DETAILED MAP FORMAT FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

• US 20150316387A1
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Delp, Michael J., Ichikawa, Kentaro
• Application Number:
  US14/301,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20150316387A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

A computer-readable detailed map format is disclosed. The detailed map format includes a plurality of lane segments and a plurality of lane links. Each of the lane links can extend between two lane segments across a traffic intersection. Each of the lane links can also be associated with one of a plurality of traffic signals. A transition rule is associated with a first lane link and based on information associated with the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with the first lane link. An interlock rule can be based on information associated with the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with a second lane link. The first lane link and second lane link can be associated with different traffic signals and can extend between different lane segments across the traffic intersection.

Claims

1. A computer-readable map format, comprising:

a plurality of lane segments, each lane segment associated with a branch of a traffic intersection;

a plurality of lane links, each lane link associated with two of the plurality of lane segments and extending between two of the branches of the traffic intersection;

a plurality of traffic signals, each traffic signal associated with at least one of the plurality of lane links;

a transition rule associated with a first lane link, wherein the transition rule is based on information associated with the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with the first lane link; and

an interlock rule based on information associated with the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with a second lane link.

2. The map format of claim 1, wherein the first lane link and the second lane link are associated with different traffic signals.

3. The map format of claim 1, wherein the first lane link and the second lane link extend between different branches of the traffic intersection.

4. The map format of claim 1, wherein the information associated with each traffic signal includes a geographical location and a traffic signal type and a traffic signal state.

5. The map format of claim 4, wherein the traffic signal type includes information regarding structure and orientation for at least one of a traffic light and a traffic sign.

6. The map format of claim 4, wherein the traffic signal type is a traffic light and the traffic signal state includes at least one of green, green arrow, yellow, blinking yellow, and red.

7. The map format of claim 4, wherein the transition rule is based on the traffic signal state of the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with the first lane link.

8. The map format of claim 4, wherein the interlock rule is based on an inferred traffic signal state for the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with the second lane link.

9. The map format of claim 1, further comprising:

a stop line associated with an end of at least one of the plurality of lane segments, wherein information associated with the stop line includes a geographical location, the geographical location representing a position where a vehicle must stop before the traffic intersection.

10. The map format of claim 1, wherein the lane segment is formed from a plurality of waypoints and wherein information associated with each waypoint includes at least one of a geographical location and a lane speed and a lane direction.

11. A computer-readable map format, comprising:

a plurality of lane segments;

a plurality of lane links, each lane link extending between two lane segments across a traffic intersection and associated with one of a plurality of traffic signals;

a transition rule associated with a first lane link, wherein the transition rule is based on information associated with the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with the first lane link; and

an interlock rule based on information associated with the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with a second lane link.

12. The map format of claim 11, wherein the first lane link and the second lane link are associated with different traffic signals.

13. The map format of claim 11, wherein the first lane link and the second lane link extend between a different set of two lane segments across the traffic intersection.

14. The map format of claim 11, wherein the information associated with each traffic signal includes a geographical location and a traffic signal type and a traffic signal state.

15. The map format of claim 14, wherein the traffic signal type includes information regarding structure and orientation for at least one of a traffic light and a traffic sign.

16. The map format of claim 14, wherein the traffic signal type is a traffic light and the traffic signal state includes at least one of green, green arrow, yellow, blinking yellow, and red.

17. The map format of claim 14, wherein the transition rule is based on the traffic signal state of the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with the first lane link.

18. The map format of claim 14, wherein the interlock rule is based on an inferred traffic signal state for the one of the plurality of traffic signals associated with the second lane link.

19. The map format of claim 11, further comprising:

a stop line associated with an end of at least one of the plurality of lane segments, wherein information associated with the stop line includes a geographical location, the geographical location representing a position where a vehicle must stop before the traffic intersection.

20. The map format of claim 11, wherein the lane segment is formed from a plurality of waypoints and wherein information associated with each waypoint includes at least one of a geographical location and a lane speed and a lane direction.