Autonomous vehicle automatically running on route and its method
First Claim
1. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
- a) first means for storing information on each of a plurality of predetermined road segments, a route of travel on which the vehicle is to pass to reach a destination being divided into the plurality of predetermined road segments;
b) second means for determining a shape for each road segment on the basis of the stored information of the first means;
c) third means for setting a target running state of the vehicle for each road segment on the basis of the determined shape; and
d) fourth means for determining a current running route situation, autonomously running the vehicle on the basis of the determined running route situation, and controlling the run of the vehicle on the basis of the set running state,wherein the first means includes;
e) fifth means for setting a plurality of target points on the route of travel, each target point defining start and end points of each road segment, and for storing information on each target point thereinto; and
f) sixth means for storing information on each path defined as each road segment from its target point to the subsequent target point, andwhich further includes;
g) seventh means for setting a new target point on one of the paths, the new target point providing a shortest distance from a first point on a route of travel other than the route of travel corresponding to the one path; and
h) eighth means for providing information on the newly set target point by the seventh means, the information thereon including the information on a running situation representing a distance of the vehicle from a guide line and an orientation of the vehicle with respect to the guide line at the new target point.
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Abstract
An autonomous vehicle autonomously running on a route of travel and its method are disclosed in which data on a plurality of target points and on a plurality of paths, the target points and paths defining start and end points of road segments which are the respective paths into which the route of travel is divided are stored into a data storage block, a shape of each road segment is determined on the basis of the stored data in the data storage block, a target running state is set on the basis of the determined shape of each road segment, and a run control of the vehicle is carried out on the basis of the set running state. In addition, a new target point on one of the paths is set which provides a shortest distance from a new point to the corresponding path and data on the new target point is provided which includes the data on the running state at the new target point so that a start point and/or a final target point at which the vehicle is finally to reach can arbitrarily set on the route of travel.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
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a) first means for storing information on each of a plurality of predetermined road segments, a route of travel on which the vehicle is to pass to reach a destination being divided into the plurality of predetermined road segments; b) second means for determining a shape for each road segment on the basis of the stored information of the first means; c) third means for setting a target running state of the vehicle for each road segment on the basis of the determined shape; and d) fourth means for determining a current running route situation, autonomously running the vehicle on the basis of the determined running route situation, and controlling the run of the vehicle on the basis of the set running state, wherein the first means includes; e) fifth means for setting a plurality of target points on the route of travel, each target point defining start and end points of each road segment, and for storing information on each target point thereinto; and f) sixth means for storing information on each path defined as each road segment from its target point to the subsequent target point, and which further includes; g) seventh means for setting a new target point on one of the paths, the new target point providing a shortest distance from a first point on a route of travel other than the route of travel corresponding to the one path; and h) eighth means for providing information on the newly set target point by the seventh means, the information thereon including the information on a running situation representing a distance of the vehicle from a guide line and an orientation of the vehicle with respect to the guide line at the new target point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
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a) first means for storing information on each of a plurality of predetermined road segments, a route of travel on which the vehicle is to pass to reach a destination being divided into the plurality of predetermined road segments; b) second means for determining a shape for each road segment on the basis of the stored information of the first means; c) third means for setting a target running state of the vehicle for each road segment on the basis of the determined shape; and d) fourth means for determining a current running route situation, autonomously running the vehicle on the basis of the determined running route situation, and controlling the run of the vehicle on the basis of the set running state, wherein the first means includes; e) fifth means for setting a plurality of target points on the route of travel, each targe point defining start and end points of each road segment, and for storing information on each target point thereinto; and f) sixth means for storing information on each path defined as each road segment from its target point to the subsequent target point, and wherein the information of each target point stored in the fifth means includes x and y coordinates of each target point representing an absolute position of each target point on a road map and a name of each target point and the information of each path stored in the sixth means includes a radius of curvature of each path, a length of each path, an angle formed between a tangential line of each target point on the corresponding path and geomagnetic East direction, a road width of each path, the number of traffic lanes on each path, a shape of a start target point of each path, and a shape of an end target point on each path, and classification of one-way traffic or two-way traffic of each path. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
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a) first means for storing information on each of a plurality of predetermined road segments, a route of travel on which the vehicle is to pass to reach a destination being divided into the plurality of predetermined road segments, wherein said information includes data formatted to identify shapes of the plurality of road segments; b) second means for determining a shape for each road segment on the basis of the stored information of the first means; c) third means for setting before running of the vehicle control rules for the vehicle for each road segment shape on the basis of the determined shape; and d) fourth means for determining a current running route situation, autonomously running the vehicle on the basis of the determined running route situation, and controlling the run of the vehicle on the basis of the previously set running state, wherein said fourth means includes sensing means for spontaneously obtaining information identifying a condition of a travel route of the vehicle, whereby said fourth means runs the vehicle autonomously based on the sensed travel route condition and the set running state, and said sensing means comprises camera means and an image processing unit, said fourth means thus autonomously running the vehicle in accordance with an image of the travel route of the vehicle and the set running state, wherein said camera means comprises a pair of cameras for obtaining a stereo perspective image of the travel route of the vehicle and said image processing unit including means for transforming the perspective image to a plane image.
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14. A method for autonomously running an autonomous vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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a) storing shape information describing each of a plurality of predetermined road segments, a route of travel on which the vehicle is to pass to reach a destination being divided into the plurality of predetermined road segments; b) determining a shape for each road segment on the basis of the stored shape information in the step (a); c) before running of the vehicle, setting control rules for the vehicle for each road segment shape on the basis of the determined shape; and d) controlling running of the vehicle on the basis of the previously set running state, wherein said step of storing information comprises using a pair of cameras for obtaining a stereo perspective image of at least one of the road segments of the route of travel of the vehicle, and processing the obtained stereo perspective image to provide data representing said shape information for storage. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
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a) first means for storing information on each of a plurality of predetermined road segments, a route of travel on which the vehicle is to pass to reach a destination being divided into the plurality of predetermined road segments, wherein said information includes data formatted to identify shapes of the plurality of road segments; b) second means for determining a shape for each road segment on the basis of the stored information of the first means; c) third means for setting before running of the vehicle control rules for the vehicle for each road segment shape on the basis of the determined shape; and d) fourth means for determining a current running route situation, autonomously running the vehicle on the basis of the determined running route situation, and controlling the run of the vehicle on the basis of the previously set running state, wherein said fourth means determines the current running route situation responsive only to image data descriptive of road features, independently of road markers.
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Specification