JPH04125679A - Self position orienting method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To orient a self position by generating a bird's-eye view by a computer processing from digital map data, and comparing the bird's-eye view with a real terrain. CONSTITUTION:The presumed self position where a personal vehicle seems to be present is applied by a latitude and longitude on a planimetric map, and defined as a three-dimensional presumed self position after adding the elevation of the point. Then, the three-dimensional presumed self position and the orientation of the personal vehicle obtained from an on-vehicle gyro 6 are defined as input elements, and the bird's-eye view based on the elevation data of a digital map data base 2 is generated. Then, the bird's-eye view is projected to a head up display, and the justification of the presumed self position is judged after visually comparing the real terrain viewed through the head up display with the bird's-eye view by a person. That is, the bird's-eye view prepared by the computer is really compared with the terrain. Thus, the self position can be automatically oriented.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] This invention estimates the position of the own vehicle, obtains a bird track map seen from that position by computer processing digital map data, and compares it with the actual topography. The present invention relates to a self-positioning method and device for comparing and determining the validity of the estimated position of the own vehicle from the comparison results. 1 [Prior art] Conventionally, inertial navigation uses a gyro etc. to measure and integrate angular acceleration around three axes and acceleration in the X, Y, and Z directions, and uses beacon equipment to cancel cumulative errors while locating one's own position. GPS (Grob
Al, Positioning System) There are technologies such as the signpost method, which accumulates the heading using a geomagnetic sensor, the angle of inclination using an inclination sensor, and the distance traveled using a vehicle speedometer, and uses a signpost to determine the vehicle's position while canceling the cumulative error.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Conventionally, the above-mentioned technology existed.

First of all, inertial navigation allows accurate positioning, but it requires precision from component equipment and is extremely expensive, so it has only been applied to aircraft.

Vehicle-mounted GPS is also in practical use, but it cannot be used in areas where radio waves are blocked (such as inside tunnels), and in order to accurately determine the location, it is necessary to receive radio waves from four or more satellites. However, at the local site, the four satellites come into the acquisition range at the same time only a few times a day, so there was a drawback that they could not be used at any location and at any time.

The sign post method has large errors in the sensor itself (unusable in areas without sign posts).

A common problem with conventional technologies is that they require facilities such as beacons, artificial satellites, sign posts, etc. in addition to the own vehicle.

This invention was made to solve these problems, and it uses computer processing to generate a bird track map from digital map data, and then determines its own position by comparing the bird track map with the actual terrain. It is intended to.

[Means to solve the problem]

This invention includes an estimated own position input device that indicates the estimated own position where the own vehicle is thought to be on a flat map using a pointing device such as a joystick, and outputs the latitude and longitude of that point, and an estimated own position input device that outputs the latitude and longitude of the point, and altitude data that is input at regular intervals. A digital map database in the form of a grid, a flat map generator that calculates contour lines and creates a flat map based on elevation data obtained from the digital map database, and a CRT that generates the flat map, symbols of estimated self-position, and latitude and longitude. Interpolates and calculates elevation data from a digital map database from the latitude and longitude of the estimated self-position and the self-position display device that superimposes the display on the map.
An altitude calculation device that outputs a dimensional estimated self-position, and a bird track map based on the elevation data of a digital map database using the three-dimensional estimated self-position and the vehicle's orientation obtained from an on-board gyro as input elements. A rut diagram generator,
This device is equipped with a bird track projection device that projects a bird track map onto a head-up display.

This invention also includes an estimated own position input device that indicates the estimated own position where the own vehicle is thought to be on a flat map using a pointing device such as a joystick, and outputs the latitude and longitude of that point, and an estimated own position input device that outputs the latitude and longitude of that point, and altitude data that is input at regular intervals. A digital map database in the form of a grid, a flat map generator that calculates contour lines and creates a flat map based on elevation data obtained from the digital map database, and a CRT that generates the flat map, symbols of estimated self-position, and latitude and longitude. A self-position display device that superimposes the display on the map, an elevation calculation device that interpolates altitude data in a digital map database from the latitude and longitude of the estimated self-position and outputs a three-dimensional estimated self-position, and a three-dimensional estimated self-position and a vehicle-mounted gyro. A bird track map generation device that generates a bird track map based on elevation data in a digital map database using the obtained orientation direction of the own vehicle as an input element, and a terrain photographing device that shoots a video image of the actual topography.

The device is equipped with a terrain comparison device that extracts the contours of a video image of the actual terrain and a bird track map, and compares the shapes to determine whether the estimated self-position is correct.

[Effect]

In this invention, the position of the own vehicle is estimated, a bird track map seen from that position is obtained by computer processing digital map data, and it is displayed together with the actual terrain on a head-up display for visual comparison. The validity of the estimated position is determined by this.

Furthermore, by comparing the video footage and the bird track map within the computer, the validity of the estimated location is automatically determined.

This makes it possible to create a completely autonomous system that does not require facilities such as beacons, satellites, or signposts. Other advantages include that it does not require expensive components and can be used at any time and in any location.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of an embodiment of a self-positioning device according to the present invention.

(1) is an estimated self-position input device, which indicates a point where the own vehicle is thought to be on a flat map using a pointing device such as a joystick, and outputs an estimated self-position (A) consisting of latitude and longitude.

(2) is a digital map database that contains elevation data in a grid pattern at regular intervals. (3) is a planar map generator that calculates contour lines based on the elevation data (a) obtained from the digital map database (2) and generates a planar map. (4) is a self-location display device, which is a flat map (
(a) and estimated self-position (a) and latitude and longitude values are superimposed on the CRT. (5) is an elevation calculation device, which uses the estimated self-position (a) as an input element to perform interpolation calculations on the elevation data (b) of the digital map database (2), and outputs a three-dimensional estimated self-position (1). (6) is an on-vehicle gyro that outputs the pointing direction (o) of the own vehicle, which is composed of azimuth and elevation angles. (7) is a bird track diagram generator,
3D estimated self-position (1) and self-vehicle orientation (direction)
A bird track map (power) is generated based on the elevation data (a) of the digital map database (2) using as an input element.

(8) is a bird track map projection device, which projects the bird track map (h) onto a head-up display. (9) is a terrain photographing device, which is fixed to the vehicle, photographs the actual terrain in the pointing direction, and outputs a video image (K) of the terrain. (
10) is a terrain comparison device, which records video footage of the terrain (K).
The outline of the bird's-eye map (h) is extracted and the shapes are compared to automatically determine whether the estimated self-position is correct and output the comparison result (ri). However, if there is a bird track projection device (8),
There is no topography photographing device (9) and topography comparison device (10), but on the contrary, there is a topography photographing device (9) and a topography comparison device (10).
If there is, there is no bird track map projection device (8).

FIG. 2 is an overall processing flowchart in one embodiment of the self-position locating device according to the present invention, in which terrain comparison is performed visually.

(11) is a planar map display process, in which contour lines are calculated based on the elevation data (a) obtained from the digital map database (2), and a planar map (1) is displayed on the CRT. (12
) is an estimated self-position input device that uses a pointing device such as a joystick to indicate the point where the vehicle is thought to be on a flat map (2), and outputs an estimated self-position (A) consisting of latitude and longitude. (13) is self-position display processing, in which symbols of the one-dimensional map (1) and estimated self-position (a) and latitude and longitude values are superimposed and displayed on the CRT. (14) is elevation calculation processing. , a digital map database (
2) The altitude data (a) is interpolated and the three-dimensional estimated self-position (1) is output. (15) is a bird track map generation process, which uses the three-dimensional estimated self-position (1) and the vehicle's orientation (direction) as input elements to generate a bird track map based on the elevation data (a) of the digital map database (2). Generates a rut (force).

(16) is a bird track map projection process, in which a bird track map (power) is projected onto a head-up display. (17) is a visual comparison of the terrain, and if you visually compare the bird track map (force) projected on the head-up display and the actual terrain that can be seen through the head-up display, the estimated self-position (a) can be determined to be the correct self-position. If the results of the visual comparison do not match, the estimated self-position (A) is incorrect, and the estimated self-position input process (12) is repeated again.

FIG. 3 is an overall processing flowchart for automatically performing terrain comparison in one embodiment of the self-positioning device according to the present invention.

From flat map display processing (11) to bird track generation processing (15)
The steps up to this point are the same as in Figure 2. (18) is a bird track map contour extraction process, which performs image processing of the bird track map (power) to extract the contour portion of the topography. (19) is terrain image input processing, in which the actual terrain in the pointing direction is photographed from the terrain imaging device (9) fixed to the vehicle, and it is converted into a video image of the terrain (K).(20) is the terrain image This is contour extraction processing, in which image processing is performed on the video image of the terrain (K) to extract the contours of the terrain. (21) is automatic terrain comparison processing, in which the bird track map (
Compare the outline of the terrain extracted from the video image of the terrain (G) and the video footage of the terrain (G), and if each point of both is within a certain error range, it is considered a match, and the estimated self-position (A) is the correct self-position. It can be determined that If not, it is assumed that there is no discrepancy, and the estimated self-position (7) is an error, and the estimated self-position input process (12) is repeated again.

FIG. 4 is an example of a display screen of a self-position display device in an embodiment of the self-position locating device according to the present invention.

C, RT A plane map (22) is displayed, and the estimated self-position symbol (23) and the latitude and longitude (24) of the estimated self-position are superimposed on the map.

FIG. 5 shows a display screen (1) on a bird track map projection device in an embodiment of the self-positioning device according to the present invention.

A bird track map (h) is displayed on the head-up display (25) so that the actual topography can be seen through.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the user's position can be determined completely autonomously by comparing a computer-generated bird track map with the actual terrain.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of an embodiment of the self-positioning device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an overall processing flowchart of the embodiment in which terrain comparison is visually performed.
Fig. 3 is an overall processing flowchart in the case where terrain comparison is automatically performed in the embodiment, Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the display screen of the self-position display device, and Fig. 5 is an example of the display screen of the bird map projection device. FIG. In the figure, (1) is an estimated self-position input device, (2) is a digital map database, (3) is a flat map generator, (4) is a self-position display device, (5) is an elevation calculation device,
(6) is an in-vehicle gyro, (7) is a bird track generator, (8
) is a bird track map projection device 1 (9) is a topography photographing device, (10
) is a terrain comparison device, (11) is a flat map display processing,
(12) is the estimated self-position input process, (13) is the self-position display process, (14) is the elevation calculation process, (15) is the bird track map generation process, (16) is the bird I map projection process, (1
7) is terrain visual comparison, (18) is bird track map contour extraction processing, (19) is terrain image input processing, (20) is terrain image contour extraction processing, (21) is terrain automatic comparison processing, (2)
2) is a CRT, (23) is a symbol of estimated self-position,
(24) is the latitude and longitude of the estimated self-position, (25) is the head-up display, (a) is the estimated self-position, (b)
is elevation data, (1) is a planar map, (1) is a three-dimensional estimated self-position, (e) is the vehicle's pointing direction, (force) is a bird track map,
(K) is a video image of the terrain, and (R) is a comparison result.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) Give the estimated self-position where the own vehicle is thought to be in terms of latitude and longitude on a flat map, and add the altitude of that point calculated by interpolation from the digital map database to obtain a three-dimensional estimated self-position. A bird track map is generated based on the elevation data of the digital map database using the estimated own position and the heading direction of the own vehicle obtained from the onboard gyro as input elements, and the bird track map is projected onto the head up display. A self-positioning method in which a human determines the validity of the estimated self-position by visually comparing the actual terrain seen through a display with a bird track map. (2) A computer automatically compares the outline of the bird track map generated by the method set forth in claim (1) with the outline of the actual terrain captured in the video image, and the result is that both are within a certain error. A self-positioning method that determines the validity of the estimated self-position based on whether the estimated self-position is within the range. (3) Estimated own position input device that indicates the estimated own position where the own vehicle is thought to be on a flat map using a pointing device such as a joystick and outputs the latitude and longitude of that point, and also inputs altitude data at regular intervals A digital map database in the form of a grid, a flat map generator that calculates contour lines and creates a flat map based on elevation data obtained from the digital map database, and a CRT that generates the flat map, symbols of estimated self-position, and latitude and longitude. an altitude calculation device that interpolates altitude data from a digital map database from the latitude and longitude of the estimated vehicle position and outputs a three-dimensional estimated vehicle position; A bird track map generator that generates a bird track map based on the elevation data of a digital map database using the vehicle-mounted gyro that outputs the heading direction, the 3D estimated own position, and the vehicle's heading direction obtained from the vehicle-mounted gyro as input elements. A self-positioning device consisting of a bird track map projection device that projects a bird track map onto a head up display. (4) Estimated own position input device that indicates the estimated own position where the own vehicle is thought to be on a planar map using a pointing device such as a joystick and outputs the latitude and longitude of that point, and constant altitude data. A digital map database in the form of a grid of intervals, a flat map generator that calculates contour lines and creates a flat map based on elevation data obtained from the digital map database, and a flat map generator that creates a flat map and symbols of estimated self-location, latitude and longitude. The vehicle consists of a self-position display device that superimposes the display on a CRT, an elevation calculation device that interpolates altitude data in a digital map database from the latitude and longitude of the estimated self-position and outputs a three-dimensional estimated self-position, and azimuth and elevation angles. A bird track map that generates a bird track map based on the elevation data of a digital map database using the 3D estimated own position and the vehicle's heading direction obtained from the vehicle mounted gyro as input elements. a generating device; a terrain photographing device fixed to the vehicle that photographs the actual terrain in a pointing direction and outputs a video image of the terrain;
This self-positioning device consists of a terrain comparison device that extracts contours from a video image of the terrain and a bird track map, and compares the shapes to determine whether the estimated self-position is correct.