US 9,103,671 B1Granted

Mapping techniques using probe vehicles

AssigneeAmerican Vehicular Sciences LLC

InventorsDavid S. Breed, Ryan H Breed

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Abstract

Method and system for mapping terrain including one or more roads includes a vehicle equipped with at least one camera, a position determining system that determines its position and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that provides at least one inertial property of the vehicle, all of which are in a set configuration relative to one another. A processor at a remote location apart from the vehicle converts images from the camera(s) to a map including objects from the images by identifying common objects in multiple images and using the position information and the inertial measurement information from when the multiple images were obtained and knowledge of the set configuration of the camera(s), the position determining system and the IMU. The images, position information and inertial measurement information are transmitted to the processor by a communications unit on the vehicle.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A method for mapping terrain including one or more immovable objects fixed in position alongside a road, comprising:

in a plurality of vehicles, each of the vehicles having at least one camera and a position determining system that determines a position of the vehicle, the at least one camera and the position determining system being in a set configuration relative to one another:
obtaining images of the terrain using the at least one camera while the vehicle is at different positions, each of the images of the terrain including at least one of the immovable objects;
obtaining position information using the position determining system while the at least one camera is obtaining the images of the terrain;
and
transmitting from the vehicle to a processor at a remote location apart from the vehicle, the images of the terrain obtained using the at least one camera on the vehicle in association with the position information obtained using the position determining system when each of the images of the terrain was obtained;
receiving the images of the terrain including the at least one immovable object and the associated position information about the images from each of the plurality of vehicles at the processor at the remote location;
converting, using the processor at the remote location apart from the vehicles and information about the set configuration of the at least one camera and the position determining system relative to one another, the images and/or data derived from the images to map data including data about the immovable objects from the images of the terrain by identifying common objects among the immovable objects in multiple images and using the position information from when the multiple images were obtained to obtain the positions of the common immovable objects;
and
forming or updating a map, using the processor, to include the common immovable objects in their fixed positions based on the map data.

6 more elements

A computer-based system for mapping terrain including one or more immovable objects fixed in position alongside a road, comprising:

a plurality of data acquisition modules each adapted to be arranged on a respective one of a plurality of vehicles, each of said data acquisition modules comprising at least one camera that obtains images of the terrain and a positioning system that determines a position of the vehicle on which said data acquisition module is arranged, each of the images of the terrain including at least one of the immovable objects, said at least one camera and said position determining system being in a set configuration relative to one another;
a plurality of communications units each adapted to be arranged on a respective one of the plurality of vehicles, each of said communications units transmitting from the respective one of the plurality of vehicles the images of the terrain obtained using said at least one camera and/or data derived from the images of the terrain in association with the position information obtained using said positioning system when each of the images of the terrain was obtained;
and
a processor situated apart from the vehicles and that receives from said communications unit on each of the plurality of vehicles, images of the terrain including the at least one immovable object and/or data derived from the images of the terrain including the at least one immovable object and associated position information about the images,
said processor being configured to convert, using information about the set configuration of said at least one camera and said position determining system relative to one another, the images and/or data derived from the images to map data including data about the immovable objects from the images of terrain by identifying common objects among the immovable objects in multiple images and using the position information from when the multiple images were obtained to obtain the positions of the common immovable objects;
and
said processor being further configured to form or update a map to include the common immovable objects in their fixed positions based on the map data.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/686,862Filed 27 Nov 2012 · continuation in part
Priority: 29 Nov 2007
Granted: 11 Aug 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification29 codes

G01C 11/025
Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures: by scanning…
G01C 11/08
By comparison of two or more pictures of the same area: the pictures not being supported in the same relative position as when they were taken
G01C 21/165
By integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation: combined with non-inertial navigation instruments
G01S 13/865
Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder: combination of radar systems with lidar systems