# US 12,215,976 B2 · Estimation device, estimation method, program product for estimation

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- Number: US 12,215,976 B2
- Document ID: US12215976B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/663,810
- Filed: 2022-05-17
- Published: 2022-09-01
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-21
- Assignees: Denso Corporation
- Applicants: Denso Corporation
- Inventors: Yuuichi Minamiguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215976B2

## CPC

- G01C 21/188: {for accumulated errors, e.g. by coupling inertial systems with absolute positioning systems}
- B60W 40/068: Road friction coefficient
- B60W 40/103: Side slip angle of vehicle body
- B60W 40/12: related to parameters of the vehicle itself {, e.g. tyre models}
- G01C 21/30: Map- or contour-matching
- G01C 21/32: Structuring or formatting of map data
- G08G 1/0969: having a display in the form of a map
- G09B 29/00: Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram (star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F)
- G09B 29/10: Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids (optical projection apparatus per se G03B)
- B60W 2520/20: Sideslip angle
- B60W 2552/40: Coefficient of friction
- B60W 2556/40: High definition maps
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B)

## Abstract

An estimation includes a dead reckoning unit, a map matching unit, and a parameter correction unit. The dead reckoning unit is configured to estimate a state quantity by dead reckoning based on (i) a dynamics model including a parameter that changes a behavior of the vehicle and (ii) internal information acquired from an inside of the vehicle. The map matching unit is configured to observe the state quantity by map matching based on (i) map information indicative of a traveling environment of the vehicle and (ii) external information acquired from an outside of the vehicle. The parameter correction unit is configured to correct the parameter, which is to be fed back for the dead reckoning, based on an offset amount that is a difference between the state quantity observed by the map matching and the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An estimation device configured to estimate a state quantity including a position of a vehicle, the estimation device comprising:
a dead reckoning unit configured to estimate the state quantity by dead reckoning based on (i) a dynamics model including a parameter that causes a change in a behavior of the vehicle and (ii) internal information acquired from an inside of the vehicle;
a map matching unit configured to observe the state quantity by map matching based on (i) map information indicative of a traveling environment of the vehicle and (ii) external information acquired from an outside of the vehicle; and
a parameter correction unit configured to correct the parameter, which is to be fed back for the dead reckoning, based on an offset amount that is a difference between the state quantity observed by the map matching and the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning; and
an error compensation unit configured to compensate for an error in the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning by filtering based on the state quantity observed by the map matching,
wherein
the dead reckoning unit is further configured to estimate the state quantity based on the parameter fed back after correction by the parameter correction unit, and
the map matching unit is further configured to perform map matching based on the parameter fed back after the correction,
wherein the map matching unit is further configured to acquire the map information, the external information, and the state quantity which has been estimated by the dead reckoning unit, and observe the state quantity by map matching,
wherein the dead reckoning unit is further configured to acquire the parameter which has been corrected by the parameter correction unit, cause the dynamics model to contain the parameter corrected as a parameter that causes the change in the behavior of the vehicle, acquire the dynamics model containing the corrected parameter and the internal information, and estimate the state quantity by the dead reckoning based on the internal information,
wherein the parameter correction unit is configured to:
predict a deviation that is contained in the offset amount and is a difference, caused by a change amount of the parameter, between the state quantity observed by the map matching and the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning; and
correct the parameter using the change amount corresponding to the predicted deviation,
wherein the parameter correction unit predicts, as a change amount function δzp, the deviation which is the difference caused by the change amount of the parameter based on at least one of the following formulas:
δzp=ΔZ(pt)−ΔZ(pt-1);
δzp=ΔZ(pt-1+δp)−ΔZ(pt-1); and
δzp=ΔZ(δp), and
wherein:
pt represents a dynamic parameter at a time t;
pt−1 represent a dynamic parameter at a time t−1, which is previous time of the time t; and
δp represents the change amount from the dynamic parameter pt−1 at the time t−1 to the dynamic parameter pt at the time t, and
wherein:
the state quantity of which the error has been compensated by the error compensation unit is output to an electronic control device configured to execute an advanced driver assistance or an automated driving of the vehicle; and
the electronic control device controls the vehicle to execute the advanced driver assistance or the automated driving.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The estimation device according to claim 1, wherein
the parameter correction unit is configured to predict the deviation that minimizes a difference between the deviation and the offset amount.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The estimation device according to claim 1, wherein
the parameter correction unit is configured to correct the parameter that varies depending on a factor other than the behavior of the vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The estimation device according to claim 3, wherein
the parameter correction unit is configured to correct the parameter that contains a kinetic friction coefficient of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The estimation device according to claim 1, wherein:
the parameter correction unit receives the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning unit and the state quantity observed by the map matching unit to correct the parameter causing the change in the behavior of the vehicle and transmits the corrected parameter to the dynamics model in the dead reckoning unit.

### Claim 6

A method of estimating a state quantity including a position of a vehicle, the method comprising:
estimating the state quantity by dead reckoning based on (i) a dynamics model including a parameter that causes a change in a behavior of the vehicle and (ii) internal information acquired from an inside of the vehicle;
observing the state quantity by map matching based on (i) map information indicative of a traveling environment of the vehicle and (ii) external information acquired from an outside of the vehicle;
correcting the parameter, which is to be fed back for the dead reckoning, based on an offset amount that is a difference between the state quantity observed by the map matching and the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning;
compensating for an error in the state quantity by filtering based on the state quantity observed by the map matching;
estimating the state quantity based on the parameter fed back after correction; and
performing map matching based on the parameter fed back after the correction,
wherein
the map information, the external information, and the state quantity, which has been estimated, are acquired, and the state quantity is observed by map matching,
the parameter which has been corrected is acquired, the dynamics model is caused to contain the parameter corrected as a parameter that causes the change in the behavior of the vehicle, the dynamics model containing the corrected parameter and the internal information are acquired, and the state quantity is estimated by the dead reckoning based on the internal information,
wherein the method further comprises:
predicting a deviation that is contained in the offset amount and is a difference, caused by a change amount of the parameter, between the state quantity observed by the map matching and the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning; and
correcting the parameter using the change amount corresponding to the predicted deviation,
wherein the deviation is predicted, as a change amount function δzp, which is the difference caused by the change amount of the parameter based on at least one of the following formulas:
δzp=ΔZ(pt)−ΔZ(pt-1);
δzp=ΔZ(pt-1+δp)−ΔZ(pt-1); and
δzp=ΔZ(δp), and
wherein:
pt represents a dynamic parameter at a time t;
pt−1 represent a dynamic parameter at a time t−1, which is previous time of the time t; and
δp represents the change amount from the dynamic parameter pt−1 at the time t−1 to the dynamic parameter pt at the time t, and
wherein:
the state quantity of which the error has been compensated is output to an electronic control device configured to execute an advanced driver assistance or an automated driving of the vehicle; and
the electronic control device controls the vehicle to execute the advanced driver assistance or the automated driving.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein
correcting the parameter includes predicting the deviation that minimizes a difference between the deviation and the offset amount.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein
correcting the parameter includes correcting the parameter that varies depending on a factor other than the behavior of the vehicle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein
correcting the parameter includes correcting the parameter that contains a kinetic friction coefficient of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, further comprising:
compensating for an error in the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning by filtering based on the state quantity observed by the map matching.

### Claim 11

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for estimating a state quantity including a position of a vehicle, the computer program comprising instructions configured to, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
estimate the state quantity by dead reckoning based on (i) a dynamics model including a parameter that causes a change in a behavior of the vehicle and (ii) internal information acquired from an inside of the vehicle;
observe the state quantity by map matching based on (i) map information indicative of a traveling environment of the vehicle and (ii) external information acquired from an outside of the vehicle;
correct the parameter, which is to be fed back for the dead reckoning, based on an offset amount that is a difference between the state quantity observed by the map matching and the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning;
estimate the state quantity based on the parameter fed back after correction; and
perform map matching based on the parameter fed back after the correction,
wherein
the map information, the external information, and the state quantity, which has been estimated, are acquired, and the state quantity is observed by map matching,
the parameter which has been corrected is acquired, the dynamics model is caused to contain the parameter corrected as a parameter that causes the change in the behavior of the vehicle, the dynamics model containing the corrected parameter and the internal information are acquired, and the state quantity is estimated by the dead reckoning based on the internal information,
wherein the instructions are configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
predict a deviation that is contained in the offset amount and is a difference, caused by a change amount of the parameter, between the state quantity observed by the map matching and the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning; and
correct the parameter using the change amount corresponding to the predicted deviation,
wherein the deviation is predicted, as a change amount function δzp, which is the difference caused by the change amount of the parameter based on at least one of the following formulas:
δzp=ΔZ(pt)−ΔZ(pt-1);
δzp=ΔZ(pt-1+δp)−ΔZ(pt-1); and
δzp=ΔZ(Sp), and
wherein:
pt represents a dynamic parameter at a time t;
pt−1 represent a dynamic parameter at a time t−1, which is previous time of the time t; and
δp represents the change amount from the dynamic parameter pt−1 at the time t−1 to the dynamic parameter pt at the time t,
wherein:
the state quantity of which the error has been compensated is output to an electronic control device configured to execute an advanced driver assistance or an automated driving of the vehicle; and
the electronic control device controls the vehicle to execute the advanced driver assistance or the automated driving.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 11, wherein the instructions are configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
predict the deviation that minimizes a difference between the deviation and the offset amount.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 11, wherein the instructions are configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
correct the parameter that varies depending on a factor other than the behavior of the vehicle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 13, wherein the instructions are configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
correct the parameter that contains a kinetic friction coefficient of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 11, wherein the instructions are configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
compensate for an error in the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning by filtering based on the state quantity observed by the map matching.

### Claim 16

An estimation device configured to estimate a state quantity including a position of a vehicle, the estimation device comprising:
a dead reckoning unit configured to estimate the state quantity by dead reckoning based on (i) a dynamics model including a parameter that causes a change in a behavior of the vehicle and (ii) internal information acquired from an inside of the vehicle;
a map matching unit configured to observe the state quantity by map matching based on (i) map information indicative of a traveling environment of the vehicle and (ii) external information acquired from an outside of the vehicle;
a parameter correction unit configured to correct the parameter, which is to be fed back for the dead reckoning, based on an offset amount that is a difference between the state quantity observed by the map matching and the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning; and
an error compensation unit configured to compensate for an error in the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning by filtering based on the state quantity observed by the map matching, wherein
the parameter correction unit is configured to correct the parameter that varies depending on a factor other than the behavior of the vehicle,
the dead reckoning unit is further configured to estimate the state quantity based on the parameter fed back after correction by the parameter correction unit, and
the map matching unit is further configured to perform map matching based on the parameter fed back after the correction,
the map matching unit is further configured to acquire the map information, the external information, and the state quantity which has been estimated by the dead reckoning unit, and observe the state quantity by map matching,
the dead reckoning unit is further configured to acquire the parameter which has been corrected by the parameter correction unit, cause the dynamics model to contain the parameter corrected as a parameter that causes the change in the behavior of the vehicle, acquire the dynamics model containing the corrected parameter and the internal information, and estimate the state quantity by the dead reckoning based on the internal information,
wherein the parameter correction unit is configured to:
predict a deviation that is contained in the offset amount and is a difference, caused by a change amount of the parameter, between the state quantity observed by the map matching and the state quantity estimated by the dead reckoning; and
correct the parameter using the change amount corresponding to the predicted deviation,
wherein the parameter correction unit predicts, as a change amount function δzp, the deviation which is the difference caused by the change amount of the parameter based on at least one of the following formulas:
δzp=ΔZ(pt)−ΔZ(pt-1);
δzp=ΔZ(pt-1+δp)−ΔZ(pt-1); and
δzp=ΔZ(δp), and
wherein:
pt represents a dynamic parameter at a time t;
pt−1 represent a dynamic parameter at a time t−1, which is previous time of the time t; and
δp represents the change amount from the dynamic parameter pt−1 at the time t−1 to the dynamic parameter pt at the time t, and
wherein:
the state quantity of which the error has been compensated by the error compensation unit is output to an electronic control device configured to execute an advanced driver assistance or an automated driving of the vehicle; and
the electronic control device controls the vehicle to execute the advanced driver assistance or the automated driving.