Method and device for producing road and street data for a digital map

• US 7,345,699 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Janssen, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao; Anand
• Assistant Examiner(s): SENFI, BEHROOZ M
• Application Number:
  US10/025,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20020085095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,281 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 348/135, 348/149, 348/143, 348/119, 348/113, 348/137, 348/136, 348/118, 382/104, 382/199, 382/103, 701/208, 701/213, 701/117, 701/228, 701/223, 701/210, 701/201
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

The method for producing road or street section data for a digital map includes providing a vehicle (7) with an image producing device (1) for generating image data of surroundings of the vehicle and a position determining device (4) for generating vehicle position data; driving the vehicle over at least one road or street section (8) and at the same time simultaneously collecting the image data with the image producing device (1) and acquiring the vehicle position data with the position determining device (4); analyzing the image data with an image processing device (2), in order to assemble a road or street section description; and correlating the vehicle position data and the road or street section description with a correlation device, in order to produce the road or street section data for the digital map. The invention also includes an apparatus for producing the road or street section description according to the method of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of producing road or street section data for a digital map, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a vehicle (7) comprising an image producing device (1) and a position determining device (4), said image producing device (1) comprising means for generating image data of surroundings of the vehicle and said position determining device (4) comprising means for generating vehicle position data, said surroundings of said vehicle including at least one road or street section (8) on which said vehicle (7) is driven;

b) driving said vehicle on said at least one road or street section (8);

c) during the driving of the vehicle of step b), simultaneously collecting said image data of said surroundings including said at least one road or street section (8) with said image producing device (1) and acquiring said vehicle position data with said position determining device (4);

d) analyzing said image data with an image processing means (2) to put together or assemble a road or street section description, wherein said road or street section description obtained from said image data includes changes in pre-existing road or street section data of a pre-existing digital map due to road construction;

e) correlating said vehicle position data and said road or street section description obtained in step d) with a correlation means (5), in order to produce said road or street section data for said digital map; and

f) comparing said road or street section data produced in step e) with said pre-existing road or street section data by means of a comparison means (21) in order to update said pre-existing digital map for said changes due to said road construction.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said vehicle position data comprises at least one absolute position of said vehicle (7) and an orientation of said vehicle (7) in relation to a fixed first coordinate system (24).

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein said origin of said fixed first coordinate system (24) coincides with an origin of said digital map.

4. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the road or street section data includes a statement regarding a course of at least one road or street section (8) in relation to said fixed first coordinate system (24).

5. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting said road or street section data produced by said correlating to a central station (26) for reception by the central station (26).

18. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said image producing device (1) comprises at least one camera.

19. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said image producing device (1) comprises a monocular image generating device.

20. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said image producing device (1) comprises a stereoscopic image generating device.

21. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said changes in said pre-existing road or street section data include a description of courses of newly constructed roads or street sections not previously included in said pre-existing digital map.

6. A method of producing road or street section data for a digital map, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a vehicle (7) comprising an image producing device (1) and a position determining device (4), said image producing device (1) comprising means for generating image data of surroundings of the vehicle and said position determining device (4) comprising means for generating vehicle position data, said surroundings of said vehicle including at least one road or street section (8) on which said vehicle (7) is driven;

b) driving said vehicle on said at least one road or street section (8);

c) during the driving of the vehicle of step b), simultaneously collecting said image data of said surroundings including said at least one road or street section (8) with said image producing device (1) and acquiring said vehicle position data with said position determining device (4);

d) analyzing said image data with an image processing means (2) to put together or assemble a road or street section description, wherein said road or street section description obtained from said image data includes road construction information regarding changes in pre-existing road or street section data of a pre-existing digital map, cycle lane information, a course of the at least one road or street section (8) relative to the vehicle (7), a spacing (10) between a vehicle longitudinal axis (L) and a street or road edge (E), a width (12) of the at least one street or road section (8), a number of lanes (9) on the at least one road or street section (8), a width (11) of a lane (9) in which the vehicle (7) travels and a curvature of the at least one street and road section (8);

e) correlating said vehicle position data and said road or street section description with a correlation means (5), in order to produce said road or street section data for said digital map; and

f) comparing said road or street section data produced in step e) with said pre-existing road or street section data by means of a comparison means (21) in order to update said pre-existing digital map for said changes due to road construction.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said vehicle position data comprises at least one absolute position of said vehicle (7) and an orientation of said vehicle (7) in relation to a fixed first coordinate system (24).

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein said origin of said fixed first coordinate system (24) coincides with an origin of said digital map.

9. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said road or street section description obtained from said image data includes standing or parking space information, traffic sign information, and alternative lane guidance.

10. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the road or street section data includes a statement regarding a course of at least one road or street section (8) in relation to said fixed first coordinate system (24).

11. The method as defined in claim 6, further comprising transmitting said road or street section data produced by said correlating to a central station (26) for reception by the central station (26).

12. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said image producing device (1) comprises at least one camera.

13. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said image producing device (1) comprises a monocular image generating device.

14. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said image producing device (1) comprises a stereoscopic image generating device.

15. A device for producing road or street section data for a digital map, said device comprising

a vehicle (7) for traveling on roads or streets, said vehicle comprising an image producing device (1) for generating image data of surroundings of the vehicle and a position determining device (4) for generating vehicle position data in relation to a fixed first coordinate system (24), said surroundings of said vehicle including at least one road or street section (8) on which said vehicle (7) is driven;

image processing means (2) for analyzing said image data of said surroundings of said vehicle including said at least one road or street section (8) to produce a road or street section description, said road or street section description obtained from said image data including cycle lane information, road construction information regarding changes in pre-existing road or street section data of a pre-existing digital map, a course of the at least one road or street section (8) relative to the vehicle (7), a spacing (10) between a vehicle longitudinal axis (L) and a street or road edge (E), a width (12) of the at least one street or road section (8), a number of lanes (9) on the at least one road or street section (8), a width (11) of a lane (9) in which the vehicle (7) travels, a curvature of the at least one street or road section (8), standing and parking space information and alternative lane guidance;

correlation means (5) for correlating said vehicle position data and said road or street section description obtained from said image data in order to produce said road or street section data for said digital map in relation to said fixed first coordinate system (24); and

comparison means (21) for comparing said road or street section data that are produced with said pre-existing road or street section data of said pre-existing digital map (19) in order to detect contingent deviations.

16. The device as defined in claim 15, further comprising communication means (23) for exchange of information entities to a central station (26) and for transmission of said road or street section data and/or said contingent deviations to said central station.

17. The device as defined in claim 15, further comprising an interface device for supplying said vehicle position data and said road or street section description obtained from said image data to said correlation means and wherein said interface device is a hardware device or a software device.