JP2005283426A - Road information collecting system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To report difference between road conditions and the map data to information centers, with fewer information contents. <P>SOLUTION: Distance traveled without detection of the road matching to map information based on map-matching between map information of a district including the current position and the current position is obtained (S302) as "unmatched travelling distance" and the "obtained travelling distance " is transmitted (S312) to information centers. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a road information collecting apparatus that transmits information for updating a map to an information center.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a technique in which road images captured by a camera mounted on a vehicle are collected in an information center or the like, and map information is prepared based on the collected road images (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In addition, as an apparatus for collecting map information, an image of a place including a comparison target serving as a reference for calculating a feature amount of the place is taken, and the image is extracted from the image based on a reference value predetermined for the comparison target in the image. There is also one that recognizes a feature quantity of a place and collects the feature quantity of the place as map information in association with the position information of the place (for example, see Patent Document 2).
JP-A-11-31295 JP 2002-297611 A

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, image information captured by a camera or the like is transmitted to an information center. Further, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, the feature amount of the place is associated with the position information of the place and transmitted as map information to the information center.

  However, if information for updating map information is transmitted to the information center as image information or map information as in the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the amount of communication between the transmission side and the information center increases. And an increase in communication costs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to notify an information center of a difference between road conditions and map data with a smaller amount of information.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a road information collecting device for transmitting information for updating a map to an information center, wherein map information in a section including the current position and the current position are An unmatched mileage acquiring means for acquiring a distance traveled in a state in which no matching road is detected by map matching as an unmatched mileage; and a transmitting means for transmitting the unmatched mileage acquired by the unmatched mileage acquiring means to an information center. It is characterized by having prepared.

  Thus, since the transmission means transmits to the information center as the unmatched travel distance acquired by the unmatched travel distance acquisition means, it is possible to notify the information center of the difference between the road condition and the map data with a smaller amount of information.

  Moreover, in invention of Claim 2, in the invention of Claim 1, the total distance acquisition means which acquires the total distance of the road of the division containing the present position from the map information divided | segmented for every predetermined division, A calculation means for calculating a ratio between the total distance of the road in the section including the current position acquired by the total distance acquisition means and the unmatched travel distance acquired by the unmatched travel distance acquisition means as a mismatch rate; and the inconsistency calculated by the calculation means And a transmission means for transmitting the rate to the information center.

  In this way, the transmission means can notify the information center of the difference between the road condition and the map data as an inconsistency rate.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a road information collecting apparatus for transmitting information for updating a map to an information center, and matching is performed by map matching between map information and the current position in a section including the current position. A matching travel distance acquisition means for acquiring a distance traveled in a state where a road to be detected is detected and a distance between the road to be matched and the current position is a predetermined value or more as a matching travel distance that is a predetermined value or more; Transmission means for transmitting a matching travel distance that is more than a predetermined value acquired by the matching travel distance acquisition means to the information center.

  In this way, the transmission means transmits to the information center as a matching travel distance that is more than a certain value acquired by the matching travel distance acquisition means, so the information center is notified of the difference between road conditions and map data with a smaller amount of information. can do.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 4, in the invention according to claim 3, the total distance acquisition means for acquiring the total distance of the road of the section including the current position from the map information divided for each predetermined section; Distance traveled in a section that includes the current position, with a matching road detected by map matching between the map information and the current position, and with a distance between the matching road and the current position separated by a certain value or more The matching mileage acquisition means for acquiring the mileage as a matching mileage separated by a certain value or more, and the total distance of the road of the section including the current position acquired by the total distance acquisition means and the fixed distance acquired by the matching mileage acquisition means A calculating unit that calculates a ratio with the matching travel distance as a rate of change; and a transmitting unit that transmits the rate of change calculated by the calculating unit to the information center. It is characterized in that was.

  In this way, the transmission means can transmit the difference between the road condition and the map data to the information center as the change rate.

  Further, in the invention described in claim 5, in the invention described in claim 3 or 4, the total distance acquisition means calculates the total distance of the road in the section including the current position from the map information divided for each predetermined section. For each road type, the matching mileage acquisition means acquires for each road type of matching roads the matching mileage separated by a predetermined value or more in the section including the current position, and the calculation means is a total distance acquisition means. The road type based on the total distance of the road in the section including the current position acquired for each road type and the matching travel distance that is more than a certain value acquired for each road type of the road to be matched by the matching travel distance acquisition means It is characterized in that the rate of change is calculated every time.

  In this way, the calculation means is a constant value acquired for each road type of the road to be matched by the total distance of the road including the current position acquired for each road type by the total distance acquisition means and the matching travel distance acquisition means. The rate of change can be calculated for each road type on the basis of the matching travel distance that has been separated as described above, and the transmission unit can transmit the rate of change calculated for each road type by the calculation unit.

  A schematic configuration of a map information maintenance system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The vehicle 1 includes a road information collection device (not shown), and a DVD-ROM in which map data is stored is attached to the road information collection device. When the road information collecting device recognizes the difference between the local road situation and the map data by traveling, the road information collecting device wirelessly transmits to the information center (hereinafter referred to as the center) 4 using determination information such as a mismatch rate and a change rate, which will be described later. Notify at. The center 4 accumulates these mismatch rate and change rate in the storage medium. A map manufacturer (hereinafter referred to as a map maker) 5 selects a site candidate site based on the inconsistency rate and rate of change accumulated in the center 4, and conducts a field survey of the site site selected by the map data. . If the map data needs to be corrected, the map data is corrected and the latest map data is created.

  FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the road information collection device. The road information collecting device 2 uses a car navigation device, and uses a GPS receiver 11 that receives signals from GPS satellites, a wheel speed sensor 12, and a gyroscope to detect the direction of east, west, south, and north. A sensor 13, a DVD-ROM drive unit 14 for driving a DVD-ROM as a storage medium storing a map database, a control device 15, a data setting / display device 16, and a camera 17 for picking up images around the vehicle. Etc.

  Here, the data setting / display device 16 includes a screen for displaying a map, a speaker for making a voice announcement, and an operation panel for inputting various commands, numerical values, and the like.

  The control device 15 is composed of a computer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, hard disk, wireless communication unit, and the like. The navigation device calculates the absolute position of the vehicle based on the radio wave received by the GPS receiver 11 and the wheel speed sensor 12. In addition, the current position of the vehicle is calculated in combination with the autonomous navigation performed by calculating the moving direction and the moving amount of the vehicle based on the detection signal of the direction sensor 13 and superimposed on the map database in the DVD-ROM. Is to guide you.

  The DVD-ROM stores a national map database represented according to latitude and longitude coordinates. Further, the above-described map database is constructed so that this national map can be designated in units of a primary mesh composed of cells of latitude × longitude = 900 seconds × 900 seconds. The database is also constructed so that the area within each grid of this primary mesh can be specified in units of a secondary mesh consisting of grids of latitude × longitude = 30 seconds × 30 seconds. It is also constructed so that a region within the grid can be specified in units of a tertiary mesh consisting of a grid of latitude × longitude = 1 second × 1 second.

  In addition, this national map database includes information for specifying the position of a point on the map (for example, latitude and longitude), information on the topography and road on the map (number of lanes, presence of stop lines, signs Information), and the name, type, type of business, location, etc. of the facility on the map.

  FIG. 3 shows a block configuration of software functions of the control device 15 in the above configuration. The software functions of the control device 15 include a map reading process 110, an image process 120, a map matching process 130, a determination information generation process 140, and a navigation control unit 150.

  The map reading process 110 is a map database (in the figure) in which map data of a predetermined map management section (corresponding to a mesh) including a point (for example, current position) specified by the navigation control unit 150 is stored in a DVD-ROM. Then, it reads from vehicle map data). The map data read by this map reading process 110 includes the total road distance within the zone in the map management zone where the vehicle is located, the type of road at the specified point, and the like.

  The image processing 120 performs image recognition processing on the image information captured by the camera 17 to recognize the number of lanes, the presence / absence of a stop line, and the contents of the sign.

  The map matching process 130 collates the travel trajectory obtained based on signals input from the GPS receiver 11, the wheel side sensor 12 and the surrounding sensor 13 with the map data read by the map reading process 110, When the distance between the current position of the vehicle and the road of the map data is within a predetermined distance, a process of correcting the vehicle position to a position on the road (so-called map matching) is performed. Further, matching or unmatching is determined based on whether the distance between the road to be matched and the current position is a predetermined value or more, and the determination result is notified to the navigation control 150.

  The navigation control 140 exchanges information between the blocks of the map matching process 100, the image process 110, the map reading 120, and the determination information generation process 140 as well as processes as a normal navigation device such as map display and route search. Control.

  The determination information generation process 140 generates determination information such as a mismatch rate and a change rate based on information processed by the map reading 110, image processing 120, map matching 130, and navigation control 150 blocks. Store it on the hard disk.

  Next, generation of the determination information will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

  FIG. 4 shows an example in which the vehicle travels on a new bridge that does not exist in the map data read by the map reading 110. Thus, when the vehicle travels on a new bridge that does not exist in the map data, the map matching processing 130 determines that the matching is unmatched. When the vehicle has traveled on this bridge, it is determined that the matching is performed again. Control 150 is notified.

  The determination information generation processing 140 obtains the mismatch rate calculation information shown in FIG. 5 based on the matching / unmatching determination results, and stores the information as determination information in the hard disk of the control device 15.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the information for calculating the inconsistency rate includes the total road distance in the zone, the unmatched travel distance, the number n of unmatched shapes, the matching road type before leaving, the rematching road type after leaving, and the unmatched running shape. Is included.

  The “total road distance within a section” is the total distance of roads in the section including the current position. The “unmatched travel distance” is a distance traveled in a state in which no matching road is detected by map matching between the map information in the section including the current position and the current position. The unmatched travel shape is information indicating the shape of a travel locus traveled in an unmatched state. The number n of unmatched shapes is the number of collected unmatched running shapes.

  In this embodiment, it is essential to set the “total distance within the zone” and the “unmatched travel distance”. The number of unmatched shapes n, the matching road type before leaving, the rematching road type after leaving, and the unmatched running shape are set. Is optional.

  The determination information generation processing 140 calculates a mismatch rate from the “total road distance in the zone” and the “unmatched travel distance” in the map management zone where the vehicle is located, and stores this mismatch rate in the hard disk of the control device 15. To do. The mismatch rate is expressed by Equation 1.

(Equation 1)
(Inconsistency rate) = (Unmatched mileage) / (Total distance of roads within a zone)
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state where a winding road is linearly changed. In the state shown in FIG. 6, a situation may be considered in which the traveling locus of the vehicle matches the road of the map data read by the map reading 110 but does not completely match.

  Therefore, the determination information generation process 140 is a state in which a matching road is detected by map matching between the map information and the current position in the section including the current position, and the distance between the matching road and the current position is constant. A distance traveled in a state of being separated by a value (for example, 10 m) or more is calculated as “matching travel distance separated by a certain value or more”. Then, the change rate calculation information shown in FIG. 7 is stored in the hard disk of the control device 15 as determination information.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the information for calculating the change rate includes the total road distance within the zone, the matching travel distance that is more than a certain value, and the number of matching shapes that are more than a certain value. The number of matching shapes separated by a certain value or more is the number of collected “matching shapes separated by a certain value” or more.

  In this embodiment, it is essential to set the “total distance within the zone” and the “matching travel distance that is more than a certain value”, the number of matching shapes that are separated by more than a certain value, the total distance within the zone, and a distance greater than a certain value. The setting of the matching mileage is arbitrary.

  In addition, the determination information generation processing 140 calculates a change rate from the “total road distance in the zone” and the “matching travel distance that is more than a certain value” in the map management zone where the vehicle is located, and this change rate is calculated by the control device. Store in 15 hard disks. The rate of change is expressed by Equation 2.

(Equation 2)
(Change rate) = (Matching distance traveled more than a certain value) / (Total distance of roads within a zone)
Next, with reference to FIG. 8, the flow of information among the road information collection device 2, the center 4, and the map maker 5 of the vehicle 1 will be described.

  First, the DVD-ROM drive unit 14 of the road information collecting device 2 of the vehicle 1 is loaded with a DVD-ROM storing the same database as the national map database created by the map maker 5 (200).

  Next, the road information collecting device 2 calculates the inconsistency rate and the change rate, and stores and accumulates the determination information in the hard disk of the control device 15 (210).

  Next, the center 4 requests the road information collection device 2 of the vehicle 1 to notify the change point. Specifically, a change point notification request signal is transmitted (220).

  When the road information collection device 2 of the vehicle 1 receives this change point notification request signal, the information for inconsistency rate calculation, the inconsistency rate, the information for change rate calculation, and the change rate stored in the hard disk of the control device 15 are obtained. The center 4 is notified (230).

  Next, upon receiving these pieces of information, the center 4 performs statistical processing on the received information and accumulates it in the storage medium (240).

  The map maker 5 selects a field survey candidate site based on the inconsistency rate and change rate accumulated in the center 4 (250), and performs a field survey of the selected site selected in the map data (260). If the map data needs to be corrected, the map data is corrected (270), and the latest map data is created (280).

  Next, processing of the control device 15 of the road information collection device 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The control device 15 performs the processing shown in FIG. 9 in parallel with the processing as a normal navigation device.

  First, the map data of the section including the current position is read from the DVD-ROM drive unit from the map data divided for each mesh. The map data includes the total distance of the road in the section including the current position (S300).

Next, local information is acquired. For example, the local information is acquired by recognizing the changed part of the road condition as follows (S302).
(1) A distance traveled in a state where a matching road is not detected by map matching between map data and the current position is acquired as an “unmatched travel distance”.
(2) The distance traveled in a state where a matching road is detected by map matching between the map data and the current position, and the distance between the matching road and the current position is a predetermined value or more Acquired as “Distance travel distance”.

  Next, determination information is generated. Specifically, the determination information such as the inconsistency rate and the change rate described above is calculated (S304).

  Next, it is determined whether there is inconsistency or change. Specifically, based on whether or not the mismatch rate and the change rate calculated in S304 are equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined whether or not there is a mismatch or change (S306). If it is determined that there is no inconsistency or change (NO in S306), the process returns to S300, and the processes in S300 to S306 are repeated.

  If it is determined in S306 that there is inconsistency or change (YES in S306), the matching rate and change rate are stored and stored in the hard disk of the control device 15 as determination information (308).

  Next, based on whether or not a change point notification request signal is received from the center 4, it is determined whether or not there is a change point notification request (S310). Here, when the change point notification request signal is received from the center 4, it is determined that there has been a change point notification request, the matching rate and the change rate are notified to the center 4 (S312), and this processing ends.

  If the change point notification request signal is not received from the center 4 in S310, it is determined that there is no change point notification request, and the process returns to S300.

  As described above, the road information collection device is a road information collection device that transmits information for map update to the information center, and matches by map matching between the map information in the section including the current position and the current position. The distance traveled in the state where no road is detected is acquired as “unmatched travel distance”, and the acquired “unmatch travel distance” is transmitted to the information center, so the difference between road conditions and map data can be reduced with less information. Can be notified.

  In addition, the "total road distance in the zone" is acquired from the map information divided for each predetermined zone, and the ratio between the acquired "total road distance in the zone" and the "unmatched mileage" is calculated as a mismatch rate. The calculated inconsistency rate can be transmitted to the information center.

  In addition, as described above, the road information collection device is a road information collection device that transmits information for map update to the information center, and in the section including the current position, map matching between the map information and the current position is performed. The distance traveled in a state where the matching road is detected and the distance between the matching road and the current position is more than a certain value is acquired as the “matching distance traveled more than a certain value” and acquired. Since the “matching travel distance that is more than a certain value” is transmitted to the information center, the difference between the road condition and the map data can be notified to the information center with a smaller amount of information.

  In addition, the “total road distance in the zone” including the current position is acquired from the map information divided for each predetermined zone, and the obtained “total distance in the zone road” and “matching travel distance that is more than a certain value” The ratio can be calculated as the rate of change, and the calculated rate of change can be transmitted to the information center.

  Also, obtain the “total distance within the zone” for each road type, obtain the “matching travel distance that is more than a certain value” for each road type that matches, and calculate the rate of change for each road type. It can also be sent to the center.

In the above embodiment, the total distance acquisition unit corresponds to the process of S300 in FIG.
The unmatched travel distance acquisition unit and the matching travel distance acquisition unit correspond to S302 in FIG. 9, the calculation unit corresponds to the process of 304 in FIG. 9, and the transmission unit corresponds to the process of S312 in FIG.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Based on the meaning of this invention, it can implement with a various form.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the road information collection device 2 calculates the inconsistency rate and transmits the calculated inconsistency rate to the information center 4. For example, for the inconsistency rate calculation shown in FIG. The information center 4 may be transmitted to the information center 4, and the inconsistency rate may be calculated using the formula 1 in the information center 4.

  Further, the road information collection device 2 may transmit only the “unmatched mileage” corresponding to the numerator of Equation 1 to the information center 4 and calculate the mismatch rate using Equation 1 in the information center 4. .

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the road information collection apparatus 2 showed the example which calculates a change rate and transmits the calculated change rate to the information center 4, for example, the information for change rate calculation shown in FIG. The rate of change may be calculated using Equation 2 in the information center 4.

  Further, the road information collecting device 2 transmits only the “matching travel distance that is more than a certain value” corresponding to the numerator of Equation 2 to the information center 4 and calculates the rate of change using Equation 2 in the information center 4. It may be.

  In the above embodiment, when the road information collection device 2 of the vehicle 1 receives the change point notification request signal from the center 4, it determines that there is a change point notification request and notifies the center 4 of the matching rate and the change rate. Although an example has been shown, for example, the center 4 may be periodically notified of the matching rate and the change rate. Further, when the road information collection device 2 of the vehicle 1 is located where the center 4 can be notified, the matching rate and the change rate may be notified.

  Further, the road information collection device 2 further classifies the inconsistency calculation information shown in FIG. 5 into road types such as national roads and prefectural roads as shown in FIG. Also good. Further, the information for calculating the change rate shown in FIG. 7 may be further classified into road types such as national roads and prefectural roads as shown in FIG.

  Further, the control device 15 of the road information collecting device 2 reads out the number of lanes of a running road, the presence / absence of a stop line, the contents of a sign from map data, the number of lanes read from the map data, and the presence / absence of a stop line, for example. Alternatively, it may be determined whether the content of the sign matches the number of lanes recognized by image recognition, the presence or absence of a stop line, and the content of the sign, and the determination result may be converted into characters or numerical values and transmitted to the information center.

  In addition, the control device 15 of the road information collecting device 2 reads, for example, the gradient of the running road from the map data, and the road gradient read from the map data matches the inclination angle input from the inclination sensor. It may be determined whether or not the determination result is converted into characters or numerical values and transmitted to the information center.

  The communication means between the road information collecting apparatus and the information center 4 may be any means such as a wireless communication means such as a mobile phone line, PHS, or Bluetooth, or a storage medium such as a CD, DVD, hard disk, or memory card.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the map information maintenance system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the road information collection apparatus of a map information maintenance system. It is a figure which shows the block structure of the software function of the control circuit of a road information collection apparatus. It is explanatory drawing about the production | generation of determination information. It is explanatory drawing of the information for mismatch rate calculation. It is explanatory drawing about the production | generation of determination information. It is explanatory drawing of the information for change rate calculation. It is a sequence diagram which shows the flow of the information between the road information collection apparatus of a vehicle, a center, and a map maker. It is a figure which shows the process of the control circuit of a road information collection apparatus. It is explanatory drawing of the information for mismatch rate calculation in other embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the information for change rate calculation in other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle, 2 ... Road information collection device, 4 ... Center, 5 ... Map maker, 21 ... Position detector,
26 ... Operation switch group, 27 ... Internal memory control device, 28 ... External memory control device,
29 ... Display device, 30 ... Remote control sensor, 32 ... Communication device, 33 ... Camera,
34: Control circuit.

Claims (5)

A road information collection device that transmits information for updating a map to an information center,
An unmatched travel distance acquisition means for acquiring a distance traveled in a state in which a matching road is not detected by map matching between the map information and the current position in a section including the current position;
A road information collecting apparatus comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit the unmatched travel distance acquired by the unmatched travel distance acquisition unit to the information center. Total distance acquisition means for acquiring the total distance of the road of the section including the current position from the map information divided for each predetermined section;
A calculation means for calculating a ratio between the total distance of the road of the section including the current position acquired by the total distance acquisition means and the unmatched travel distance acquired by the unmatched travel distance as a mismatch rate;
The road information collection device according to claim 1, further comprising: a transmission unit that transmits the inconsistency rate calculated by the calculation unit to the information center. A road information collection device that transmits information for updating a map to an information center,
A state in which a matching road is detected by map matching between the map information and the current position in a section including the current position, and a distance between the matching road and the current position is a predetermined value or more Matching mileage acquisition means for acquiring the distance traveled in as a matching mileage separated by a certain value or more,
A road information collecting apparatus comprising: a transmission unit that transmits a matching travel distance that is more than a predetermined value acquired by the matching travel distance acquisition unit to an information center. Total distance acquisition means for acquiring the total distance of the road of the section including the current position from the map information divided for each predetermined section;
A state in which a matching road is detected by map matching between the map information and the current position in a section including the current position, and a distance between the matching road and the current position is a predetermined value or more Matching mileage acquisition means for acquiring the distance traveled in as a matching mileage separated by a certain value
A calculation means for calculating a ratio between a total distance of roads in a section including the current position acquired by the total distance acquisition means and a matching travel distance that is more than a predetermined value acquired by the matching travel distance acquisition means;
The road information collection device according to claim 3, further comprising: a transmission unit that transmits the change rate calculated by the calculation unit to an information center. The total distance acquisition means acquires, for each road type, a total distance of roads in a section including a current position from map information divided for each predetermined section.
The matching mileage acquisition means acquires a matching mileage separated by a predetermined value or more in a section including the current position for each road type of the road to be matched,
The calculation means is acquired for each road type of the road to be matched by the total distance of the road including the current position acquired by the total distance acquisition means for each road type and the matching travel distance acquisition means. 5. The road information collection device according to claim 3, wherein the rate of change is calculated for each of the road types based on the matching travel distance separated by a certain value or more.

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