DE102018200218A1 - Position determination by means of observation device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle (1), the system comprising an observation device (3), in particular comprising a camera, which is adapted to the vehicle (1) in an observation area in An evaluation device, which is designed to use the image data (31) to determine the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle (1) in the observation area and therefrom using the known position of the observation device (3). to determine the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle (1).

Description

The invention relates to a system and a method for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle.

It is known that the position and orientation of a vehicle can be determined by means of a satellite navigation system, also known as the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Satellite navigation systems were originally developed for aeronautics and seafaring, ie for use in the open air, where no significant disturbances are to be expected and a permanently good reception of satellite signals is to be expected.

If these conditions are not met, as in large inner cities, where, for example, tall buildings can provide a shadowing of the signals, called Urban Canyon, or the signals arrive by reflection in several ways to the receiver, called multipath or multipath, the satellite navigation system is sufficient for one satisfactory location is not enough. To make locating more accurate and reliable, it is possible to resort to a supplemental system, called SBAS, which uses geosynchronous or geostationary satellites. However, this system is also designed for aviation and can not address the problems mentioned, such as shading or reusable reception.

Also, a differential global positioning system, called DGPS, in which correction data is obtained by reference receivers to increase the accuracy of GNSS navigation, does not solve this problem. Also, such a system is not always reliable even in the open field and also expensive, and therefore it seems worthwhile to consider at least one alternative.

It is also known that in the case of short-term disturbances, the reception of satellite signals can be supplemented, for example, by data fusion with vehicle dynamics or environmental sensors of a vehicle, provided that the GNSS interference is detected or anticipated by the corresponding algorithm before the localization of the vehicle has a negative influence becomes. On the other hand, if localization by the satellite navigation system is disturbed for a long time, which can happen for more than an hour when driving through large cities with tall buildings, then localization itself becomes extremely important with the help of data fusion with vehicle dynamics or environmental sensors called Dead Reckoning Unreliable, because every sensor error or drift over the long term is particularly noticeable. The errors may increase exponentially, so that in urban environments quickly by more than 10 meters deviating positions occur. For the vehicle or the localization algorithm, it is impossible to ensure or to evaluate whether the assumed position also corresponds to the actual one. Even under the open sky, however, there may be deviations of the detected position, for example as a result of systematic influences caused by atmospheric errors, in particular ionospheric errors, which provide an unrecognized position offset. Such an offset can not be compensated by a dead reckoning filter, only a reduction of the noise is possible.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle, which complements or improves existing systems and / or is reliable and / or safe to a certain extent.

The object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The wording of the claims is incorporated herein by express reference.

According to one aspect of the invention, a system for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle comprises an observation device, in particular comprising a camera, which is designed to control the vehicle ( 1 ) in an observation area in the form of image data ( 31 ), an evaluation device, which is designed to determine the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle in the observation area and from the known position of the observation device, the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle based on the image data.

The invention is based on the consideration that a position determination in the so-called Urban Canyon is extremely demanding and can not be reliably guaranteed even with tools for position detection from the vehicle perspective, which is why a completely novel approach could be advantageous. Since localization, unlike satellites, short distance, is less susceptible to systematic errors, and a perspective outside the vehicle provides a greater overview, a corresponding observer could reduce or eliminate the problems. A corresponding observation device in the form of a camera can be brought into position, for example, by means of an unmanned vehicle, in particular a flight drone, or mounted on an already existing building infrastructure and by a corresponding device with the vehicle or with communicate with several vehicles. The position of the observation device as part of an unmanned vehicle can be determined, for example, by means of a satellite navigation system, while the position of a stationary observation device does not change due to its fixed location and therefore only has to be determined once.

Hereinafter, the term position is preferably understood to mean that the term orientation, ie a rotational position in space, is also covered by the term position.

For the purposes of the invention, the terms relative position and / or orientation should preferably be understood to mean that the position or orientation is related to the observation device, for example characterized by three-dimensional coordinates with the observation device as the origin. The terms of the absolute position and / or orientation are preferably to be understood globally in the sense of the invention, that is to say that the position or orientation is related to the earth or the area of the earth's surface around the vehicle to be located or even a virtual road map. Since the absolute position and / or orientation of the observation device is preferably known, the absolute position and / or orientation of the vehicle can be determined from the relative position and / or orientation of the vehicle. The transfer of the relative position and / or orientation can preferably be carried out in the absolute position and / or orientation with a corresponding algorithm, for example, baseline algorithm.

Depending on the viewpoint, it may be expedient that the system for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle comprises the vehicle whose position and / or orientation is to be determined.

It is preferred that the evaluation device is part of the observation device or is mechanically connected thereto. Thus, the evaluation of the image data can already be made outside the vehicle and a subsequent signal transmission can be less extensive, because not the complete image data must be transmitted.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the evaluation device is installed in the vehicle and has a receiving device for wirelessly receiving the image data from the observation device in the form of a signal. This has the advantage that the image data from the observation device can be sent immediately without prior evaluation. Also, the image data does not have to be transmitted in a vehicle-specific manner, but identical image data can optionally also be used by several vehicles for their respective position determination. Thus, the observation device can be operated with little effort, since no assignment of data to a vehicle must be made and only the image data can be sent.

Expediently, the evaluation device is designed to wirelessly transmit the determined absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle or the image data in the form of a signal to the vehicle. For this example, a V2X, Wifi or Internet connection, in particular to a standard of the IEEE 802.11 family can be used.

Preferably, the observation device is designed, in addition to the image data, to provide the information in the form of a preferably absolute position, that is to say the earth or the area of the earth's surface around the vehicle to be located or also a virtual road map, and position and orientation of the observation device Wirelessly transmit signals to the vehicle. Alternatively, this information can be taken from a database, wherein the observation device only transmits an identifier assigned to it. With the aid of the information about the position and orientation of the observation device, the absolute position and orientation of the vehicle can be determined by adding the relative position and orientation of the vehicle which can be read out from the image data.

It is preferred that the vehicle has a control device which is designed to output a position signal, wherein the position signal from the determined by the evaluation device absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle and / or a received GNSS signal of a GNSS called global Satellite navigation system depends.

According to a preferred refinement, the position signal additionally depends on a first correction value, wherein the control device is designed to adjust the correction value as a function of an expected data age of the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle and / or the GNSS signal determined by the evaluation device. especially in terms of extrapolation. At a certain date of the data, that is, a reduced actuality of the data, it may occur due to the past time in the evaluation of the image data and the data transmission. The extrapolation preferably compensates for this time offset mathematically.

According to a preferred development, the position signal additionally depends on a second correction value, wherein the control device is designed, the second correction value based on a comparison of the determined by the evaluation absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle and / or the GNSS signal with map data and / or to determine with driving dynamics data of the vehicle. Thus, it is possible in a simple manner to make plausible the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle determined by the evaluation device and / or the GNSS signal on the basis of reliable information of a traffic or map or based on driving dynamics or sensor data. to correct and to achieve higher accuracy and reliability. It is understood that the comparison can alternatively or additionally also be carried out in reverse, so that the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle determined by means of GNSS signal and / or other means known to the person skilled in the art is determined by comparison with the absolute position determined by the evaluation device and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle is plausibility or verified. This is possible, for example, by appropriate design of the control device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vehicle has an optical, in particular three-dimensional pronounced, marking, wherein the mark is formed in its shape and extent and / or encoded that the vehicle is identifiable and / or the orientation and / or removal of Mark is visually recognizable from the outside. For example, the marker may be constructed of a plurality of squares or rectangles similar to a QR encoding, which may be delineated by their color and / or by their spatial extent. For example, with two colors, such as black and white, or with two spatial dimensions, ie, a higher and a lower level of a surface, data can be represented in binary form. A three-dimensional mark allows a higher degree of reliability and accuracy for a spatial orientation determination.

The orientation of the marker may optionally be determined from the image data more easily than the orientation of the vehicle, therefore, the marker preferably provides information about the orientation of the vehicle. For this purpose, only the location and orientation of the marker relative to the vehicle must be known. If the marking has a rectangular basic shape, for example, two sides of this rectangle may be parallel to the direction of travel or to the sides of the vehicle, so that from this known context, the orientation of the vehicle can be detected by the marker.

The marking is preferably arranged on a region of the vehicle which is easily visible from the outside, in particular from above, particularly preferably in the vehicle center and / or on the vehicle roof.

According to a preferred development, the observation device is part of an unmanned, particularly preferably autonomously controlled, vehicle. Such an unmanned vehicle, also called drone or UAV, is able to assume a preferred external position of the observation device without much effort.

It is preferred that the unmanned vehicle is an aircraft, in particular an unmanned aerial vehicle electrically driven by at least one propeller. An unmanned aerial vehicle, for example a conventional aircraft, driven by a plurality of, usually four, electrically operated propellers, preferably autonomously controlled aircraft, can convey the observation device to an elevated position so that the image data cover the largest possible area. As a result of the elevated position, the aircraft is free of shading and reusable reception and can determine its own position reliably and accurately.

Particularly preferably, it is a vertical starter and / or rotorcraft, so an aircraft that is able to generate lift even without propulsion. Thus, narrow limitations of the space, as they are to be expected in large cities, unproblematic.

According to a preferred development, the vehicle has a stowage device for stowing the aircraft, wherein the aircraft is designed to lift and land independently from the stowage device. A corresponding stowage device allows a protected, space-saving transport of the aircraft.

Unmanned aerial vehicles have become increasingly cheaper and more popular in private use in recent years. Accordingly, a flight drone could also be transported along with the vehicle for other reasons, for example, to pass the time to take photos from the air or to obtain information or pictures about traffic conditions on the route or even for the transport of small items or packages. Alternatively, however, it may also be a public-use drone, the image data for several Provides vehicles or has no fixed assignment to a particular vehicle.

In another development of the specified system, the observation device is stationary relative to the earth, in particular to a building or a mast installed. Such an observation device could for example be publicly funded. An already existing, intended for traffic monitoring observation device could be used.

The observation device, in particular camera, is preferably not a part of the vehicle or mechanically decoupled from the vehicle and outside, more preferably also arranged above the vehicle.

It is preferred that the evaluation device is additionally designed to determine the speed and / or acceleration of the vehicle on the basis of the image data. This data can be wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle in the form of a signal or transmitted directly to a control device of the vehicle, provided that the evaluation device is located in the vehicle and not in the observation device.

It is preferred that the evaluation device or the control device is additionally designed, in particular in the case of an observation device as part of an unmanned vehicle, to carry out a comparison of the road profiles of a virtual road map with the road courses resulting from the image data and / or on the basis of the image data readable lane markings or using a virtual road map to determine the lane on which the vehicle is located.

It is preferred that the evaluation device is designed to determine the speed and / or the acceleration of the vehicle on the basis of the image data from different points in time. The determination of a speed from a change of position between different times or the determination of an acceleration from a speed change between different times is assumed to be known.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the system is used for validation of a position and / or orientation of the vehicle determined by means of a GNSS signal, so that this position and / or orientation is reliably determined according to one of the ASIL classifications A to D according to ISO 26262 , In other words, it is thus ensured with a certain degree of certainty that the validated determined position and / or orientation of the vehicle coincide with the actual position or orientation and / or orientation deviating from this by at most a certain value. This safety particularly preferably corresponds to the ASIL classification A or B.

• - erfassen wenigstens eines Lichtbilds eines das Fahrzeug enthaltenden Beobachtungsbereichs und Erzeugen von Bilddaten mittels einer Beobachtungseinrichtung,
• - bestimmen der relativen Position und / oder relativen Orientierung des Fahrzeugs in dem Beobachtungsbereich
• - bestimmen der absoluten Position und / oder absoluten Orientierung des Fahrzeugs anhand der relativen Position und / oder relativen Orientierung des Fahrzeugs sowie der bekannten Position der Beobachtungseinrichtung mittels einer Auswerteeinrichtung. Das angegebene Verfahren umfasst vorzugsweise die Mittel des erfindungsgemäßen Systems zur Bestimmung der Position und / oder Orientierung eines Fahrzeugs bzw. dem Fachmann zur Durchführung der Schritte geeignete bekannte Mittel. Vorzugsweise umfasst das Verfahren im Fall, dass die Beobachtungseinrichtung Teil eines unbemannten Fahrzeugs ist, die Bestimmung der Position und / oder Orientierung des unbemannten Fahrzeugs, beispielsweise mittels eines GNSS-Signals.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle comprises the steps:

• detecting at least one photograph of an observation area containing the vehicle and generating image data by means of an observation device,
• determine the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle in the observation area
• Determining the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle based on the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle and the known position of the observation device by means of an evaluation. The specified method preferably comprises the means of the system according to the invention for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle or known means suitable for the person skilled in the art for carrying out the steps. In the case where the observation device is part of an unmanned vehicle, the method preferably comprises the determination of the position and / or orientation of the unmanned vehicle, for example by means of a GNSS signal.

• - drahtloses Übertragen eines Signals an das Fahrzeug, wobei das Signal die Bilddaten und / oder die relative Position und / oder relative Orientierung des Fahrzeugs und / oder die absolute Position und / oder absolute Orientierung und / oder die Geschwindigkeit und / oder die Beschleunigung des Fahrzeugs enthält.

In a further development, the method also includes the step:

• wireless transmission of a signal to the vehicle, wherein the signal is the image data and / or the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle and / or the absolute position and / or absolute orientation and / or the speed and / or the acceleration of the vehicle contains.

In an additional development, the method for optimizing or validating the data determined by means of the evaluation device comprises a comparison of the image data with map data. In this case, properties known from the map data are preferably compared with the corresponding properties resulting from the image data, that is to say, for example, the course of a road or of several roads.

According to a further aspect of the invention, an observation device, in particular a camera, comprises an evaluation device, wherein the observation device has a known position is outside a vehicle and is adapted to detect one or more photos of an observation area containing the vehicle, and to generate image data therefrom, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to use the image data, the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle in the observation area and from this, based on the known position of the observation device to determine the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle. Such an observation device may preferably have or be combined with one or more features of the system according to the invention for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle.

According to a further aspect of the invention, an evaluation device of a vehicle has a receiving device for the wireless reception of image data of an observation device in the form of a signal, wherein the evaluation device is configured to use the image data to determine the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle in the observation region and to determine therefrom on the basis of the known position of the observation device the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle. Such an evaluation device may preferably have or be combined with one or more features of the system according to the invention for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle.

• 1 eine vogelperspektivische Ansicht einer städtischen Verkehrssituation in Form von Bilddaten einer Beobachtungseinrichtung gemäß einem erfindungsgemäßen System,
• 2 eine vogelperspektivische Ansicht einer Verkehrssituation ohne Signalabschattung durch Hindernisse in Form von Bilddaten einer Beobachtungseinrichtung gemäß einem erfindungsgemäßen System,
• 3 eine zweidimensionale Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Systems nach einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel,
• 4 eine zweidimensionale Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Systems nach einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel.

The above-described characteristics, features and advantages of the invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more clearly understood in connection with the drawings explained below. This show in a highly schematic representation of the

• 1 a bird's eye view of an urban traffic situation in the form of image data of an observation device according to a system according to the invention,
• 2 4 is a bird's-eye view of a traffic situation without signal shading by obstacles in the form of image data of an observation device according to a system according to the invention;
• 3 a two-dimensional view of a system according to the invention according to a first embodiment,
• 4 a two-dimensional view of a system according to the invention according to a second embodiment.

It will open 1 Referring to a single image or image data 31 an observation device 3 shows. On the basis of the image, the problem of a purely satellite-supported position determination in an urban environment will first be explained. A vehicle 1 that with a mark 11 marked in the form of a QR code, drives on a street between tall buildings. The mark 11 is, for better clarity, shown enlarged.

A GNSS satellite navigation system comprises several satellites, which use appropriate signals to communicate their exact position and time in a known manner. The receiver in the vehicle 1 Measures from multiple satellites the pseudo-signal delay to the receiver and determines the current position of the vehicle 1 , However, satellite signals do not get directly to the vehicle 1 but via a detour, for example, by reflection on tall buildings, it comes to multipath reception or multipath effect. The result is a mixing of the directly received signal with the different temporally offset reflected echo signals, so that the determined position of the vehicle 1 is faulty. This misplaced position 12 gives way in the example of 1 From the actual vehicle position so strong that no reliable assignment to a particular road is possible with unknown actual vehicle position.

In the evaluation of in 1 shown image data 31 the observation device 3 becomes the vehicle 1 based on the individual marking 11 uniquely identified in the form of QR coding and determines its relative position within the image section. Based on the mark 11 In addition, the orientation or orientation of the vehicle 1 determined by the orientation of the marker 11 is detected. This orientation is shown by an arrow, with the arrow pointing to the front, in the direction of the vehicle front. Together with the known global position and orientation of the observer 3 the evaluation device is capable of determining the absolute position or absolute orientation of the vehicle 1 to determine. Thus, the system forms with the observer 3 an alternative to purely satellite- or sensor-based position determination or can supplement this by verification.

Also in the case of 2 It can be seen from the illustration that the purely satellite-based position determination can be faulty, although no high-altitude buildings near the vehicle 1 are and therefore it does not come to a multi-way reception. However, various sources of error, such as influences of the ionosphere and troposphere, errors of the satellite orbit or clock or the receiver clock, provide for a systematic offset in the position determination. That the position determined by GNSS 12 is subject to a certain degree of inaccuracy is known. The Indian 2 illustrated oval ring provides an accuracy estimate 13 the position determined by GNSS 12 represents.

This is also a faulty position in this embodiment 12 , because in fact the vehicle is located 1 whose position is to be determined, at another position. The actual position of the vehicle 1 is from the image data 31 by the mark 11 , again in the form of a QR code, easily readable. Thus, a correct assignment to a roadway is possible. The oval ring, the accuracy estimate 13 visualized and the actual position of the vehicle 1 does not include, shows that the accuracy estimate in this example is errored and that correct assignment to a lane would not have been possible by conventional means such as GNSS and mapmatching alone. Using map data, the lane would be based on an incorrect accuracy estimate 13 been determined incorrectly, so that the determined lane in the direction of travel would have been right of the actual lane Only on the basis of the image data 31 determined position allows in this example a correct assignment of the lane.

This in 3 highly schematically illustrated embodiment illustrates how the in the 1 and 2 displayed image data 31 can be won. This is the observation device 3 on an unmanned vehicle 4 attached in the form of a propeller-driven drone. The observation device 3 should be performed in the context of this embodiment in the form of the lightest possible camera, so that the energy requirements for the aircraft drone is kept within limits.

This in 4 embodiment shown, however, sees a stationary observation device 3 which in this case is attached to a building. To cover a larger observation area, it is recommended, regardless of the respective embodiments of the 3 and 4 in that the attachment of the observation device 3 designed as a pivot bearing or ball joint.

Systematic errors of the observer 3 In the system according to the invention, these effects are not limited to those from the image data 31 determined relative position of the vehicle 1 but also on the relative position of the vehicle environment, such as roads or lanes. Thus, the determined position of the vehicle 1 correct despite the systematic error in relation to the vehicle environment. By capturing and evaluating the vehicle environment or by comparison with a virtual map, therefore, reliable results can be achieved, which in particular also in the ISO standard 26262 (ASIL classification) required safety.

Claims (17)

System for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle (1), comprising: - An observation device (3), in particular comprising a camera, which is adapted to detect the vehicle (1) in an observation area in the form of image data (31), - An evaluation, which is adapted to, based on the image data (31), the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle (1) in the observation area and from the known position of the observation device (3) the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle (1) to determine. System after Claim 1 , characterized in that the observation device is not part of the vehicle, in particular mechanically decoupled from the vehicle and / or outside, preferably located above the vehicle. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation device is part of the observation device (3) or mechanically connected thereto, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to the determined absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle (1) in the form a signal wirelessly to the vehicle (1) to transmit. System according to one of Claims 1 or 2 , characterized in that the evaluation device in the vehicle (1) can be installed and a receiving device for wireless receiving the image data (31) from the observation device (3) in the form of a signal. System after Claim 4 Characterized in that the observation means (3) is adapted to the image data (31) as well as the position and orientation of the observation device (3) to transmit recognizable solubilizing information in the form of a signal wirelessly to the vehicle (1). System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system comprises a control device which is adapted to output a position signal, wherein the position signal of the determined by the evaluation absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle (1) and / or depends on a received GNSS signal of a GNSS global satellite navigation system, wherein the control device is preferably installable in the vehicle (1). System after Claim 6 , characterized in that the position signal additionally depends on a first correction value, wherein the control device is designed, the correction value depending on an expected date of the determined by the evaluation absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle (1) and / or the GNSS Signal, in particular in the sense of extrapolation to determine. System according to one of Claims 6 or 7 , characterized in that the position signal additionally depends on a second correction value, wherein the control device is designed, the second correction value based on a comparison of the determined by the evaluation absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle (1) and / or the GNSS signal with map data and / or vehicle dynamics data of the vehicle (1) to determine. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle (1) has an optical, in particular three-dimensional, marking (11), wherein the marking (11) is formed and / or coded in its shape and extent, that the Vehicle (1) is identifiable and / or the alignment and / or removal of the marker (11) is visually recognizable from the outside. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the observation device (3) is part of an unmanned vehicle (4). System after Claim 10 , characterized in that the unmanned vehicle (4) is an aircraft, in particular an unmanned aerial vehicle driven electrically by means of at least one propeller. System after Claim 11 characterized in that the vehicle (1) comprises a stowage device for stowing the aircraft, wherein the aircraft is configured to independently lift and land from the stowage device. System according to one of Claims 1 to 9 , characterized in that the observation device (3) is stationary with respect to the earth, in particular on a building or a mast, is installed. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation device is designed to determine the speed and / or the acceleration of the vehicle (1) on the basis of the image data (31) from different times. Use of a system according to one of the preceding claims for the validation of a position and / or orientation of the vehicle (1) determined by means of a GNSS signal, so that it is reliably determined according to one of the ASIL classifications A to D according to ISO 26262. Method for determining the position and / or orientation of a vehicle (1), comprising the steps: detecting at least one observation area containing the vehicle (1) in the form of image data (31) by means of an observation device (3), - Determining the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle (1) in the observation area - Determining the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle (1) based on the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle (1) and the known position of the observation device (3) by means of an evaluation. Method according to Claim 16 comprising the step of: wirelessly transmitting a signal to the vehicle (1), the signal comprising the image data (31) and / or the relative position and / or relative orientation of the vehicle (1) and / or the absolute position and / or absolute orientation of the vehicle (1) contains.

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