JP3941499B2 - Vehicle position detection device and vehicle position detection method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  The present invention relates to a vehicle position detection device and a vehicle position detection method that allow a position of a measured vehicle to be accurately positioned on a road.
[0002]
[Prior art]
  Conventionally, as this type of vehicle position detecting device, there has been one described in, for example, JP-A-9-159473. FIG. 23 shows a configuration of a conventional navigation device described in the publication.
[0003]
  In FIG. 23, a conventional navigation device measures the position of a vehicle and obtains positioning data of the vehicle, a GPS unit 21 and a self-supporting positioning unit 22, a map storage unit 23 storing map data having three-dimensional road data, A display unit 25 that displays the position of the vehicle and the map data, and a vehicle attitude angle indicated by the positioning data and a road gradient indicated by the three-dimensional road data when the position of the measured vehicle is corrected on the road of the map data. A map matching unit 26 that compares and determines the degree of matching and determines a road to be corrected is provided.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
  However, in such a conventional navigation device, the current position can be accurately obtained at a place where the road height difference is recorded in advance on the map, but the position is not accurately obtained at the place where the height difference data is not recorded. There was a case that could not be identified. In particular, there is a problem that a position is erroneously detected if there is no height difference data on a road that is parallel to the horizontal direction in the vicinity and a road that is parallel in the height direction.
[0005]
  The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and a vehicle position detection device capable of accurate position detection even when there are roads parallel in the vertical or horizontal direction, and A vehicle position detection method is provided.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  A vehicle position detection device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a vehicle traveling direction detected by a direction sensor, a travel distance obtained from a detection value of a vehicle speed sensor, and a vehicle vertical direction detected by a vertical displacement sensor. From the displacement amount,Current position estimating means for calculating the estimated current position of the vehicle, traveling locus storage means for storing the locus of the estimated current position, map storage means for storing road data, and the degree of consistency between the locus and the road data Road identification means for identifying the road corresponding to the trajectory based on the result of the determination, and vertical displacement storage means for storing the vertical displacement amount in association with the road identified by the road identification means WithThe vertical displacement amount is at least one of a road gradient and a road altitude, and the vertical displacement storage means includes a section having a maximum gradient difference from the narrow-angle branch point and the narrow-angle branch. A section where the gradient from the point is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, a section where the height difference from the narrow-angle branch point is maximum, and a section where the height difference from the narrow-angle branch point is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The vertical displacement amount of at least one section is stored.
[0007]
  Also the verticalDisplacementThe vertical displacement amount stored in the storage means is such that the variation of the vertical displacement amount is not more than a predetermined value per unit time.
[0008]
  A vehicle position detection device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a vehicle traveling direction detected by a direction sensor, a travel distance obtained from a detection value of a vehicle speed sensor, and a vehicle vertical direction detected by a vertical displacement sensor. Current position estimating means for calculating the estimated current position of the vehicle from the amount of displacement; traveling locus storage means for storing the locus of the estimated current position; and map recording for storing road data. A memory specifying means, a road specifying means for determining a degree of matching between the trajectory and the road data, and specifying a road corresponding to the trajectory based on a result of the determination; and a road specified by the road specifying means Vertical displacement storage means for storing the vertical displacement amount, wherein the vertical displacement storage means determines the shape in the vertical direction of the section stored in the travel locus storage means, stores the shape, and stores the shape. Is determined based on a combination of a positive gradient and a negative gradient in the section stored in the travel locus storage means, and the shape is any one of a convex shape, a concave shape, and a flat shape..
[0009]
  A vehicle position detection device according to a third aspect of the present invention includes a vehicle traveling direction detected by a direction sensor, a travel distance obtained from a detection value of a vehicle speed sensor, and a vehicle vertical direction detected by a vertical displacement sensor. Current position estimating means for calculating an estimated current position of the vehicle from a displacement amount; traveling locus storage means for storing a locus of the estimated current position; map storage means for storing road data; the locus and the road A degree of matching with data is determined, and a road specifying unit that specifies a road corresponding to the trajectory based on a result of the determination, and the amount of vertical displacement is stored in association with the road specified by the road specifying unit. Vertical displacement storage means, the section for storing the trajectory is from a narrow-angle branch point where a plurality of parallel roads start to a current position determination point where the current position of the vehicle can be determined, The direct displacement storage means stores data indicating no vertical displacement when the vertical displacement amount of the section stored in the travel locus storage means is less than a predetermined value with respect to the vertical displacement amount of the narrow-angle branch point, and When the vertical displacement amount of the section stored in the travel locus storage means is equal to or greater than a predetermined value with respect to the vertical displacement amount of the narrow-angle branch point, data with the vertical displacement amount is stored.
[0010]
  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle position detection device that detects a traveling direction and a travel distance of a vehicle and calculates an estimated current position of the vehicle, and detects a vertical displacement of the vehicle. Vertical displacement calculating means for calculating the vertical displacement amount, three-dimensional map storage means for storing three-dimensional map data, and a plurality of the estimated current positions that run side by side starting from a narrow-angle branch point in the three-dimensional map data Specific position determining means for determining a current position specifying point for specifying the current position, a vertical displacement amount calculated from the vertical displacement calculating means, and a vertical displacement amount of the current position specifying point A current position determining means for determining the current position of the vehicle based on the current position specifying point in the section from the narrow-angle branch point to a point where there is no gradient difference between the plurality of roads. road Gradient difference between is the point where the maximum.
[0011]
  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle position detecting device that detects a traveling direction and a travel distance of a vehicle and calculates an estimated current position of the vehicle, and detects a vertical displacement of the vehicle. Vertical displacement calculating means for calculating the vertical displacement amount, three-dimensional map storage means for storing three-dimensional map data, and a plurality of the estimated current positions that run side by side starting from a narrow-angle branch point in the three-dimensional map data Specific position determining means for determining a current position specifying point for specifying the current position, a vertical displacement amount calculated from the vertical displacement calculating means, and a vertical displacement amount of the current position specifying point A current position determining means for determining the current position of the vehicle based on the current position specifying point in the section from the narrow-angle branch point to a point where there is no height difference between the plurality of roads. road Height difference of between to the point where the maximum.
[0012]
  A vehicle position detection apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present invention includes a vertical displacement calculation means for calculating a vertical displacement amount that is a displacement amount in the vertical direction, three-dimensional data of the traveling direction, travel distance, and road of the vehicle. Current position estimating means for calculating an estimated current position that is an estimated current position from road data including roads, and a branch for determining whether a plurality of roads on which the estimated current position is running are narrow-angle branch points When it is determined by the point determination means and the branch point determination means that the estimated current position is the narrow-angle branch point, from the narrow-angle branch point to a point where there is no vertical displacement difference between the plurality of roads A point where the vertical displacement amount difference is maximized is searched from the road data, a specific point determining unit that sets the current location specific point, a current location specifying unit that determines whether the estimated current position is the current location specific point, The present If it is determined that the current location specific point in a specific section, Selecting means for selecting a road having a vertical displacement amount closest to the vertical displacement amount at the current location specifying point from the plurality of roads.
[0013]
  A vehicle position detection method according to a seventh aspect of the present invention includes a step of calculating a vertical displacement amount that is a displacement amount in a vertical direction, and a road that includes three-dimensional data of a traveling direction, a travel distance, and a road of the vehicle. A step of calculating an estimated current position which is a current position estimated from the data, a branch point determination step of determining whether or not a plurality of roads on which the estimated current position runs concurrently are narrow-angle branch points, and When it is determined in the branch point determination step that the estimated current position is the narrow-angle branch point, the vertical displacement amount difference from the narrow-angle branch point to a point where the vertical displacement amount difference between the plurality of roads disappears is the maximum. A point to be searched from the road data, a specific point determining step as a current location specific point, a current location specifying step for determining whether the estimated current position is the current location specific point, and the current location If it is determined that the current location specific point in a specific step, and a step of selecting a road having the vertical displacement amount and the closest vertical displacement amount of the current location specific point from the plurality of road.
[0014]
  In the vehicle position detection method, the vertical displacement amount is one of a road gradient and a road altitude.
[0015]
  Further, the seventh aspect may be realized by a program for causing a computer to execute the vehicle position detection method or a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
  (First embodiment)
  FIG. 1 shows an example of a configuration diagram of a vehicle position detection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the vehicle position detection device includes an orientation sensor 101, a vehicle speed sensor 102, a vertical displacement sensor 103, a key operation device 104, a display device 105, a map reading storage device 106, a road additional data storage device 107, and a control device 108. It has.
[0017]
  The direction sensor 101 is a vibrating gyroscope that detects angular velocity, or a geomagnetic sensor that detects the direction of the earth by detecting the magnetic field of the earth.
[0018]
  The vehicle speed sensor 102 is a rotary encoder that detects the rotational speed of the wheel.
[0019]
  The vertical displacement sensor 103 that detects the amount of displacement in the vertical direction of the vehicle is an inclination angle sensor that detects an inclination, such as an acceleration sensor or an angular velocity sensor, or an atmospheric pressure sensor that detects atmospheric pressure.
[0020]
  The key operation device 104 is used to input an instruction from the user to the control device 108 by key operation, and is used for setting a current location, a destination, and the like.
[0021]
  The display device 105 is a liquid crystal panel that displays the current position of the vehicle together with a map or displays an input menu.
[0022]
  The map reading storage device 106 is a CD-ROM drive device or a DVD drive device, and map data written on a CD-ROM or DVD medium is read out to the control device 108.
[0023]
  The road additional data storage device 107 is a hard disk device, a flash memory, or the like, and stores a vertical displacement data area 109 in which vertical displacement data corresponding to the map data read from the map reading storage device 106 is stored, the previous locus, and the like. And a travel locus data area 110 to be executed.
[0024]
  In accordance with an instruction from the key operation device 104, the control device 108 specifies the current position using data from the direction sensor 101 to the vertical displacement sensor 103, data from the map reading storage device 106, and data from the road additional data storage device 107, and displays Processing such as display on the device 105 is performed.
[0025]
  The outline of the operation of the vehicle position detection apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
[0026]
  The vehicle position detection device calculates the current position as latitude and longitude data from the traveling direction of the vehicle detected by the direction sensor 101 and the travel distance obtained from the vehicle speed sensor 102. Next, the vehicle position detection device superimposes the mark indicating the current position on the map data read from the map reading storage device 106 and outputs it to the display device 105. However, when the road cannot be determined only by the data from the direction sensor 101 and the vehicle speed sensor 102 because the road is branched into a plurality of roads and is running close together, the road read from the road additional data storage device 107 The road on which the vehicle is traveling is determined from the road additional data such as altitude and gradient and the vertical displacement amount from the vertical displacement sensor 103 (hereinafter referred to as “vertical displacement amount”), and the current position is determined. .
[0027]
  Further, when the road additional data of the traveling road is not in the road additional data storage device 107, or when the road additional data of the traveling road is different from the data in the road additional data storage device 107, the traveling road is displayed on the map. After the road candidate is determined, new road additional data is added to the determined road or the existing road additional data is corrected and stored in the road additional data storage device 107.
[0028]
  Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 108 is shown in FIG.
[0029]
  In FIG. 2, the control device 108 includes an orientation sensor 101, an A / D converter 201 that converts an analog signal from the vertical displacement sensor 103 into a digital signal, a counter 202 that counts the number of pulses from the vehicle speed sensor 102, map data, The RAM 203 that temporarily stores data from various sensors, the ROM 204 in which processing programs and data are written, the key operation device 104, the map reading storage device 106, and the road additional data storage device 107 are bus clocked. The parallel IO port (PIO) 205 that inputs and outputs in synchronization with the RAM 203, the DMA controller 206 that performs high-speed data transfer between the RAM 203 and the map reading storage device 106, and the road additional data storage device 107, and display control of the display device 105 Do display control Has a chromatography La 207, they are bus-connected, it is controlled by the CPU 208.
[0030]
  In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, SIG1 to SIG7 indicate the names of signals, SIG1 indicates an analog signal output from the direction sensor 101, and SIG2 indicates a pulse signal output from the vehicle speed sensor 102, respectively. SIG3 indicates an analog signal output from the vertical displacement sensor 103. Further, SIG 4 indicates a parallel signal output from the key operation device 104, and SIG 5 indicates a control signal for controlling the display device 105. Furthermore, SIG6 indicates a data signal read from the map reading storage device 106, and SIG7 indicates a data signal written to or read from the road additional data storage device 107. The same signal is indicated by the same name even if the drawings are different.
[0031]
  Next, the functional block configuration of the control device 108 realized by the hardware configuration as described above will be described with reference to FIG.
[0032]
  The current position estimation unit 301 calculates a three-dimensional travel locus including a vertical displacement of the vehicle and an estimated current position from data obtained from the direction sensor 101, the vehicle speed sensor 102, and the vertical displacement sensor 103. Here, as an input to the current position estimation unit 301, it is also possible to add GPS absolute position and travel direction data. The calculated travel locus and the estimated current position are stored in the travel locus storage unit 302.
[0033]
  The map data storage unit 303 reads and holds map data including road data stored in a CD-ROM or DVD medium from the map reading storage device 106.
[0034]
  The road identifying unit 304 identifies the road on which the vehicle has traveled based on the degree of matching between the travel trajectory and estimated current position of the vehicle stored in the travel trajectory storage unit 302 and the road data stored in the map data storage unit 303. To do.
[0035]
  The vertical displacement storage unit 305 reads and holds the vertical displacement data from the vertical displacement data area 109 of the road additional data storage device 107. The determined vertical displacement data of the road is written in the vertical displacement data area 109.
[0036]
  The current position calculation unit 306 includes the estimated current position of the vehicle calculated by the current position estimation unit 301, the road data stored in the map data storage unit 303, and the read / write storage unit 107 from the road additional data storage device 107 to the road. Corresponding vertical displacement data is read out, the road is identified from these, and the current vehicle position is output.
[0037]
  The display control unit 307 superimposes the map data in the map data storage unit 303 and the current vehicle position output by the current position calculation unit 306, and outputs them to the display device 105.
[0038]
  The data in the travel locus storage unit 302 and the vertical displacement storage unit 305 are stored in the travel locus data area 110 and the vertical displacement data area 109 of the road additional data storage device 107, respectively, when the vehicle position detection device is turned off. Saved automatically.
[0039]
  The operation of the vehicle position detection apparatus having such a configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
[0040]
  The current position estimation unit 301 sets, as an initial value of the vehicle current position, the current position output at the end of the previous run when the vehicle position detection device is activated. Further, the map data storage unit 303 reads map data where the vehicle current position exists from the map reading storage device 106 (step S401). Here, the current vehicle position, which is an initial value, can be corrected by using an absolute position acquisition unit such as GPS, or the initial value can be corrected by an instruction from a user's key operation device or a remote controller. Further, when the travel locus of the vehicle until the previous vehicle position detection device is stopped is stored in the road additional data storage device 107, the travel locus storage unit 302 reads the data. This initialization process can be performed not only at the time of startup but also by an instruction from the key operation device 104 by the user.
[0041]
  Next, the current position estimation unit 301 obtains the planar movement amount of the vehicle current position from the traveling direction of the vehicle obtained from the direction sensor 101 and the movement distance of the vehicle obtained from the vehicle speed sensor 102. Further, the amount of displacement in the vertical direction is obtained using the displacement in the vertical direction obtained from the vertical displacement sensor 103. As a result, a three-dimensional travel vector from the previous measurement point to the current point is obtained (step S402).
[0042]
  Next, the current position estimation unit 301 uses the travel vector obtained in step S402 to perform a calculation process of the three-dimensional travel locus and estimated current position of the vehicle (step S403).
[0043]
  FIG. 5 shows an example of a travel vector that is a travel locus and the estimated current position of the vehicle calculated using the travel vector when the vertical displacement amount is used as altitude data.
[0044]
  In FIG. 5, P (0) is the previous vehicle estimated current position and the vehicle altitude, and V (0,1) is the traveling direction obtained from the direction sensor 101 and the vehicle speed sensor 102 and the long distance that is the travel distance. This represents the amount of displacement of the altitude obtained from the traveling vector having a height and the vertical displacement sensor. In the case of this example, the position P (1) moved by the displacement vector V (0, 1) from the position P (0) becomes the new estimated vehicle current position. The displacement vector V (0, 1) represents the vehicle travel locus and the vertical displacement amount during this time. Here, altitude data is used as the amount of vertical displacement, but gradient data may be used. Further, an absolute amount or a relative amount can be used for each of altitude data and gradient data.
Next, the current position calculation unit 306 compares the degree of matching between the planar traveling locus and the road shape from the traveling locus calculated in step S403, the estimated current position, and the road data in the map data storage unit 303, The current vehicle position is calculated (step S404). This degree of matching is obtained as an average of the distance matching degree and the direction matching degree between the travel locus and the road where the current position may exist. Here, the distance matching degree is determined by the distance to each candidate road with respect to the travel locus, and the matching degree decreases as the distance increases. When this distance is diff_dist and the distance matching degree is Sl, the distance matching degree Sl is obtained as follows, for example.
When diff_dist ≦ 15 (m) Sl = 100 (%)
When 100 (m) ≧ diff_dist> 15 (m)
[0045]
    S1 = {85- (diff_dist-15)} × 100/85 (%)
When 100 (m) <diff_dist, Sl = 0 (%)
  The direction matching degree is determined based on the azimuth angle difference of each candidate road with respect to the travel locus, and the degree of matching decreases as the azimuth angle difference increases. When this azimuth angle difference is diff_dir and the direction matching degree is Sd, the direction matching degree Sd is, for example, as follows:
Desired.
When diff_dir ≦ 3 (deg), Sd = 100 (%)
When 30 (deg) ≧ diff_dir> 3 (deg)
[0046]
    Sd = {27- (diff_dir-3)} × 100/27 (%)
When 30 (deg) <diff_dir, Sd = 0 (%)
  However, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the determination distance difference is 15 meters and 100 meters, and the determination azimuth angle difference is 3 degrees and 30 degrees. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is preferable that the setting can be arbitrarily set by 104.
[0047]
  Next, the current position calculation unit 301 determines whether or not the current vehicle position calculated in step S404 is a branch point of a road that branches at a narrow angle (hereinafter simply referred to as a narrow angle branch point) (step S405). When it is determined that it is a narrow-angle branch point, vertical displacement learning mode data is set, and the travel locus and estimated current position data obtained in step S403 are written in the travel locus storage unit (step S406). Thereafter, the current vehicle position is displayed and output (step S414). If it is determined that it is not a narrow-angle branch point, it is further determined whether or not it is currently in the vertical displacement learning mode (step S407).
[0048]
  Here, the vertical displacement learning mode refers to a mode in which vertical displacement data is added to roads that run concurrently after a narrow-angle branch point, and the vertical displacement learning mode is used until the road that is running after the branch is identified. Will continue.
[0049]
  In addition, the narrow-angle branching point is a vehicle progression such as shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 7, which is often seen on a branch on a main road and a side road at a three-dimensional intersection, or on a main road and an attachment road at a highway entrance It means that any road branches at an angle close to a straight line with respect to the direction. 6 is a road diagram showing a narrow-angle branch of a main road and a side road at a three-dimensional intersection in a plan view, and FIG. 7 is a road showing a narrow-angle branch of a general road and an attachment road in a plan view on a highway. FIG.
[0050]
  This narrow-angle branch point determination method will be described below with reference to FIG. In FIG. 8, when the roads branched from the narrow-angle branch point pb1 are road r10 and road r20, respectively, the points at a distance of L meters from the narrow-angle branch point pb1 to the respective roads are point pr10 and pr20, respectively. To do. Here, an angle between a straight line r11 and a straight line r20 connecting the narrow-angle branch point pb1, the point pr10, and the point pr20 is defined as an angle θ. When this angle θ is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold, it is regarded as a narrow-angle branch point. Note that it is preferable to set the threshold for narrow-angle branch point determination to about 30 degrees because the number of narrow-angle branch point candidates is not increased more than necessary and the frequency of determination of narrow-angle branch points can be reduced. The current position calculation unit 306 refers to the map data in the map data storage unit 303, performs the above determination, and determines whether or not the vehicle current position is a narrow-angle branch point.
[0051]
  If it is determined in step S407 that the mode is not the vertical displacement learning mode, the process proceeds to step S414, and the vehicle current position is displayed and output.
[0052]
  If it is determined in step S407 that the vertical displacement learning mode is set, the current position calculation unit 306 determines whether there is vertical displacement data in the vertical displacement storage unit 305. And it classify | categorizes into the following six patterns from the relationship between the road data in which the amount of vertical displacement is memorize | stored and the presumed present position calculated | required by step S404 (step S408). This process will be described below with reference to FIGS.
[0053]
  FIG. 9 shows a case where vertical displacement data exists on a road whose current vehicle position is specified using a planar traveling locus, here roads indicated by road numbers r30 to r35. In this figure, slope 0 (deg) is recorded for road number r30, slope 1 (deg) is recorded for road number r31,... Slope 0 (deg) is recorded for road number r35. No gradient data is recorded in the number r43. Further, FIG. 10 shows that vertical displacement data exists for a road whose current vehicle position is different from the road specified by using the planar travel locus, in this case, from road number r40 to road number r43, and from road number r30 to road number r35. This is a case where no vertical displacement data is recorded. In this figure, altitude 0 (m) is recorded in road number r40, altitude "-1 (m)" is recorded in r41, ... altitude "-4 (m)" is recorded in r43. This altitude is recorded as a relative altitude based on the road branch point pb2.
[0054]
  In these cases, the current position calculation unit 306, in the road section after road branching, the vertical displacement data of the corresponding road stored in the road additional data storage device 107, the three-dimensional travel locus and vehicle calculated in step S403. Which road after the road branch point is correct is determined based on the degree of matching with the estimated current position (step S408). Then, the current position of the vehicle that matches each detection pattern is corrected (step S409). The process of step S408 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0055]
  First, the current position calculation unit 306 determines whether or not the vertical displacement data exists for all parallel roads after the road branch point (step S1101), and sets the pattern A as the pattern A (step S1102). ). If it does not exist, it is further determined whether or not the vertical displacement data exists on the road estimated using the planar traveling locus performed in step S404 (step S1103). If it exists, the traveling locus storage unit 302 further. It is determined whether or not the three-dimensional travel locus of the vehicle stored in the vehicle and the vertical displacement data corresponding to the specified road data stored in the road additional data recording device 107 match (step S1104). If they match, pattern B is set (step S1105). If they do not match, pattern C is set (step S1106).
[0056]
  Here, the determination of the degree of matching between the travel locus and the vertical displacement data corresponding to the road data will be described with reference to FIG.
[0057]
  This figure is obtained when the vehicle travels on the road shown in FIG. 9, and the travel vectors when traveling from the road r30 to the road r35 starting from the point pb2 are the travel vectors V30 to V35 shown in FIG. 12 in the vertical direction. If it is, the vehicle can be determined to have traveled from the road r30 to the road r35 from the degree of matching of the gradient.
[0058]
  If the vertical displacement data does not exist on the road identified in step S1103, it is further determined whether or not it exists on an unspecified road (step S1107). In the case of existing on a road other than a specific road, the vehicle 3D travel trajectory stored in the travel trajectory storage unit 302 and the vertical displacement corresponding to the specified road data stored in the road additional data recording device 107 are further included. It is determined whether or not the data matches (step S1108). If they match, pattern D is set (step S1109). If they do not match, pattern E is set (step S1110). If the road does not exist on a non-specific road, the pattern F (step S1111) is used.
[0059]
  Next, the current position calculation unit 306 performs the following correction process when the patterns A, B, and D are obtained in the process of step S408 (step S409). That is, in the pattern A, the vehicle is currently traveling on a road where the vertical displacement data of the three-dimensional traveling locus of the vehicle stored in the traveling locus storage unit 302 and the vertical displacement data of the vertical displacement storage unit 305 corresponding to the road data most closely match. Confirm that the road is closed. In pattern B, the currently identified road is determined as it is as the current position. In the pattern D, when the vertical displacement data of the three-dimensional traveling locus of the vehicle and the vertical displacement data of the road stored in the vertical displacement storage unit 305 match, the pattern is identified from the currently identified road. Move the current position to the consistent road.
[0060]
  Thereafter, the setting of the vertical displacement learning mode is canceled (step S410), and the current position is displayed and output on the identified road (step S414). In addition, 901 in FIG. 9 and 1001 in FIG. 10 are vehicle position display marks for displaying the current position of the vehicle.
[0061]
  In addition, when patterns C, E, and F are obtained in step S408, it is difficult to specify which road the vehicle is traveling at the time when the vehicle is traveling on the road section after the road junction. is there. Therefore, the current position calculation unit 306 determines whether or not the current position is at the identifiable position after traveling as shown in FIGS. 13 to 15. The road traveled after the road junction is identified by tracing the road that has traveled in the direction opposite to the traveling direction from the connectivity of the travel trajectory in the travel trajectory storage unit 302 and the road network in the map data storage unit 303. To do.
[0062]
  FIG. 13 shows a traveling example in which the current position can be clearly identified by turning from a road section in which a main road and a side road at a three-dimensional intersection run side by side. FIG. 14 shows a running example in which only one road from a parallel road section turns. Or FIG. 15 shows a traveling example in which one road can be identified by disappearing from a parallel road section.
[0063]
  The road identification method will be described in detail below with reference to FIG.
[0064]
  First, it is assumed that the vehicle proceeds on the road r10 from the point P (0) to the point P (1) and the point P (2). The vehicle passes through the road branch point n10 on the way from the point P (1) to the point P (2). The road r11 and the road r12 exist after passing through the road branch point n10, but the road r11 and the road r12 are close to each other and are almost parallel to each other. It is not possible to determine whether the car is traveling on a road. And although a vehicle progresses from the point P (2) to the point P (3) and the point P (4), since the road r11 and the road r12 are running substantially in parallel, the traveling road can be specified. Can not. After that, when the vehicle bends at the branch point n11 and proceeds on the road r13 from the point P (4) to the point P (5) and the point P (6),
Since there is no road in contact with and parallel, the current position of the vehicle can be accurately identified on the road r13. For example, with reference to the position of the point P (6) in FIG. 13 as a reference, the current position of the vehicle can be identified using the traveling vector data that is the vehicle locus stored in the traveling locus storage unit 302 in the reverse direction. Then, the travel vector V (5, 6) is traced to V (4, 5)... V (0, 1) to form a travel locus in the reverse direction. The road network in the map data storage unit 303 is also connected from the road r13 in the reverse direction to the branch point n11, to the road r12 and the road r14 connected in the reverse direction from the branch point n11, and further connected in the reverse direction from the branch point n12. It is possible to trace to road r17 and road r18. Here, the traveling track in the reverse direction is compared with the shape of the road network connected in the reverse direction (step S411). The road r16 and the road r19 are excluded because they can travel only in the directions from the branch points n11 and n12 to the n13 and n10, respectively.
[0065]
  A combination of road networks having a high degree of matching is specified by comparing the reverse travel trajectory and the shape of the road network connected in the reverse direction. In the example of FIG. 13, the road identification unit 304 selects a road network of r13 → n11 → r12 → n10 → r10.
[0066]
  If the traveling road cannot be identified, the road identifying unit 304 accumulates the traveling vector, which is the traveling locus, and the estimated current position data obtained in step S403 in the traveling locus storage unit 302 (step S412). Thereafter, the estimated current position obtained in step S404 is output to the display control unit 307 as the vehicle current position, and is combined with the map data and displayed (step S414). Note that reference numeral 1301 in FIG. 13, 1401 in FIG. 14, and 1501 in FIG. 15 are vehicle position display marks, and the points in the display example are points where the current position of the vehicle can be specified.
[0067]
  If the road on which the vehicle has traveled can be identified in step S411, the vertical displacement data for the identified road is learned (step S413). The road section (hereinafter referred to as “learning section”) in which this writing is performed has a certain difference in vertical displacement from the narrow-angle branch point to the road specific point with reference to the narrow-angle branch point. It is assumed that there is a section. For example, a section where the gradient difference is maximum or a section where the gradient is equal to or greater than a certain threshold value.
[0068]
  The slope is used as judgment data for roads that do not have much difference in elevation, but it is possible to determine whether the road has many ups and downs, flat roads, roads with only ups and downs, etc. This is because the road can be identified. In addition, a road can be identified with high accuracy by setting a section in which road features where the maximum point or gradient difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined value clearly appear as a learning section.
[0069]
  Furthermore, since the detection accuracy cannot be guaranteed at a point where the change in the detected gradient changes too finely, the gradient needs to be stabilized to some extent. For this reason, it is more preferable to use gradient data calculated at a point where the detected gradient becomes a constant value for a predetermined time.
[0070]
  Also, altitude can be used as road determination data. In this case, the road has little gradient difference, but is effective for determining a road having a large difference in altitude. The learning section in which the altitude data is accumulated is a section in which the height difference is the maximum or a section in which the height difference is a certain threshold or more. As a result, the road can be accurately identified.
[0071]
  Furthermore, since the detection accuracy cannot be guaranteed in a section where the change in detected altitude changes too finely, the altitude needs to be stabilized to some extent. For this reason, it is more preferable to use altitude data calculated in a section where the detected altitude difference is a certain value or more for a predetermined time. As a result, the accumulated vertical displacement data can also be efficiently reduced.
[0072]
  As described above, since the use of the gradient and the altitude is different depending on the road conditions, it is more preferable to accumulate both the data of the gradient and the altitude as the vertical displacement amount at the same time and use them properly depending on the road conditions.
[0073]
  Further, the shape of the learning section in the vertical direction can be classified into three shape patterns such as a convex shape, a concave shape, and a flat shape and used as data of the shape pattern. The shape pattern is classified into a convex section where the slope changes from positive to negative and a concave section where the slope changes from negative to positive. Is a flat type. As a result, the road can be specified in three types of combinations, and the number of vertical displacement data can be reduced.
[0074]
  Further, the average relative gradient difference of the learning section with respect to the gradient immediately before the narrow-angle branch point, or data such as whether or not the altitude just before the narrow-angle branch point and the average height difference between the learning sections is a predetermined value or less may be used. Further, the present invention is not limited to the above data, and any data can be used as long as it is data of vertical displacement of the vehicle.
[0075]
  It should be noted that a fixed travel distance limit is set in advance in this learning section, and if it does not become a road specific point even if the predetermined distance is traveled, that learning distance is defined as the learning section. For example, if 2 km is set as the predetermined distance, the learning section becomes longer than necessary and the load on the terminal is not increased, which is preferable. The predetermined distance is preferably settable by the user.
[0076]
  FIG. 16 shows a data structure stored in the vertical displacement storage unit 305 when the gradient is stored in a format corresponding to the road data on a one-to-one basis. In the figure, the attribute information column stores road width information, regulation information such as one-way traffic, and road type information such as national roads, high speeds, and tolls, and is used for route searches and the like. . FIG. 17 shows a data structure for storing section distances and section gradients for roads r100 and r99 that branch from a branch point n100 corresponding to a narrow-angle branch point and run in parallel, for example, as data associated with the branch point. Is shown as an example.
[0077]
  Hereinafter, how the travel vector stored in the travel locus storage unit 302 is converted into the data structure of the vertical displacement storage unit 305 will be described.
[0078]
  In FIG. 16, a pair of gradients is stored for road data. First, associating with road data, road data and travel vectors can be associated with each other as described in FIG. 13 for step S411. Further, when a plurality of travel vectors straddle one road data, the average value is recorded, or the maximum gradient is recorded.
[0079]
  The gradient is calculated from the vector quantity using the vehicle position and altitude data in FIG.
[0080]
  In FIG. 5, a vector indicating the displacement between two points of the point P (n) and the point P (n + 1) (n indicates a time-series change) is represented as V (n, n + 1). Here, assuming that the coordinate system of P (n) is (X (n), Y (n), Z (n)), vector quantities indicating displacement between two points are (dx (n), dy (n), dz (n)). The gradient angle θ can be calculated by arctan (dz (n) / d) where dz (n) is the height displacement and d is the plane movement distance between the two points.
[0081]
  In FIG. 17, since a plurality of gradient angles can be recorded for each distance for one road data, a vector amount indicating a displacement between two points is expressed as the gradient angle changes ( The distance is obtained from dx (n), dy (n), dz (n)) and recorded in order.
[0082]
  Next, the setting of the vertical direction displacement learning mode is canceled (step S410).
[0083]
  Finally, the display control unit 307 superimposes the vehicle current position determined so far on the map data in the map data storage unit 303 and outputs the superimposed data to the display device 105.
[0084]
  The processes from step S402 to step S415 are executed at regular time intervals. In the present embodiment, it is sufficient to execute it every second. The processing interval is preferably settable by the user. Through these processes, the vertical displacement data area 109 of the road additional data storage device 107 is automatically updated as the user travels, and map data is prepared.
[0085]
  As a result of the above processing, when the vertical displacement data is accumulated in the road additional data storage device 107 on all roads that run concurrently in the section after the road branch point, the road alignment is performed by the following method. The degree can be determined.
[0086]
  FIG. 18 shows a road where a road r50 branches to a road r51 and a road r52 at a branch point P20, and an upper road r53 merges with the road r52 at the point P21 and merges with an upper road r54 running alongside the lower road r51. .
[0087]
  Now, it is assumed that level data as vertical displacement data is accumulated in all the roads r50 to r54 as shown in the figure. Here, the level is a relative scale of the vertical relationship, and the larger the value is, the higher the road is. That is, in FIG. 18, roads r50 and r51 are level 0, so they are at a position lower than r52 of level 1, and roads r53 and r54 are at level 2 and therefore are higher than any other road. .
[0088]
  When the travel locus when traveling on this road is the pattern 1 shown in FIG. 19, the current position calculation unit 306 recognizes that the vertical displacement amount obtained by the current position estimation unit 301 at level P21 is at level 2. The vehicle current position can be specified as the road r54 at a position higher than the road r51. Further, when traveling in the pattern 2, the vehicle travels on the road r51 by recognizing that the vertical displacement amount of the estimated current position remains at level 0 when the vehicle travels the distance of the road r52. Can be specified. Here, the description has been made with respect to the level indicating the positional relationship of the relative heights, but the same can be determined by the height information and the gradient information.
[0089]
  In this example, the determination point after the branch point P20 is a point corresponding to the distance from the branch point P20 to the next intersection P21. However, the determination point is perpendicular to the vertical displacement data area 109 of the road additional data storage device 107 from the branch point P20. It is also possible to use a point that has traveled a distance corresponding to a point where displacement data is accumulated. Since this point is the learning section designated in step S413, the road can be specified with high accuracy using the vertical displacement data.
[0090]
  In this embodiment, since the road additional data storage device 107 exists independently, even if the map data provided by the CD-ROM or the like is updated, the vertical displacement data area 109109 of the road additional data storage device 107 is changed. Since it can be held as it is, there is an effect that the vertical displacement data that has been accumulated by the user can continue to be used.
[0091]
  In the present embodiment, the example in which the vertical displacement data is not included in the map data storage unit 303 has been described, but the vertical displacement data may be included in some roads. In that case, when the road specifying unit 304 determines whether or not the vertical displacement storage unit 305 has the vertical displacement data of the target road in step S408, the map data storage unit 303 also checks the presence / absence. to add. Thereby, when there is no vertical displacement data in the vertical displacement storage unit 305, the road specifying unit 304 can specify a road using the vertical displacement data if it exists in the map data storage unit 303. Similarly, when the current position calculation unit 306 determines the current vehicle position, the map data storage unit 303 determines whether the vertical displacement storage unit 305 has the vertical displacement data of the target road in step S409. Also add a process to check for existence. As a result, the current position calculation unit 306, even when there is no vertical displacement data in the vertical displacement storage unit 305, as in the case of a road traveling for the first time, if the map data storage unit 303 has the vertical displacement data, It can be used to identify the current vehicle position.
[0092]
(Second Embodiment)
  FIG. 20 shows an example of a configuration diagram of a vehicle position detection apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The first embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that there is no road additional data storage device and that the map data read from the map reading storage device 2006 is three-dimensional data. FIG. 21 shows a functional block configuration of the control device 2008 of the present embodiment.
[0093]
  The planar current position estimation unit 2101 obtains a planar traveling locus and an estimated current position from data obtained from the direction sensor 101 and the vehicle speed sensor 102.
[0094]
  The vertical displacement calculation unit 2102 calculates the amount of vertical displacement from the output of a sensor that detects vertical displacement such as an inclination angle sensor.
[0095]
  A 3D map data storage unit 2103 reads and holds map data including 3D road data from the map reading storage device 2006.
[0096]
  The specific point determination unit 2104 determines a specific point that specifies a road that is running from a plurality of candidate roads obtained from the current two-dimensional estimated position.
[0097]
  The current position determination unit 2105 specifies a road that is traveling from the candidate road at the specific point.
[0098]
  The display control unit 307 outputs the current position to the display device 105 and displays it.
[0099]
  Next, the vehicle current position specifying process will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In this process, the vehicle current position initialization step S2201 is the same as step S401 in the first embodiment.
[0100]
  Next, the planar current position estimation unit 2101 obtains an estimated current position on the horizontal plane from the direction sensor 101 and the vehicle speed sensor 102 (step S2202).
[0101]
  Next, the planar current position estimating unit 2101 determines whether or not the current vehicle position is a narrow-angle branch point from the three-dimensional road data in the three-dimensional map data storage unit 2103 and the estimated current position (step S2203).
[0102]
  When it determines with it being a narrow-angle branch point, the specific point determination part 2104 performs a specific point determination process about all the roads connected to the branch point (step S2204).
[0103]
  This specific point determination process will be described below.
[0104]
  The specific point determination unit 2104 sets a point where the gradient difference from the other candidate roads is maximum from the branch point to the point where the gradient difference between the plurality of candidate roads disappears as the specific point of the road.
[0105]
  In addition, from a branch point to a point where there is no difference in altitude between a plurality of candidate roads, a point where the altitude difference from other candidate roads is maximum can be set as a specific point on that road.
[0106]
  Such a specific point is determined for all the candidate roads. As a result, the specific point determination unit 2104 can reliably specify the road at the point where the characteristics of the road can be most differentiated.
[0107]
  Note that the slope difference is used as the vertical displacement amount for roads that do not have much difference in elevation, but is effective for determining roads with many ups and downs, flat roads, or roads with only ups and downs. Because there is. The reason why the height difference is used as the vertical displacement amount is that it is effective for specifying a road that has little gradient difference but a large difference in altitude.
[0108]
  The reason why the specified section is determined as the point where the altitude difference from the branch point disappears is that there is a high possibility that the height difference or the gradient difference cannot be obtained at a three-dimensional intersection. In addition, when it is not a predetermined distance section that the altitude difference between candidate roads becomes the same, a specific process is performed in the predetermined distance section.
[0109]
  If it is determined in step S2203 that it is not a narrow-angle branch point, it is next determined whether or not the estimated current position is a specific point (step S2206).
[0110]
  If it is determined that this is not a specific point, the estimated current position is output to the display control unit 307 as the vehicle current position and displayed.
[0111]
  If it is determined in step S2206 that it is a specific point, the current position determination unit 2105 compares the current vertical displacement amount obtained by the vertical displacement calculation unit with the three-dimensional road data in the three-dimensional map data storage unit 2103, If it is less than the vertical displacement amount, the vehicle is determined to be on the road and the current vehicle position is determined.
[0112]
  Thereafter, the current position is output to the display control unit 307 and displayed on the display device 105.
[0113]
  Thereby, the vehicle position detection apparatus can specify the vehicle current position with high accuracy from a plurality of roads that run parallel after branching using the three-dimensional road data.
[0114]
  In the second embodiment, three-dimensional map data is stored in the map reading storage device 2006. However, as in the first embodiment, the map reading storage device 106 and the road additional data storage device 107 are used. A similar effect can be obtained even when the three-dimensional map data is obtained.
[0115]
【The invention's effect】
  As described above, according to the present invention, the travel locus of the three-dimensional data on which the vehicle has traveled is stored, and when the current position of the vehicle is determined, the stored vertical displacement amount is determined. By registering as the vertical displacement amount of the road data, it can be prepared as road data in which the vertical displacement amount of the traveled road is accumulated. Furthermore, the present invention provides a vehicle position detection apparatus and a vehicle position detection method having an excellent effect that the vehicle position can be positioned on a correct road by using the road data.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a vehicle position detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a control device of the vehicle position detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control device of the vehicle position detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle position detection apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a vector diagram showing a running vector and an estimated current position of the vehicle position detecting device according to the first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a road diagram showing a narrow-angle branch of a main road and a side road at a three-dimensional intersection according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a road diagram showing a narrow-angle branch between a general road and an attachment road in highway attachment according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a road diagram for explaining the definition of a narrow-angle branch in the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a road diagram showing an example in which a vehicle position is detected on a road on which vertical displacement data is recorded according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a road diagram showing an example in which a vehicle position is detected on a road in which vertical displacement data is not recorded in the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing road pattern classification processing performed by the control device of the vehicle position detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a travel vector locus diagram showing the vertical displacement of the travel locus of the vehicle position detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a road diagram for explaining a method for specifying a road on which a vehicle has traveled when the vehicle position detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention bends at a three-dimensional intersection.
FIG. 14 is a road diagram for explaining a method for identifying a road on which a vehicle has traveled when one of the parallel roads turns by the vehicle position detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a road diagram for explaining a method for identifying a road on which a vehicle has traveled when one of the parallel roads disappears by the vehicle position detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a data configuration diagram illustrating an example in which the vehicle position detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention stores vertical displacement data in association with road data.
FIG. 17 is a data configuration diagram showing an example in which the vehicle position detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention stores vertical displacement data in association with intersection data.
FIG. 18 is a road diagram showing a road having three-dimensional data according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 19 is a travel locus diagram illustrating an example of a travel locus of vertical displacement data according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a vehicle position detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control device of a vehicle position detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle position detection apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 23 is a configuration diagram of a conventional navigation device.
[Explanation of symbols]
101 Direction sensor
102 Vehicle speed sensor
103 Vertical displacement sensor
104 Key operation device
105 Display device
106 Memory device for map reading
107 Road additional data storage device
108 Control device
109 Vertical displacement data area
110 Traveling track data area
201 A / D converter
202 counter
203 RAM
204 ROM
205 PIO
206 DMA controller
207 Display controller
208 CPU
301 Current position estimation unit
302 traveling locus storage unit
303 Map data storage
304 Road identification part
305 Vertical displacement storage unit
306 Current position calculation unit
307 Display control unit
901 Vehicle position indication mark
1001 Vehicle position indication mark
1301 Vehicle position indication mark
1401 Vehicle position indication mark
1501 Vehicle position indication mark
2006 Storage device for map reading
2101 Planar current position estimation unit
2102 Vertical displacement calculator
2103 Three-dimensional map data storage unit
2104 Specific point determination unit
2105 Current position determination part

Claims (11)

The present position for calculating the estimated current position of the vehicle from the traveling direction of the vehicle detected by the direction sensor, the travel distance obtained from the detection value of the vehicle speed sensor, and the vertical displacement amount of the vehicle detected by the vertical displacement sensor Position estimation means;
Traveling locus storage means for storing a locus of the estimated current position;
Map storage means for storing road data;
Road identification means for determining a degree of matching between the trajectory and the road data, and specifying a road corresponding to the trajectory based on a result of the determination;
A vertical displacement storage means for storing the vertical displacement amount in association with the road specified by the road specifying means ;
The amount of vertical displacement is at least one of a road gradient and a road altitude,
The vertical displacement storage means includes a section in which the gradient difference from the narrow-angle branch point is maximum, a section in which the gradient from the narrow-angle branch point is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and the height of the narrow-angle branch point. A vehicle position detection device in which a vertical displacement amount of at least one section is stored among a section in which the difference is maximum and a section in which a height difference from the narrow-angle branch point is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold . 2. The vehicle position detection device according to claim 1, wherein the vertical displacement amount stored in the vertical displacement storage means is such that the variation of the vertical displacement amount is not more than a predetermined value per unit time. The present position for calculating the estimated current position of the vehicle from the traveling direction of the vehicle detected by the direction sensor, the travel distance obtained from the detection value of the vehicle speed sensor, and the vertical displacement amount of the vehicle detected by the vertical displacement sensor Position estimation means;
Traveling locus storage means for storing a locus of the estimated current position;
Map storage means for storing road data;
Road identification means for determining a degree of matching between the trajectory and the road data, and specifying a road corresponding to the trajectory based on a result of the determination;
A vertical displacement storage means for storing the vertical displacement amount in association with the road specified by the road specifying means;
The vertical displacement storage means determines the shape related to the vertical direction of the section stored in the travel locus storage means, stores the shape,
The determination of the shape is performed based on a combination of a positive gradient and a negative gradient in a section stored in the travel locus storage unit, and the shape is any one of a convex shape, a concave shape, and a flat shape. A vehicle position detecting device. The present position for calculating the estimated current position of the vehicle from the traveling direction of the vehicle detected by the direction sensor, the travel distance obtained from the detection value of the vehicle speed sensor, and the vertical displacement of the vehicle detected by the vertical displacement sensor Position estimation means;
Traveling locus storage means for storing a locus of the estimated current position;
Map storage means for storing road data;
Road identification means for determining the degree of matching between the trajectory and the road data, and identifying the road corresponding to the trajectory based on the result of the determination;
A vertical displacement storage means for storing the vertical displacement amount in association with the road specified by the road specifying means;
The section for storing the trajectory is from a narrow-angle branch point where a plurality of roads running in parallel starts to a current position determination point where the current position of the vehicle can be determined,
The vertical displacement storage means stores data indicating no vertical displacement when the vertical displacement amount of the section stored in the travel locus storage means is less than a predetermined value with respect to the vertical displacement amount of the narrow-angle branch point, A vehicle position detecting device for storing data with a vertical displacement amount when a vertical displacement amount of a section stored in the travel locus storage means is a predetermined value or more with respect to a vertical displacement amount of the narrow-angle branch point. Current position estimating means for detecting a traveling direction and a travel distance of the vehicle and calculating an estimated current position of the vehicle;
Vertical displacement calculating means for detecting a vertical displacement of the vehicle and calculating a vertical displacement amount;
3D map storage means for storing 3D map data;
Specific point determining means for determining a current position specifying point for specifying the current position when the estimated current position is on a plurality of roads that start from a narrow-angle branch point in the three-dimensional map data; A current position determining means for determining a current position of the vehicle based on a vertical displacement amount calculated from a displacement calculating means and a vertical displacement amount of the current position specifying point;
The vehicle position detecting device, wherein the current position specifying point is a point where the gradient difference between the plurality of roads is maximum in a section from the narrow-angle branch point to a point where the gradient difference between the plurality of roads disappears. Current position estimating means for detecting a traveling direction and a travel distance of the vehicle and calculating an estimated current position of the vehicle;
Vertical displacement calculating means for detecting a vertical displacement of the vehicle and calculating a vertical displacement amount;
3D map storage means for storing 3D map data;
Specific point determining means for determining a current position specifying point for specifying the current position when the estimated current position is on a plurality of roads running parallel to each other starting from a narrow-angle branch point in the three-dimensional map data; A current position determining means for determining a current position of the vehicle based on a vertical displacement amount calculated from a displacement calculating means and a vertical displacement amount of the current position specifying point;
The vehicle position detection device, wherein the current position specifying point is a point where a difference in height between the plurality of roads is a maximum in a section from the narrow-angle branch point to a point where there is no difference in height between the plurality of roads. Vertical displacement calculating means for calculating a vertical displacement that is a displacement in the vertical direction;
A current position estimating means for calculating an estimated current position that is a current position estimated from a travel direction of the vehicle, a travel distance, and road data including three-dimensional data of the road;
A branch point determination means for determining whether or not a plurality of roads where the estimated current position runs concurrently are narrow-angle branch points;
When the branch point determination means determines that the estimated current position is the narrow-angle branch point, a vertical displacement amount difference from the narrow-angle branch point to a point where the vertical displacement amount difference between the plurality of roads disappears. A specific point determination means that searches the road data for the maximum point and sets the current location specific point;
Current location specifying means for determining whether or not the estimated current location is the current location specifying point;
Vehicle position detection comprising: selecting means for selecting a road having a vertical displacement amount closest to the vertical displacement amount of the current location specifying point from the plurality of roads when the current location specifying unit determines that the current location specifying point is a current location specifying point apparatus. Calculating a vertical displacement that is a displacement in the vertical direction;
Calculating an estimated current position, which is a current position estimated from a vehicle travel direction, a travel distance, and road data including three-dimensional data of the road;
A branch point determination step for determining whether or not the estimated current position is a narrow-angle branch point where a plurality of roads running concurrently; and
When it is determined that the estimated current position is the narrow-angle branch point in the branch point determination step, a vertical displacement amount difference from the narrow-angle branch point to a point where the vertical displacement amount difference between the plurality of roads is eliminated. A specific point determination step of searching for the maximum point from the road data and setting the current location specific point;
A current location specifying step for determining whether the estimated current position is the current location specifying point; and
A vehicle position detecting method comprising: selecting a road having a vertical displacement amount closest to the vertical displacement amount of the current location specifying point from the plurality of roads when it is determined that the current location specifying point is the current location specifying step. . The vehicle position detection method according to claim 8, wherein the vertical displacement amount is one of a road gradient and a road altitude. A program for causing a computer to execute the vehicle position detection method according to claim 8. Computer-readable recording of the program according to claim 10. recoding media.

Images