section acquires satellite information that includes Doppler frequencies. A position/velocity vector computing section computes a velocity vector by using the Doppler frequencies. A locus computing section computes a locus of positions of ones own vehicle. A projected image generating section generates, from the forward images, projected images that are projected onto a road surface. A local map generating section records road surface images, that are obtained for respective points on the locus of ones own vehicle, at respective regions of a local map that is determined on the basis of a traveling direction of a moving body at each point on the locus and a set position and a posture of the image pickup device. Due thereto, a local map generating device can, by a simple structure, generate a highly accurate map.

Claims

1. A local map generating device comprising:

an environment information acquiring section that is installed in a moving body, and that acquires environment information of a periphery of the moving body as seen from a set position;

a satellite information acquiring section that acquires satellite information that includes information relating to respective positions of a plurality of GPS satellites that are transmitted from the respective GPS satellites, and information relating to distances between the respective GPS satellites and the moving body, and information relating to relative velocities of the moving body with respect to the respective GPS satellites;

a computing section that, on the basis of the satellite information acquired by the satellite information acquiring section, computes a velocity vector that includes a traveling direction of the moving body, or velocity information that expresses a velocity of the moving body and the traveling direction of the moving body;

a locus computing section that integrates the velocity information of the moving body that was computed by the computing section, and computes a locus of positions of the moving body; and

a local map generating section that records the environment information, that was acquired by the environment information acquiring section for each point on the locus of positions of the moving body that was computed by the locus computing section, in respective regions on a local map that includes the locus of positions of the moving body and that is determined on the basis of the traveling direction of the moving body at each point on the locus and the set position and posture of the environment information acquiring section.

4. The local map generating device of claim 1, wherein the computing section computes directions of the respective GPS satellites as seen from the moving body on the basis of the information relating to the positions of the respective GPS satellites and the position of the moving body that is obtained from the information relating to the distances between the respective GPS satellites and the moving body, and computes velocities of the respective GPS satellites on the basis of information relating to the positions of the respective GPS satellites in time sequence, and computes velocities of the moving body in directions of the respective GPS satellites on the basis of the directions of the respective GPS satellites as seen from the moving body, the velocities of the respective GPS satellites, and the information relating to relative velocities of the moving body with respect to the respective GPS satellites, and computes the velocity vector of the moving body on the basis of the plurality of velocities of the moving body in the directions of the respective GPS satellites.

5. The local map generating device of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the positions of the respective GPS satellites is satellite orbit information, the information relating to the distances between the respective GPS satellites and the moving body is pseudo distance information, and the information relating to the relative velocities of the moving body with respect to the respective GPS satellites is Doppler frequency information.

6. The local map generating device of claim 1, wherein the environment information acquiring section is an image pickup section that picks-up images of the periphery of the moving body, or is a laser radar that measures distance information to objects existing at the periphery of the moving body.

7. A global map generating device comprising:

the local map generating device of claim 1;

a local map storage section that stores a plurality of the generated local maps;

a merging section that, between a plurality of local maps, collates the environment information that is recorded in the local maps, and merges the plurality of local maps in a state in which the environment information has been collated;

a position estimating section that estimates an absolute position of at least one point on the locus of the plurality of local maps that were merged by the merging section; and

a global map generating section that, on the basis of the absolute position estimated by the position estimating section, records the plurality of local maps, that were merged by the merging section, on a global map that is expressed by an absolute coordinate system.

8. A global map generating device comprising:

the local map generating device of claim 1;

a local map storage section that stores a plurality of the generated local map;

a merging section that, between a plurality of local maps, collates the environment information that is recorded in the local maps, and merges the plurality of local maps in a state in which the environment information has been collated;

a position estimating section that estimates an absolute position of at least one point on the locus of the plurality of local maps that were merged by the merging section; and

a global map generating section that, on the basis of the absolute position estimated by the position estimating section, records the plurality of local maps, that were merged by the merging section, on a global map that is expressed by an absolute coordinate system,

wherein the local map generating section records, in the local map, the satellite information that was acquired by the satellite information acquiring section, for the at least one point on the locus of positions of the moving body computed by the locus computing section, and

the position estimating section estimates the absolute position of the at least one point on the locus of the plurality of merged local maps, on the basis of a relative position between the at least one point of each of the plurality of local maps, which relative position is determined on the basis of results of collation of the plurality of local maps, and the satellite information recorded in each of the plurality of local maps.

9. The global map generating device of claim 8, further comprising:

a position computing section that computes an absolute position of the moving body,

wherein the local map generating section records, in the local map, the absolute position computed by the position computing section for the at least one point on the locus of positions of the moving body computed by the locus computing section, and

the position estimating section estimates an absolute position of the at least one point, on the basis of absolute positions recorded for the at least one point of each of the plurality of local maps that were merged by the merging section.

2. A local map generating device comprising:

an environment information acquiring section that is installed in a moving body, and that acquires environment information of a periphery of the moving body as seen from a set position;

a motion state detecting section that detects a motion state of the moving body;

an azimuth angle estimating section that estimates an azimuth angle of a reference direction of the moving body, on the basis of the motion state of the moving body detected by the motion state detecting section;

a locus computing section that integrates the motion state of the moving body detected by the motion state detecting section, and computes a locus of positions of the moving body on the basis of the integrated motion state of the moving body and the azimuth angle estimated by the azimuth angle estimating section; and

a local map generating section that records the environment information, that was acquired by the environment information acquiring section for each point on the locus of positions of the moving body that was computed by the locus computing section, in respective regions on a local map that includes the locus of positions of the moving body and that is determined on the basis of the traveling direction of the moving body at each point on the locus and the set position and posture of the environment information acquiring section.

3. The local map generating device of claim 2, further comprising:

a satellite information acquiring section that acquires satellite information that includes information relating to respective positions of a plurality of GPS satellites that are transmitted from the respective GPS satellites, and information relating to distances between the respective GPS satellites and the moving body, and information relating to relative velocities of the moving body with respect to the respective GPS satellites; and

a computing section that, on the basis of the satellite information acquired by the satellite information acquiring section, computes a velocity vector that includes a traveling direction of the moving body, or velocity information that expresses a velocity of the moving body and the traveling direction of the moving body,

wherein the azimuth angle estimating section estimates the azimuth angle of the reference direction of the moving body on the basis of the motion state of the moving body detected by the motion state detecting section and the velocity information computed by the computing section, and

the locus computing section computes the locus of positions of the moving body on the basis of the motion state of the moving body detected by the motion state detecting section, the velocity information computed by the computing section, and the azimuth angle estimated by the azimuth angle estimating section.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to function as respective sections of a local map generating device that includes an environment information acquiring section that is installed in a moving body and that acquires environment information of a periphery of the moving body as seen from a set position, the program causing the computer to function as:

a satellite information acquiring section that acquires satellite information that includes information relating to respective positions of a plurality of GPS satellites that are transmitted from the respective GPS satellites, and information relating to distances between the respective GPS satellites and the moving body, and information relating to relative velocities of the moving body with respect to the respective GPS satellites;

a computing section that, on the basis of the satellite information acquired by the satellite information acquiring section, computes a velocity vector that includes a traveling direction of the moving body, or velocity information that expresses a velocity of the moving body and the traveling direction of the moving body;

a locus computing section that integrates the velocity information of the moving body that was computed by the computing section, and computes a locus of positions of the moving body; and

a local map generating section that records the environment information, that was acquired by the environment information acquiring section for each point on the locus of positions of the moving body that was computed by the locus computing section, in respective regions on a local map that includes the locus of positions of the moving body and that is determined on the basis of the traveling direction of the moving body at each point on the locus and the set position and posture of the environment information acquiring section.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to function as respective sections of a local map generating device that includes an environment information acquiring section that is installed in a moving body and that acquires environment information of a periphery of the moving body as seen from a set position, the program causing the computer to function as:

an azimuth angle estimating section that estimates an azimuth angle of a reference direction of the moving body, on the basis of a motion state of the moving body that is detected by a motion state detecting section that detects a motion state of the moving body;

a locus computing section that integrates the motion state of the moving body detected by the motion state detecting section, and computes a locus of positions of the moving body on the basis of the integrated motion state of the moving body and the azimuth angle estimated by the azimuth angle estimating section; and

a local map generating section that records the environment information, that was acquired by the environment information acquiring section for each point on the locus of positions of the moving body that was computed by the locus computing section, in respective regions on a local map that includes the locus of positions of the moving body and that is determined on the basis of the traveling direction of the moving body at each point on the locus and the set position and posture of the environment information acquiring section.

12. A local map generating system comprising:

an information acquiring device that includes;

an environment information acquiring section that is installed in a moving body, and that acquires environment information of a periphery of the moving body as seen from a set position; and

a satellite information acquiring section that acquires satellite information that includes information relating to respective positions of a plurality of GPS satellites that are transmitted from the respective GPS satellites, and information relating to distances between the respective GPS satellites and the moving body, and information relating to relative velocities of the moving body with respect to the respective GPS satellites, and

a local map generating device that includes;

a computing section that, on the basis of the satellite information acquired by the satellite information acquiring section, computes a velocity vector that includes a traveling direction of the moving body, or velocity information that expresses a velocity of the moving body and the traveling direction of the moving body;

a locus computing section that integrates the velocity information of the moving body that was computed by the computing section, and computes a locus of positions of the moving body; and

a local map generating section that records the environment information, that was acquired by the environment information acquiring section for each point on the locus of positions of the moving body that was computed by the locus computing section, in respective regions on a local map that includes the locus of positions of the moving body and that is determined on the basis of the traveling direction of the moving body at each point on the locus and the set position and posture of the environment information acquiring section.

13. A local map generating system comprising:

an information acquiring device that includes;

an environment information acquiring section that is installed in a moving body, and that acquires environment information of a periphery of the moving body as seen from a set position; and

a motion state detecting section that detects a motion state of the moving body, and

a local map generating device that includes;

an azimuth angle estimating section that estimates an azimuth angle of a reference direction of the moving body, on the basis of the motion state of the moving body detected by the motion state detecting section;

a locus computing section that integrates the motion state of the moving body detected by the motion state detecting section, and computes a locus of positions of the moving body on the basis of the integrated motion state of the moving body and the azimuth angle estimated by the azimuth angle estimating section; and

a local map generating section that records the environment information, that was acquired by the environment information acquiring section for each point on the locus of positions of the moving body that was computed by the locus computing section, in respective regions on a local map that includes the locus of positions of the moving body and that is determined on the basis of the traveling direction of the moving body at each point on the locus and the set position and posture of the environment information acquiring section.

14. A global map generating system comprising:

an information acquiring device that includes;

an environment information acquiring section that is installed in a moving body, and that acquires environment information of a periphery of the moving body as seen from a set position; and

a satellite information acquiring section that acquires satellite information that includes information relating to respective positions of a plurality of GPS satellites that are transmitted from the respective GPS satellites, and information relating to distances between the respective GPS satellites and the moving body, and information relating to relative velocities of the moving body with respect to the respective GPS satellites, and

a global map generating device that includes;

a computing section that, on the basis of the satellite information acquired by the satellite information acquiring section, computes a velocity vector that includes a traveling direction of the moving body, or velocity information that expresses a velocity of the moving body and the traveling direction of the moving body;

a locus computing section that integrates the velocity information of the moving body that was computed by the computing section, and computes a locus of positions of the moving body;

a local map generating section that records the environment information, that was acquired by the environment information acquiring section for each point on the locus of positions of the moving body that was computed by the locus computing section, in respective regions on a local map that includes the locus of positions of the moving body and that is determined on the basis of the traveling direction of the moving body at each point on the locus and the set position and posture of the environment information acquiring section;

a local map storage section that stores a plurality of the generated local maps;

a merging section that, between a plurality of local maps, collates the environment information that is recorded in the local maps, and merges the plurality of local maps in a state in which the environment information has been collated;

a position estimating section that estimates an absolute position of at least one point on the locus of the plurality of local maps that were merged by the merging section; and

a global map generating section that, on the basis of the absolute position estimated by the position estimating section, records the plurality of local maps, that were merged by the merging section, on a global map that is expressed by an absolute coordinate system.

15. A global map generating system comprising:

an information acquiring device that includes;

an environment information acquiring section that is installed in a moving body, and that acquires environment information of a periphery of the moving body as seen from a set position; and

a motion state detecting section that detects a motion state of the moving body, and

a global map generating device that includes;

an azimuth angle estimating section that estimates an azimuth angle of a reference direction of the moving body, on the basis of the motion state of the moving body detected by the motion state detecting section;

a locus computing section that integrates the motion state of the moving body detected by the motion state detecting section, and computes a locus of positions of the moving body on the basis of the integrated motion state of the moving body and the azimuth angle estimated by the azimuth angle estimating section;

a local map generating section that records the environment information, that was acquired by the environment information acquiring section for each point on the locus of positions of the moving body that was computed by the locus computing section, in respective regions on a local map that includes the locus of positions of the moving body and that is determined on the basis of the traveling direction of the moving body at each point on the locus and the set position and posture of the environment information acquiring section;

a local map storage section that stores a plurality of the generated local maps;

a merging section that, between a plurality of local maps, collates the environment information that is recorded in the local maps, and merges the plurality of local maps in a state in which the environment information has been collated;

a position estimating section that estimates an absolute position of at least one point on the locus of the plurality of local maps that were merged by the merging section; and

a global map generating section that, on the basis of the absolute position estimated by the position estimating section, records the plurality of local maps, that were merged by the merging section, on a global map that is expressed by an absolute coordinate system.

16. A global map generating system comprising:

an information acquiring device that includes;

an environment information acquiring section that is installed in a moving body, and that acquires environment information of a periphery of the moving body as seen from a set position; and

a satellite information acquiring section that acquires satellite information that includes information relating to respective positions of a plurality of GPS satellites that are transmitted from the respective GPS satellites, and information relating to distances between the respective GPS satellites and the moving body, and information relating to relative velocities of the moving body with respect to the respective GPS satellites, and

a global map generating device that includes;

a computing section that, on the basis of the satellite information acquired by the satellite information acquiring section, computes a velocity vector that includes a traveling direction of the moving body, or velocity information that expresses a velocity of the moving body and the traveling direction of the moving body;

a locus computing section that integrates the velocity information of the moving body that was computed by the computing section, and computes a locus of positions of the moving body;

a local map generating section that records the environment information, that was acquired by the environment information acquiring section for each point on the locus of positions of the moving body that was computed by the locus computing section, in respective regions on a local map that includes the locus of positions of the moving body and that is determined on the basis of the traveling direction of the moving body at each point on the locus and the set position and posture of the environment information acquiring section;

a local map storage section that stores the generated local map;

a merging section that, between a plurality of local maps, collates the environment information that is recorded in the local maps, and merges the plurality of local maps in a state in which the environment information has been collated;

a position estimating section that estimates an absolute position of at least one point on the locus of the plurality of local maps that were merged by the merging section; and

a global map generating section that, on the basis of the absolute position estimated by the position estimating section, records the plurality of local maps, that were merged by the merging section, on a global map that is expressed by an absolute coordinate system,

wherein the local map generating section records, in the local map, the satellite information that was acquired by the satellite information acquiring section, for the at least one point on the locus of positions of the moving body computed by the locus computing section, and

the position estimating section estimates the absolute position of the at least one point on the locus of the plurality of merged local maps, on the basis of a relative position between the at least one point of each of the plurality of local maps, which relative position is determined on the basis of results of collation of the plurality of local maps, and the satellite information recorded in each of the plurality of local maps.