Automated Vehicle Map Updates Based On Human Verification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017227366-A1
Application number	US-201615040250-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 10, 2016
Priority date	Feb 10, 2016
Publication date	Aug 10, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A map-update system to update maps used by an automated vehicle includes an object-detection-device, an operator-communication-device, and a controller. The object-detection-device is used to detect objects proximate to a vehicle. The operator-communication-device is used to communicate an inquiry to an operator and detect a response from the operator. The controller is in communication with the object-detection-device and the operator-communication-device. The controller is configured to navigate the vehicle in accordance with a digitized-map, determine when an object detected by the object-detection-device does not correspond to an expected-feature present in the digitized-map, output an inquiry regarding the object to the operator via the operator-communication-device, and update the digitized-map based on the response from the operator.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A map-update system to update maps used by an automated vehicle, said system comprising:
an object-detection-device used to detect objects proximate to a vehicle; an operator-communication-device used to communicate an inquiry to an operator and detect a response from the operator; and a controller in communication with the object-detection-device and the operator-communication-device, said controller configured to navigate the vehicle in accordance with a digitized-map, determine when an object detected by the object-detection-device does not correspond to an expected-feature present in the digitized-map, output an inquiry regarding the object to the operator via the operator-communication-device, and update the digitized-map based on the response from the operator.

2 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the operator is one of a vehicle-occupant of the vehicle and a remote-operator operating the vehicle from a remote-location.

3 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine when an expected-feature present in the digitized-map is not detected by the object-detection-device, output an inquiry regarding the expected-feature to the operator via the operator-communication-device, and update the digitized-map based on the response from the operator.

4 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the expected-feature is characterized by a confidence-level in the digitized-map, and the controller is configured to update the confidence-level based on the response from the operator.

5 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system includes a memory to store the digitized-map, and the inquiry is used to determine a classification the object as one of permanent, temporary, and mobile.

6 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system includes a memory programmed with an identification-database, and the inquiry is based on a comparison of information from the object-detection-device to the identification-database.

7 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to issue a reward based on the response from the operator.

Assignees

• Delphi Tech Inc

Inventors

• Laur Michael H
• Absmeier John P
• Nguyen Anthony

Classifications

• G01C21/32 Primary

  Structuring or formatting of map data · CPC title

• G05D1/0088

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title

• B60W30/00

  Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units · CPC title

• G01C21/3856 Primary

  Data obtained from user input · CPC title

• G05D1/0274

  using mapping information stored in a memory device (navigation using map-matching G01C21/30) · CPC title