Method for positioning a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9915735-B2
Application number	US-201615216260-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2016
Priority date	Jul 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

A method for positioning a vehicle includes deriving an estimated position of the vehicle by way of a satellite signal received from the vehicle, receiving a correction signal from a second vehicle, and correcting the estimated position by way of the correction signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for positioning a first vehicle comprising:
a) deriving, by a processor of the first vehicle, an estimated position of the first vehicle by way of a satellite signal received by the first vehicle;
b) receiving, by the processor of the first vehicle, a correction signal from a second vehicle that includes a position of the second vehicle;
c) correcting, by the processor of the first vehicle, the estimated position by way of the correction signal received from the second vehicle to determine a corrected estimated position;
d) measuring, by the processor of the first vehicle, a distance vector between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on an optical image taken by a camera of the first vehicle that identifies the second vehicle;
correcting, by the processor of the first vehicle, the corrected estimated position of the first vehicle based on the distance vector to determine an assumed true position of the first vehicle; and
outputting, by the processor of the first vehicle, a correction signal from the first vehicle that includes the assumed true position of the first vehicle to a third vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the correction signal received from the second vehicle comprises extent and direction of a deviation between a position of the second vehicle and a position estimated by way of a satellite signal received by the second vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising deriving, by the processor of the first vehicle, a dimension for the reliability of the deviation from the correction signal received from the second vehicle and correcting, by the processor of the first vehicle, the estimated position by way of the correction signal received from the second vehicle and the dimension.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein a) and c) are repeated multiple repetitions following b) such that an influence of the correction signal received from the second vehicle on the corrected estimated position decreases from one repetition to the next repetition.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the position of the second vehicle assumed to be true is obtained by:
deriving an estimated position of the second vehicle by way of a satellite signal received by the second vehicle;
receiving a second correction signal from one of a third vehicle or a stationary reference station; and
correcting the estimated position of the second vehicle by way of the second correction signal.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the correction signal received from the second vehicle comprises a dimension for the reliability of the position of the second vehicle.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code which enable a computer to carry out the method according to claim 1 .

8. A device for installation in a first vehicle comprising a processor configured to:
derive an estimated position of the first vehicle by way of a satellite signal received by the first vehicle;
receive a correction signal from a second vehicle that includes an assumed position of the second vehicle, and an extent and direction of a deviation between the assumed position of the second vehicle and an estimated position of the second vehicle derived by way of a satellite signal received by the second vehicle;
correct the estimated position by way of the correction signal received from the second vehicle to determine a corrected estimated position;
measure a distance vector between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on an optical image taken by a camera of the first vehicle that identifies the second vehicle;
correct the corrected estimated position of the first vehicle based on the distance vector to determine an assumed true position of the first vehicle; and
output a correction signal from the first vehicle that includes the assumed true position of the first vehicle and an extent and direction of a deviation between the assumed true position of the first vehicle and the estimated position of the first vehicle to a third vehicle.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Wagner Nikolas
• Moebus Marco
• Praunsmaendel Bruno

Classifications

• G01S13/08

  Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S13/46) · CPC title

• G01S19/48

  by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system · CPC title

• G01C22/00 Primary

  Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers · CPC title

• G01S19/421 Primary

  by combining or switching between position solutions or signals derived from different satellite radio beacon positioning systems; by combining or switching between position solutions or signals derived from different modes of operation in a single system · CPC title

• G01S15/08

  Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S15/46) · CPC title