Bezier curves for advanced driver assistance system applications

• US 9,383,212 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Dorum, Ole Henry, Gnedin, Marianna
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivas, Omar Fernandez
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUU, CUONG V
• Application Number:
  US14/225,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20140222331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3819 Road shape data, e.g. outline of a route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3822 Road feature data, e.g. slope data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3867 Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps

Abstract

A method and system for using Bezier curves in vehicle positioning and electronic horizon applications for providing data to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) applications are disclosed. The Bezier curves are obtained from B-splines. The obtained Bezier curves are subdivided in a manner that allows the vehicle positioning application to derive a polyline representation in real time. Using the Bezier and polyline geometry, the vehicle positioning application provides a vehicle position approximation to the ADAS applications. Using the Bezier curves, the electronic horizon application provides curvature, slope, and heading profiles to the ADAS applications.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for generating an approximation of vehicle position for use by a driver assistance application, comprising:

performing, by a processor, a map matching analysis to determine a closest point to a vehicle position on a polyline representation of a road derived from one or more Bezier curves stored in a geographic database;

identifying, by the processor, a Bezier curve in the geographic database corresponding to the closest point to the vehicle position on the polyline;

projecting, by the processor, the closest point to the vehicle position on the polyline onto the identified Bezier curve to obtain an approximation of the vehicle position; and

providing, by the processor, the approximation of the vehicle position to at least one driver assistance application.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the processor, B-spline road geometry associated with road segments representing a road network in a geographic area surrounding the vehicle position;

converting, by the processor, the B-spline road geometry to Bezier curves;

dividing, by the processor, the Bezier curves at a point located on the Bezier curve at a furthest distance from a control polygon base chord; and

storing, by the processor, the divided Bezier curves in the geographic database.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein the stored divided Bezier curves each comprise end points and internal control points, the method further comprising deriving, by the processor, the polyline representation by connecting the end points of the Bezier curves while ignoring the internal control points.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein the deriving is performed in real time.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein the performing, identifying, projecting and providing are performed subsequent to the obtaining, converting, dividing and storing.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the performing, identifying, projecting and providing are performed by a vehicle positioning application of a map and positioning engine.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the identifying further comprises computing, by the processor, a lookup table on the fly to associate the Bezier curve with the polyline representation.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7 wherein the identifying further comprises using a length along the polyline representation in the lookup table to identify the corresponding Bezier curve.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the projecting further comprises solving, by the processor, a cubic equation numerically using a combination of Newton'"'"'s and bisection methods.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising providing, by the processor, the vehicle position approximation to one or more of driver assistance applications via an interface therewith.

11. A system for generating an approximation of vehicle position for use by a driver assistance application, the system comprising:

a positioning system operative to determine the location, direction and/or orientation of the system;

a geographic database;

a processor coupled with the positioning system and the geographic database; and

a vehicle positioning computer program executable by the processor to cause the processor to;

perform a map matching analysis to determine a closest point to a vehicle position on a polyline representation of a road derived from one or more Bezier curves stored in a geographic database;

identify a Bezier curve in the geographic database corresponding to the closest point to the vehicle position on the polyline;

project the closest point to the vehicle position on the polvline onto the identified Bezier curve to obtain an approximation of the vehicle position; and

provide the approximation of the vehicle position to at least one driver assistance application.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle positioning computer program is further executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

obtain B-spline road geometry associated with road segments representing a road network in a geographic area surrounding the vehicle position;

convert the B-spline road geometry to Bezier curves;

divide the Bezier curves at a point located on the Bezier curve at a furthest distance from a control polygon base chord; and

store the divided Bezier curves in the geographic database.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the stored divided Bezier curves each comprise end points and internal control points, the vehicle positioning computer program is further executable by the processor to cause the processor to derive the polyline representation by connecting the end points of the Bezier curves while ignoring the internal control points.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the vehicle positioning computer program is further executable by the processor to cause the processor to derive the polyline representation in real time.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the system comprises a map and positioning engine.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the vehicle positioning computer program is further executable by the processor to cause the processor to compute a lookup table on the fly to associate the Bezier curve with the polyline representation.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the vehicle positioning computer program is further executable by the processor to cause the processor to use the polyline representation a length along the polyline representation in the lookup table to identify the corresponding Bezier curve.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the vehicle positioning computer program is further executable by the processor to cause the processor to solve a cubic equation numerically using a combination of Newton'"'"'s and bisection methods.

19. The system of claim 11 further comprising the vehicle positioning computer program is further executable by the processor to cause the processor to provide the polyline representation the vehicle position approximation to one or more of driver assistance applications via an interface therewith.

20. A map and positioning engine for use in an advanced driver assistance system for generating an approximation of vehicle position for use by a driver assistance application, the map and positioning engine comprising:

a positioning system;

a processor coupled with the positioning system;

a vehicle positioning computer program executable by the processor to cause the processor to;

perform a map matching analysis to determine a closest point to a vehicle position on a polyline representation of a road derived from one or more Bezier curves stored in a geographic database;

identify a Bezier curve in the geographic database corresponding to the closest point to the vehicle position on the polyline;

project the closest point to the vehicle position on the polyline onto the identified Bezier curve to obtain an approximation of the vehicle position; and

provide the approximation of the vehicle position to at least one driver assistance application.