Negative Image for Sign Placement Detection

• US 20160117923A1
• Filed: 10/27/2014
• Published: 04/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Dannenbring, Aaron J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,530,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/214 Generating training patterns; Bootstrap methods, e.g. bagging or boosting
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/774 Generating sets of training patterns; Bootstrap methods, e.g. bagging or boosting
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are described for a negative image or false positive profile for sign locations. Image data or another type of optical data is collected along a path by a collection device such as a camera. The data is analyzed to identify one or more false positive locations along the path at which signs for other paths may be detected. The false positive locations may be described in the negative image or false positive profile. Additional or subsequent optical data may be analyzed based on the negative image or false positive profile may be analyzed to identify at least one confirmed sign position.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving optical data collected along a path by a collection device;

identifying one or more false positive locations along the path; and

analyzing the optical data as a function of the one or more false positive locations to locate at least one confirmed sign position in the optical data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the at least one confirmed sign position to an assisted driving device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a speed value from the at least one confirmed position.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving speed data for a vehicle traveling on the path;

performing a comparison of the speed data to the speed value; and

generating a warning based on the comparison.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more false positive locations are determined based on visual inspection of historical data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more false positive locations are calculated based on one or more confirmed sign positions in an adjacent road link.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a potential sign position from the optical data; and

comparing the potential sign position to the one or more false positive locations.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

when a distance between the potential sign position and a closest of the one or more false positive locations exceeds a threshold, identifying the potential sign position as the confirmed sign position; and

when the distance between the potential sign position the closest of the one or more false positive locations is less than the threshold, deleting the potential sign position.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a set of map data including the one or more false positive locations along the path.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a size of the map data is selected as a function of a characteristic of the collection device.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least;

receive optical data collected along a path by a collection device;

identify one or more false positive locations along the path; and

generate a false positive profile based on the false positive locations along the path.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein subsequent optical data associated with the path is analyzed as a function of the one or more false positive locations to locate at least one confirmed sign position in the optical data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein data vales for the at least one confirmed sign position are sent to an assisted driving device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

determine the one or more false positive locations based on user input for a visual inspection of historical data.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

calculate the one or more false positive locations based on one or more confirmed sign positions in an adjacent road link.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

identify the one or more false positive locations based on an angle, position, or orientation of a sign detected in the optical data.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

identify a road link for the path; and

store the one or more false positive locations as attributes for the road link.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed are operable to:

receive optical data collected along a path by a collection device;

identify one or more false positive locations along the path from the optical data; and

generate a false positive profile for the one or more false positive locations in association with a link corresponding to the path on which the optical data was collected.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that when executed are operable to:

send the false positive profile to a mobile device in response to location data.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that when executed are operable to:

send the false positive profile to a geographic database.