Map error information obtaining system and map error information obtaining method

• US 20050283699A1
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nomura, Kimihiro, Yoshida, Tadashi, Yuda, Masato, Kawasaki, Yoshiteru, Araki, Hitoshi, Senda, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,363,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/746
• 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 map error information obtaining system, comprising:

a position detecting apparatus mounted on a movable object; and

a center apparatus having map information stored therein and operative to collect map error information indicative of an error in said map information,

said position detecting apparatus comprising;

map information storing means for storing said map information therein;

current position detecting means for detecting a current position;

map error information generating means for judging whether or not there is a difference between an actual condition of and in the vicinity of said current position and said map information of and in the vicinity of said current position, and generating said map error information including at least said position of said map information and said difference when it is judged that there is a difference; and

map error information outputting means for outputting said map error information generated by said map error information generating means,

said center apparatus comprising;

map error information inputting means for inputting said map error information outputted from said map error information outputting means of said position detecting apparatus;

evaluation point calculating means for calculating an evaluation point on the basis of said map error information inputted by said map error information inputting means; and

evaluation point managing means for having stored therein said evaluation point in association with said position detecting apparatus.

2. A map error information obtaining system as set forth in claim 1, in which

a reward for an operator operating said position detecting apparatus is determined in view of said evaluation point.

3. A map error information obtaining system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said center apparatus further comprises evaluation point transmitting means for transmitting said evaluation point calculated by said evaluation point calculating means to said position detecting apparatus, and

said position detecting apparatus further comprises evaluation point receiving means for receiving said evaluation point transmitted by said evaluation point transmitting means of said center apparatus, and evaluation point storing means for storing said evaluation point received by said evaluation point receiving means.

4. A position detecting apparatus, comprising:

map information storing means for storing map information therein;

image obtaining means for obtaining image data indicative of an actual condition of and in the vicinity of said current position,

map error information generating means for judging whether or not there is a difference between an actual condition of and in the vicinity of said current position and said map information of and in the vicinity of said current position by comparing said map information with said image data of and in the vicinity of said current position, and generating said map error information including at least said position of said map information, said difference, and said image data indicative of an actual condition of and in the vicinity of said position when it is judged that there is a difference; and

map error information outputting means for outputting said map error information generated by said map error information generating means.

5. A position detecting apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further comprising

manual inputting means for allowing said map error information to be manually inputted therein.

6. A position detecting apparatus as set forth in claim 4, in which

said map error information generating means includes an automatic error detecting section for automatically judging whether or not there is a difference between an actual condition of and in the vicinity of said current position and said map information of and in the vicinity of said current position by comparing said map information with said image data, and generating said map error information when it is judged that there is a difference.

7. A position detecting apparatus as set forth in claim 4, in which

said map error information generating means is operative to generate data indicative of a traveling locus constituted by a plurality of positions and moving image data of a traveling route on said traveling locus as said map error information, or data indicative of a traveling locus constituted by a plurality of positions and a plurality of pieces of image data of a traveling route on said traveling locus as said map error information when it is judged that there are a plurality of differences at a plurality of positions along said traveling route.

8. A position detecting apparatus as set forth in claim 4, in which

said map error information outputting means is operative to output said map error information to a center apparatus by way of telecommunication.

9. A position detecting apparatus as set forth in claim 4, in which

said map error information outputting means further includes a removable storage medium capable of having said map error information stored therein.

10. A center apparatus, comprising:

map error information inputting means for inputting a map error information outputted from a position detecting apparatus mounted on a movable object;

evaluation point calculating means for calculating an evaluation point on the basis of said map error information inputted by said map error information inputting means; and

evaluation point managing means for having stored therein said evaluation point in association with said position detecting apparatus.

11. A map error information obtaining method, comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a position detecting apparatus including;

map information storing means for storing map information therein;

current position detecting means for detecting a current position;

map error information generating means for judging whether or not there is a difference between an actual condition of and in the vicinity of said current position and said map information of and in the vicinity of said current position, and generating said map error information including at least said position of said map information and said difference when it is judged that there is a difference; and

map error information outputting means for outputting said map error information generated by said map error information generating means, and a center apparatus including;

map error information inputting means for inputting said map error information outputted from said map error information outputting means of said position detecting apparatus;

evaluation point calculating means for calculating an evaluation point on the basis of said map error information inputted by said map error information inputting means; and

evaluation point managing means for having stored therein said evaluation point in association with said position detecting apparatus;

(b) detecting a current position, by said current position detecting means of said position detecting apparatus;

(b) judging whether or not there is a difference between an actual condition of and in the vicinity of said current position and said map information of and in the vicinity of said current position, by said map error information generating means;

(c) generating said map error information including at least said position of said map information and said difference when it is judged that there is a difference, by said map error information generating means;

(d) outputting said map error information to have said center apparatus said map error information inputted therein, by said map error information outputting means of said position detecting apparatus and said map error information inputting means of said center apparatus;

(e) calculating an evaluation point on the basis of said map error information, by said evaluation point calculating means; and

(f) having stored therein said evaluation point in association with said position detecting apparatus, by said evaluation point managing means.

12. A map error information obtaining method as set forth in claim 11, in which

said evaluation point is calculated in view of the other map error information already received by said center apparatus.

13. A map error information obtaining method as set forth in claim 11, in which

said evaluation point is increased for said map error information which includes said difference not stored in said center apparatus.

14. A map error information obtaining method as set forth in claim 11, in which

said evaluation point is decreased for said map error information which includes said difference found in the other map error information already received by said center apparatus in accordance with the number of pieces of said already stored map error information including said same difference.

15. A map error information obtaining method as set forth in claim 11, in which

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