FR3069318A1 - METHOD FOR MAPPING A PATH SEGMENT AND INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for mapping a path segment (102), comprising: - determining (200) a weather value (112) in the region of the path segment (102), and representing a weather parameter, * providing (202) a map signal (118) as a function of the meteorological value (112), if the meteorological value (112) is in a predetermined ratio with a limit value (120) for the meteorological value (112), and - enter (204) and / or transmitting map data (126) using a sensor (104) of a vehicle (106) traveling on the path segment (102), based on the map signal (118).

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a device and method for mapping a path segment.

The invention also relates to a computer program for implementing the method.

State of the art

To map a region with vehicles, vehicle sensors capture the region. The sensor data is sent to a mapping server. To map you need sensor data that meets a minimum quality. Bad sensor data is rejected by the mapping server.

Purpose of the invention

Based on this state of the art, the present invention aims to develop a method for mapping a path segment as well as an information system using the method and a computer program for the execution of the method.

Presentation and advantages of the invention

To this end, the subject of the invention is a method for mapping a path segment, comprising the following steps consisting in determining at least one meteorological value in the region of the path segment, this meteorological value representing a weather parameter, providing a cartographic signal as a function of the meteorological value, the cartographic signal being supplied if the meteorological value is in a predetermined ratio with a limit value for the meteorological value, and entering and / or transmitting cartographic data using at least one sensor at least one vehicle traveling on the route segment, depending on the map signal.

The quality of the sensor data depends on the weather at the time of entry. According to the invention, the time taken before transmitting the data from the sensors to the mapping server is taken into account. This reduces the amount of data to be transmitted and processed.

A trip segment represents part of a trip network or a road network. The path segment may be small enough to consider that in the region of the path segment the same time prevails, with great probability. The meteorological value can be expressed by a parameter (meteorological parameter) presented in the form of a physical quantity for time such as humidity, air pressure, wind speed, visibility, type of precipitation. , the amount precipitated, the intensity of the radiation (for example solar radiation) and / or the clouds or other elements of this type. The weather value may have high relevance for a first type of vehicle sensor and less relevance for a second type of vehicle sensor. The mapping signal can be a mapping request or indication.

A limit value depends on the type of sensor used. The predefined relationship between the meteorological value and a limit value means, for example, that the meteorological value does not exceed the limit value (in absolute value). The weather value can thus be considered to be better than the limit value. The limit value is a minimum value or a maximum value. In other words, the mapping signal is provided if the weather value is within a tolerance range corresponding to the type of sensor. For data entry and / or transmission, data can be extracted from the sensor and used as map data. As cartographic data one can also use the relevant part of the sensor data.

For the step of transmitting the cartographic data, a central data processing installation is provided. The cartographic data is thus sent according to the cartographic signal. Only the map data that can actually be used will be sent.

The map value can be determined using weather information for the region. Meteorological information can include a set of different values corresponding to a place or a region and / or a set of meteorological values of the same types for different places or different regions.

The weather information can be recorded by a weather service. For example, weather information can be accessed over the internet. This information is available in a large space.

The weather value can be provided by a vehicle weather sensor. As a variant or in addition, the meteorological value can be deduced from the data of the sensors, which makes it possible to take account of the actual time at the level of the vehicle or of a vehicle in front.

In the supply step, you can provide specific map signals to a sensor. The cartographic signal is supplied by the sensor if this signal is in a predefined ratio with a limit value specific to the sensor. At least one other cartographic signal is supplied by another sensor of the vehicle if the weather value is in a predefined relationship with another limit value specific to this other sensor. In the input step you can enter the map data using the sensor as well as the other sensor. Depending on the map signal, the sensor can be used. The other sensor can be used for other corresponding map signals. Thus, for the mapping, only the vehicle sensors will be used which provide data of sufficient quality.

The weather value can be determined in a central data processing facility. As a variant or in addition, the cartographic signal can be provided in the central data processing installation. Similarly, the weather value and the mapping signal can be generated locally in the vehicle.

This method is implemented, for example, in the form of a program or a circuit or a mixture composed of a program and a circuit, for example, in a control device.

The proposed solution also creates an information system to execute the steps of the process presented in appropriate facilities, by ordering, executing and applying them.

This variant embodiment of the invention in the form of an information system makes it possible to quickly and effectively solve the problem of the invention.

For this, the information system comprises at least one calculation unit for processing the signals or the data, at least one memory unit for recording the signals or the data, at least one interface with a sensor or an actuator for recording the signals from the sensor or send the control signals to the actuator and / or at least one communication interface for receiving or transmitting data integrated in a communication protocol.

The computing unit comprises, for example, a signal processor, a microcontroller or the like and the memory unit is a flash memory, an EEPROM memory or a magnetic memory. The communication interface records or transmits data via a wireless link and / or a wire link and the communication interface records or transmits data via a wire or cable link. This data is, for example, recorded electrically or optically from a corresponding data transmission line or is transmitted by a data transmission line.

An information system according to the invention is an electrical device which processes the signals from the sensors and supplies therewith control and / or data signals. The information system has an interface in the form of a circuit and / or a program. In the case of an embodiment in the form of a circuit, the interfaces constitute, for example, parts of an ASIC system, which has different functions of the control unit. But it is also possible to produce the interfaces in the form of integrated circuits, clean and which at least partially consist of discrete components. In the case of an implementation in the form of a program, the interfaces are program modules present on a microcontroller alongside other program modules. Advantageously, there is provided a computer program product or a computer program with a program code recorded on a memory medium or means readable by a machine such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk or an optical memory for executing, applying and / or controlling the steps of the method according to any of the embodiments described above, in particular when the computer program or more simply the program is executed by a computer or similar device.

drawings

The present invention will be described below, in more detail with the aid of embodiments shown schematically in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an information system corresponding to an example of the invention, and Figure 2 shows a simplified flowchart of a mapping process according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Description of embodiments

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an information system 100 corresponding to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The information system 100 maps the route segments 102 of a road system in a region using at least one sensor 104 and at least one vehicle 106 traveling on the route segment 102. The sensor 104 has a quality weather dependent input. Adverse weather conditions make mapping difficult or impossible. This is why, in the solution presented, the mapping will only be done if the weather is sufficiently favorable.

The sensors 104 are influenced differently by time. For example, a camera working in visible light will depend on visibility, the type of presentation, the amount of precipitation, the intensity of the radiation and the clouds. A camera operating with infrared light, on the other hand, is influenced by the temperature of the ground, whereas the intensity of the radiation and the clouds will have practically no influence on the quality of the data 108 of the sensor. Ultrasonic sensors are influenced by the direction of the wind and its intensity. Therefore, the sensors 104 will provide quality time dependent sensor data 108.

To characterize the time, a determination installation 110 is used with at least one meteorological value 112 corresponding to the region of the path segment 102 to be mapped. The weather value 112 represents a value of the current weather such as, for example the air temperature, the ground temperature, the air humidity, the air pressure, the visibility, the type of precipitation, amount of precipitation, wind direction, wind intensity, radiation intensity or clouds. The meteorological value 112 is deduced from meteorological information 114 such as a meteorological message and / or the current measurement values supplied by a measurement network.

A supply installation 116 supplies a mapping signal 118 as a function of the weather value 112. The mapping signal 118 is provided if the weather value 112 is in a predefined ratio with a limit value 120 (for example if this signal is larger or better than the limit value 120) for the meteorological value 112. As a function of the different meteorological values 112, different sensors 104 of the vehicle 106 will supply different mapping signals 118.

In an exemplary embodiment, the meteorological values 112 for several path segments 102 and the mapping signals 118 for several vehicles 106 are generated centrally in a central data processing installation 122, for example, in a centralized server. The mapping signals 118 are thus transmitted to the vehicles 106 on the respective path segments 102.

As a function of the mapping signal 118, an input facility 124 of the vehicle 106 captures the cartographic data 126 using at least one sensor 104. The cartographic data 126 are, for example, extracted from the sensor data 108.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the map data 126 of the path segment 102 is stored in order to then extract them for the map. For this, a georeference is applied to the cartographic data 126.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the cartographic data 126 is transmitted by a transmission installation 128, directly to the server 122 so as to use them directly for cartography.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the map data 126 is first stored in order to then transmit them with advantageous transmission characteristics by a transmission installation 128 in return to the server 122 in order then to use them for the mapping. Such advantageous transmission properties exist, for example, if the data transmission network is available or if there is a greater bandwidth than before and which is then used to transmit or collect data packets . It is also possible to envisage an effective compression of the data before their transmission by applying algorithms.

The transmission installation 128 uses, for example, a radio interface 130 and transmits the cartographic data 126 from the antenna 132 of the vehicle 106 to an antenna 134 connected to the server 122. The same radio station 130 can also transmit the mapping signal 118.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the meteorological value 112 is determined in the vehicle 106. For this, it is possible to use the information from a meteorological sensor of the vehicle 106. Likewise and by way of example, the meteorological information can be accessed 114 via the radio interface 130.

In other words, according to the invention, it is proposed to use the meteorological data 112 to reduce the transmission of data for mapping routes.

Path mapping of vehicle 102 using sensors 104 integrated into vehicle 106 such as cameras, radio sensors and ultrasonic sensors is a known solution. In addition, the mapping systems have the sensors 104 mentioned above, also a radio interface 130 for transmitting the measured data from sensors 108 to a server 122. The radio interface 130 can be called "connection unit". In this way, it will be possible to use sets of fleets to map the environment using vehicle sensors 104 in that, for example, these sets receive the mission of a centralized body.

122 to transmit their sensor observations in the relevant region to the server 122.

The server 122 collects the sensor data 108 and generates, from the data of several journeys and / or vehicles 106, a map of the relevant region 102. The transmission of such fleet data, the generation of a map from such data as well as the mapping mission assigned to the fleet vehicle for mapping by an external authority 122 are known solutions. The transmission of such data from sensors 108 for mapping can result in significant amounts of data.

The weather information 114 can be provided by an interface at a certain time and for a certain place. The meteorological information systems have a data tape which records meteorological information 114 such as, for example, the amount precipitated, the hours of solar radiation and the evolution of the temperature, by a continuous recording. Such databases are, for example, managed by the meteorological service, such as the German service (DWD). These databases can be queried at any time by the link network.

According to the invention, the quantity of sensor data 126 to be transmitted which is useful for mapping on the server 122 is reduced, thereby saving transmission costs.

Thus, for the distribution of the sensor data transmission missions 126 used for the mapping, for the vehicles 106 of the connected fleets, by a central authority 122, the current meteorological information 114 is used to decide whether the weather at a given location 102 is suitable or not for the mapping by vehicles of the fleet 106. Insofar as the time is not suitable or only in a limited way, the mission 118 of transmitting data of the sensor data 126 is not distributed or only in a limited way to some sensors 104.

The decision is taken for the region 102 concerned respectively, separately, for several regions 102 which are attached or for all the areas under control of the central installation 122. For this, an algorithm is used which calls the current meteorological data 114, the processes and calculates them to make a decision and determine if the interrogated region 102 cannot be used appropriately for mapping weather conditions. Thus, for example, in the event of sudden snowfall, the camera 104 will not be able to detect the pavement markings well enough under these conditions.

The vehicles 106 attached to the fleet and which can be used for mapping a segment of the journey 102 or the entire journey will only be requested for the transmission of their sensor data 126 if the weather conditions are suitable. The information 112 indicating whether the weather conditions are suitable for a specific location 102 relates to the central control instance 122 such as a command server using the weather information 114 from its own source such as the information service weather that can be queried online.

For this, the mapping server 122 will only be able to process the sensor data 126 for a map if this data has been recorded under appropriate weather conditions by the vehicle sensors 104. The sensor data 108 recorded under unfavorable weather conditions cannot be used for cartography or only in a very limited way and this is why this data, if necessary useless, will be erased.

Thus, only sensor data 126 that can be used for mapping will be transmitted. This operation saves data transmission costs.

FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 106 belonging to a fleet and located on a road segment 102 to be mapped. Vehicle 106 is shown in two different weather situations in this figure; the case on the left corresponds to an advantageous meteorological state for the cartography which is schematized by the symbol of the sun; the right part of the figure corresponds to an unfavorable weather condition for the mapping because there is heavy rain or heavy snowfall. An unfavorable meteorological condition for the mapping is characterized in that the sensors 104 of the cartographic vehicle 106 and which are used for the mapping, such as, for example, cameras, radar sensors, ultrasonic sensors and lidar sensors are severely limited, for example, because of reduced visibility or defective or reduced reflections in their disturbance so that the sensor unit generates signals 108 which cannot be used to map segment 102 because their quality is not not sufficient.

The vehicle 106 of the fleet has, next to the sensors 104, also a control unit 124 and a communication unit 128 to which an antenna 132 is connected for the transmission of data by a wireless link. The control unit 124 is connected to both the communication unit 128 and the sensor unit 104.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a central mapping server 122 is used which can itself exchange data with the vehicles 106 of the fleet by a communication unit with a wireless interface 130. The different transmission and reception paths data with vehicle 106 will be produced for different servers.

The mapping server 122 is lastly connected to a server 110 which provides the information 112 concerning the weather conditions in different places. This connection is made, for example, by internet. As a variant, the mapping server 122 itself has, for example, a database concerning the relevant meteorological data 114, which avoids the meteorological data server.

If the mapping server 122 is responsible for mapping a new route segment 102 for the vehicles 106 of the fleet, the mapping server 122 verifies using weather data 112 from the weather server 110, precisely this segment 102 to determine if the weather conditions are suitable for mapping or not, before transmitting the mission 118 to the vehicle 106 of the fleet via the wireless communication interface 130. This is done using an available algorithm on the cartographic server 112 and which takes the decision. If the weather conditions are suitable for mapping, the mapping mission 118 is assigned to vehicle 106 of the fleet. The vehicle 106 of the fleet operates the control unit 106 if and insofar as the mapping mission 118 has been established for the data received from the mapping unit or not. If so, as for example for the scenario on the left, the server data 108 of the sensors 104 is transmitted back, by a wireless link to the mapping server 122.

If the weather conditions are not suitable, for example, as presented in the scenario on the right of the figure, it will have no mapping mission 118 assigned to the vehicle 106 of the fleet being in the segment concerned 102. Thus, the vehicle 106 of the fleet will not transmit any sensor data 108, which is useless, which corresponds to a saving in data transmission. Note that at this point in segment 102 there may be appropriate weather conditions for mapping. This is why, according to an exemplary embodiment, the meteorological information 112 is provided with a resolution according to the different places.

In other words, the meteorological information 112 influences the decision to send a data transmission mission 118 for the cartographic data 126 to a vehicle 106 of the fleet. It does not matter whether a mapping server 122 assigns the mission 118 or whether this decision is made directly in the vehicle 106.

The subject of the invention is a method of using meteorological information 112 to decide whether a vehicle 106 of the fleet should receive a mission 118 to transmit cartographic data 126 collected or not.

According to an exemplary embodiment, it is not a central mapping server 122 which decides whether the weather conditions are suitable for mapping and whether the mapping data 126 must be transmitted; this decision is taken directly in the vehicle 106. For this, the vehicle 106 itself has meteorological information 114.

The decision to transmit sensor data 108 for mapping is not taken globally for all sensors 104, but specifically for the various sensors 104.

The route segment mapping 102 by vehicles 106 of a fleet is thus considered to be the key to ensuring automatic driving functions.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method for mapping a path segment corresponding to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The method comprises a determination step 200, a supply step 202 and an input step 204. In the determination step 202, at least one meteorological value is determined in the region of the path segment, this meteorological value representing a parameter d 'weather. In the supply step 202, a mapping signal is supplied as a function of the meteorological value, if this meteorological value is in a predefined report with a limit value for this meteorological value. In the input 204 and / or transmission step, as a function of the mapping signal, the cartographic data is captured and / or transmitted using at least one sensor of at least one vehicle traveling on the path segment.

NOMENCLATURE OF MAIN ELEMENTS 100 Information system 102 Path segment 104 Sensor 106 Vehicle 108 Sensor data 110 Determination installation 112 Meteorological value 114 Weather information 116 Supply installation 118 Mapping signal 120 Limit value 122 Data processing facility 124 Input facility 126 Map data / sensor data 128 Transmission installation 130 Radio interface 132 Antenna 134 Antenna

200, 202, 204 stages of the process of mapping a path segment

Claims (10)

1 °) Method for mapping a path segment (102), comprising the following steps consisting in: determining (200) at least one meteorological value (112) in the region of the path segment (102), the meteorological value (112) representing a weather parameter, providing (202) a cartographic signal (118) according to the meteorological value (112), * the cartographic signal (118) being supplied if the meteorological value (112) is in a predetermined ratio with a limit value (120) for the meteorological value (112), and enter (204) and / or transmitting map data (126) using at least one sensor (104) of at least one vehicle (106) traveling on the path segment (102), based on the map signal (118). 2 °) Method according to claim 1, comprising a step of transmitting the cartographic data (126) to a central data processing installation (122), * the cartographic data (126) being transmitted as a function of the cartographic signal (118) . 3 °) Method according to one of the preceding claims, according to which in the determination step (200), the meteorological value (112) is determined using meteorological information (114) for the region. 4 °) Method according to claim 3, according to which in the determination step (200), the meteorological information (114) of the meteorological service is recorded. 5 °) Method according to one of the preceding claims, according to which in the determination step (200), the meteorological value (112) of a meteorological sensor of the vehicle (106) and / or the meteorological value (112) is recorded. ) data (108) from the sensor (104). 6 °) Method according to one of the preceding claims, according to which in the supply step (202) specific cartographic signals of sensors (118) are provided, * the cartographic signal (118) is supplied for the sensor (104) if the meteorological value (112) is in a predefined ratio with a limit value (120) specific to the sensor (104) and at least one other cartographic signal (118) for at least one other sensor (104) of the vehicle (106) if the meteorological value (112) is in a predefined relationship with another limit value (120) of another sensor (104), * in the input step (206) the map data (126) is captured using the sensor (104) and the other sensor (104), * the sensor (104) being used as a function of the cartographic signal (118), and * the other sensor (104) being used as a function of the other cartographic signal (118 ). 7 °) Method according to one of the preceding claims, according to which in the determination step (200) the meteorological value (112) is determined in a central data processing installation (122) and / or in the step of supply (202) the cartographic signal (118) is supplied in the central data processing installation (122). 8 °) information system (100) designed to carry out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in appropriate units. 9 °) computer program designed to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims. 10 °) memory memory readable by a machine containing the recording of the computer program according to claim 9.