Map matching for security applications

• US 8,401,238 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Sthlin, Ulrich, Minoves, Marti, Keil, Anselm
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nirav G
• Application Number:
  US12/916,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20110129122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 382/106
• US Class Current: 382/106
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching

Abstract

An apparatus for map matching between a measured position for an object and information on a digital map is specified. This involves a computation unit being used to perform a first selection of cartography elements on the map on the basis of the measured position and on the basis of a predefined error. In addition, the computation unit is designed to provide the selected cartography elements for a first and a second secondary computation unit. In addition, values from the secondary computation units are converted in the same unit of measurement.

Claims

1. An apparatus for aligning a measured position for an object with information on a digital map, said apparatus comprising:

a computation unit that is configured to make a first selection of a plurality of cartography elements which are potential alignment positions for the object, the cartography elements being selected from the map on a basis of the measured position and on a position of a predefined error;

wherein the computation unit is further configured to provide the selected cartography elements for a first and a second secondary computation unit,

wherein the first secondary computation unit is configured to calculate a first value based on a first physical parameter between the measured position and each selected cartography element using a first method, and the second secondary computation unit is configured to calculate a second value based on a second physical parameter between the measured position and each selected cartography element using a second method, the first physical parameter and first method being different than the second physical parameter and second method respectively, and

wherein the apparatus generates a final probabilistic value for each selected cartography element based on the respective first value and the respective second value of each selected cartography element, and aligns the object with one of the selected cartography elements chosen based on the final probabilistic value.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the first and second values are calculated in the same unit of measurement.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the apparatus is configured to add the first and the second value of each selected cartography element to form the respective final value.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the apparatus is configured to assess the first secondary computation unit and to assess the second secondary computation unit, which results in a corresponding weighting for the two values of each selected cartography element.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3,

wherein the apparatus is configured to make a second selection of a destination cartography element from the selected cartography elements on the basis of the final values;

and

wherein the apparatus is configured such that an alignment is performed on the basis of the destination cartography element.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said apparatus further comprising a first filter, wherein the first filter is configured to ascertain a state for the object.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, said apparatus further comprising a second filter, wherein the second filter is configured to ascertain an error in the measured position of the object.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of the filters is a Kalman filter.

9. A system for aligning a measured position for an object with information on a digital map for a vehicle, said system having:

an apparatus as claimed in claim 1; and

a satellite navigation receiver.

10. A vehicle having an apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

11. A process for aligning a measured position for an object with information on a digital map, said process comprising the steps of:

providing a computation unit (S1);

selecting a plurality of cartography elements which are potential alignment positions for the object, the cartography elements being selected from the map on a basis of the measured position and on a basis of a predefined error by the computation unit (S2);

providing the selected cartography elements for a first and a second secondary computation unit by the computation unit (S3);

calculating, by the first secondary computation unit, a first value based on a first physical parameter between the measured position and each selected cartography element using a first method;

calculating, by the second secondary computation unit, a second value based on a second physical parameter between the measured position and each selected cartography element using a second method, the first physical parameter and the first method being different than the second physical parameter and the second method respectively;

generating a final probabilistic value for each selected cartography element based on the respective first value and the respective second value of each selected cartography element; and

aligning the object with one of the selected cartography elements chosen based on the final probabilistic value.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a program element which, when executed on a processor, instructs the processor to align a measured position for an object with information on a digital map by performing the following steps:

providing a computation unit;

selecting cartography elements which are potential alignment positions for the object, the cartography elements being selected from a map on a basis of a measured position and on a basis of a predefined error by the computation unit;

wherein the selected cartography elements are provided for a first and a second secondary computation unit by the computation unit;

calculating, by the first secondary computation unit, a first value based on a first physical parameter between the measured position and each selected cartography element using a first method;

calculating, by the second secondary computation unit, a second value based on a second physical parameter between the measured position each selected cartography element using a second method, the first physical parameter and the first method being different than the second physical parameter and the second method respectively;

generating a final probabilistic value for each selected cartography element based on the respective first value and the respective second value of each selected cartography element; and

aligning the object with one of the selected cartography elements chosen based on the final probabilistic value.

13. An apparatus for aligning a measured position for an object with information on a digital map, said apparatus comprising:

a computation unit that is configured to make a first selection of cartography elements from the map on a basis of the measured position and on a position of a predefined error,

wherein the computation unit is further configured to provide the selected cartography elements for a first and a second secondary computation unit,

wherein the first secondary computation unit is configured to calculate a first value for each selected cartography element using a first method,

wherein the second secondary computation unit is configured to calculate a second value for each selected cartography element using a second method,

wherein the first and second values are calculated in the same unit of measurement, and

wherein the apparatus is configured to add the first and the second value of each selected cartography element to form a respective final value.

14. An apparatus for aligning a measured position for an object with information on a digital map, said apparatus comprising:

a computation unit that is configured to make a first selection of cartography elements from the map on a basis of the measured position and on a position of a predefined error,

wherein the computation unit is further configured to provide the selected cartography elements for a first and a second secondary computation unit,

wherein the first secondary computation unit is configured to calculate a first value for each selected cartography element using a first method,

wherein the second secondary computation unit is configured to calculate a second value for each selected cartography element using a second method,

wherein the first and second values are calculated in the same unit of measurement, and

wherein the apparatus is configured to assess the first secondary computation unit and to assess the second secondary computation unit, which results in a corresponding weighting for the two values of each selected cartography element.