Use of relative atlas in an autonomous vehicle

An apparatus, comprising:

• a memory storing a relative atlas, wherein the relative atlas comprises a relative atlas graph, and wherein the relative atlas graph includes a plurality of element nodes for the plurality of elements and a plurality of edges, each of which connecting a pair of element nodes from among the plurality of element nodes and defining a relative pose between the associated elements for the pair of element nodes;
• one or more processors coupled to the memory;
• and
• computer instructions executable by the one or more processors to generate a digital map for use by an autonomous vehicle by determining a vehicle pose for the autonomous vehicle within a geographical area, accessing the relative atlas to identify a plurality of elements in the geographical area, accessing the relative atlas to determine relative poses between the plurality of elements, and laying out the plurality of elements within the digital map using the determined relative poses, wherein the computer instructions are configured to lay out the plurality of elements within the digital map using the determined relative poses by:
• laying out a first element among the plurality of elements at a first position in the relative map;
• and
• laying out a second element among the plurality of elements at a second position in the relative map, including determining the second position from the first position using a relative pose between the first and second elements and defined in a first edge among the plurality of edges that connects a first element node for the first element with a second element node for the second element.

An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

• a memory storing a relative atlas, wherein the relative atlas comprises a relative atlas graph, and wherein the relative atlas graph includes a plurality of element nodes for the plurality of elements and a plurality of edges, each of which connecting a pair of element nodes from among the plurality of element nodes and defining a relative pose between the associated elements for the pair of element nodes;
• and
• an autonomous vehicle control system coupled to the memory and configured to generate a digital map by determining a vehicle pose within a geographical area, accessing the relative atlas to identify a plurality of elements in the geographical area, accessing the relative atlas to determine relative poses between the plurality of elements, and laying out the plurality of elements within the digital map using the determined relative poses, wherein autonomous vehicle control system is configured to lay out the plurality of elements within the digital map using the determined relative poses by:
• laying out a first element among the plurality of elements at a first position in the relative map;
• and
• laying out a second element among the plurality of elements at a second position in the relative map, including determining the second position from the first position using a relative pose between the first and second elements and defined in a first edge among the plurality of edges that connects a first element node for the first element with a second element node for the second element.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method of generating a digital map for use by an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining a vehicle pose for the autonomous vehicle within a geographical area;
• accessing a relative atlas to identify a plurality of elements in the geographical area, wherein the relative atlas comprises a relative atlas graph, and wherein the relative atlas graph includes a plurality of element nodes for the plurality of elements and a plurality of edges, each of which connecting a pair of element nodes from among the plurality of element nodes and defining a relative pose between the associated elements for the pair of element nodes;
• accessing the relative atlas to determine relative poses between the plurality of elements;
• and
• laying out the plurality of elements within the digital map using the determined relative poses, wherein laying out the plurality of elements within the digital map using the determined relative poses includes:
• laying out a first element among the plurality of elements at a first position in the relative map;
• and
• laying out a second element among the plurality of elements at a second position in the relative map, including determining the second position from the first position using a relative pose between the first and second elements and defined in a first edge among the plurality of edges that connects a first element node for the first element with a second element node for the second element.