Intersection completer

• US 8,996,226 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chatham, Andrew, Urmson, Christopher Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US13/181,068
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 701/25
• US Class Current: 701/25
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to generating roadgraphs for use by autonomous vehicles. A computer may receive input defining aspects of a roadway including an intersection with another roadway, one or more traffic control features, and one or more locations at which a vehicle is required to observe at least one traffic signal before entering the intersection. A user may identify the intersection, for example, by tracing a perimeter around the intersection. In response, for each particular location of the one or more locations, the computer may identifying a route through the intersection from the particular location and determine, based on the boundary of the intersection and the particular location, a set of the one or more traffic control features must be observed by the vehicle before entering the intersection. This information may then be used to generate a roadgraph.

Claims

1. A method of generating a roadgraph graphically representing aspects of an intersection, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, input from a user defining aspects of a first roadway including an intersection with a second roadway, one or more traffic control features, and one or more locations at which a vehicle is required to observe at least one of the one or more traffic control features before entering the intersection;

displaying the aspects of the first and second roadways including the intersection;

receiving input from a user defining a perimeter around the intersection;

calculating a boundary of the intersection based on the perimeter and the aspects of the first and second roadways;

for each particular location of the one or more locations;

identifying a route through the intersection from the particular location; and

determining, based on the boundary of the intersection and the particular location, a set of the one or more traffic control features to be observed by the vehicle before entering the intersection; and

generating a roadgraph based on the user input, the boundary of the intersection, and the determined sets.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring the roadgraph to a vehicle in order to navigate the vehicle along the roadway.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified route includes making a turn from the first roadway to the second roadway.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified route includes crossing through the intersection from one section of the first roadway to another section of the first roadway.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a traffic signal light.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a stop sign.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the roadgraph to the user; and

receiving input from the user to adjust at least one set of the determined sets;

wherein generating the roadgraph is further based on the adjusted at least one set.

8. A device for generating a roadgraph graphically representing aspects of an intersection, the device comprising:

a display for displaying information to a user;

a processor coupled to the display, the processor being operable to;

receive input from the user defining aspects of a first roadway including an intersection with a second roadway, one or more traffic control features, and one or more locations at which a vehicle is required to observe at least one of the one or more traffic control features before entering the intersection;

display the aspects of the first and second roadways including the intersection on the display;

receive input from a user defining a perimeter around the intersection;

calculate a boundary of the intersection based on the perimeter and the aspects of the first and second roadways;

for each particular location of the one or more locations;

identify a route through the intersection from the particular location; and

determine, based on the boundary of the intersection and the particular location, a set of the one or more traffic control features to be observed by the vehicle before entering the intersection; and

generate a roadgraph based on the user input, the boundary of the intersection, and the determined sets.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to transfer the roadgraph to a vehicle in order to navigate the vehicle along the roadway.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the identified route includes making a turn from the first roadway to the second roadway.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the identified route includes crossing through the intersection from one section of the first roadway to another section of the first roadway.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a traffic signal light.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a stop sign.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to:

display the roadgraph to the user; and

receive input from the user to adjust at least one set of the determined sets;

wherein the processor generates the roadgraph based on the adjusted at least one set.

15. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium on which computer readable instructions of a program are stored, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of generating a roadgraph graphically representing aspects of an intersection, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, input from a user defining aspects of a first roadway including an intersection with a second roadway, one or more traffic control features, and one or more locations at which a vehicle is required to observe at least one of the one or more traffic control features before entering the intersection;

displaying the aspects of the first and second roadways including the intersection;

receiving input from a user defining a perimeter around the intersection;

calculating a boundary of the intersection based on the perimeter and the aspects of the first and second roadways;

for each particular location of the one or more locations;

identifying a route through the intersection from the particular location; and

determining, based on the boundary of the intersection and the particular location, a set of the one or more traffic control features to be observed by the vehicle before entering the intersection; and

generating a roadgraph based on the user input, the boundary of the intersection, and the determined sets.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising transferring the roadgraph to a vehicle in order to navigate the vehicle along the roadway.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the identified route includes making a turn from the first roadway to the second roadway.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the identified route includes crossing through the intersection from one section of the first roadway to another section of the first roadway.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a traffic signal light.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a stop sign.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying the roadgraph to the user; and

receiving input from the user to adjust at least one set of the determined sets;

wherein generating the roadgraph is further based on the adjusted at least one set.

22. A vehicle comprising:

a braking system configured to decelerate the vehicle;

an acceleration system configured to accelerate the vehicle;

a steering system configured to change the direction of motion of the vehicle;

a processor coupled to the breaking, acceleration, and steering systems; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a roadgraph, the roadgraph being generated by;

receiving input from a user defining aspects of a first roadway including an intersection with a second roadway, one or more traffic control features, and one or more locations at which a second vehicle is required to observe at least one of the one or more traffic control features before entering the intersection;

displaying the aspects of the first and second roadways including the intersection;

receiving input from a user defining a perimeter around the intersection;

calculating a boundary of the intersection based on the perimeter and the aspects of the first and second roadways;

for each particular location of the one or more locations;

identifying a route through the intersection from the particular location; and

determining, based on the boundary of the intersection and the particular location, a set of the one or more traffic control features to be observed by the vehicle before entering the intersection; and

generating the roadgraph based on the user input, the boundary of the intersection, and the determined sets; and

wherein the processor is operable to access the roadgraph from the memory and use the roadgraph to navigate the vehicle along a route by controlling one or more of the braking, acceleration, and steering systems.