Methods and systems for enabling improved positioning of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9965699-B2
Application number	US-201514921367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2015
Priority date	Nov 4, 2014
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

A method performed by an object size mapping system is described for enabling improved positioning of a vehicle. The object size mapping system includes a first reference camera adapted to be arranged on-board a reference vehicle. The object size mapping system determines a current reference position of the reference vehicle. The system captures by the first reference camera, at the current reference position of the reference vehicle, a current reference image of a stationary physical reference object situated in the surroundings of the reference vehicle. The object size mapping system then determines a current reference size value of at least a portion of the stationary physical reference object, in the current reference image. The object size mapping system stores the current reference size value to be associated with the current reference position of the reference vehicle and a mapped digital reference object corresponding to the stationary physical reference object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by an object size mapping system for enabling improved object mapping to support improved positioning of a vehicle, the object size mapping system comprising a first reference camera adapted to be arranged on-board a reference vehicle, the method comprising:
determining a current reference position of the reference vehicle;
capturing by the first reference camera, at the current reference position of the reference vehicle, a current reference image of a stationary physical reference object situated in the surroundings of the reference vehicle;
determining a current reference size value of at least a portion of the stationary physical reference object in the current reference image; and
storing the current reference size value to be associated with the current reference position of the reference vehicle, and with a mapped digital reference object corresponding to the stationary physical reference object.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein storing further comprises storing the current reference size value to be associated with a mapped position of the mapped digital reference object.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
identifying the mapped digital reference object on a reference digital map; and/or
mapping the stationary physical reference object to the reference digital map.

4. A method performed by a vehicle positioning system for enabling improved object mapping to support improved positioning of a vehicle, the vehicle positioning system comprising a first camera adapted to be arranged on-board the vehicle, the first camera comprising predetermined characteristics, the method comprising:
estimating a current position of the vehicle;
capturing, by the first camera at the current position of the vehicle, a current image of a stationary physical object situated in surroundings of the vehicle;
identifying a pre-stored mapped digital object to correspond to the stationary physical object;
determining a current size value of at least a portion of the stationary physical object in the image;
comparing the current size value to a pre-stored reference size value of a reference image pre-captured by the first camera comprising the predetermined characteristics, which reference size value is associated with the current vehicle position and the mapped digital object; and
re-evaluating the estimated current position of the vehicle based on an outcome of the comparing the current size value to the reference size value.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the reference size value is further associated with a mapped position of the mapped digital object.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein re-evaluating further comprises:
tuning the estimated current position of the vehicle based on the outcome of comparing; and/or
determining a confidence level value of the estimated current position of the vehicle, based on the outcome of comparing.

7. The method according to claim 4 further comprising updating the reference size value.

8. An object size mapping system for enabling improved object mapping to support improved positioning of a vehicle, the object size mapping system comprising:
a first reference camera adapted to be arranged on-board a reference vehicle;
a reference positioning unit adapted for determining a current reference position of the reference vehicle;
a reference image capturing unit adapted for capturing, using the first reference camera, at the current reference position of the reference vehicle, a current reference image of a stationary physical reference object situated in surroundings of the reference vehicle;
a reference size determining unit adapted for determining a current reference size value of at least a portion of the stationary physical reference object in the current reference image; and
a reference storing unit adapted for storing the current reference size value to be associated with the current reference position of the reference vehicle, and with a mapped digital reference object corresponding to the stationary physical reference object.

9. The object size mapping system according to claim 8 wherein the reference storing unit is further adapted for storing the current reference size value to be associated with a mapped position of the mapped digital reference object.

10. The object size mapping system according to claim 8 further comprising:
a reference identifying unit adapted for identifying the mapped digital reference object on a reference digital map; and/or
a mapping unit adapted for mapping the stationary physical reference object to the reference digital map.

11. A vehicle positioning system for enabling improved object mapping to support improved positioning of a vehicle, the vehicle positioning system comprising:
a first camera adapted to be arranged on-board the vehicle, the first camera comprising predetermined characteristics;
a positioning unit adapted for estimating a current position of the vehicle;
an image capturing unit adapted for capturing, using the first camera, at the current position of the vehicle, a current image of a stationary physical object situated in surroundings of the vehicle;
a digital object identifying unit adapted for identifying a pre-stored mapped digital object to correspond to the stationary physical object;
a size determining unit adapted for determining a current size value of at least a portion of the stationary physical object in the current image;
a size comparing unit adapted for comparing the current size value to a pre-stored reference size value of a reference image pre-captured by the first camera comprising the predetermined characteristics, which reference size value is associated with the current vehicle position and the mapped digital object; and
a re-evaluating unit adapted for re-evaluating the estimated current position of the vehicle based on an outcome of the comparing the current size value to the reference size value.

12. The vehicle positioning system according to claim 11 wherein the reference size value is further associated with a mapped position of the mapped digital object.

13. The vehicle positioning system according to claim 11 further comprising:
a positioning tuning unit adapted for tuning the estimated current position of the vehicle based on the outcome of the comparing; and/or
a confidence level determining unit adapted for determining a confidence level value of the estimated current position of the vehicle, based on the outcome of the comparing.

14. The vehicle positioning system according to claim 11 further comprising a reference size updating unit adapted for updating the reference size value.

15. A vehicle comprising an object size mapping system according to claim 8 .

16. A vehicle comprising a vehicle positioning system according to claim 11 .

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Sorstedt Joakim

Classifications

• G01C21/28 Primary

  with correlation of data from several navigational instruments · CPC title

• G06F18/22

  Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures · CPC title

• B60R1/00

  Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles · CPC title

• G06T2207/30252

  Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle · 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