TECHNIQUE FOR CALCULATING A LOCATION OF A VEHICLE

• US 20130030697A1
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bartels, Florian
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/446
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera

Abstract

A technique for calculating a location of a first vehicle is described. A method implementation of this technique comprises the steps of detecting, from the perspective of the first vehicle, a movement of a second vehicle relative to the first vehicle, determining, for the time of the relative movement, a location of the second vehicle based on the detected relative movement by matching the detected movement of the second vehicle against map data, measuring, for the time of the relative movement, a distance between the first and second vehicles, and calculating the location of the first vehicle based on the measured distance and the determined location of the second vehicle. The technique also comprises an apparatus, a computer program product, and a vehicle navigation system.

Claims

1. A method for calculating a location of a first vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting, from the perspective of the first vehicle, a movement of a second vehicle relative to the first vehicle;

determining, for the time of the relative movement, a location of the second vehicle based on the detected relative movement by matching the detected movement of the second vehicle against map data;

measuring, for the time of the relative movement, a distance between the first and second vehicles; and

calculating the location of the first vehicle based on the measured distance and the determined location of the second vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the determining step and the calculating step is supplemented by sensor data indicative of an absolute position of the first vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the calculating step further comprises:

matching an assumed location of the first vehicle against map data, the assumption being based on the measured distance and the determined location of the second vehicle, so as to obtain the calculated location of the first vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the relative movement is a rotation of the second vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 4,

wherein the rotation of the second vehicle is detected based on a relative movement of one of the braking lights and front lights of the second vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 4,

wherein the rotation of the second vehicle is detected based on a visibility change of a side door of the first vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the relative movement is a displacement of the second vehicle perpendicular to the longitudinal view axis of the first vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 7,

wherein the displacement is a one of a leftward, rightward, downward and upward displacement of the second vehicle with respect to a driving direction axis of the first vehicle.

9. A computer program product comprising program code portions for performing the method of claim 1 when the computer program product is executed on one or more computing devices.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9, stored on a computer readable recording medium.

11. An apparatus for calculating a location of a first vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a measuring component operably connected to the at least one processor, and configured to measure a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle; and

a detecting component operably connected to the at least one processor, and configured to detect, from the perspective of the first vehicle, a movement of the second vehicle relative to the first vehicle;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

determine, for the time of the relative movement, a location of the second vehicle based on the detected relative movement by matching the detected movement of the second vehicle against map data;

measure, for the time of the relative movement, the distance between the first and second vehicles; and

calculate the location of the first vehicle based on the measured distance and the determined location of the second vehicle.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a positioning sensor,

wherein the positioning sensor is configured to;

determine the position of the first vehicle, and

supplement the at least one processor in the operations of determining and calculating.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to match the calculated location of the first vehicle against map data.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the measuring component comprises one of a radar device and a camera device.

15. A vehicle navigation system comprising an apparatus according to claim 11.

16. An Advanced Driver Assist System comprising an apparatus according to claim 11.