Map distribution device

Abstract

Provided is a map distribution device capable of preventing the occurrence of distribution delay or loss of map information around a vehicle distributed to an automatic driving control device. The map provision device measures the amount of map data based on map information of a planned travel route in advance when traveling in a section having a low load, and if a section in which a delay or absence of distribution of map data may occur is found, the map provision device determines the amount of map data in accordance with the amount of map data. Distribution of map data to an automatic driving control device is started at an earlier timing than conventionally. When there is a margin in the load rate, the amount of map data or the like when the branch point deviates from the predetermined travel path is measured.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a map distribution device that provides (distributes) high-precision map information in an automated driving system. BACKGROUND

[0002] Currently, vehicle automated driving technology is being actively developed, and there are methods that process camera or sensor information by AI, and methods that use high-precision vehicle position acquisition technology or high-precision map data. In the case of using high-precision map data, it is very important to determine the current position of the vehicle, and generally, the current coordinates of the vehicle are determined by, for example, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), and the orientation of the vehicle is acquired by a sensor, whereby the current position of the vehicle can be determined.

[0003] In navigation technology using GNSS, map information is stored in a storage section such as a database, and by inputting a destination by a user, a route guidance course to the input destination is explored based on the map information stored in the storage section.

[0004] Generally, a high-precision map information providing device converts acquired map route information into a high-precision route, and outputs high-precision map information corresponding thereto to an automated driving control device. This high-precision map information is used on the automated driving control device side to generate a travel plan, travel-time control, and provide surrounding information at travel time, and the like. For this reason, the high-precision map information providing device provides, to the automated driving control device, surrounding map information in the range of the specification of the place to be traveled after the travel path, and the place currently being traveled, at all times at a certain cycle.

[0005] For example, Patent Literature 1 proposes a problem that “if the route information acquired for generating a travel plan, and the along-route information acquired for travel-time control are acquired in the same range, the amount of data becomes too large, and the processing load on the automated driving control device side also becomes large”, and discloses a technology that “it is ascertained that although the route information needs to be in a relatively wide range in order to generate a travel plan, the along-route information only needs to be sufficient for the amount of information required for automated driving, and regarding the surrounding information at travel time, even if the range is further narrowed, it does not affect the automated driving control, and therefore, the route information in the 1st distance range from the current position of the vehicle, and the map information in the 2nd distance range from the current position of the vehicle, which is shorter than the 1st distance, are generated and output.” That is, by using this technology, the high-precision map information providing device provides the travel scheduled route of several km or so and the map of the current place surroundings of about 100 m or so to the automated driving control device in real time. PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT LITERATURE

[0006] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-184499 SUMMARY PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0007] However, in the above-described prior art, a situation is assumed in which when the host vehicle passes a place where the amount of map data is large, such as a large-scale interchange or intersection, the amount of data processing in the local area increases, the high-precision map providing device becomes in a high-load state, and a delay or a lack in the distribution of the map information of the current place around the host vehicle, which should be distributed to the automatic driving control device based on the current position of the host vehicle, occurs.

[0008] The present invention has been achieved in view of the above-described situation, and aims to provide a map distribution device capable of preventing a delay or a lack in the distribution of the map information of the area around the host vehicle to the automatic driving control device. MEANS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0009] To solve the above-described problem, the map distribution device of the present invention includes a position acquisition unit that acquires a current position of a vehicle, a map information acquisition unit that acquires map information related to a travel planned path of the vehicle, and a map information distribution unit that distributes the map information to another device at a timing corresponding to the amount of map data of the map information, wherein the map information acquisition unit calculates the amount of map data in the travel planned path when traveling in a low-load section having a lower section processing load than another section. EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0010] According to the present invention, in the map information of the area around the host vehicle distributed from the map distribution device to the automatic driving control device, a delay or a lack in the distribution of the map information of the area around the host vehicle can be prevented even when traveling in a section where the amount of map data of the map information is large and a delay or a lack in the distribution of the map information of the area around the host vehicle occurs at a conventional distribution cycle.

[0011] The problems, configurations, and effects other than the above will be clarified by the following embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of the automatic driving system in the embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic view of an example in which a delay or a lack in the distribution of map information occurs. Figure 3 is a schematic view of the amount of communication data of the high-precision map providing device. Figure 4 is a schematic view of the transition (1st stage) of the amount of communication data of the high-precision map providing device when the map data distribution method is implemented in the embodiment. Figure 5is a diagram showing a communication data amount transition (2nd stage) of the high-precision map providing apparatus when the map data distribution method of the embodiment is implemented. Figure 6 is a diagram showing a communication data amount of the improved high-precision map providing apparatus. Figure 7 is a flowchart of the map data amount measurement, map information distribution processing of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment, a configuration in a case where a high-precision map providing apparatus as a map distribution apparatus of the present application is incorporated into an autonomous vehicle will be described.

[0014] Figure 1 A configuration of an autonomous driving system 100 in the embodiment is shown.

[0015] The autonomous driving system 100 is configured of an autonomous driving control apparatus 101 and a high-precision map providing apparatus 102.

[0016] The autonomous driving control apparatus 101 is an apparatus that provides the high-precision map providing apparatus 102 with travel route information for guiding to a target position set by a navigation system operation or the like, thereby acquiring information necessary for autonomous driving from map information generated by the high-precision map providing apparatus 102, and performs autonomous driving.

[0017] The high-precision map providing apparatus 102 has a route information acquisition section 103, a position acquisition section 104, map data 105, a map information acquisition section 108, a map information generation section 107, a map data amount measurement section 109, and a map information distribution section 106.

[0018] The route information acquisition section 103 is a section that acquires route information (travel route information) for guiding to a target position set by a navigation system operation or the like.

[0019] The position acquisition section 104 is a section that acquires a current position (position information) of the vehicle by calculating an absolute position on, for example, the earth coordinates based on electric waves from positioning satellites such as GNSS, and calculating a self-navigation position from an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor or the like that detects acceleration or angular velocity or the like acting on the vehicle.

[0020] The map data 105 stores therein map information including information of a road passable by the vehicle.

[0021] The map information acquisition unit 108 is a unit that extracts map information necessary for distribution to the automated driving control device 101 (map information of the vicinity of the own vehicle when the own vehicle travels on the travel planned path) from the map data 105 based on the route information and the position information.

[0022] The map data amount measurement unit 109 is a unit that measures the amount of map data of the vicinity of the own vehicle that must be distributed to the automated driving control device 101 in advance in the case where the own vehicle travels on the travel planned path. The map data amount measurement unit 109 outputs the measured amount of map data in the travel planned path of the own vehicle to the map information acquisition unit 108 and the map information distribution unit 106. The map information acquisition unit 108 acquires (calculates) the amount of map data in the travel planned path of the own vehicle measured by the map data amount measurement unit 109.

[0023] The map information generation unit 107 is a unit that generates data for distribution to the automated driving control device 101 at an appropriate timing based on the map information acquired by the map information acquisition unit 108.

[0024] The map information distribution unit 106 is a unit that periodically distributes the map information generated by the map information generation unit 107 to the automated driving control device 101 at an appropriate timing.

[0025] Here, the use of Figure 2 , Figure 3 will be described.

[0026] In Figure 2 , the upper half is an example of map information of a planned travel, and the chart of the lower half represents the amount of map data per unit section that the high-precision map providing device 102 must distribute in the case where the path is traveled. In this example, the amount of map data of the vicinity of a branching point present in the map information is high.

[0027] In Figure 3 , the chart of the upper half is the amount of map data per unit section shown in Figure 2 . The automated driving control device 101 uses map information of the vicinity of the own vehicle in real time in order to perform automated driving, and thus, for example, before entering the A section, it is necessary to acquire map information of the section. Here, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that map information of the next section is distributed from the high-precision map providing device 102 to the automated driving control device 101 in the course of traveling at the current location, and thus Figure 3 the chart of the lower half is the amount of map data that needs to be distributed from the high-precision map providing device 102.

[0028] Here, if the upper limit of the amount of map data that the high-precision map providing device 102 can process within a unit section is Figure 3 the dashed line, since the maximum value of the amount of map data of the map information of the B section exceeds the upper limit, a delay or absence of distribution of the map information of the vehicle surroundings for the B section will occur.

[0029] Hereinafter, the processing implemented in the present embodiment will be described.

[0030] Figure 2 、 Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of the processing implemented in the present embodiment.

[0031] In Figure 2 , the vehicle 201 travels on the road with a point a on the travel planned path as a target. At this time, the high-precision map providing device 102 mounted on the vehicle 201 distributes the map information of the travel planned path ahead of the vehicle and the map information of the vehicle surroundings to the automatic driving control device 101 in accordance with the path length (several kilometers or so) and the range (several hundred meters or so) that follow the product specifications.

[0032] For example, during travel on the path in Figure 2 , when traveling in a section (low-load section) in which the load rate of the high-precision map providing device 102 is lower than in other sections, the amount of map data of the predetermined "map information of the vehicle surroundings" that needs to be distributed when traveling on the travel planned path is measured. Here, "low load" means that the CPU usage is low, or that the vehicle is traveling on a road with a small number of lanes, or the like, and that there is a margin in processing performance.

[0033] In this measurement, as shown in the graph in Figure 3 , when a section in which the maximum value of the amount of map data exceeds the upper limit of the amount of map data that can be processed within a unit section is found, since a delay or absence of distribution of the map information of the vehicle surroundings is assumed, the distribution of the map data of the surroundings in the vicinity of the section is started at an earlier timing than usual. This processing calculates the point c at which the map data needs to be sent in advance by reverse calculation from the start point of the section (the section including point b) in which the processing amount of the high-precision map providing device 102 is exceeded and the amount of map data in which the processing amount is exceeded, and records the point c in the map information acquisition section 108 and the map information distribution section 106.

[0034] After the point c is recorded, when the load rate of the high-precision map providing device 102 is low, the exploration processing of the amount of map data is continued.

[0035] When the point c is approached, the map information acquisition section 108 acquires the map information including the corresponding section, and when the point c is reached, the map information distribution section 106 performs the usual map information distribution and starts distributing the map information of the section.

[0036] Further, in actual vehicle travel, a case where a travel planned path deviates from a planned travel path and enters a branch path direction, or a case where the host vehicle is located on an up-and-down parallel road or the like and the current position (host vehicle position) is erroneously recognized is assumed.

[0037] In a case where the measurement of the amount of map data on the planned travel path has been completed up to the current position (for example, 10 intervals), the measurement of the amount of map data in the case of path deviation or erroneous recognition of the host vehicle position can also be performed. For example, the measurement of the amount of map data of map information including a branch path in a case where travel on the branch path deviating from the planned travel path is performed, or the measurement of the amount of map data of map information including a planned travel path based on a neighboring road in a case where travel on a neighboring road in which erroneous recognition of the host vehicle position is likely to occur, which is located within a predetermined range from the current position, such as an up-and-down parallel road or a very close road, is performed, and the like, and the amount of map data of the map information is acquired by the map information acquisition unit 108.

[0038] These detailed processes will be described in the flowchart explanation section below.

[0039] Next, the map data distribution method of the high-precision map providing apparatus 102 in the present embodiment will be described.

[0040] Figure 4 、 Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining a method for improving Figure 3 the distribution delay or absence of the host vehicle surrounding map information occurring in

[0041] In Figure 4 , it is assumed that the upper limit of the amount of map data that the high-precision map providing apparatus 102 can process within a unit interval is the broken line in the figure, and since the maximum value of the amount of map data of the map information of the interval B exceeds the upper limit, it is predicted that the distribution delay or absence of the host vehicle surrounding map information will occur in the interval B, and thus the distribution needs to be performed in advance in the previous interval C. In the case of Figure 4 , if the amount of map data of the portion exceeding the upper limit value in the interval B is simply added to the interval C, the interval C will overflow (exceed the upper limit). Therefore, as shown in Figure 5 , it is necessary to distribute all or a part (for example, the portion exceeding the upper limit value) of the original interval C data (all in Figure 5 ) in the previous interval D, so that the amount of map data of each interval does not exceed the upper limit value. In this case, the start point of the distribution in advance becomes the start point of the interval D (of the two previous intervals of the interval B in which the distribution delay or absence was originally predicted to occur).

[0042] Figure 6is the distribution data amount of the map information of each section in the case of early distribution according to the present embodiment. This figure is an example in which the map data amount of the section B exceeding the upper limit value part in the map data shown in Figure 4 is distributed in the previous section C, and the map data of the original section C is all superimposed on the previous section D and distributed.

[0043] The flowchart of the map data amount measurement, map information distribution processing in the present embodiment is shown in Figure 7 .

[0044] As an outline of the flow, in the peripheral map output processing, the following flow is performed: if the load rate is low, the map data amount measurement on the guide path (traveling scheduled path) is advanced, if the measurement on the certain degree of the front has been completed, the map data amount measurement on the branch path is performed, if this has also been completed on the certain degree of the front, and there is a neighboring road such as an up-and-down parallel road where the own vehicle position error recognition can occur, the map data amount measurement on the path from the neighboring road to the front is performed. The flow becomes such that in each exploration, if there is a section where the distribution omission can occur, the processing start point is calculated from the time required for the map data amount measurement distribution processing, and returns to the peripheral map distribution loop.

[0045] In addition, in the present flowchart, the CPU load rate is set as the load rate for convenience of explanation, but as the state where the load rate is low, it can also be judged by other alternative means, for example, the road on which the number of lanes is small is being traveled or the memory usage amount is low, and the like.

[0046] In Figure 7 , first, the periodic measurement of the CPU load rate is acquired in the peripheral map output processing (S701) (S702), and if the CPU load rate is low (S703: Yes), the exploration on the traveling scheduled path is entered (S708). If the CPU load rate is high (S703: No), the regular (within the distribution period, or periodic) peripheral map output task is executed (S704).

[0047] In the exploration on the scheduled travel route (S708), the distance from the current position to the last map data amount exploration point is measured (S709), and if the last map data amount exploration has explored to a position sufficiently ahead of the current position (S710: YES), the exploration on the branch route is performed (S715). If not (S710: NO), the exploration ahead of the last exploration completion position is performed (S711). The exploration amount here is 2 to 3 intervals or the like, and is performed within a range that does not affect the distribution of the map around the current position. After the exploration of several intervals is completed, the exploration completion position is recorded (S712). Within the exploration range, if there is an interval in which it is assumed that map data distribution omission or absence will occur, the start position that needs to be distributed in advance is measured (S713), the distribution start position is recorded (to the map information acquisition unit 108 and the map information distribution unit 106) (S714), and the cycle of the surrounding map output processing (S701) is returned to.

[0048] In the exploration on the branch route (S715), it is explored whether there is a branch route on the scheduled travel route (S716), and it is further investigated whether there is a branch route on which exploration has not been completed (S717), and if there is a branch route on which exploration has not been completed (S717: YES), exploration of several intervals from the last explored position is performed (S718). Hereinafter, as with the exploration on the scheduled travel route (S708), the exploration completion position is recorded (S719), and within the exploration range, if there is an interval in which it is assumed that map data distribution omission or absence will occur, the start position that needs to be distributed in advance is measured (S720), the distribution start position is recorded (S721), and the cycle of the surrounding map output processing (S701) is returned to.

[0049] In the case where the exploration on the scheduled travel route (S708) and the exploration on the branch route (S715) are completed and in the low load state (S717: YES), the exploration on the adjacent road is performed (S722). It is explored whether there is an adjacent road such as an up-and-down parallel road or a very adjacent road (S723), and if the current position of the vehicle can be in a position in which erroneous recognition of the position of the vehicle is likely to occur such as an up-and-down parallel road or a very adjacent road (S724: YES), several intervals ahead of the adjacent road are explored (S725), the exploration completion position is recorded (S726), and within the exploration range, if there is an interval in which it is assumed that map data distribution omission or absence will occur, the start position that needs to be distributed in advance is measured (S727), the distribution start position is recorded (S728), and the cycle of the surrounding map output processing (S701) is returned to.

[0050] In the loop of the returned peripheral map output processing (S701), it is determined whether there is a place requiring early distribution (S705), if there is a place requiring early distribution (S705: Yes), and if the place requiring early distribution has been reached (S706: Yes), early distribution is started (S707).

[0051] As described above, the high-precision map providing apparatus (map distribution apparatus) 102 of the present embodiment includes a position acquisition unit 104 that acquires a current position of a vehicle, a map information acquisition unit 108 that acquires map information related to a travel planned route of the vehicle, and a map information distribution unit 106 that distributes the map information to another apparatus (autonomous driving control apparatus 101) at a timing corresponding to a map data amount of the map information, the map information acquisition unit 108 acquires the map data of the map information including a branch route branched from the travel planned route when traveling in a low-load section having a lower section processing load than other sections.

[0052] The map information acquisition unit 108 acquires map data of the map information including a travel planned route based on a neighboring road within a predetermined range from the current position.

[0053] The map information acquisition unit 108 acquires map data of the map information including a travel planned route based on a neighboring road within a predetermined range from the current position.

[0054] The map information distribution unit 106 starts distribution of the map information from a section earlier than a predetermined section in a case where a maximum value of the map data amount exceeds a predetermined value.

[0055] In other words, the high-precision map providing apparatus (map distribution apparatus) 102 of the present embodiment, when traveling in a low-load section, previously explores (measures a map data amount) map information of a vehicle's periphery based on a travel planned route, and if there is a section where the map data amount of the map information is large and distribution delay or absence of the map information occurs at a regular cycle, distribution of the map information is started at a timing earlier than the regular cycle according to the map data amount. Furthermore, in actual travel, it is assumed that deviation from the travel planned route, or erroneous recognition of the vehicle's position due to an up-and-down parallel road, or the like, occurs. To cope with such a situation, in a case where there is a margin in the load rate, a worst value of the map data amount when deviating from the travel planned route at a branch point, or a map data amount of a path accompanying an up-and-down parallel road of the current position is also measured.

[0056] According to the present embodiment, in the map information of the vehicle's periphery distributed from the map distribution apparatus to the autonomous driving control apparatus, even in a case where the map data amount of the map information is large and distribution delay or absence of the peripheral map information occurs at a regular distribution cycle when traveling in a section, distribution delay or absence of the peripheral map information can be prevented.

[0057] In addition, the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are included. For example, the above-described embodiments are described in detail in order to facilitate understanding of the present application, and are not necessarily limited to having all the configurations described.

[0058] Furthermore, a part or all of each configuration, function, processing section, processing method, and the like described above can be implemented in hardware using, for example, an integrated circuit or the like. Also, each configuration and function described above can be implemented in software by a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information that implements each function, such as a program, a table, a file, and the like, can be stored in a recording device such as a memory, a hard disk, an SSD (Solid State Drive), or the like, or a recording medium such as an IC card, an SD card, a DVD, or the like.

[0059] Furthermore, the control lines and the information lines are shown as necessary for explanation, and all the control lines or the information lines on the product are not necessarily shown. In fact, it can be considered that almost all the configurations are connected to each other. Symbol Explanation

[0060] 100 autonomous driving system, 101 autonomous driving control device, 102 high-precision map providing device (map distribution device), 103 route information acquisition section, 104 position acquisition section, 105 map data, 106 map information distribution section, 107 map information generation section, 108 map information acquisition section, 109 map data amount measurement section.

Claims

1. A map distribution device characterized by comprising: Possessing: a position acquisition unit that acquires a current position of a vehicle; a map information acquisition unit that acquires map information related to a travel scheduled path of the vehicle; and a map information distribution unit that distributes the map information to other devices at a timing corresponding to a map data amount of the map information, the map information acquisition unit calculates the map data amount in the travel scheduled path when traveling in a low load section in which a processing load is lower than in other sections.

2. The map distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the map information acquisition unit acquires a map data amount of the map information including a branch path branched from the travel scheduled path.

3. The map distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the map information acquisition unit acquires a map data amount of the map information including a travel scheduled path based on a nearby road within a predetermined range from the current position.

4. The map distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the map information distribution unit starts distributing the map information from a section earlier than a predetermined section when a maximum value of the map data amount exceeds a predetermined value. ​

Images