TRAVEL ROUTE INFORMATION GENERATION APPARATUS

• US 20160091324A1
• Filed: 05/26/2014
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: HORIHATA, Satoshi, SUZUKI, Takamitsu
• Granted Patent: US 9,897,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard

Abstract

A server acquires location information data and direction information data. The location information data indicates a travel path of vehicles with discrete locations. The direction information data indicates a traveling direction at each location indicated by the location information data. The server generates information about a new travel route that does not exist in the map data, based on off-route location information data indicative of a travel path deviated from travel routes existing in map data. The server estimates partial travel routes indicative of parts of the new travel route, based on the off-route location information data and the direction information data indicative of associated traveling directions of vehicles. The server then estimates the shape of the new travel route, based on the estimated partial travel routes.

Claims

1. A travel route information generation apparatus comprising:

an acquisition section that acquires location information data and direction information data, the location information data indicating a travel path of a vehicle using discrete locations, the direction information data indicating a travel direction of the vehicle at each location indicated by the location information data; and

a generation section that generates information on a new travel route that does not exist in a map represented by map data, based on off-route location information data, the off-route location information data being the location information data indicative of a travel path deviated from a travel route existing in the map represented by the map data,

wherein the generation section includes an estimation section that

estimates partial travel routes indicative of parts of the new travel route, based on the off-route location information data and the direction information data indicative of the traveling direction at each location indicated by the off-route location information data, and

estimates a shape of the new travel route based on the partial travel routes.

2. The travel route information generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the estimation section estimates the shape of the new travel route by extending one of the partial travel routes to an extension line of a different one of the partial travel route.

3. The travel route information generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

if traveling directions indicated by the direction information data are similar to each other in a situation where a plurality of the off-route location information data meet positional conditions of being positioned close to each other,

the estimation section equalizes the traveling directions indicated by the direction information data and then estimates the shape of the new travel route.

4. The travel route information generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the acquisition section acquires speed information data indicative of a traveling speed of the vehicle at each location indicated by the location information data, in addition to the location information data and the direction information data; and

the estimation section identifies the partial travel route that extends from each location indicated by the off-route location information data by a length appropriate for the traveling speed indicated by the speed information data, based on

the off-route location information data,

the direction information data indicative of the traveling direction at each location indicated by the off-route location information data, and

the speed information data indicative of the traveling speed at each location indicated by the off-route location information data.

5. The travel route information generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the generation section includes a non-guiding route determination section that

sets an off-route area that includes locations indicated by the off-route location information data and excludes a travel route existing in the map represented by the map data, and

determines, based on a degree of variation in the direction information data at each location indicated by the off-route location information data included in the off-route area, whether the off-route location information data in the off-route area indicates a travel path in at least either a parking lot or a community road.