Map error information obtaining system and map error information obtaining method

• US 7,363,151 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Yoshiteru, Araki, Hitoshi, Senda, Keiichi, Nomura, Kimihiro, Yoshida, Tadashi, Yuda, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/872,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/211, 701/35, 340/995.14, 340/988, 714/746, 345/582
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors

Abstract

The present invention provides a map error information obtaining system which can promote the collection of the map error information as well as reduce the number of man-hours required for researching the site and verifying whether or not the collected map error information is accurate. The map error information obtaining system herein disclosed comprises a position detecting apparatus including image obtaining means for obtaining image data indicative of an actual condition of and in the vicinity of a current position, and a center apparatus, the position detecting apparatus being operative to transmit map error information including a position of the map information and image data where it is judged that there is a difference, to the center apparatus. The center apparatus is operative to correct the map information after verifying whether or not the difference in the map information is accurate using the image data. Furthermore, the center apparatus is operative to calculate an evaluation point for each of the position detecting apparatuses which have transmitted the map error information so that operators operating the position detecting apparatuses can be rewarded in accordance with their evaluation points.

Claims

1. A system for collecting map error information, comprising:

a position detecting apparatus, the position detecting apparatus mounted on a movable object, the position detecting apparatus generating map error information indicative of an error in map information stored therein upon being different between the map information and a current position of the movable object; and

a center apparatus, the center apparatus calculating an evaluation point on the basis of map error information generated by the position detecting apparatus, the center apparatus storing therein the evaluation point in association with the position detecting apparatus, the evaluation point in view of which a reward for an operator of said position detecting apparatus is determined in view of the evaluation point stored in the center apparatus.

2. A center apparatus for collecting map error information from a position detecting apparatus, comprising:

managing means for calculating an evaluation point on the basis of the map error information; and

means for storing therein the evaluation point in association with the position detecting apparatus; and

wherein

a reward for an operator of the position detecting apparatus is determined in view of the evaluation point stored in the managing means.

3. A method for collecting map error information, comprising:

generating map error information indicative of an error in map information upon being different between the map information and a current position of a movable object;

calculating an evaluation point on the basis of map error information generated by the position detecting apparatus; and

storing the evaluation point in association with the position detecting apparatus, and wherein

a reward for a reporter who reports generated map error information is determined in view of the stored evaluation point.