Apparatus for detecting the position of a vehicle

• US 5,323,152 A
• Filed: 04/09/1993
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Morita, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oda, Christine K.
• Application Number:
  US08/045,599
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement

Abstract

A vehicle position detecting apparatus comprises vehicle position estimating means for estimating a vehicle position on the basis of the travel direction and distance of a vehicle detected respectively by direction and distance detecting means, travel road determining means for determining a current travel road of the vehicle by comparing the estimated vehicle position and road network data stored by road network data storing means, vehicle position calculating means for calculating accurate vehicle position on the basis of the vehicle position data supplied by a designated satellite combination formed by a plurality of satellites revolving around the earth, and position correcting means for correcting the vehicle position estimated by the estimating means on the basis of the accurate vehicle position calculated by the accurate vehicle position calculating means in such a manner that the vehicle position data supplied from the designated satellite combination includes a minimum error in an extending direction of the determined travel road in the neighborhood of the estimated vehicle position. Various errors detected by sensors or means forming part of the vehicle position detecting apparatus can be minimized so as to enhance the accuracy of the vehicle position at a higher level.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting the position of a vehicle, comprising:

direction detecting means for detecting the travel direction of said vehicle;

distance detecting means for detecting the travel distance of said vehicle;

vehicle position estimating means for estimating a first vehicle position on the basis of the travel direction of said vehicle detected by said direction detecting means and the travel distance of said vehicle detected by said distance detecting means;

road network data storing means for storing road network data selected for finding a current position of said vehicle;

travel road determining means for determining a current travel road of said vehicle by comparing said first vehicle position estimated by said estimating means and said road network data stored by said road network data storing means;

electric wave receiving means for receiving electric waves from a plurality of satellites revolving round the earth to derive vehicle position data based on said received electric waves and indicative of a second vehicle position;

vehicle position calculating means for calculating said second vehicle position on the basis of said vehicle position data;

satellite designating means for designating at least three satellites from said plurality of satellites, said vehicle position data derived from said designated satellites including a minimum error in an extending direction of said determined travel road in the neighborhood of said second vehicle position; and

position correcting means for correcting said first vehicle position on the basis of said second vehicle position after said current travel road of said vehicle is determined by said travel road determining means, said second vehicle position used during the correction of said first vehicle position being calculated by said vehicle position calculating means on the basis of said vehicle position data derived from said designated satellites.

2. An apparatus for detecting the position of a vehicle, comprising:

direction detecting means for detecting the travel direction of said vehicle;

distance detecting means for detecting the travel distance of said vehicle;

vehicle position estimating means for estimating a first vehicle position on the basis of the travel direction of said vehicle detected by said direction detecting means and the travel distance of said vehicle detected by said distance measuring means;

road network data storing means for storing road network data selected for finding a current position of said vehicle;

travel road determining means for determining a current travel road of said vehicle by comparing said first vehicle position estimated by said estimating means and said road network data stored by said road network data storing means;

electric wave receiving means for receiving electric waves from a plurality of satellites revolving around the earth to derive vehicle position data based on said received electric waves and indicative of a second vehicle position;

vehicle position calculating means for calculating said second vehicle position on the basis of said vehicle position data;

satellite designating means for designating at least three satellites from said plurality of satellites, said vehicle position data derived from said designated satellites including a minimum error substantially at a right angle to an extending direction of any one of travel roads in the neighborhood of said second vehicle position; and

position correcting means for correcting said first vehicle position on the basis of said second vehicle position before said current travel road of said vehicle is determined by said travel road determining means, said second vehicle position used during the correction of said first vehicle position being calculated by said vehicle position calculating means on the basis of said vehicle position data derived from said designated satellites.

3. An apparatus for detecting the position of a vehicle, comprising:

direction detecting means for detecting the instantaneous travel direction of said vehicle;

distance detecting means for detecting the travel distance of said vehicle;

vehicle position data deriving means for deriving a plurality of first vehicle position data by receiving electric waves from a plurality of satellites revolving around the earth, said plurality of first vehicle position data being derived from a plurality of satellite combinations, respectively, each which is constituted by at least three of said plurality of satellites;

vehicle position data estimating means for estimating second vehicle position data on the basis of said instantaneous travel direction of said vehicle detected by said direction detecting means and the travel distance of said vehicle detected by said distance detecting means;

memorizing means for memorizing said plurality of first vehicle position data derived from said plurality of satellite combinations;

first vectorial direction calculating means for calculating a provisional first vectorial travel direction of said vehicle on the basis of two time-lagged provisional first vehicle position data which are derived from a provisional satellite combination of said satellite combinations so as to select from said satellite combinations an optimum satellite combination which supplies said first vehicle position data including a minimum error at a right angle to said provisional first vectorial travel direction, and for calculating an objective first vectorial travel direction of said vehicle on the basis of two time-lagged objective first position data which are derived from said optimum satellite combination and memorized in said memorizing means, said two time-lagged objective first position data being simultaneous with said two time-lagged provisional first position data, respectively, and read out from said memorizing means;

second vectorial direction calculating means for calculating on the basis of said second vehicle position data a second vectorial travel direction in which said vehicle travels during the time that said two time-lagged provisional first vehicle position data of said plurality of first vehicle position data are derived from said provisional satellite combination by said vehicle position data deriving means; and

direction correcting means for correcting said detected instantaneous direction of said vehicle on the basis of said first calculated vectorial travel direction of said vehicle and said second calculated vectorial travel direction of said vehicle.