Method and apparatus for creating map and positioning moving entity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10878621-B2
Application number	US-201816233834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2018
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, apparatus and computer readable storage medium for creating a map and positioning a moving entity. A method for creating a map includes acquiring an image acquired when an acquisition entity is moving and location data and point cloud data associated with the image, the location data indicating a location where the acquisition entity is located when the image is acquired, the point cloud data indicating three-dimensional information of the image. The method further includes generating a first element in a global feature layer of the map based on the image and the location data. The method further includes generating a second element in a local feature layer of the map based on the image and the point cloud data, the first element corresponding to the second element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for creating a map, the method comprising:
acquiring an image acquired when an acquisition entity is moving and location data and point cloud data associated with the image, the location data indicating a location where the acquisition entity is located when the image is acquired, and the point cloud data indicating three-dimensional information of the image;
extracting a global feature of the image, the global feature representing an overall attribute of the image and comprising a spatial envelope of the image; and associating the location data with the global feature to generate a first element in a global feature layer of the map; and
extracting a local feature of the image, the local feature representing an attribute related to an area around a pixel in the image; extracting three-dimensional information associated with the local feature from the point cloud data; and associating the local feature with the three-dimensional information to generate a second element in a local feature layer of the map, the first element corresponding to the second element.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the acquiring the image, the location data and the point cloud data comprises:
acquiring the image acquired by a camera arranged in association with the acquisition entity;
acquiring the location data of the acquisition entity, the location data being acquired by a position sensor in synchronization with acquiring the image by the camera; and
acquiring the point cloud data, the point cloud data being acquired by a laser radar in synchronization with acquiring the image by the camera.

3. The method according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
acquiring a second image acquired when an moving entity is moving;
acquiring second location data regarding a location where the moving entity is located when the second image is acquired; and
positioning the moving entity based on the second image, the second location data, and the map.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the positioning the moving entity comprises:
extracting a global feature and a local feature of the second image, the global feature representing an overall attribute of the second image, the local feature representing an attribute related to a part of the second image;
determining a set of candidate elements from the global feature layer of the map based on the second location data of the moving entity;
determining, from the set of candidate elements, a global matching element matching the global feature;
determining, from a local feature layer of the map, a local matching element corresponding to the global matching element;
determining three-dimensional information associated with the local feature based on the local matching element; and
positioning the moving entity based on the three-dimensional information.

5. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
acquiring a planned path of the moving entity; and
downloading a portion of the map associated with the planned path.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the acquiring the second image comprises:
acquiring the second image acquired by a camera arranged in association with the moving entity.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the acquiring second location data of the moving entity comprises:
acquiring the second location data of the acquisition entity, the second location data being acquired by a position sensor in synchronization with acquiring the image by the camera.

8. An apparatus for creating a map, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
acquiring an image acquired when an acquisition entity is moving and location data and point cloud data associated with the image, the location data indicating a location where the acquisition entity is located when the image is acquired, and the point cloud data indicating three-dimensional information of the image;
extracting a global feature of the image, the global feature representing an overall attribute of the image and comprising a spatial envelope of the image; and associating the location data with the global feature to generate a first element in a global feature layer of the map; and
extracting a local feature of the image, the local feature representing an attribute related to an area around a pixel in the image; extracting three-dimensional information associated with the local feature from the point cloud data; and associating the local feature with the three-dimensional information to generate a second element in a local feature layer of the map, the first element corresponding to the second element.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the acquiring the image, the location data and the point cloud data comprises:
acquiring the image acquired by a camera arranged in association with the acquisition entity;
acquiring the location data of the acquisition entity, the location data being acquired by a position sensor in synchronization with acquiring the image by the camera; and
acquiring the point cloud data, the point cloud data being acquired by a laser radar in synchronization with acquiring the image by the camera.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the operations comprise:
acquiring a second image acquired when an moving entity is moving;
acquiring second location data regarding a location where the moving entity is located when the second image is acquired; and
positioning the moving entity based on the second image, the second location data, and the map.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the positioning the moving entity comprises:
extracting a global feature and a local feature of the second image, the global feature representing an overall attribute of the second image, the local feature representing an attribute related to a part of the second image;
determining a set of candidate elements from the global feature layer of the map based on the second location data of the moving entity;
determining, from the set of candidate elements, a global matching element matching the global feature;
determining, from a local feature layer of the map, a local matching element corresponding to the global matching element;
determining three-dimensional information associated with the local feature based on the local matching element; and
positioning the moving entity based on the three-dimensional information.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
acquiring a planned path of the moving entity; and
downloading a portion of the map associated with the planned path.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the acquiring the second image comprises:
acquiring the second image acquired by a camera arranged in association with the moving entity.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the acquiring second location data of the moving entity comprises:
acquiring the second location data of the acquisition entity, the second location data being acquired by a position sensor in synchronization with acquiring the image by the camera.

15. A non-transitory computer storage medium, storing a computer program thereon, the computer program, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
acquiring an image acquired when an acquisition entity is moving and location data and point cloud data associa

Assignees

• Baidu online network technology beijing co ltd

Inventors

• Zhou Wang
• Yan Miao
• Zhan Yifei
• Duan Xiong
• Ma Changjie
• Lang Xianpeng
• Jin Yonggang

Classifications

• G01C21/3878

  Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering · CPC title

• G01C21/3867

  Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps · CPC title

• G01C21/3811

  Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI] · CPC title

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• G01C21/20

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