MAP DATA CREATION DEVICE, AUTONOMOUS MOVEMENT SYSTEM AND AUTONOMOUS MOVEMENT CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20150057871A1
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yukihiko Ono
• Inventors: Ono, Yukihiko, Yamamoto, Kenjiro, Ichinose, Ryoko, Oshima, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 9,921,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3841 Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3867 Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0248 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

The invention is intended to be able to generate map data even if a location not suited for identification of a matching position exists. A map data creation device creates map data, the map data being used for autonomous movement by a vehicle (1a), a vehicle (1b) and/or other vehicles (1), based on a relative position of the vehicle (1b) which exists around the vehicle (1a), relative to the vehicle (1a), the relative position being measured by the vehicle (1a), and object shape data of an object which exists around the vehicle (1b), the object shape being measured by the vehicle (1b). Moreover, the relative position of the vehicle (1b) relative to the vehicle (1a) is calculated based on the object shape data measured by the vehicle (1a).

Claims

1. A map data creation device comprising creating map data, the map data being used for autonomous movement by a first autonomous movement apparatus, a second autonomous movement apparatus and/or other autonomous movement apparatuses, based on position data of the second autonomous movement apparatus which exists around the first autonomous movement apparatus, the position being measured by the first autonomous movement apparatus, and object shape data of an object which exists around the second autonomous movement apparatus, the object shape being measured by the second autonomous movement apparatus.

2. The map data creation device according to claim 1, wherein

the first autonomous movement apparatus includes:

a self-position measurement unit that measures a position of the self;

an other-position measurement unit that measures an other-position which is a position of the second autonomous movement apparatus, based on the position of the self; and

a transmitting unit that transmits a measured other-position as the position data to the second autonomous movement apparatus, and

the second autonomous movement apparatus includes;

a peripheral object shape measurement unit that measures a shape of an object around the self as the object shape data; and

a receiving unit that receives the position data which is a transmitted other-position, and

wherein a position in the map data created by the map data creation device is based on the other-position which is transmitted by the first autonomous movement apparatus to the second autonomous movement apparatus.

3. The map data creation device according to claim 2, wherein

the position of the self is an absolute position of the self, and

the other-position is a relative position of the second autonomous movement apparatus relative to the first autonomous movement apparatus, the relative position being calculated based on the absolute position of the self.

4. The map data creation device according to claim 3, wherein the absolute position of the self is a positioning data by a GNSS.

5. The map data creation device according to claim 3, wherein the other-position measurement unit calculates the relative position of the second autonomous movement apparatus based on the absolute position of the self and the object shape data around the self measured by the peripheral object shape measurement unit.

6. The map data creation device according to claim 3, wherein the other-position measurement unit calculates the relative position by calculating a distance and a direction of the second autonomous movement apparatus relative to the self.

7. The map data creation device according to claim 6, wherein the other-position measurement unit calculates the distance of the second autonomous movement apparatus relative to the self, based on the object shape data around the self measured by the peripheral object shape measurement unit.

8. The map data creation device according to claim 1, wherein the map data creation device is provided in a manned mobile object other than the autonomous movement apparatus, or a fixed equipment, or is provided in the autonomous movement apparatus.

9. The map data creation device according to claim 1, wherein the object shape data around the self measured by the peripheral object shape measurement unit is information on distances of a plurality of measuring points, which are obtained as a result of scanning of laser beam.

10. An autonomous movement system comprising:

a first autonomous movement apparatus including a self-position measurement unit that measures a position of the self, an other-position measurement unit that measures an other-position which is a position of an other autonomous movement apparatus that exists around the self, based on the position of the self, and a transmitting unit that transmits a measured other-position as position data to the other autonomous movement apparatus, and

a second autonomous movement apparatus which is the other autonomous movement apparatus, including a peripheral object shape measurement unit that measures a shape of an object around the self as object shape data, and a receiving unit that receives the position data which is a transmitted other-position; and

a map data creation device that creates map data, the map data being used for autonomous movement by a first autonomous movement apparatus, a second autonomous movement apparatus and/or other autonomous movement apparatuses, based on position data of the second autonomous movement apparatus which exists around the first autonomous movement apparatus, the position being measured by the first autonomous movement apparatus, and object shape data of an object which exists around the second autonomous movement apparatus, the object shape being measured by the second autonomous movement apparatus.

11. An autonomous movement control device which is installed in the autonomous movement apparatuses in the autonomous movement system described in claim 10, comprising:

a function of the first autonomous movement apparatus; and

a function of the second autonomous movement apparatus.