Method and system for sensing the position of a vehicle

• US 9,417,071 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zeno Track GmbH
• Original Assignee: Zeno Track GmbH
• Inventors: Essati, Alec, Wildenauer, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parikh, Dakshesh
• Application Number:
  US13/521,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20120287280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a system for purposes of registering the position of a vehicle (1) in a defined region (3), wherein a digital map of the defined region (3) is created, having a defined coordinates system, wherein the digital map includes stationary reference features (T1) with a unique identifying feature, before digital images are recorded of at least a sub-region of the defined region (3), preferably of the whole defined region (3), for purposes of registering and detecting further reference features (T1, T2, T3), wherein stationary and/or temporary reference features (T2, T3) without unique identifying features are also registered and detected, and are added to the digital map and/or an associated buffer store, so that the absolute position of the vehicle (1) in the defined region (3) can subsequently be determined, in that a digital image of a portion of the defined region (3) is recorded by the vehicle (1), and in the digital image reference features (T1, T2, T3) are detected and optionally identified, wherein the determination of absolute position is undertaken on the basis of the stationary and/or temporary reference features (T1, T2, T3) that have been detected and optionally identified.

Claims

1. A method for registering the position of a vehicle in a defined region, the method comprising:

creating a digital map of the defined region, the digital map having a defined coordinates system and including first stationary reference features with a unique identifying feature;

recording one or more digital images of at least a sub-region of the defined region for purposes of registering and detecting further reference features;

registering and detecting second stationary or temporary reference features without unique identifying features detected in the one or more digital images;

adding the second stationary or temporary reference features without unique identifying features to the digital map or an associated buffer store;

subsequently determining the absolute position of the vehicle in the defined region by recording a subsequent digital image of a portion of the defined region by the vehicle;

detecting and identifying the second stationary or temporary reference features in the subsequent digital image; and

determining the absolute position of the vehicle on the basis of the second stationary or temporary reference features without unique identifying features that have been detected and identified in the subsequent digital image;

wherein when setting down a goods item having an identifying feature in the defined region, or when driving past with the vehicle, the coordinates of the goods item, preferably the corner points of the goods item, are added to the buffer store;

wherein when detecting an identifying feature of a goods item and at least one corner point of the goods item an absolute position of the vehicle is determined by means of the coordinates held in the buffer store;

wherein when determining the absolute position sub-regions of the defined region that cannot be navigated/driven through, or reached, or maximum possible alterations in position within a time period are taken into account on the basis of performance data of the vehicle in combination with a movement history.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein a determination of absolute position is undertaken by means of tracking of stationary reference features, and a determination of absolute position is undertaken by means of tracking of temporary reference features, or the identification of a goods item, and the absolute position of the vehicle is undertaken by way of a fusion of coordinates determined by means of the determinations of absolute position.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein after recording a digital image for purposes of determining position at least one detail of the image, in which at least one stationary reference feature is located, is selected and stored, and, for purposes of determining the absolute position of the vehicle, the detail of the image is projected by means of transformation onto a subsequently recorded digital image.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein each reference feature and that is not stored in the digital map identified in a recorded digital image is preferably buffer stored and the buffer stored reference feature is used for purposes of determining absolute position, provided that the buffer stored reference feature is identified in a subsequently recorded digital image.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, detail of the image, in which at least one stationary reference feature is located, is selected and stored, and, for purposes of determining the absolute position of the vehicle, the detail of the image is projected by means of transformation onto a subsequently recorded digital image.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein after recording a digital image for purposes of determining position at least one detail of the image, in which at least one stationary reference feature is located, is selected and stored, and, for purposes of determining the absolute position of the vehicle, the detail of the image is projected by means of transformation onto a subsequently recorded digital image.

9. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein after recording a digital image for purposes of determining position at least one detail of the image, in which at least one stationary reference feature is located, is selected and stored, and, for purposes of determining the absolute position of the vehicle, the detail of the image is projected by means of transformation onto a subsequently recorded digital image.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein each reference feature and that is not stored in the digital map identified in a recorded digital image is preferably buffer stored and the buffer stored reference feature is used for purposes of determining absolute position, provided that the buffer stored reference feature is identified in a subsequently recorded digital image.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein each reference feature and that is not stored in the digital map identified in a recorded digital image is preferably buffer stored and the buffer stored reference feature is used for purposes of determining absolute position, provided that the buffer stored reference feature is identified in a subsequently recorded digital image.

12. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein each reference feature and that is not stored in the digital map identified in a recorded digital image is preferably buffer stored and the buffer stored reference feature is used for purposes of determining absolute position, provided that the buffer stored reference feature is identified in a subsequently recorded digital image.

13. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein each reference feature and that is not stored in the digital map identified in a recorded digital image is preferably buffer stored and the buffer stored reference feature is used for purposes of determining absolute position, provided that the buffer stored reference feature is identified in a subsequently recorded digital image.

14. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein when determining the absolute position sub-regions of the defined region that cannot be navigated/driven through, or reached, or maximum possible alterations in position within a time period are taken into account on the basis of performance data of the vehicle in combination with a movement history.

15. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein when determining the absolute position sub-regions of the defined region that cannot be navigated/driven through, or reached, or maximum possible alterations in position within a time period are taken into account on the basis of performance data of the vehicle in combination with a movement history.

16. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein when determining the absolute position sub-regions of the defined region that cannot be navigated/driven through, or reached, or maximum possible alterations in position within a time period are taken into account on the basis of performance data of the vehicle in combination with a movement history.

17. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein when determining the absolute position sub-regions of the defined region that cannot be navigated/driven through, or reached, or maximum possible alterations in position within a time period are taken into account on the basis of performance data of the vehicle in combination with a movement history.

18. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein when determining the absolute position sub-regions of the defined region that cannot be navigated/driven through, or reached, or maximum possible alterations in position within a time period are taken into account on the basis of performance data of the vehicle in combination with a movement history.

5. A system for registering the position of a vehicle in a defined region, the system comprising:

a memory for storing a digital map having a defined coordinates system of the defined region, wherein the digital map includes first stationary reference features with a unique identifying feature detected in one or more digital images; and

an imaging sensor device is provided for purposes of registering and detecting further stationary or temporary reference features without unique identification features, which are assigned to the digital map or an associated buffer store, wherein the imaging sensor device records one or more digital images of a sub-region of the defined region, detects second stationary or temporary reference features in the one or more digital images, registers a subsequent digital image of a portion of the defined region, and detects and identifies the second stationary or temporary reference features held in the subsequent digital image, so that a determination of absolute position of a vehicle provided with the imaging sensor device can be determined based on the second stationary or temporary reference features without unique identifying features detected and identified in the subsequent digital image;

wherein when setting down a goods item having an identifying feature in the defined region, or when driving past with the vehicle, the coordinates of the goods item, preferably the corner points of the goods item, are added to the buffer store;

wherein when detecting an identifying feature of a goods item and at least one corner point of the goods item an absolute position of the vehicle is determined by means of the coordinates held in the buffer store;

wherein when determining the absolute position sub-regions of the defined region that cannot be navigated/driven through, or reached, or maximum possible alterations in position within a time period are taken into account on the basis of performance data of the vehicle in combination with a movement history.

6. The system in accordance with claim 5, wherein at least one digital camera is provided as an imaging sensor device.