Vehicle positioning information updating system

• US 8,140,266 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Motohiro, Okada, Kiyokazu, Suzuki, Hidenobu, Nakamura, Masaki, Hasunuma, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diacou, Ari M
• Application Number:
  US12/066,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 348/116, 701/221, 701/495
• US Class Current: 701/495
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/00 Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/32 Structuring or formatting of map data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

Based on positioning accuracy of an own vehicle required for appropriately carrying out assistance control carried out according to a position of the own vehicle, an execution condition for map matching correcting the position of the own vehicle is set. Specifically, setting is made in such a manner that, as the positioning accuracy is higher and an error thereof is smaller, an execution frequency of map matching becomes higher. Then, map matching is carried out according to the thus-set execution condition.

Claims

1. A vehicle positioning information updating system for updating positioning information concerning positioning of an own vehicle mounting an assistance control unit which carries out assistance control according to the own vehicle position, comprising:

an updating condition setting unit configured to set an updating condition for updating the positioning information based on characteristics or a level of the assistance control by the assistance control unit; and

an updating executing unit configured to execute updating of the positioning information according to the updating condition set by the updating condition setting unit, wherein;

the characteristics or the level of the assistance control by the assistance control unit comprises accuracy in positioning required for executing the assistance control by the assistance control unit,

the updating condition for the positioning information comprises a frequency of executing the updating the positioning information, and

the positioning information comprises the own vehicle position obtained from map matching or map data stored in a map database of the own vehicle.

2. The vehicle poisoning information updating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the updating condition setting unit reads a map prescribing a relationship between the assistance control unit and the updating condition for the positioning information, and sets the updating condition for the positioning information corresponding to the assistance control unit which is actually mounted in the own vehicle and execution of which is permitted.

3. The vehicle positioning information updating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the assistance control unit has an outputting unit configured to output updating condition information indicating the updating condition for the positioning information required for the assistance control unit; and

the updating condition setting unit receives the updating condition information output by the outputting unit, and sets the updating condition for the positioning information.

5. The vehicle positioning information updating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the frequency of executing the updating is based on an elapsed time from a prior executing of the updating.

6. The vehicle positioning information updating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the frequency of executing the updating is based on a moving distance from a prior executing of the updating.

4. A vehicle positioning information updating system for updating positioning information concerning positioning of an own vehicle mounting an assistance control unit which carries out assistance control according to the own vehicle position, comprising:

an updating condition setting unit configured to set an updating condition for updating the positioning information based on characteristics or a level of the assistance control by the assistance control unit; and

an updating executing unit configured to execute updating of the positioning information according to the updating condition set by the updating condition setting unit, wherein;

the characteristics or the level of the assistance control by the assistance control unit comprise a ground feature required for executing the assistance control by the assistance control unit, and

the updating condition for the positioning information comprises an updating scope in a map database prescribed according to the assistance control unit mounted in the own vehicle.

7. A vehicle positioning information updating system for updating positioning information concerning positioning of an own vehicle mounting an assistance control unit which carries out assistance control according to the own vehicle position, comprising:

updating condition setting means for setting an updating condition for updating the positioning information based on characteristics or a level of the assistance control by the assistance control unit; and

updating executing means for executing updating of the positioning information according to the updating condition set by the updating condition setting means, wherein;

the characteristics or the level of the assistance control by the assistance control unit comprises accuracy in positioning required for executing the assistance control by the assistance control unit,

the updating condition for the positioning information comprises a frequency of executing the updating, and

the positioning information comprises the own vehicle position obtained from map matching or map data stored in a map database of the own vehicle.