Method, apparatus, computer program and storage medium for partially automated creation of content for digital maps

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (100) for partially automated creation of content of a digital map, the method comprising: - reading (110) the digital map; - receiving (120) environmental data values representing an environment of at least one vehicle; - automatically generating (130) first map content from the received environmental data values; - reviewing (140) the first map content; - confirming (150) or adjusting (151) the first map content; - automatically calculating (160) a secured second map content by a secured algorithm with the reviewed and confirmed or adjusted first map content; - inserting (170) the secured second map content into the digital map; and providing (180) the digital map. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a device, a computer program and a machine-readable storage medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for partially automating the creation of digital map content and an apparatus for implementing the method.

[0002] Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a computer program and a machine-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0003] A system is known from document DE 102019214603 A1, which divides map data into different datasets and calculates them separately as location maps. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Utilizing sensing technologies, such as radar and video, to detect the vehicle environment is a fundamental component of modern driver assistance systems and automated vehicle systems. The resulting environmental model is typically supplemented by additional content from navigation maps, positioning maps, or planning maps, such as lane directions outside the sensor detection range. The maps used are provided to the vehicle system through map services.

[0005] Many modern vehicles' sensor systems (such as radar, video, lidar, and ultrasonic sensors) meet functional safety requirements, which are classified, for example, according to the ASIL levels of the ISO 26262 standard. Therefore, specialized mapping vehicles have been able to create what is known as "abgesichert" map content, which allows for the provision of safety-related driving functions. Alternatively, unassured map content can be manually reviewed to ensure safety. Both of these approaches are costly, cannot be scaled for lower road grades, and are therefore particularly difficult to apply in urban environments.

[0006] The method for partially automating the creation of digital map content includes the steps of: "reading the digital map"; "receiving environmental data values ​​representing the environment of at least one vehicle"; "automatically generating first map content from the received environmental data values"; "reviewing the first map content"; "confirming or adjusting the first map content"; "automatically calculating secure second map content using a secure algorithm with reference to the reviewed, confirmed, or adjusted first map content"; "inserting the secure second map content into the digital map"; and "providing the digital map".

[0007] “Digital map” is understood as, for example, a map that can be used to locate and / or navigate partially automated, highly automated, or fully automated vehicles. “Automated vehicle” is understood as a vehicle constructed according to one of SAE Levels 1 to 5 (see standard SAE J3016).

[0008] Digital maps can consist of different sub-maps that serve different functions. For example, a digital map may include sub-maps for locating, navigating, or planning the behavior of automated vehicles.

[0009] "Content of a digital map" is understood as elements of one or more sub-maps of that digital map. These elements represent physical or immaterial objects and information such as roadways, lanes, traffic signs, intersections, buildings, or weather conditions, which are particularly useful for controlling and / or planning the behavior of automated vehicles.

[0010] "Environmental data value" is understood, for example, as data value detected by at least one environmental sensing device of at least one vehicle. "Environmental sensing device" is understood to be at least one video sensor and / or at least one radar sensor and / or at least one lidar sensor and / or at least one additional sensor configured to detect the vehicle's environment in the form of sensor data values. In one possible implementation, the environmental sensing device may include, for example, a computing unit (processor, memory, hard disk) with suitable software and / or be connected to such a computing unit.

[0011] "Automatically creating the first map content" can be understood as: using environmental data values ​​to calculate map content and inserting the map content into a digital map.

[0012] "Reviewing map content" can be understood as, for example, by trained personnel manually reviewing map content, especially visually, including, for example, implementing the necessary changes.

[0013] "Adjusting map content" refers to changing the location of map content. For example, after manual review, incorrectly or inaccurately calculated roadway boundaries may be moved to make the adjusted position match the actual location of the roadway boundary.

[0014] "Safe algorithms" are understood as computer-implemented computational processes that meet pre-defined functional safety requirements, such that the map content calculated using these processes can be used to provide safety-related driving functions.

[0015] "Providing digital maps" can be understood, for example, as storing or transmitting digital maps in a callable and / or transmittable manner. In one implementation, "providing" can be understood, for example, as transmitting digital maps to at least one (automated) vehicle and / or to another server and / or to the cloud.

[0016] Besides specialized mapping vehicles, ordinary motor vehicles can also use their installed sensor systems to provide environmental data values ​​for calculating map content. However, map content generated in this way is often not guaranteed to be safe and therefore cannot be used for safety-related driving functions. Manually reviewing multiple such map contents is costly. The advantage of the proposed method is that it can utilize the hierarchical relationships between map contents, in particular, so that a portion of these map contents can be automatically calculated while still being guaranteed to be safe. To this end, first map content, such as lane boundaries, is calculated from environmental data values. Subsequently, the first map content is manually reviewed and verified or adjusted, after which it is guaranteed to be safe and can be used for safety-related driving functions. The guaranteed safe first content can then be used to automatically calculate second map content. For example, starting from the reviewed and guaranteed safe lane boundaries, lane centerlines or road centerlines can be more easily calculated.

[0017] By combining manual review and automated calculation, the proposed method ensures the safety of map content while simultaneously improving computational efficiency. Therefore, it particularly enables coverage of lower road grades and allows for the use of secure maps in urban driving functions.

[0018] Advantageous extensions and improvements to the method according to the invention are described in detail below.

[0019] In a preferred configuration, the digital map is converted into a standardized map format before reviewing the first map content.

[0020] "Standardized map formats" refers, for example, to the Navigation Data Standard Format (NDS).

[0021] The advantage of this configuration is that, with these methodological steps in this order, ensuring the security of map content is no longer affected by subsequent transformations of the digital map or needs to be repeated.

[0022] In another preferred configuration, decisions are made based on pre-defined security requirements for the digital map: which first map content to automatically generate, review, verify, or adjust, and which second map content to automatically calculate and insert using the secured algorithm.

[0023] "Pre-defined safety requirements" can be understood, for example, as functional safety requirements according to ISO 26262 or ISO 21448 (SOTIF).

[0024] Dividing the map content into first and second parts allows for a gradual increase in the level of automation. If a higher level of security is required, more content can be manually reviewed. If faster or lower-cost map creation is needed, more content can be calculated automatically.

[0025] In another preferred configuration, the reviewed and confirmed or adjusted first map content, along with the secured second map content, is inserted into an additional digital map containing only the secured map content.

[0026] "Additional digital maps" can be understood, for example, as high-resolution HD maps used to provide features for automated driving.

[0027] Since the additional digital map contains only map content that has been ensured to be safe, it can be advantageously used to provide safety-related driving functions. Furthermore, the additional digital map can be advantageously provided at a price that economically maps to the additional workload required to ensure the safety of the map content.

[0028] In another preferred configuration, the second map content is specifically computed in a cloud environment using the secure algorithm.

[0029] The advantage of this configuration is that the computational capacity can be used particularly effectively for resource-intensive computations performed using secure algorithms. Furthermore, the reviewed first map content can be utilized in this way to centrally compute secure second map content from multiple environmental data values ​​from multiple vehicles.

[0030] The present invention also claims protection for an apparatus, particularly a computing unit, wherein the apparatus is configured to perform all the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0031] In one embodiment, the apparatus includes computing units (processor, memory, hard disk) and suitable software (computer program) to implement the method according to the invention. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes transmitting and / or receiving units configured to exchange data values—particularly with an external server or cloud. In another embodiment, the apparatus is configured as a server or cloud (i.e., a combination of servers or computing units).

[0032] Furthermore, a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to the invention.

[0033] In addition, protection is claimed for a machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program is stored. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 An embodiment of the method is illustrated in the form of a flowchart; Figure 2 An example of using the method for an exemplary road segment of a map. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Figure 1 An embodiment of the method 100 according to the present invention is shown in the form of a flowchart.

[0036] In step 101, method 100 begins.

[0037] In step 110, the digital map is read.

[0038] In step 120, environmental data values ​​representing the environment of at least one vehicle are received.

[0039] In step 130, the first map content is automatically generated from the received environmental data values.

[0040] In step 140, the contents of the first map are reviewed.

[0041] Subsequently, the content of the first map is either confirmed in step 150 or adjusted in step 151.

[0042] In step 160, secure second map content is automatically calculated using a secure algorithm, with the aid of a first map content that has been reviewed, confirmed, or adjusted.

[0043] In step 170, secure second map content is inserted into the digital map.

[0044] In step 180, a digital map is provided.

[0045] In step 190, the method ends.

[0046] Figure 2 An example embodiment of using the method for a road segment in a map is shown.

[0047] The roadway boundary 200 is automatically generated from the received environmental data values ​​as an example of the first map content.

[0048] Subsequently, the roadway boundary 200 is rechecked and converted to a corrected position 202 in step 201.

[0049] Using the corrected roadway boundary 202, which serves as an example of the first map content that has been reviewed and adjusted, the center divider 203, which serves as an example of the second map content that has been ensured to be safe, is automatically calculated by a safe algorithm.

Claims

1. A method (100) for partially automating the creation of content for digital maps, the method comprising: - Read the digital map described in (110); - Receive (120) environmental data values ​​representing the environment of at least one vehicle; - Automatically generate (130) first map content from the received environmental data values; - Review (140) the contents of the first map; - Confirm (150) or adjust (151) the content of the first map; - Using a first map content that has been reviewed, confirmed, or adjusted, a second map content that has been secured is automatically calculated (160) by a secure algorithm; - Insert (170) the secure second map content into the digital map; as well as - Provide the digital map described in (180).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before reviewing (140) the first map content, the digital map is converted into a standardized map format.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Based on pre-defined security requirements for the digital map, decisions are made regarding which first map content is automatically generated (130), reviewed (140), and confirmed (150) or adjusted (151), and which second map content is automatically calculated (160) and inserted (170) using the secured algorithm.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first map content, which has been reviewed, confirmed, or adjusted, and the second map content that has been secured are inserted into an additional digital map, which contains only the secured map content.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In particular, the second map content is calculated in a cloud environment using the secure algorithm described above.

6. An apparatus, particularly a computing unit, configured to perform all steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A machine-readable storage medium having a computer program as claimed in claim 7 stored thereon.

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