Map generating device, map generating method, and program recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10415966-B2
Application number	US-201615561609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2016
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

An identification unit obtains a plurality of photographic images including two or more markers. The makers are placed on a different object, respectively. The identification unit identifies, from the plurality of photographic images thus obtained, three-dimensional positions of the two or more markers. A generating unit transforms coordinate system of the plurality of photographic images into a common coordinate system. Relative positions of the two or more markers based on a specific location are indicated in the common coordinate system. The generating unit generates map data which associates the positions of the two or more markers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A map generation device comprising:
at least one memory storing instructions; and
at least one processor executing the instructions to perform:
identifying, by using a plurality of captured images each of which includes two or more markers, relative positions of the two or more markers in a three-dimensional manner, the two or more makers being disposed at different positions from one another; and
transforming different coordinates system of the plurality of captured images into a common coordinate system based on the identified relative positions of the two or more markers; and
generating map data in which relative positional relation of a plurality of markers are associated with identification information of the plurality of markers,
wherein each of the plurality of markers is included in at least one of the captured images, wherein
when the captured image includes three or more markers,
the at least one processor performs:
identifying a plurality of different pieces of coordinates information regarding every pair of adjacent markers, based on a plurality of captured images that are different in imaging position or imaging direction;
calculating a reliability of the every pair by using the same pair; and
generating the map data using the calculated reliability.

2. The map generation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one processor transforms each of coordinates that are identified from two captured images that include a marker appearing in both of the images and a marker appearing in either of the images into a coordinate in the common coordinate system.

3. The map generation device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the at least one processor transforms coordinates of a marker whose coordinates are unknown in the common coordinate system, the marker being identified from a captured image that includes the marker whose coordinates are unknown and a marker whose coordinates are known in the common coordinate system, into coordinates in the common coordinate system, based on a positional relation relative to the marker whose coordinates are known.

4. The map generation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one processor identifies a plurality of pieces of coordinates information with respect to a single marker, based on a plurality of captured images that are different in imaging position or imaging direction,
wherein the at least one processor further performs statistical processing on the identified coordinates information or identification information, and
wherein the at least one processor generates the map data using a result of the statistical processing.

5. The map generation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one processor uses how many times the same pair is identified as the reliability.

6. The map generation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the captured image is part of a video recorded at a predetermined frame rate.

7. A map generation method comprising:
at least one memory storing instructions; and
at least one processor executing the instructions to perform:
identifying, by using a plurality of captured images each of which includes two or more markers, relative positions of the two or more markers in a three-dimensional manner, the two or more makers being disposed at different positions from one another; and
transforming different coordinates system of the plurality of captured images into a common coordinate system based on the identified relative positions of the two or more markers, and
generating map data in which relative positional relation of a plurality of markers are associated with identification information of the plurality of markers,
wherein each of the plurality of markers is included in at least one of the captured images, wherein
when the captured image includes three or more markers,
the at least one processor performs:
identifying a plurality of different pieces of coordinates information regarding every pair of adjacent markers, based on a plurality of captured images that are different in imaging position or imaging direction;
calculating a reliability of the every pair by using the same pair; and
generating the map data using the calculated reliability.

8. A non-transient program recording medium recording a program that causes a computer to execute the processing of:
identifying, by using a plurality of captured images each of which includes two or more markers, relative positions of the two or more markers in a three-dimensional manner, the two or more makers being disposed at different positions from one another; and
transforming different coordinates system of the plurality of captured images into a common coordinate system based on the identified relative positions of the two or more markers, and
generating map data in which relative positional relation of a plurality of markers are associated with identification information of the plurality of markers,
wherein each of the plurality of markers is included in at least one of the captured images, wherein
when the captured image includes three or more markers,
the processing further comprising:
identifying a plurality of different pieces of coordinates information regarding every pair of adjacent markers, based on a plurality of captured images that are different in imaging position or imaging direction;
calculating a reliability of the every pair by using the same pair; and

generating the map data using the calculated reliability.

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Sato Yoshiaki

Classifications

• G09B29/004

  Map manufacture or repair; Tear or ink or water resistant maps; Long-life maps (printing processes for maps B41M3/02; by permanently attaching map sections to sheets B42B7/00) · CPC title

• G01C15/06

  Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers · CPC title

• G01C21/20

  Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• G06T17/05 Primary

  Geographic models · CPC title

• G06T2207/30204

  Marker · CPC title