Information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method

Abstract

The invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, and an information processing method. The present disclosure improves techniques relating to roadside devices. An information processing device (30) is provided with: a control unit (33) that, when a vehicle (10) approaches a roadside device (20) that notifies a subject of the presence of a vehicle and / or a pedestrian, acquires an image of the roadside device (20) captured by an imaging unit (11) provided to the vehicle (10); acquiring vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle (10) at the time of image capturing; an image acquisition unit that analyzes the image and acquires relative position information indicating a relative positional relationship between the vehicle (10) and the roadside device (20) when the image is captured; calculating calculated position information representing a calculated position of the roadside device (20) on the basis of the vehicle position information and the relative position information; and transmitting the calculated position information to a storage unit of an information storage device that stores position information of the roadside device (20).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, and an information processing method. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there have been known techniques related to roadside devices that notify objects such as pedestrians, vehicle drivers, and driving assistants of the presence of vehicles or pedestrians. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a reporting system that reports to vehicles or pedestrians other than the self-driving vehicle whether they can pass or gives a warning based on the behavior of a self-driving vehicle that is scheduled to pass through a prescribed traffic area.

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-50629

[0006] When a receiver corresponding to GPS (Global Positioning System) is built into the roadside device, for example, due to the accuracy of GPS or the like, the position information of the roadside device may have an error. Due to this error, for example, it may be impossible to correctly detect a vehicle approaching the roadside device.

[0007] In view of this situation, an object of the present disclosure is to improve the technology related to roadside devices. Summary of the Invention

[0008] An information processing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control unit configured to: when a vehicle approaches a roadside device that notifies an object of the presence of a vehicle and / or a pedestrian, acquire an image of the roadside device captured by a capturing unit included in the vehicle; acquire vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle at the time of image capture; analyze the image to acquire relative position information indicating the relative position relationship between the vehicle and the roadside device at the time of image capture; calculate calculated position information indicating the calculated position of the roadside device based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information; and transmit the calculated position information to a storage unit of an information storage device that stores the position information of the roadside device.

[0009] An information processing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the roadside device and the information processing device.

[0010] The information processing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a method executed by an information processing device. The information processing device corrects the position information of a roadside device that notifies an object person of the presence of a vehicle and / or a pedestrian. The method includes the following processes: when the vehicle approaches the roadside device, obtaining an image of the roadside device captured by a camera equipped on the vehicle; obtaining vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle at the time of image capture; analyzing the image to obtain relative position information indicating the relative position relationship between the vehicle and the roadside device at the time of image capture; calculating calculated position information indicating the calculated position of the roadside device based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information; and sending the calculated position information to a storage unit of the roadside device or a server device.

[0011] Advantages of the Invention

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the technology related to roadside devices is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle.

[0015] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a roadside device.

[0016] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing device.

[0017] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the information processing device.

[0018] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing a further operation of the information processing device.

[0019] Description of Reference Numerals:

[0020] 1: System; 10: Vehicle; 11: Imaging Unit; 12: Position Measuring Unit; 13: Storage Unit; 14: Communication Unit; 15: Control Unit; 20: Roadside Device; 21: Detection Unit; 22: Notification Unit; 23: Position Measuring Unit; 24: Storage Unit; 25: Communication Unit; 26: Control Unit; 30: Information Processing Device; 31: Storage Unit; 32: Communication Unit; 33: Control Unit; 40: Network. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

[0022] Refer toFigure 1 The outline of the system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The system 1 includes one or more vehicles 10, one or more roadside devices 20, and an information processing device 30. The vehicle 10, the roadside device 20, and the information processing device 30 are communicably connected to a network 40 including, for example, the Internet and a mobile communication network.

[0023] The vehicle 10 is a connected vehicle having a communication function with the network 40. The driving of the vehicle 10 is automated at an arbitrary level. The level of automation can be, for example, any one of levels 1 to 5 under the level classification of SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). The vehicle 10 can be driven by a driver. The vehicle 10 is, for example, an automobile such as a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), or an FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle), but is not limited thereto, and can be any vehicle. The number of vehicles 10 included in the system 1 can be arbitrarily set.

[0024] The vehicle 10 is equipped with a camera for photographing the roadside device 20. The vehicle 10 may also be equipped with a camera and a distance measuring device such as a millimeter wave radar or LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging).

[0025] The vehicle 10 is built-in with a receiver corresponding to GPS (Global Positioning System). The vehicle 10 can obtain, for example, position information with higher accuracy than when using only GPS (hereinafter, also referred to as "high-precision position information") by using GPS and any other satellite positioning system (for example, the quasi-zenith satellite system) or by using GPS and high-precision map information.

[0026] When a pedestrian is detected by the on-board camera, the roadside device 20 notifies the pedestrian of the presence of the vehicle 10 approaching the roadside device 20 itself. The roadside device 20 may further notify the driver or driver assistant of the vehicle 10 of the presence of the pedestrian. The roadside device 20 notifies the pedestrian of the presence of the vehicle, for example, by displaying an image using the display mounted on the device itself, lighting an electronic bulletin board, or outputting voice using a speaker. The roadside device 20 also notifies the driver or driver assistant of the presence of the pedestrian via, for example, the portable terminal of the driver or driver assistant of the vehicle 10. The roadside device 20 is installed near the boundary between a road and a sidewalk, such as near a crosswalk or an intersection. The roadside device 20 may also be installed near a road with poor visibility, such as a blind spot of a building or a blind spot at a turning point. The roadside device 20 may be fixed to the road or the sidewalk, or may not be fixed to the road or the sidewalk. For example, the roadside device 20 may be merely placed on the road or the sidewalk.

[0027] The roadside device 20 is built-in with a receiver corresponding to GPS (Global Positioning System). When the roadside device 20 is built-in with a receiver corresponding to GPS, the position information of the roadside device 20 can be easily obtained during installation. Therefore, the user does not need to manually set the position information of the roadside device 20. The roadside device 20 may also have an autonomous driving function to move automatically. In this case, the roadside device 20 can be set automatically.

[0028] The information processing device 30 calculates the corrected position information of the roadside device 20 by using the image of the roadside device 20 captured by the camera of the vehicle 10 and the high-precision position information of the vehicle 10. When there is a position deviation in the position information of the roadside device 20, the calculated position information is used to correct the position information of the roadside device 20 before correction.

[0029] The information processing device 30 of the present embodiment is a portable terminal. The portable terminal is, for example, a smart phone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer.

[0030] First, an overview of this embodiment will be described, and details will be described later. When the vehicle 10 approaches the roadside device 20 that notifies the presence of the vehicle or pedestrian to the target person, the information processing device 30 acquires an image of the roadside device 20 captured by the camera provided in the vehicle 10. The information processing device 30 acquires vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture. The information processing device 30 analyzes the image and acquires relative position information indicating the relative position relationship between the vehicle 10 and the roadside device 20 at the time of image capture. The information processing device 30 calculates calculation position information indicating the calculated position of the roadside device 20 based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information. Then, the information processing device 30 sends the calculation position information to the storage unit of the information storage device that stores the position information of the roadside device 20.

[0031] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the vehicle approaches the roadside device 20, the calculation position information of the roadside device 20 calculated based on the vehicle position information is sent to the information storage device. Therefore, the information storage device can, for example, compare the stored position information of the roadside device 20 with the calculation position information to determine whether an error has occurred in the stored position information. Therefore, even in places where the accuracy of GPS is low, such as in the shadow of a building or the gap between high-rise buildings, accurate position information of the roadside device 20 can be obtained without a dedicated device such as a receiver for a high-precision satellite positioning system. When the roadside device 20 is equipped with a receiver corresponding to the high-precision satellite positioning system, the cost of the receiver increases as the number of installed roadside devices 20 increases. Therefore, from the perspective of cost, this embodiment is preferable. In addition, when the roadside device 20 is equipped with a built-in battery, the power consumption of the built-in battery becomes large when using the high-precision satellite positioning system. Therefore, from the perspective of the power consumption of the roadside device 20, this embodiment is also preferable.

[0032] Moreover, according to this embodiment, even if the roadside device 20 does not have a built-in receiver corresponding to GPS, high-precision position information of the roadside device 20 can be obtained. As a result, the effort and cost for installing a receiver corresponding to GPS in the roadside device 20 can be reduced. It is also possible to install a roadside device 20 that does not have a receiver corresponding to GPS in a place where the accuracy of GPS is expected to be low (such as near an obstacle such as a high-rise building). It is also possible to install a roadside device 20 with a built-in receiver corresponding to GPS in a place where the accuracy of GPS is expected to be sufficiently high (such as a place with few obstacles). By determining the presence or absence of GPS in advance according to the installation position, the effort and cost for installing the roadside device 20 can be reduced.

[0033] According to the above, through this embodiment, the technology related to the roadside device 20 will be improved.

[0034] Next, each component of System 1 will be described in detail.

[0035] As Figure 2 shown, vehicle 10 includes a photographing unit 11, a positioning unit 12, a storage unit 13, a communication unit 14, and a control unit 15.

[0036] The photographing unit 11 includes one or more cameras capable of photographing a subject and generating an image. The cameras are a front camera, a side camera, a rear camera, etc. The photographing unit 11 may also include a distance measuring device such as a camera and / or a millimeter wave radar or LiDAR. The image generated by the camera may be one or more still images or one or more moving images.

[0037] The positioning unit 12 includes a receiver corresponding to a satellite positioning system. Specifically, the positioning unit 12 includes a receiver corresponding to GPS. Alternatively, the positioning unit 12 can obtain the position information of the vehicle 10 with higher accuracy than when only using GPS. For example, the positioning unit 12 may also include a receiver corresponding to other satellite positioning systems such as QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System), BeiDou (Beidou Satellite Navigation System), GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System), Galileo (Galileo Satellite Navigation System), etc. The satellites of QZSS are called quasi-zenith satellites. The positioning unit 12 may also use GPS and high-precision map data. That is, the positioning unit 12 may obtain the approximate position information of the vehicle 10 through GPS and further refer to the high-precision map data for self-position estimation (localization). The high-precision map data is stored in the storage unit 13 of the vehicle 10, for example. The positioning unit 12 may further include a sensor such as an azimuth sensor for measuring the azimuth of the vehicle 10. The azimuth sensor can detect the magnetic force of the geomagnetism to measure the azimuth, for example.

[0038] The storage unit 13 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 13 can function as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory, for example. The storage unit 13 stores any information for the operation of the vehicle 10. For example, the storage unit 13 can store system programs, application programs, databases, the position information of the vehicle 10, map information, etc.

[0039] The communication unit 14 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 40. The communication interface corresponds to, for example, a mobile communication standard such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation), but is not limited thereto. In the present embodiment, the vehicle 10 communicates with the information processing device 30 via the communication unit 14 and the network 40.

[0040] The control unit 15 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor dedicated to specific processing, but is not limited thereto. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), but is not limited thereto. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), but is not limited thereto. The control unit 15 controls the overall operation of the vehicle 10.

[0041] (Configuration of the roadside device 20)

[0042] As Figure 3 shown, the roadside device 20 includes a detection unit 21, a notification unit 22, a positioning unit 23, a storage unit 24, a communication unit 25, and a control unit 26.

[0043] The detection unit 21 includes one or more cameras for photographing pedestrians near the roadside device 20. The camera can be two 180-degree cameras, one 360-degree camera, or any other camera.

[0044] The notification unit 22 includes one or more notification devices for notifying pedestrians near the roadside device 20 of the presence of the vehicle. The notification device is, for example, a display, an electronic bulletin board, or a speaker. The notification unit 22 may also include any other notification device.

[0045] The positioning unit 23 includes a receiver corresponding to GPS. The map data used by the positioning unit 23 is stored, for example, in the storage unit 24 of the roadside device 20.

[0046] The storage unit 24 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 24 can function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 24 stores any information for the operation of the roadside device 20. For example, the storage unit 24 can store system programs, application programs, embedded software, and map information, etc. It is also possible that the information stored in the storage unit 24 can be updated using, for example, the information obtained from the network 40 via the communication unit 25.

[0047] The communication unit 25 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 40. This communication interface corresponds to, for example, mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation), but is not limited thereto. In the present embodiment, the roadside device 20 communicates with the information processing device 30 via the communication unit 25 and the network 40.

[0048] The control unit 26 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The control unit 26 controls the overall operation of the roadside device 20.

[0049] (Configuration of the information processing device 30)

[0050] As Figure 4 shown, the information processing device 30 includes a storage unit 31, a communication unit 32, and a control unit 33.

[0051] The storage unit 31 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 31 can function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 31 stores any information for the operation of the information processing device 30. For example, the storage unit 31 can store system programs, application programs, and embedded software, etc.

[0052] The communication unit 32 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 40. This communication interface corresponds to, for example, mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation), but is not limited thereto. In the present embodiment, the information processing device 30 communicates with the vehicle 10 and the roadside device 20 via the communication unit 32 and the network 40.

[0053] The control unit 33 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The control unit 33 controls the overall operation of the information processing device 30.

[0054] (Operation flow of the information processing device 30)

[0055] Refer to Figure 5The operation of the information processing apparatus 30 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0056] S101: When the vehicle 10 approaches the roadside device 20 that notifies the presence of the vehicle and / or pedestrian to the target person, the control unit 33 of the information processing apparatus 30 acquires an image of the roadside device 20 captured by the imaging unit 11 provided in the vehicle 10.

[0057] The roadside device 20 may be imaged when the vehicle 10 is closest to the roadside device 20. The imaging of the roadside device 20 may also be performed continuously or at regular time intervals within a certain period from when the vehicle 10 approaches the roadside device 20 until it moves away from the roadside device 20. That is, the image may be one or more still images or one or more moving images. The roadside device 20 may be imaged at the installation stage of the roadside device 20 or at the stage when the roadside device 20 is actually used.

[0058] The imaging unit 11 is one or more cameras. The imaging unit 11 may also use a millimeter-wave radar or LiDAR instead of a camera. The imaging unit 11 may also use a camera, a millimeter-wave radar, and / or LiDAR together. In addition, the imaging of the roadside device 20 may also be performed using other cameras (e.g., street cameras or surveillance cameras), for example. Which camera to use may be determined by comparing the accuracy of the camera of the imaging unit 11 with the accuracy of other cameras or by comparing the accuracy of the position information of the vehicle 10 with the accuracy of the position information of other cameras. This determination may be made by the control unit 15.

[0059] The control unit 33 of the information processing apparatus 30 may receive an image from the imaging unit 11 of the vehicle 10 via the communication unit 32 of the information processing apparatus 30 and the network 40.

[0060] S102: The control unit 33 acquires vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture.

[0061] The vehicle position information is measured by the positioning unit 12 of the vehicle 10. The vehicle position information includes the latitude and longitude of the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture. The vehicle position information may also include the azimuth of the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture. The azimuth of the vehicle 10 may be measured by an azimuth sensor provided in the positioning unit 12, for example.

[0062] The control unit 33 may receive the vehicle position information from the vehicle 10 via the communication unit 32 and the network 40. When the server device monitors the vehicle position information, the control unit 33 may also receive the vehicle position information from the server device via the communication unit 32 and the network 40.

[0063] S103: The control unit 33 analyzes the image to obtain relative position information indicating the relative position relationship between the vehicle 10 and the roadside device 20 at the time of image capture.

[0064] In the image analysis, landmarks included in the image can also be utilized. Landmarks are, for example, buildings, signs, or markings on the road. In order to obtain higher-precision relative position information, the control unit 33 can also analyze the image and data measured by a millimeter-wave radar and / or LiDAR, etc. to obtain the relative position information.

[0065] The relative position information can also include the distance between the vehicle 10 and the roadside device 20 and the azimuth angle (referred to as "direction angle" in Japanese) of the roadside device 20 observed from the vehicle 10. The control unit 33 can, for example, calculate the distance between the vehicle 10 and the roadside device 20 by using any ranging algorithm using a camera. The control unit 33 can also, for example, calculate the azimuth angle of the roadside device 20 observed from the vehicle 10 based on the azimuth of the vehicle 10 indicated by the azimuth sensor and the azimuth of the imaging unit 11 observed from the vehicle 10. The relative position information can further include the azimuth of the roadside device 20 within the image. The azimuth of the roadside device 20 within the image can be calculated, for example, based on feature objects such as markings provided on the roadside device 20.

[0066] S104: The control unit 33 calculates calculation position information indicating the calculated position of the roadside device 20 based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information.

[0067] The calculation position information is calculated, for example, according to the following formula.

[0068] x = X + Lx, y = Y + Ly

[0069] Here, x is the latitude of the calculated roadside device 20, y is the longitude of the calculated roadside device 20, X is the latitude of the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture, Y is the longitude of the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture, Lx is the distance in the latitude direction between the vehicle 10 and the roadside device 20 at the time of image capture, and Ly is the distance in the longitude direction between the vehicle 10 and the roadside device 20 at the time of image capture. The latitude X and longitude Y of the vehicle 10 are calculated based on the vehicle position information. The distances Lx and Ly between the vehicle 10 and the roadside device 20 are calculated based on the relative position information. These positions and distances can be calculated in units of meters (m). The calculation position information can also be calculated using any other method.

[0070] S105: The control unit 33 sends the calculation position information to the storage unit of the information storage device that stores the position information of the roadside device 20.

[0071] In Figure 5In the operation flow shown, the control unit 33 transmits the calculated position information without determining whether there is a position deviation between the position information (registration position information) of the roadside unit registered in the device for registering the position information of the roadside unit 20 and the calculated position information calculated in S104. That is, the information processing device 30 entrusts the determination of the position deviation to a device other than the information processing device 30.

[0072] The control unit 33 can transmit the calculated position information via the communication unit 32 of the information processing device 30 and the network 40. The information storage device can be the roadside unit 20 or the server device. In order to reduce power consumption, the information storage device is preferably the device that executes S104 for calculating the calculated position information. The information storage device can also be any other device. The calculated position information of the roadside unit 20 can also be transmitted to any other device for further processing.

[0073] As Figure 6 shown, the information processing device 30 can also determine whether a position deviation has occurred between the registered position and the calculated position of the roadside unit 20. Specifically, S104 can also include the following S104a to S104c.

[0074] S104a: The control unit 33 acquires the registration position information of the roadside unit 20 from the information storage device.

[0075] The control unit 33 can receive the registration position information of the roadside unit 20 via the communication unit 32 and the network 40.

[0076] S104b: The control unit 33 calculates the position deviation between the position of the roadside unit 20 indicated by the registration position information and the position of the roadside unit 20 indicated by the calculated position information.

[0077] The position deviation is calculated, for example, according to the following formula.

[0078] Δ=(a^2 + b^2)^(1 / 2), a = x - x’=(X + Lx)-x’, b = y - y’=(Y + Ly)-y’

[0079] Here, Δ is the position deviation, a is the position deviation in the latitude direction, b is the position deviation in the longitude direction, x’ is the latitude of the roadside unit 20 included in the registered position information, y’ is the longitude of the roadside unit 20 included in the registered position information, x is the calculated latitude of the roadside unit 20, y is the calculated longitude of the roadside unit 20, X is the latitude of the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture, Y is the longitude of the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture, Lx is the distance between the vehicle 10 and the roadside unit 20 in the latitude direction at the time of image capture, and Ly is the distance between the vehicle 10 and the roadside unit 20 in the longitude direction at the time of image capture. These positions and distances can be calculated in units of meters (m). The position deviation can also be calculated using any other method.

[0080] S104c: The control unit 33 determines whether the position deviation exceeds a threshold value.

[0081] The threshold value of the position deviation can be set based on the distance resolution of the imaging unit 11 provided in the vehicle 10. The threshold value can also be set based on the distance resolution of a camera, a millimeter-wave radar, or LiDAR. The threshold value can be, for example, a value of 20 m or less, 10 m or less, 5 m or less, 1 m or less, 0.1 m or less, or 0.01 m or less. The threshold value can also be set based on any other characteristic quantity.

[0082] When S104 includes S104a to S104c, S105 can also include the following S105a.

[0083] S105a: When the position deviation exceeds the threshold value of the position deviation, the control unit 33 sends the calculated position information to the storage unit of the information storage device.

[0084] That is, the control unit 33 can also decide whether to send the calculated position information after determining whether the position deviation exceeds the threshold value. It can also be that when the position deviation does not exceed the threshold value, the control unit 33 does not send the calculated position information.

[0085] When the camera provided in the roadside device cannot capture the entire scene, that is, when the field of view angle of the camera is less than 360 degrees, less than 180 degrees, less than 90 degrees, etc., the orientation of the roadside device facing on the map can also be registered to perform reliable sensing of pedestrians or vehicles. For example, the information storage device can also store the registered orientation of the pre-registered roadside device. In this case, there may sometimes be a deviation between the registered orientation and the actual orientation. Therefore, the calculated position information can also include the calculated orientation of the roadside device 20 calculated based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information. Specifically, the calculated orientation can also be calculated based on the orientation of the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture included in the vehicle position information, the direction angle of the roadside device 20 observed from the vehicle 10 at the time of image capture included in the relative position information, and the orientation of the roadside device 20 in the image. Thus, the orientation of the roadside device 20 can be corrected.

[0086] As Figure 6 shown, the information processing device 30 can further determine whether an orientation deviation has occurred between the registered orientation and the calculated orientation of the roadside device 20. Specifically, S104 can further include the following S104d to S104e.

[0087] S104d: The control unit 33 calculates the orientation deviation between the registered orientation and the calculated orientation of the roadside device 20.

[0088] The orientation deviation can be calculated using any method.

[0089] S104e: The control unit 33 determines whether the orientation deviation exceeds a threshold value.

[0090] The threshold value of the orientation deviation can be set based on the field of view size and angular resolution of the camera provided in the vehicle 10. The threshold value of the orientation deviation can be, for example, a value of 10 degrees or less, a value of 1 degree or less, a value of 0.1 degree or less, or a value of 0.01 degree or less. The threshold value of the orientation deviation can also be set based on any other characteristic quantity.

[0091] When S104 includes S104d to S104e, S105 can further include the following S105b.

[0092] S105b: When the orientation deviation exceeds the threshold value of the orientation deviation, the control unit 33 sends the calculated position information to the storage unit of the information storage device.

[0093] That is, the control unit 33 can also decide whether to send the calculated position information after determining whether the orientation deviation exceeds the threshold value. It can also be that when the orientation deviation does not exceed the threshold value, the control unit 33 does not send the calculated position information.

[0094] The steps S101 to S105 can also be repeated until the position deviation and / or azimuth deviation of the roadside device 20 becomes below the threshold value. The steps S101 to S105 can be repeated, for example, three or more times. If the position deviation and / or azimuth deviation of the roadside device 20 becomes below the threshold value, the position information of the roadside device 20 can be fixed. Each time the steps S101 to S105 are repeated, the accuracy of the position information of the roadside device 20 can be improved. The steps S101 to S105 can be repeatedly executed by a single information processing device 30, or each of multiple information processing devices 30 can execute them once. The steps S101 to S105 can also be executed at the stage of installing the roadside device 20 or at the stage of using the roadside device 20 to give a notification (for example, when a pedestrian is near the roadside device 20). The steps S101 to S105 can also be executed when the communication between the information processing device 30 and the roadside device 20 or the vehicle 10 is not busy, that is, when the communication speed is a certain value or more. For safety reasons, the roadside device 20 can also suspend the notification to pedestrians and the like until the position deviation and / or azimuth deviation of the roadside device 20 becomes below the threshold value.

[0095] As described above, according to the present embodiment, even when there is an error in the position information of the roadside device 20 shown by GPS, it is possible to provide position information with higher accuracy. Therefore, even in places with low GPS accuracy such as the shadow of a building or the gap between high-rise buildings, accurate position information of the roadside device 20 can be obtained without a dedicated device such as a receiver for a high-precision satellite positioning system. When the roadside device 20 is equipped with a receiver corresponding to a high-precision satellite positioning system, the cost of the receiver increases as the number of installed roadside devices 20 increases. Therefore, from the perspective of cost, the present embodiment is preferable. In addition, when the roadside device 20 is equipped with a built-in battery, the power consumption of the built-in battery becomes large when using a high-precision satellite positioning system. Therefore, from the perspective of the power consumption of the roadside device 20, the present embodiment is also preferable.

[0096] Moreover, according to the present embodiment, even if the roadside device 20 does not have a built-in receiver corresponding to GPS, it is possible to obtain high-precision position information of the roadside device 20. As a result, the effort and cost for installing a receiver corresponding to GPS in the roadside device 20 can be reduced. It is also possible to install a roadside device 20 that does not have a receiver corresponding to GPS in a place where the GPS accuracy is expected to be low (for example, near obstacles such as high-rise buildings). It is also possible to install a roadside device 20 with a built-in receiver corresponding to GPS in a place where the GPS accuracy is expected to be sufficiently high (for example, a place with few obstacles). By determining the presence or absence of GPS in advance according to the installation location, the effort and cost for installing the roadside device 20 can be reduced.

[0097] According to the above content, through this embodiment, the technology related to the roadside device will be improved.

[0098] The present disclosure has been described based on the respective drawings and embodiments. However, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can also make various modifications and changes based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and changes are included within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or each process, etc., can be reconfigured in a logically non - contradictory manner, and multiple components or processes, etc., can be combined into one or divided.

[0099] In this embodiment, the information processing device 30 is a portable terminal. The information processing device 30 can also use a server device different from the information processing device 30, and the server device can also monitor the position information of the vehicle 10 shown by GPS. In another embodiment, the information processing device 30 can also be a server device. In yet another embodiment, the information processing device 30 can also be the vehicle 10 or the roadside device 20. That is, the storage unit 31, the communication unit 32, and the control unit 33 of the information processing device 30 can also be shared with the storage unit, the communication unit, and the control unit of the vehicle 10 or the roadside device 20.

[0100] For example, in the above - mentioned embodiment, it can also be an embodiment in which the configuration and operation of the information processing device 30 are distributed among a plurality of computers capable of communicating with each other. For example, it can also be that the control unit 15 of the vehicle 10 executes S103 to obtain relative position information through image analysis, and the control unit 33 of the information processing device 30 executes S104 to calculate the calculated position information.

[0101] In addition, for example, it can also be an embodiment in which a general - purpose computer functions as the information processing device 30 in the above - mentioned embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing content of each function of the information processing device 30 that implements the above - mentioned embodiment is stored in the memory of a general - purpose computer, and the program is read and executed by a processor. Therefore, the present disclosure can also be implemented as a program executable by a processor or a non - transitory computer - readable medium storing the program.

[0102] Hereinafter, a part of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be exemplified. However, it should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0103] [Supplementary Note 1]

[0104] An information processing device includes a control unit configured to: when a vehicle approaches a roadside device that notifies a target person of the presence of the vehicle and / or a pedestrian, acquire an image of the roadside device captured by a photographing unit provided in the vehicle; acquire vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle at the time of image capture; analyze the image to acquire relative position information indicating the relative positional relationship between the vehicle and the roadside device at the time of image capture; calculate calculated position information indicating the calculated position of the roadside device based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information; and send the calculated position information to a storage unit of an information storage device that stores the position information of the roadside device.

[0105] [Supplementary Note 2]

[0106] The information processing device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the vehicle position information includes the latitude and longitude of the vehicle at the time of image capture, and the relative position information includes the distance between the vehicle and the roadside device at the time of image capture and the direction angle of the roadside device observed from the vehicle at the time of image capture.

[0107] [Supplementary Note 3]

[0108] The information processing device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the control unit is configured to: acquire registered position information of the roadside device from the information storage device; calculate a position deviation between the position of the roadside device indicated by the registered position information and the position of the roadside device indicated by the calculated position information; and determine whether the position deviation exceeds a threshold, and sending the calculated position information includes: when the position deviation exceeds the threshold of the position deviation, sending the calculated position information to the storage unit of the information storage device.

[0109] [Supplementary Note 4]

[0110] The information processing device according to Supplementary Note 3, wherein the threshold of the position deviation is set based on the distance resolution of a camera provided in the vehicle.

[0111] [Supplementary Note 5]

[0112] The information processing device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 4, wherein the vehicle position information includes the azimuth of the vehicle at the time of image capture, the relative position information includes the direction angle of the roadside device observed from the vehicle at the time of image capture and the azimuth of the roadside device in the image, and the calculated position information includes the calculated azimuth of the roadside device calculated based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information.

[0113] [Supplementary Note 6]

[0114] The information processing apparatus according to Note 5, wherein the information storage device stores the registered orientation of the roadside device that has been pre-registered, and the control unit is further configured to: calculate an orientation deviation between the registered orientation and the calculated orientation; and determine whether the orientation deviation exceeds the threshold, and sending the calculated position information includes: in a case where the orientation deviation exceeds the threshold of the orientation deviation, sending the calculated position information to a storage unit of the information storage device.

[0115] [Note 7]

[0116] The information processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 6, wherein the information storage device is the roadside device or the server device.

[0117] [Note 8]

[0118] A system includes: an information processing apparatus; and a roadside device that notifies an object person of the presence of a vehicle and / or a pedestrian. In the system, the information processing apparatus communicates with the roadside device, and the information processing apparatus is configured to: when the vehicle approaches the roadside device, acquire an image of the roadside device captured by a capturing unit included in the vehicle; acquire vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle at the time of image capture; analyze the image to acquire relative position information indicating a relative position relationship between the vehicle and the roadside device at the time of image capture; calculate calculated position information indicating a calculated position of the roadside device based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information; and send the calculated position information to a storage unit of an information storage device that stores the position information of the roadside device.

[0119] [Note 9]

[0120] The system according to Note 8, wherein the vehicle position information includes the latitude and longitude of the vehicle at the time of image capture, and the relative position information includes the distance between the vehicle and the roadside device at the time of image capture and the azimuth angle of the roadside device observed from the vehicle at the time of image capture.

[0121] [Note 10]

[0122] The system according to Note 8 or 9, wherein the information processing device is configured to: obtain the registration position information of the roadside device from the information storage device; calculate the position deviation between the position of the roadside device indicated by the registration position information and the position of the roadside device indicated by the calculated position information; and determine whether the position deviation exceeds a threshold, and sending the calculated position information includes: in the case where the position deviation exceeds the threshold of the position deviation, sending the calculated position information to the storage unit of the information storage device.

[0123] [Note 11]

[0124] The system according to Note 10, wherein the threshold of the position deviation is set based on the distance resolution of the camera provided in the vehicle.

[0125] [Note 12]

[0126] The system according to any one of Notes 8 to 11, wherein the vehicle position information includes the azimuth of the vehicle at the time of image capture, the relative position information includes the direction angle of the roadside device observed from the vehicle at the time of image capture and the azimuth of the roadside device in the image, and the calculated position information includes the calculated azimuth of the roadside device calculated based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information.

[0127] [Note 13]

[0128] The system according to Note 12, wherein the information storage device stores the registered azimuth of the roadside device registered in advance, and the information processing device is further configured to: calculate the azimuth deviation between the registered azimuth and the calculated azimuth; and determine whether the azimuth deviation exceeds the threshold, and sending the calculated position information includes: in the case where the azimuth deviation exceeds the threshold of the azimuth deviation, sending the calculated position information to the storage unit of the information storage device.

[0129] [Note 14]

[0130] The system according to any one of Notes 8 to 13, wherein the information storage device is the roadside device or the server device.

[0131] [Note 15]

[0132] A method, which is a method executed by an information processing device, wherein the information processing device corrects position information of a roadside device that notifies a target person of the presence of a vehicle and / or a pedestrian, and the method includes the following processes: when the vehicle approaches the roadside device, acquiring an image of the roadside device captured by a camera equipped on the vehicle; acquiring vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle at the time of image capture; analyzing the image to acquire relative position information indicating the relative position relationship between the vehicle and the roadside device at the time of image capture; calculating calculated position information indicating the calculated position of the roadside device based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information; and sending the calculated position information to a storage unit of an information storage device that stores the position information of the roadside device.

[0133] [Supplementary Note 16]

[0134] The method according to Supplementary Note 15, wherein the vehicle position information includes the latitude and longitude of the vehicle at the time of image capture, and the relative position information includes the distance between the vehicle and the roadside device at the time of image capture and the direction angle of the roadside device observed from the vehicle at the time of image capture.

[0135] [Supplementary Note 17]

[0136] The method according to Supplementary Note 15 or 16, wherein the calculating process includes: acquiring registered position information of the roadside device from the information storage device; calculating a position deviation between the position of the roadside device indicated by the registered position information and the position of the roadside device indicated by the calculated position information; and determining whether the position deviation exceeds a threshold, and the sending process includes: when the position deviation exceeds the threshold of the position deviation, sending the calculated position information to the storage unit of the information storage device.

[0137] [Supplementary Note 18]

[0138] The method according to Supplementary Note 17, wherein the threshold of the position deviation is set based on the distance resolution of the camera equipped on the vehicle.

[0139] [Supplementary Note 19]

[0140] The method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 15 to 18, wherein the vehicle position information includes the azimuth of the vehicle at the time of image capture, the relative position information includes the direction angle of the roadside device observed from the vehicle at the time of image capture and the azimuth of the roadside device in the image, and the calculated position information includes the calculated azimuth of the roadside device calculated based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information.

[0141] [Appendix 20]

[0142] According to the method described in Appendix 19, wherein the information storage device stores the registered orientation of the roadside device that has been pre-registered, the calculating process further includes: calculating an orientation deviation between the registered orientation and the calculated orientation; and determining whether the orientation deviation exceeds a threshold value, and the sending process includes: in the case where the orientation deviation exceeds the threshold value of the orientation deviation, sending the calculated position information to the storage unit of the information storage device.

Claims

1. An information processing device, comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to: When a vehicle approaches a roadside device that notifies a subject person of the presence of a vehicle and / or a pedestrian, acquiring an image of the roadside device captured by a camera provided in the vehicle; acquiring vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle when the image was captured; parsing the image to obtain relative position information indicating a relative positional relationship between the vehicle and the roadside device when the image was captured; calculating calculated position information indicating a calculated position of the roadside device based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information; as well as The calculated position information is sent to a storage unit of an information storage device that stores the position information of the roadside device.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The vehicle position information includes the latitude and longitude of the vehicle when the image was taken, The relative position information includes the distance between the vehicle and the roadside device when the image is captured and the direction angle of the roadside device as viewed from the vehicle when the image is captured.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit is configured as follows: Acquiring the registration location information of the roadside device from the information storage device; calculating a position deviation between a position of the roadside device represented by the registered position information and a position of the roadside device represented by the calculated position information; as well as determining whether the position deviation exceeds a threshold, The sending of the calculated position information includes sending the calculated position information to a storage unit of the information storage device when the position deviation exceeds the position deviation threshold.

4. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein: The position deviation threshold is set based on a distance resolution of a camera included in the vehicle.

5. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein: The vehicle position information includes the position of the vehicle when the image was captured. The relative position information includes the direction angle of the roadside device as viewed from the vehicle when the image is captured and the orientation of the roadside device in the image. The calculated position information includes a calculated orientation of the roadside device calculated based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information.

6. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein: The information storage device stores the registered position of the roadside device which is registered in advance. The control unit is further configured to: Calculating a bearing deviation between the registered bearing and the calculated bearing; as well as determining whether the orientation deviation exceeds the threshold, The sending of the calculated position information includes sending the calculated position information to a storage unit of the information storage device when the azimuth deviation exceeds the azimuth deviation threshold.

7. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The information storage device is the roadside device or the server device.

8. An information processing system comprising: information processing device; and Roadside devices notify the target person of the presence of vehicles and / or pedestrians, In the information processing system, the information processing device and the roadside device communicate with each other. The information processing device is configured to: When a vehicle approaches the roadside device, acquiring an image of the roadside device captured by a camera provided in the vehicle; acquiring vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle when the image was captured; parsing the image to obtain relative position information indicating a relative positional relationship between the vehicle and the roadside device when the image was captured; calculating calculated position information indicating a calculated position of the roadside device based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information; as well as The calculated position information is sent to a storage unit of an information storage device that stores the position information of the roadside device.

9. The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein: The vehicle position information includes the latitude and longitude of the vehicle when the image was taken, The relative position information includes the distance between the vehicle and the roadside device when the image is captured and the direction angle of the roadside device as viewed from the vehicle when the image is captured.

10. The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein: The information processing device is configured to: Acquiring the registration location information of the roadside device from the information storage device; calculating a position deviation between a position of the roadside device represented by the registered position information and a position of the roadside device represented by the calculated position information; as well as determining whether the position deviation exceeds a threshold, The sending of the calculated position information includes sending the calculated position information to a storage unit of the information storage device when the position deviation exceeds the position deviation threshold.

11. The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein: The position deviation threshold is set based on a distance resolution of a camera included in the vehicle.

12. The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein: The vehicle position information includes the position of the vehicle when the image was captured. The relative position information includes the direction angle of the roadside device as viewed from the vehicle when the image is captured and the orientation of the roadside device in the image. The calculated position information includes a calculated orientation of the roadside device calculated based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information.

13. The information processing system according to claim 12, wherein: The information storage device stores the registered position of the roadside device which is registered in advance. The information processing device is further configured to: Calculating a bearing deviation between the registered bearing and the calculated bearing; as well as determining whether the orientation deviation exceeds the threshold, The sending of the calculated position information includes sending the calculated position information to a storage unit of the information storage device when the azimuth deviation exceeds the azimuth deviation threshold.

14. The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein: The information storage device is the roadside device or the server device.

15. An information processing method is a method performed by an information processing device, wherein: The information processing device corrects the position information of the roadside device that notifies the subject person of the presence of the vehicle and / or pedestrian, The information processing method The process includes: When a vehicle approaches a roadside device, acquiring an image of the roadside device captured by a camera provided on the vehicle; acquiring vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle when the image was captured; parsing the image to obtain relative position information indicating a relative positional relationship between the vehicle and the roadside device when the image was captured; calculating calculated position information indicating a calculated position of the roadside device based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information; as well as The calculated position information is sent to a storage unit of an information storage device that stores the position information of the roadside device.

16. The information processing method according to claim 15, wherein: The vehicle position information includes the latitude and longitude of the vehicle when the image was taken, The relative position information includes the distance between the vehicle and the roadside device when the image is captured and the direction angle of the roadside device as viewed from the vehicle when the image is captured.

17. The information processing method according to claim 15, wherein: The calculation process includes: Acquiring the registration location information of the roadside device from the information storage device; calculating a position deviation between the position of the roadside device indicated by the registered position information and the position of the roadside device indicated by the calculated position information; and determining whether the position deviation exceeds a threshold, The sending process includes: When the positional deviation exceeds the positional deviation threshold, the calculated positional information is transmitted to a storage unit of the information storage device.

18. The information processing method according to claim 17, wherein: The position deviation threshold is set based on a distance resolution of a camera included in the vehicle.

19. The information processing method according to claim 17, wherein: The vehicle position information includes the position of the vehicle when the image was captured. The relative position information includes the direction angle of the roadside device as viewed from the vehicle when the image is captured and the orientation of the roadside device in the image. The calculated position information includes a calculated orientation of the roadside device calculated based on the vehicle position information and the relative position information.

20. The information processing method according to claim 19, wherein: The information storage device stores the registered position of the roadside device which is registered in advance. The calculation process further includes: calculating a bearing deviation between the registered bearing and the calculated bearing; and determining whether the orientation deviation exceeds a threshold, The sending process includes: When the azimuth deviation exceeds the azimuth deviation threshold, the calculated position information is transmitted to a storage unit of the information storage device.

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