Self-position estimation apparatus and self-position estimation method

A self-position estimation apparatus comprising:

• a light receiver that comprises a pixel and receives light emission signals from a transmission apparatus via the pixel;
• and
• a position calculator that selects at least one, in accordance with the number of the light emission signals acquired by the light receiver and which are used for a calculation of a self-position, from a plurality of algorithms in which the self-position is estimated and calculates the self-position by using the selected algorithm,
• wherein
• when the light receiver acquires four or more light emission signals, the position calculator calculates the self-position according to at least one of:
• a process of selecting three or less light emission signals from the four or more light emission signals, selecting two or more algorithms from the plurality of algorithms by using the selected light emission signals, and selecting at least one algorithm from the two or more algorithms based on a predetermined priority or selecting at least one from the self-positions calculated according to the two or more algorithms based on a predetermined priority;
• a process of performing a predetermined weighting with respect to the calculated self-positions and then calculating an average of the weighted self-positions;
• and a process of performing a clustering with respect to the calculated self-positions and calculating the self-position based on a cluster.

A self-position estimation method, comprising:

• (a) by way of a light receiver that comprises a pixel, receiving light emission signals from a transmission apparatus via a pixel;
• (b) by way of a position calculator, selecting at least one, in accordance with the number of the light emission signals acquired in (a) and which are used for a calculation of a self-position, from a plurality of algorithms in which the self-position is estimated;
• and
• (c) by way of the position calculator, calculating the self-position by using the algorithm selected in (b),
• wherein
• when the number of the light emission signals available for a self-position calculation is three or less,
• the position calculator estimates the self-position by using at least three of a position of the transmission apparatus, an attitude of the self-position estimation apparatus, a distance between the transmission apparatus and the self-position estimation apparatus, an altitude of the self-position estimation apparatus, an azimuth angle between the transmission apparatus and the self-position estimation apparatus, an elevation or depression angle between the transmission apparatus and the self-position estimation apparatus, position information of a road on which a vehicle including the self-position estimation apparatus is traveling, and an azimuth angle of the self-position estimation apparatus.