Arithmetic processing unit, arithmetic processing method, and computer program

Abstract

One example is accurately predicting the actual performance of a sensor. [Solution] The processing unit 10 includes an estimation unit 100. The estimation unit 100 uses map information, moving body orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving body at the target location, and time information indicating the target time to estimate the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving body at the target time and location for each time period. For example, the sensor is an optical sensor, and the optical sensor is, for example, a camera or a lidar.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an arithmetic processing device, an arithmetic processing method, and a computer program.

Background Art

[0002] Developments have been made in autonomous driving, driving assistance, safety devices, etc. in vehicles and the like. Here, sensors for detecting the surrounding situation are used for autonomous driving and the like, and if the actual measurement performance of the sensors deteriorates, autonomous driving and the like cannot be performed smoothly. Therefore, it is preferable to grasp in advance the area where the actual measurement performance of the sensors deteriorates.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes specifying a degradation area where the detection ability of a sensor deteriorates from the detection ability of the sensor evaluated based on sensing information and the position where the sensing information is detected.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, with the method of Patent Document 1, it was not possible to accurately predict in advance the deterioration of the actual measurement performance of the sensors.

[0006] An example of the problem to be solved by the present invention is to accurately predict the actual measurement performance of the sensors.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The first invention is This is a processing unit that includes an estimation unit that estimates the measured performance of a sensor mounted on a moving object at a target time and at a target location, using map information, moving object orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at the target location, and time information indicating the target time.

[0008] The second invention is, This is a calculation processing method that includes an estimation step of estimating the measured performance of a sensor mounted on a moving object at a target time and at the target location, using map information, moving object orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at the target location, and time information indicating the target time.

[0009] The third invention is, A computer program for realizing an arithmetic processing unit, Computers, This computer program functions as an estimation means for estimating the actual performance of a sensor mounted on a moving object at a target time and location, using map information, object orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at the target location, and time information indicating the target time. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the arithmetic processing unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart of the calculation processing method according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart showing the processing details of estimated step S10 in Example 1. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the arithmetic processing unit according to Example 1. [Figure 5] This figure illustrates the hardware of the arithmetic processing unit according to Example 1. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart of the method for determining whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part of the sensor in Example 1. [Figure 7]This diagram illustrates the relationship between the direction of movement of a moving object and the range in which light can be received. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the relationship between the direction of movement of a moving object and the range in which light can be received. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the operating environment of a processing unit. [Figure 10] This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the sensor according to Example 2. [Figure 11] This figure illustrates information showing the relationship between the type of moving object and the orientation of the light-receiving unit relative to the direction of travel in Example 3. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart of the calculation processing method according to Example 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In all drawings, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0012] In the following description, the estimation unit 100, acquisition unit 120, and storage unit 130 of the arithmetic processing unit 10 represent functional blocks rather than hardware-based configurations. The estimation unit 100, acquisition unit 120, and storage unit 130 of the arithmetic processing unit 10 are implemented by any combination of hardware and software, centered around the CPU, memory, programs loaded into memory, storage media such as a hard disk that stores those programs, and a network connection interface of any computer. Furthermore, there are various variations in the implementation method and apparatus.

[0013] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to this embodiment. The arithmetic processing unit 10 according to this embodiment includes an estimation unit 100. The estimation unit 100 uses map information, moving body orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving body at the target location, and time information indicating the target time to estimate the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving body at the target time and location for each time period. This will be explained in detail below.

[0014] In a moving body such as a vehicle, operations of an automatic driving system, a safety device, and an auxiliary device are performed based on measurement results of sensors that measure the surrounding situation. The sensors are configured to acquire surrounding information around the moving body. Here, depending on the environment in which the moving body is placed, the actual measurement performance of the sensors, that is, the detection ability and measurement ability of the sensors may decrease. In order to continue smooth automatic driving or the like, it is important to grasp in advance changes in the actual measurement performance of the sensors due to external factors.

[0015] The sensor is an optical sensor, and the optical sensor is, for example, a camera or a lidar (LIDAR: Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging, Laser Illuminated Detection and Ranging or LiDAR: Light Detection and Ranging). One factor for the decrease in the actual measurement performance of such sensors is sunlight. When strong sunlight enters the light receiving part of the optical sensor at sunset or the like, it becomes noise with respect to the light that is originally intended to be detected, resulting in a decrease in the actual measurement performance of the sensor. Therefore, by predicting the influence of sunlight, the actual measurement performance of the sensor can be estimated. According to 10, the actual measurement performance of the sensors mounted on the moving body is estimated for the target time, position, and traveling direction.

[0016] The moving body may have only one sensor mounted thereon, or may have a plurality of sensors mounted thereon. Further, the moving body may have a plurality of types of sensors mounted thereon. The types of sensors are, for example, types based on sensing principles, such as an optical camera, a millimeter wave radar, a lidar, etc. Also, the type of sensor may be the model number of the sensor.

[0017] In the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to the present embodiment, the estimation unit 100 can estimate in advance the actual measurement performance of the sensor at the target position for each time by using the map information and the moving body orientation information even without actual measurement data. As a result, smooth automatic driving or the like can be achieved by, for example, avoiding driving the moving body in an area where a decrease in the sensor is predicted.

[0018] The processing unit 10 is, for example, a server that transmits the estimated results of the measured performance of the sensors to multiple mobile devices. In this case, the processing unit 10 can transmit the estimated results to multiple mobile devices via a wireless communication network. Alternatively, the processing unit 10 may be a device mounted on a mobile device.

[0019] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the calculation processing method according to this embodiment. This method includes an estimation step S10. In the estimation step S10, the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object at the target time and location is estimated for each time period using map information, moving object orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at the target location, and time information indicating the target time.

[0020] The arithmetic processing method according to this embodiment is implemented, for example, by the arithmetic processing unit 10 described above.

[0021] As described above, according to this embodiment, the estimation unit 100 uses map information, moving object orientation information, and time information indicating the target time to estimate the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object at the target time and location for each time period. Therefore, the actual performance of the sensor can be estimated in advance with high accuracy, taking into account the effects of sunlight.

[0022] (Example 1) Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the processing details of estimation step S10 according to Embodiment 1. The arithmetic processing unit 10 according to this embodiment has the configuration of the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to the embodiment. In this embodiment, the estimation unit 100 identifies the direction of sunlight irradiation at the target time using time information (S100), determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving part of the sensor based on map information, target position, direction of travel, and irradiation direction (S110), and estimates that the actual measurement performance of the sensor will decrease if it is determined that sunlight is incident on the light receiving part (S120). This will be explained in detail below.

[0023] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to this embodiment. The arithmetic processing unit 10 further comprises an acquisition unit 120. The acquisition unit 120 acquires information indicating the direction and altitude of the sun. This information indicating the direction and altitude of the sun is acquired, for example, from a weather information service server via a communication network.

[0024] The arithmetic processing unit 10 further includes a storage unit 130. The storage unit 130 has map information pre-stored in it. The map information is three-dimensional information, including the shape and height of buildings and three-dimensional information of the terrain. The estimation unit 100 can read and use the map information from the storage unit 130. Note that the map information may be acquired from an external source instead of being stored in the storage unit 130 provided in the arithmetic processing unit 10. In that case, for example, the acquisition unit 120 can acquire map information from a map information service server via a communication network, and the estimation unit 100 can use the acquired map information. The target location for estimation is a location on a road.

[0025] Furthermore, the memory unit 130 stores information indicating the relationship between the direction of travel and the light-receivable range, which will be described later.

[0026] Figure 5 illustrates the hardware of the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to this embodiment. In this figure, the arithmetic processing unit 10 is implemented using an integrated circuit 400. The integrated circuit 400 is, for example, a SoC (System On Chip).

[0027] The integrated circuit 400 includes a bus 402, a processor 404, a memory 406, a storage device 408, an input / output interface 410, and a network interface 412. The bus 402 is a data transmission path for the processor 404, memory 406, storage device 408, input / output interface 410, and network interface 412 to send and receive data to and from each other. However, the method of connecting the processor 404 and the others is not limited to bus connection. The processor 404 is a processing unit implemented using a microprocessor or the like. The memory 406 is a memory implemented using RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like. The storage device 408 is a storage device implemented using ROM (Read Only Memory) or flash memory or the like.

[0028] The input / output interface 410 is an interface for connecting the integrated circuit 400 to peripheral devices. In this figure, the input / output interface 410 is connected to a monitor 420 for checking the operating status of the arithmetic processing unit 10 and an input panel 421 for inputting instructions to the arithmetic processing unit 10.

[0029] The network interface 412 is an interface for connecting the integrated circuit 400 to a communication network. This communication network is, for example, a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication network. The method by which the network interface 412 connects to the communication network may be wireless or wired.

[0030] The storage device 408 stores program modules for realizing the functions of the estimation unit 100 and the acquisition unit 120, respectively. The processor 404 reads these program modules into the memory 406 and executes them to realize the functions of the estimation unit 100 and the acquisition unit 120.

[0031] The hardware configuration of the integrated circuit 400 is not limited to the configuration shown in this figure. For example, the program module may be stored in the memory 406. In this case, the integrated circuit 400 does not need to have a storage device 408.

[0032] Returning to Figure 3, the processing details of the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to this embodiment will be explained in detail below. In step S100, the estimation unit 100 uses not only the time information of the target time but also date information indicating the target date to determine the direction of sunlight irradiation. Specifically, for example, the acquisition unit 120 transmits the location information of the target position, the time information of the target time, and the date information of the target year, month, and day to the weather information service server. The acquisition unit 120 then acquires information indicating the direction and height of the sun at the target position, target time, and target year, month, and day based on the information transmitted from the weather information service server. Here, the direction of the sun is the direction of the sun as seen from the target position, and the height of the sun is the angle (elevation angle) of the sun as seen from the ground surface at the target position. Note that the information indicating the direction and height of the sun may be calculated internally by the arithmetic processing unit 10 instead of being acquired from an external source such as a weather information service. The estimation unit 100 determines that the direction of sunlight irradiation is the direction toward the target position based on the direction and angle of the sun indicated by the acquired information.

[0033] Next, in step S110, the estimation unit 100 determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light-receiving part of the sensor, based on the map information, the location information of the target position, the orientation information of the moving object, and the direction of sunlight irradiation.

[0034] Figure 6 is a flowchart of the method for determining whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part of the sensor in this embodiment. The flowchart in this figure shows the processing content of step S110 in detail. The estimation unit 100 further uses the relationship between the direction of travel and the orientation of the light-receiving part to determine whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part. This will be explained in detail below.

[0035] After step S100, in step S111, the estimation unit 100 determines whether the direction of illumination is within the receivable range of the sensor's light-receiving unit, based on the orientation information of the moving object and the direction of sunlight illumination. The orientation of the sensor's light-receiving unit is predetermined with respect to the direction of travel of the moving object. Specifically, the orientation of the light-receiving unit is represented by the receivable range of the light-receiving unit. Information showing the relationship between the direction of travel and the orientation of the light-receiving unit is predetermined and stored in the storage unit 130, and the estimation unit 100 can read and use it. The estimation unit 100 uses the orientation information of the moving object and the information showing the relationship between the direction of travel and the orientation of the light-receiving unit to identify the receivable range corresponding to the direction of travel indicated by the orientation information of the moving object. The estimation unit 100 may use mounting information that shows the state (orientation, attitude, position, etc.) of the sensor mounted on the moving object instead of the information showing the relationship between the direction of travel and the orientation of the light-receiving unit. This mounting information may include information showing the orientation of the light-receiving unit with respect to the direction of travel.

[0036] Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the relationship between the direction of travel of the moving object 20 and the light-receiving range 210. Figure 7 shows the moving object 20 viewed from above, and Figure 8 shows the moving object 20 viewed from the horizontal. In Figure 7, straight lines extending along the direction of illumination are illustrated by dashed lines α1 and α2, respectively. The direction of travel is a single direction parallel to the ground at the target position. The light-receiving range 210 is a three-dimensional angular range based on the direction of travel. The light-receiving range of the sensor is represented by an angular range in two directions, for example, indicated by H and V, with respect to the direction of travel. Here, the angle indicated by H is the angle on a projection plane parallel to the ground, and the angle indicated by V is the angle on a projection plane perpendicular to the ground.

[0037] The light-receiving range 210 is defined such that the body of the moving object 20 is not included in any part of the light-receiving range 210. There may be only one light-receiving range 210 defined for each direction of travel of a single moving object 20, or there may be multiple defined ranges. The size of the light-receiving range 210 is determined by specifications such as the measurable range of the sensor. In the examples of Figures 7 and 8, the light-receiving range 210 includes the direction of travel, but the light-receiving range 210 is not limited to this example. For example, the light-receiving range 210 may be defined facing backward with respect to the direction of travel. In other words, the light-receiving range 210 does not have to include the direction of travel. Note that sunlight can be considered as parallel light.

[0038] Furthermore, if the sensor is a lidar sensor or the like, and measures by sequentially emitting and injecting light in multiple directions, the light-receiving range 210 should be determined based on all directions in which light can be emitted and injected, such that the body of the moving object 20 itself is not included in any part of the light-receiving range 210.

[0039] Returning to Figure 6, in step S111, if the straight line extended from the target position along the direction of sunlight irradiation is not located within the light-receiving range 210, the estimation unit 100 determines that sunlight does not enter the light-receiving unit (step S114). In the example in Figure 7, α2 shows an example where the straight line extended from the target position along the direction of sunlight irradiation is not located within the light-receiving range 210.

[0040] On the other hand, in step S111, if the straight line extended from the target position along the direction of sunlight irradiation is located within the light-receivable range 210, the estimation unit 100 then performs the process in step S112. In the example in Figure 7, α1 shows an example where the straight line extended from the target position along the direction of sunlight irradiation is located within the light-receivable range 210.

[0041] In step S112, the estimation unit 100 determines whether or not an object exists in the direction of sunlight irradiation from the target position, based on the map information, the target position, and the direction of irradiation. Specifically, the estimation unit 100 identifies the target position indicated by the position information in the three-dimensional map information. Then, it determines whether or not a straight line extended from the target position along the direction of sunlight irradiation coincides with an object that blocks sunlight, such as a building or a mountain, as shown in the map information.

[0042] If a straight line extended along the direction of irradiation coincides with an object that blocks sunlight, such as a building or mountain shown in the map information, the estimation unit 100 determines that an object exists in the direction of sunlight irradiation from the perspective of the target position, and determines that sunlight does not enter the light receiving unit (step S114).

[0043] On the other hand, if the straight line extended along the direction of irradiation does not overlap with any objects that block sunlight, such as buildings or mountains shown in the map information, the estimation unit 100 determines that there are no objects in the direction of sunlight irradiation from the perspective of the target position, and determines that sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit (step S113).

[0044] In step S111, instead of the process described above, the determination may be made using an illumination direction with a certain width. That is, an angular range is defined around a straight line extended along the illumination direction. Then, it may be determined whether or not multiple straight lines extending in the direction within that angular range from the light-receiving part of the sensor overlap with the body of the moving object 20 itself. If none of the straight lines overlap with the body of the moving object 20 itself, the process moves to step S112. On the other hand, if any of the straight lines overlap with the body of the moving object 20 itself, the estimation unit 100 determines that sunlight does not enter the light-receiving part (step S114).

[0045] Returning to Figure 3, the estimation unit 100 determines, as described above, that sunlight will enter the light-receiving unit if it is determined in step S110 based on the irradiation direction, target location, and map information that sunlight will not be obstructed, and estimates that the actual measurement performance of the sensor will decrease (step S120). On the other hand, if it is determined that sunlight will not enter the light-receiving unit, the estimation unit 100 estimates that the actual measurement performance of the sensor will not decrease at that target location, target time, and direction of travel (step S130).

[0046] Figure 9 illustrates the operating environment of the arithmetic processing unit 10. The arithmetic processing unit 10 can send and receive signals and information with multiple mobile devices 20 via the communication network 30. In this example, the arithmetic processing unit 10 is a server.

[0047] The estimation unit 100 may further estimate the actual performance of the sensor for multiple target locations at each time step and generate information indicating areas where a decrease in the actual performance of the sensor is expected at each time step. Specifically, for a given time step, the estimation unit 100 extracts target locations from the estimation results of multiple target locations where a decrease in the actual performance of the sensor is estimated to occur, and uses the information indicating the extracted target locations as information indicating areas of decrease. The information indicating areas of decrease may also include information on the direction of movement of the moving object in the direction of travel where a decrease in the actual performance of the sensor is estimated to occur for each location.

[0048] Multiple target locations are, for example, multiple locations along a road within a predetermined area. This makes it possible to understand where a decrease in the actual performance of the sensor is expected at a given time. Information indicating the areas of decrease is generated, for example, when the processing unit 10 receives a request signal from the mobile body 20.

[0049] The processing unit 10 stores the generated information indicating the degraded area in the storage unit 130. When it receives a request signal from the mobile vehicle 20, the processing unit 10 reads the information indicating the degraded area from the storage unit 130 and transmits it to the mobile vehicle 20. The mobile vehicle 20, having acquired the information indicating the degraded area, can, for example, set a route to its destination that avoids the degraded area. In this way, the mobile vehicle 20 can arrive at its destination smoothly using autonomous driving or the like.

[0050] Furthermore, if the estimation unit 100 estimates that the actual performance of the sensor is degraded for each target location and time, it may further estimate the actual performance level of the sensor using the amount of solar radiation at that location and time. Information indicating the amount of solar radiation can be obtained by the acquisition unit 120 via a communication network from, for example, a weather information service server by specifying the location and time. For example, the estimation unit 100 estimates that the higher the amount of solar radiation, the lower the actual performance level of the sensor.

[0051] When the measured performance level is estimated, the generation of information indicating areas of reduced performance is performed as follows: For a given time, the estimation unit 100 extracts from among the estimation results of multiple target locations the sensor's measured performance level is estimated to be below a predetermined standard, and uses the information indicating the extracted target location as information indicating areas of reduced performance. The standard for the measured performance level is, for example, a measured performance level that may affect autonomous driving, and is determined by prior experiments or theoretical calculations.

[0052] Information indicating areas of reduced radiation may be generated each time the provided solar radiation data is updated. If information indicating areas of reduced radiation is generated multiple times for the same time period, the most recent information will be considered valid.

[0053] As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to the embodiment, the estimation unit 100 uses map information, moving object orientation information, and time information indicating the target time to estimate the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object at the target time and location for each time period. Therefore, the actual performance of the sensor can be estimated in advance with high accuracy, taking into account the effects of sunlight.

[0054] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the estimation unit 100 further uses the relationship between the direction of travel and the orientation of the light-receiving unit to determine whether or not sunlight is incident on the light-receiving unit. Therefore, the actual performance of the sensor can be estimated with greater accuracy.

[0055] (Example 2) Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the sensor according to Embodiment 2. The arithmetic processing unit 10 according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to Embodiment 1, except for the points described below.

[0056] In this embodiment, the sensor measures the distance to an object by receiving light that is emitted and reflected in multiple directions. The estimation unit 100 then determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit for each direction from which light is emitted. In this embodiment, the sensor is, for example, a lidar sensor.

[0057] The estimation unit 100 determines whether sunlight enters the light-receiving section for each direction the sensor measures, thereby changing the sensor's scanning range to avoid measurements in directions where sunlight enters the light-receiving section. If strong sunlight enters the light-receiving section, signal saturation may occur in the light-receiving element, the IV converter that processes the detection signal of the light-receiving section, the amplifier, etc., which may temporarily interfere with measurements. However, by avoiding the entry of strong sunlight into the light-receiving section, this situation can be prevented. The sensor configuration and other details will be explained below.

[0058] The sensor according to this embodiment emits light in a certain direction, receives the light that returns from that direction, and measures the distance to an object in that direction in correspondence with the direction of emission. For example, the sensor according to this embodiment includes a movable reflector 50. Light 40 output from an irradiator such as a laser diode is reflected by the movable reflector 50, for example, as light 41a, and emitted outside the sensor. Then, light 42a, which has been reflected by an object outside the sensor and returned in approximately the same direction as light 41a, is reflected again by the movable reflector 50. The reflected light 43 is incident on the light receiving part of the sensor. Here, light from a direction different from light 41a is not guided to the light receiving part even if it is incident on the movable reflector 50. Therefore, only light in the measurement direction is detected by the light receiving part. The light is pulsed light, and the distance to the object that reflected the light is calculated based on the time from emission to reception.

[0059] The movable reflector 50 changes the direction of light emission and incidence by changing the angle of its reflective surface. For example, when the angle of the reflective surface of the movable reflector 50 is changed as shown by the dashed line, the light 40 output from an irradiator such as a laser diode is reflected by the movable reflector 50 as light 41b and emitted outside the sensor. Then, light 42b, which has been reflected by an object outside the sensor and returned in almost the same direction as light 41b, is reflected again by the movable reflector 50. The reflected light 43 enters the light receiving part of the sensor. In this way, the distance to an object in a different direction from light 41a can be measured.

[0060] The sensor then sequentially measures in multiple directions by changing the angle of the reflective surface of the movable reflective section 50, thereby measuring the conditions around the moving object. For example, the light spot moves, i.e., scans, so that it traces multiple lines along a first direction, and simultaneously moves in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. That is, the multiple lines are drawn parallel to each other so that they align in the second direction. As a result, a frame showing the surrounding conditions is generated based on the measurement results. The sensor may generate frames repeatedly over time.

[0061] The calculation processing method according to this embodiment will be described below. In this method, step S100 is performed in the same manner as in Embodiment 1. Then, in step S110, the estimation unit 100 determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit for each measurement direction in which light is output. In this embodiment, the receivable range is defined for each measurement direction, and the estimation unit 100 uses the receivable range for each measurement direction to determine whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit in each measurement direction.

[0062] Next, the estimation unit 100 determines the frame size so as to avoid the direction in which sunlight is determined to be incident on the light-receiving unit from among the multiple measurement directions. Specifically, it determines the range of the drive angle of the movable reflector 50 so as not to perform measurements in the direction in which sunlight is determined to be incident on the light-receiving unit.

[0063] The estimation unit 100 generates information indicating a degraded area, similar to the first embodiment. Here, the estimation unit 100 estimates that if there is a direction in which sunlight is determined to enter the light-receiving part, even if only partially, the actual performance of the sensor will be reduced at that location and time. The estimation unit 100 then extracts the location from the estimation results of multiple location locations for the time in which the actual performance of the sensor is estimated to be reduced, and uses the information indicating the extracted location as information indicating a degraded area. In this embodiment, the estimation unit 100 also associates the range of the drive angle of the movable reflector 50, determined for that location and time, with each location in which the actual performance of the sensor is estimated to be reduced. This allows the range of the drive angle of the movable reflector 50 associated with the information indicating a degraded area to be used when a moving object is forced to travel through a degraded area.

[0064] Furthermore, when performing estimations for multiple types of sensors with different operating principles, the estimation unit 100 only needs to determine whether or not sunlight is incident on the light-receiving unit in each direction for sensors that measure the distance to an object by receiving light that is emitted and reflected in multiple directions.

[0065] As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to the embodiment, the estimation unit 100 uses map information, moving object orientation information, and time information indicating the target time to estimate the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object at the target time and location for each time period. Therefore, the actual performance of the sensor can be estimated in advance with high accuracy, taking into account the effects of sunlight.

[0066] In addition, according to this embodiment, the estimation unit 100 determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light-receiving unit for each measurement direction. Therefore, the scanning range of the sensor can be changed to avoid input and output of light in the direction in which sunlight is incident on the light-receiving unit.

[0067] (Example 3) The arithmetic processing unit 10 according to Embodiment 3 is the same as the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to at least one of Embodiments 1 and 2, except for the points described below. In the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to this embodiment, the estimation unit 100 further uses information indicating the type of mobile object to be targeted, and mounting information provided for each type of mobile object, to determine whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit. This will be explained in detail below.

[0068] The mounting position and type of sensor vary depending on the type of moving object. Furthermore, the light-receiving range of the sensor also varies depending on the type of sensor. Therefore, by using the type of moving object and estimating the actual performance of the sensor for each type of moving object, more accurate estimation results can be provided for each moving object.

[0069] Information indicating the type of mobile object may be, for example, a vehicle type number. Alternatively, the information indicating the type of mobile object may be information indicating the type of vehicle, such as motorcycle, light vehicle, passenger car, or large vehicle.

[0070] In this embodiment, the storage unit 130 pre-stores mounting information for each type of mobile body. For example, information showing the relationship between the direction of travel and the orientation of the light-receiving unit is provided for each mobile body. Note that the mounting information may also be the relationship between the direction of travel and the orientation of the light-receiving unit. Furthermore, the mounting information provided for each type of mobile body may also be information showing the relationship between the type of mobile body and the orientation of the light-receiving unit with respect to the direction of travel.

[0071] Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the type of moving object and the orientation of the light-receiving unit relative to the direction of travel in this embodiment. This figure shows an example where multiple sensors are mounted on each moving object. Each type of moving object is associated with information indicating the multiple sensors that are mounted on it. Furthermore, a light-receiving range is defined for each sensor.

[0072] Information showing the relationship between the type of moving object and the orientation of the light-receiving unit relative to the direction of movement is determined for each type of moving object, taking into account the sensor mounting position, the sensor's detectable range, the shape of the moving object's body, etc., and is stored in the storage unit 130 in advance.

[0073] The calculation processing method according to this embodiment is described below. In this method, step S100 is performed in the same manner as in Embodiment 1. Next, in step S110, the estimation unit 100 determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit for each type of moving object. In step S111, the estimation unit 100 determines that if the irradiation direction is within the light-receiving range of at least one of the multiple sensors associated with the type of moving object, the irradiation direction for that type of moving object is within the light-receiving range of the light receiving unit (Y in step S111). On the other hand, if the irradiation direction is not within the light-receiving range of all of the multiple sensors associated with the type of moving object, the estimation unit 100 determines that the irradiation direction for that type of moving object is not within the light-receiving range of the light receiving unit (N in step S111).

[0074] The estimation unit 100 may determine, for each type of moving object, whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part of each sensor. In that case, the estimation result may further include information that identifies the sensor whose measured performance has been determined to be degraded. For example, the estimation unit 100 can generate information indicating a degraded area, which includes information that identifies the sensor whose measured performance has been determined to be degraded.

[0075] Furthermore, when the estimation unit 100 determines whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part for each sensor and estimates the actual performance level, it may use the relationship between solar radiation and the actual performance level defined for each type of sensor to estimate the actual performance level. The magnitude of the influence of solar radiation may differ depending on the type of sensor, but by using the relationship between solar radiation and the actual performance level defined for each type of sensor, the actual performance level can be estimated with higher accuracy for each sensor.

[0076] Each mobile unit can obtain information from the computing device 10, including estimated results corresponding to its own type and information indicating areas of reduced activity.

[0077] As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to the embodiment, the estimation unit 100 uses map information, moving object orientation information, and time information indicating the target time to estimate the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object at the target time and location for each time period. Therefore, the actual performance of the sensor can be estimated in advance with high accuracy, taking into account the effects of sunlight.

[0078] In addition, according to this embodiment, the estimation unit 100 further uses information indicating the type of moving object and information indicating the relationship between the type of moving object and the orientation of the light-receiving unit with respect to the direction of travel to determine whether or not sunlight is incident on the light-receiving unit. Therefore, more accurate estimation results can be provided for each moving object.

[0079] (Example 4) The arithmetic processing unit 10 according to Embodiment 4 includes an acquisition unit 120 that acquires requested information from a moving object, indicating the target position, direction of travel, and target time. The estimation unit 100 is the same as the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to at least one of Embodiments 1 to 3, except that it estimates the actual performance of the sensor based on the requested information. A detailed explanation follows below.

[0080] In this embodiment, for example, when a moving object sets a route to a destination, the moving object queries the processing unit 10 to determine whether a decrease in the actual measurement performance of the sensor is expected at the scheduled time of passage at each position along the route, and the processing unit 10 makes an estimation based on the content of the query.

[0081] In this embodiment, the mobile device sets a route for navigation and autonomous driving. To set a route, first, candidate routes between the current location and the destination are created. Then, the mobile device selects multiple locations along the created candidate routes as target locations for estimation, and identifies the direction of travel for each selected location. In addition, the estimated time of passage for each location is identified as the time to be estimated. The mobile device generates request information indicating multiple target locations, target times for each target location, and the direction of travel at each target location.

[0082] The acquisition unit 120 acquires request information from the moving object. It then estimates the actual performance of the sensor for multiple target locations, target times, and direction of travel indicated by the request information, and transmits the estimation results to the moving object.

[0083] Upon receiving the estimation results, the mobile device decides whether or not to adopt the suggested route. Specifically, if multiple target locations include locations where the sensor's actual performance is estimated to be degraded, that route is not adopted, and a different candidate route is created. On the other hand, if none of the multiple target locations include locations where the sensor's actual performance is estimated to be degraded, that route is adopted.

[0084] Furthermore, if the arithmetic processing unit 10 is mounted on the mobile vehicle, the same processing as described above may be performed when setting the route of the mobile vehicle. The acquisition unit 120 acquires requested information from a navigation device or the like mounted on the mobile vehicle and outputs the estimation result based on that requested information to the navigation device or the like.

[0085] As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to the embodiment, the estimation unit 100 uses map information, moving object orientation information, and time information indicating the target time to estimate the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object at the target time and location for each time period. Therefore, the actual performance of the sensor can be estimated in advance with high accuracy, taking into account the effects of sunlight.

[0086] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the estimation unit 100 estimates the actual performance of the sensor based on the requested information. Therefore, estimations necessary for the movement of the moving object can be performed in particular, and the processing load of the arithmetic processing unit 10 can be reduced.

[0087] (Example 5) The arithmetic processing unit 10 according to Example 5 is the same as the arithmetic processing unit 10 according to at least one of Examples 1 to 4, except for the points described below.

[0088] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 120 acquires measured performance information and location information of multiple moving objects, indicating the measured performance of the sensor, along with measurement time information indicating the time when the measured performance of the sensor was measured. The estimation unit 100 estimates the measured performance of the sensor using the acquired measured performance information, location information, and measurement time information.

[0089] The impact of sunlight on the sensor's actual performance also depends on environmental factors such as weather and ambient atmospheric conditions. Therefore, by using data measured at each target location, it becomes possible to make inferences that take environmental influences into account, allowing for a more accurate estimation of the sensor's actual performance. This will be explained in detail below.

[0090] Actual performance information is generated based on actual measurement results using sensors on a mobile device. If the mobile device is equipped with multiple sensors, actual performance information is generated for each sensor. Actual performance information is, for example, information indicating the actual performance level of a sensor.

[0091] An example of a method for generating measured performance information is described below. In a mobile device, measurements are taken with a sensor against a known specific object. Based on the measurement results, signal strength, S / N ratio, etc., are obtained. The specific object may be, for example, a dedicated object set up to judge the measured performance of the sensor, or it may be a general object. In the latter case, the specific object may be, for example, an installation on a road such as a traffic light, delineator, guardrail, road sign, directional sign, etc., or road markings such as regulatory markings, directional markings, etc. The mobile device or a memory unit installed outside the mobile device stores the reference signal strength and S / N ratio in advance. The reference measured performance of the sensor is, for example, the measured performance of the sensor at the time of shipment in a good environment. The reference measured performance of the sensor read from the memory unit is then compared with the measured performance of the sensor, and the measured performance level of the sensor is calculated. For example, the ratio (%) of the measured signal strength to the reference signal strength is derived as the measured performance level. Furthermore, to derive the measured performance level, it is sufficient to use signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, and at least one of the other evaluation metrics.

[0092] Another example of a method for generating measured performance information is described below. In a mobile device, the amount of background light, i.e., the noise level, is measured for each sensor. The measured performance level is then determined according to the amount of background light. A higher amount of background light indicates a lower measured performance level. Alternatively, if the sensor is a camera, the measured performance level may be determined according to the contrast level of the image acquired by the camera. A lower contrast indicates a lower measured performance level. For example, a storage unit located outside the mobile device or on the mobile device may pre-store information indicating the relationship between the amount of background light and the measured performance level, or information indicating the relationship between contrast and the measured performance level, and the mobile device may use this information to derive the measured performance level.

[0093] A mobile device, for example, is equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver and can acquire its own location information at each moment. The mobile device associates the generated measured performance information with location information indicating the location where the measured performance was taken.

[0094] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 120 acquires actual performance information and measurement time information simultaneously with the actual performance information. This measurement time information is linked to the actual performance information, for example, in a mobile device. Also, if the measurement time of the actual performance and the time when the acquisition unit 120 acquires the actual performance information are approximately the same, the time information of the time when the acquisition unit 120 acquired the actual performance information may be linked to the actual performance information as measurement time information.

[0095] In the case of a moving object, measured performance information may be generated each time the moving object approaches a specific object, or measured performance information may be generated at predetermined intervals T1. In addition, the acquisition unit 120 may acquire measured performance information, location information, and measurement time information each time measured performance information is generated by the moving object, or it may acquire measured performance information, location information, and measurement time information at predetermined intervals T2. The times T1 and T2 are not particularly limited, but for example, they are 30 seconds or more and 5 minutes or less, respectively. The times T1 and T2 may be the same or different.

[0096] Figure 12 is a flowchart of the calculation processing method according to Example 5. This method will be explained in detail below.

[0097] In step S200, the acquisition unit 120 acquires actual performance information from multiple moving objects, along with location information and measurement time information. The acquired actual performance information, location information, and measurement time information are stored in the storage unit 130 in a linked state.

[0098] Next, in step S210, the estimation unit 100 estimates the actual performance level for the target position, using a first time as the target time. The first time is a past time. In step S210, the estimation unit 100 performs steps S100 and S110, for example, in the same manner as in Example 1. Then, as explained in Example 1, for example, the actual performance level is estimated based on the amount of solar radiation.

[0099] Next, in step S220, the estimation unit 100 extracts measured performance information from the storage unit 130 that is linked to the measurement time information corresponding to the first time and to the location information corresponding to the target location. Then, it calculates the difference D between the measured performance level at the first time estimated in step S210 and the measured performance level indicated by the extracted measured performance information. The first time and the time indicated by the measurement time information, and the target location and the location indicated by the location information do not necessarily have to be exactly the same. The time indicated by the measurement time information only needs to be within a predetermined time T3 based on the first time, and the location indicated by the location information only needs to be within a predetermined distance d based on the target location. The time T3 is not particularly limited, but for example, it is between 1 minute and 150 minutes. The distance d is not particularly limited, but for example, it is between 5m and 100m.

[0100] Next, in step S230, the estimation unit 100 estimates the actual performance level for the target position using a second time point as the target. In step S230, the estimation unit 100 performs the estimation in the same manner as in step S210. The second time point is a different time from the first time point and is a future time. The interval between the first time point and the second time point is, for example, 3 minutes or more and 60 minutes or less.

[0101] Next, in step S240, the estimation unit 100 adds the difference D calculated in step S220 to the measured performance level estimated for the second time to obtain the corrected measured performance level. The corrected measured performance level is then used as the estimation result for the second time at the target position.

[0102] As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to the embodiment, the estimation unit 100 uses map information, moving object orientation information, and time information indicating the target time to estimate the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object at the target time and location for each time period. Therefore, the actual performance of the sensor can be estimated in advance with high accuracy, taking into account the effects of sunlight.

[0103] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the estimation unit 100 estimates the actual performance of the sensor using the acquired actual performance information, location information, and measurement time information. Therefore, the actual performance of the sensor can be estimated with greater accuracy by taking into account the influence of the environment.

[0104] The embodiments and examples described above with reference to the drawings are illustrative examples of the present invention, and various other configurations can be adopted. For example, although the sequence diagrams and flowcharts used in the above description show multiple processes in order, the execution order of the processes performed in each embodiment is not limited to the order in which they are described. In each embodiment, the order of the illustrated processes can be changed to the extent that it does not impede the content. Furthermore, the embodiments and examples described above can be combined to the extent that their content does not conflict.

[0105] Examples of reference formats are provided below. 1-1. A processing unit comprising an estimation unit that estimates the measured performance of a sensor mounted on a moving object at a target time and at the target location, using map information, moving object orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at the target location, and time information indicating the target time. 1-2. In the arithmetic processing unit described in 1-1, The estimation unit, Using the aforementioned time information, the direction of sunlight irradiation at the target time is identified. Based on the map information, the target position, the direction of travel, and the direction of illumination, it is determined whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part of the sensor. A processing unit that determines that sunlight is incident on the light-receiving part and estimates that the actual measurement performance of the sensor will decrease. 1-3. In the arithmetic processing unit described in 1-2, The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit, using mounting information indicating the state in which the sensor is mounted on the moving body. 1-4. In the arithmetic processing unit described in 1-3, The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit, using information indicating the type of the target moving object and the mounting information provided for each type of moving object. 1-5. In the arithmetic processing unit described in any one of 1-2 to 1-4, The aforementioned map information is three-dimensional information. The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that determines that sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit when it is determined that sunlight is not obstructed, based on the irradiation direction, the target position, and the map information. 1-6. In the arithmetic processing unit described in any one of 1-2 to 1-5, In the aforementioned sensor, the distance to the object is measured by receiving light that is emitted and reflected in multiple directions with the light receiving unit. The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit for each of the directions. 1-7. In the arithmetic processing unit described in any one of 1-2 to 1-6, The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that further uses date information indicating the target date to determine the irradiation direction. 1-8. In the arithmetic processing unit described in any one of 1-1 to 1-7, The sensor is an optical sensor, and the processing unit is a arithmetic unit. 1-9. In the arithmetic processing unit described in any one of 1-1 to 1-8, The estimation unit is a arithmetic processing unit that estimates the measured performance of the sensor for a plurality of target locations at each time step, and generates information indicating areas where a decrease in the measured performance of the sensor is expected at each time step. 1-10. In the arithmetic processing unit described in any one of 1-1 to 1-8, The unit further comprises an acquisition unit that acquires requested information from the moving body, indicating the target position, the direction of travel, and the target time. The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that estimates the actual performance of the sensor based on the requested information. 1-11. In the arithmetic processing unit described in any one of 1-1 to 1-9, The system further includes an acquisition unit that acquires measured performance information indicating the measured performance of the sensor and position information of the mobile bodies from a plurality of the aforementioned mobile bodies, along with measurement time information indicating the time when the measured performance of the sensor was measured. The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that estimates the actual performance of the sensor using the acquired actual performance information, position information, and measurement time information. 1-12. In the arithmetic processing unit described in any one of 1-1 to 1-11, The arithmetic processing unit is an arithmetic processing unit mounted on the mobile body. 2-1. A calculation processing method that includes an estimation step of estimating the measured performance of a sensor mounted on a moving object at a target time and at the target location, using map information, moving object orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at the target location, and time information indicating the target time. 2-2. In the calculation processing method described in 2-1, In the estimation step described above, Using the aforementioned time information, the direction of sunlight irradiation at the target time is identified. Based on the map information, the target position, the direction of travel, and the direction of illumination, it is determined whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part of the sensor. A calculation method that estimates that the actual measurement performance of the sensor will decrease when it is determined that sunlight is incident on the light receiving part. 2-3. In the calculation processing method described in 2-2, The estimation step further uses mounting information indicating the state in which the sensor is mounted on the moving body to determine whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving part. 2-4. In the calculation processing method described in 2-3, The estimation step involves a calculation method that determines whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part using information indicating the type of the target mobile body and the mounting information provided for each type of mobile body. 2-5. In the calculation method described in any one of 2-2 to 2-4, The aforementioned map information is three-dimensional information. The estimation step involves a calculation method that determines that sunlight is incident on the light-receiving unit if it is determined that sunlight is not obstructed based on the irradiation direction, the target position, and the map information. 2-6. In the calculation processing method described in any one of 2-2 to 2-5, In the aforementioned sensor, the distance to the object is measured by receiving light that is emitted and reflected in multiple directions with the light receiving unit. The estimation step involves a calculation method for determining whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving unit in each of the directions. 2-7. In the calculation method described in any one of 2-2 to 2-6, The estimation step further uses date information indicating the target date to determine the irradiation direction. 2-8. In the calculation method described in any one of 2-1 to 2-7, Q sensor is an optical sensor and a calculation method. 2-9. In the calculation method described in any one of 2-1 to 2-8, The estimation step involves estimating the measured performance of the sensor for multiple target locations at each time step, and generating a calculation method that indicates areas where a decrease in the measured performance of the sensor is expected at each time step. 2-10. In the calculation method described in any one of 2-1 to 2-8, The process further includes an acquisition step of acquiring requested information from the moving body, indicating the target position, the direction of travel, and the target time. The estimation step involves a calculation method for estimating the actual performance of the sensor based on the requested information. 2-11. In the calculation method described in any one of 2-1 to 2-9, The method further includes an acquisition step of acquiring measured performance information and position information of the moving bodies from a plurality of the moving bodies, along with measurement time information indicating the time when the measured performance of the sensor was measured. The estimation step involves a calculation method for estimating the actual performance of the sensor using the acquired actual performance information, location information, and measurement time information. 3-1. A computer program for realizing an arithmetic processing unit, Computers, A computer program that functions as an estimation means for estimating the measured performance of a sensor mounted on a moving object at a target time and at a target location, using map information, object orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at a target location, and time information indicating a target time. 3-2. In the computer program described in 3-1, The estimation means is, Using the aforementioned time information, the direction of sunlight irradiation at the target time is identified. Based on the map information, the target position, the direction of travel, and the direction of illumination, it is determined whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part of the sensor. A computer program that estimates that the actual measurement performance of the sensor will decrease when it is determined that sunlight is incident on the light-receiving part. 3-3. In the computer program described in 3-2, The estimation means is a computer program that determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light-receiving part, using mounting information indicating the state in which the sensor is mounted on the moving body. 3-4. In the computer program described in 3-3, The estimation means is a computer program that determines whether or not sunlight enters the light receiving unit using information indicating the type of the target mobile body and the mounting information provided for each type of mobile body. 3-5. In any one of the computer programs described in 3-2 to 3-4, The aforementioned map information is three-dimensional information. The estimation means is a computer program that determines that sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit when it is determined that sunlight is not obstructed, based on the irradiation direction, the target position, and the map information. 3-6. In any one of the computer programs described in 3-2 to 3-5, In the aforementioned sensor, the distance to the object is measured by receiving light that is emitted and reflected in multiple directions with the light receiving unit. The estimation means is a computer program that determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light-receiving part for each direction. 3-7. In any one of the computer programs described in 3-2 to 3-6, The estimation means is a computer program that further uses date information indicating the target date to determine the direction of irradiation. 3-8. In any one of the computer programs described in 3-1 to 3-7, The aforementioned sensor is a computer program that is an optical sensor. 3-9. In any one of the computer programs described in 3-1 to 3-8, The estimation means is a computer program that estimates the measured performance of the sensor for a plurality of target locations at each time step, and generates information indicating areas where a decrease in the measured performance of the sensor is expected at each time step. 3-10. In any one of the computer programs described in 3-1 to 3-8, The system further comprises acquisition means for acquiring requested information from the moving body, indicating the target position, the direction of travel, and the target time. The estimation means is a computer program that estimates the measured performance of the sensor based on the requested information. 3-11. In any one of the computer programs described in 3-1 to 3-9, The computer is further configured to function as an acquisition means for acquiring measured performance information indicating the measured performance of the sensor and the position information of the mobile bodies from a plurality of the mobile bodies, along with measurement time information indicating the time when the measured performance of the sensor was measured. The estimation means is a computer program that estimates the measured performance of the sensor using the acquired measured performance information, the location information, and the measurement time information. 3-12. In any of the computer programs described in 3-1 to 3-11, The processing unit is a computer program mounted on the mobile device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0106] 10 Arithmetic Processing Unit 20 Mobile Units 30 Communication Network 100 Estimation part 120 Acquisition Department 130 Storage section 210 Light-receiving range 400 Integrated Circuits Bus 402 404 Processor 406 memory 408 storage devices 410 Input / Output Interfaces 412 Network Interfaces 420 monitors 421 Input Panel 50 Movable reflector

Claims

1. The system includes an estimation unit that uses map information, moving object orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at the target location, and time information indicating the target time to estimate whether the actual measurement performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object will decrease at the target time and location, for each time period. If the estimation unit estimates that the actual performance of the sensor has deteriorated, it further estimates the actual performance level of the sensor at the target location and the target time. The aforementioned measured performance level indicates the degree of measured performance, based on a predetermined measured performance of the sensor. Processing unit.

2. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to claim 1, The estimation unit, Using the aforementioned time information, the direction of sunlight irradiation at the target time is identified. Based on the map information, the target position, the direction of travel, and the direction of illumination, it is determined whether or not sunlight enters the light-receiving part of the sensor. A processing unit that determines that sunlight is incident on the light-receiving part and estimates that the actual measurement performance of the sensor will decrease.

3. In the arithmetic processing device according to claim 2, The estimation unit is a processing unit that determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit, using mounting information indicating the state in which the sensor is mounted on the moving body.

4. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to claim 3, The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit using information indicating the type of the target moving object and the mounting information provided for each type of moving object.

5. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, The aforementioned map information is three-dimensional information. The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that determines that sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit when it is determined that sunlight is not obstructed, based on the irradiation direction, the target position, and the map information.

6. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5, In the aforementioned sensor, the distance to the object is measured by receiving light that is emitted and reflected in multiple directions with the light receiving unit. The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that determines whether or not sunlight is incident on the light receiving unit for each of the directions.

7. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 6, The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that further uses date information indicating the target date to determine the irradiation direction.

8. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The sensor is an optical sensor, and the processing unit is a arithmetic unit.

9. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The estimation unit estimates whether the actual performance of the sensor deteriorates for each of the multiple target locations at each time step, and generates information indicating areas where a deterioration in the actual performance of the sensor is expected at each time step.

10. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The unit further comprises an acquisition unit that acquires requested information from the moving body, indicating the target position, the direction of travel, and the target time. The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that estimates whether or not the actual performance of the sensor will decrease based on the requested information.

11. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The estimation unit, From among the estimated results of the measured performance level for multiple target locations at the aforementioned target time, the target locations for which the estimated result falls below a predetermined measured performance level are extracted. A processing unit that generates information indicating the extracted target location as information indicating a degraded area where the measured performance level is reduced.

12. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The system further includes an acquisition unit that acquires measured performance information indicating the measured performance level of the sensor and the position information of the mobile bodies from a plurality of the mobile bodies, along with measurement time information indicating the time when the measured performance level of the sensor was measured. The estimation unit is a calculation processing unit that estimates the measured performance level of the sensor using the acquired measured performance information, the position information, and the measurement time information.

13. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to claim 12, The estimation unit, The difference between the measured performance level estimated for the first time and the target position and the measured performance level shown in the measured performance information corresponding to the first time and the target position among the acquired measured performance information is calculated. A processing unit that estimates the measured performance level at a second time and the target location by adding the difference to the measured performance level estimated for a second time and the target location.

14. In the arithmetic processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, The arithmetic processing unit is an arithmetic processing unit mounted on the mobile body.

15. The process includes an estimation step of using map information, moving object orientation information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at the target location, and time information indicating the target time, to estimate whether the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object deteriorates at the target time and the target location, for each time period. In the estimation step, if it is estimated that the measured performance of the sensor will decrease, the measured performance level of the sensor at the target location and the target time is further estimated. The aforementioned measured performance level indicates the degree of measured performance, based on a predetermined measured performance of the sensor. Calculation processing method.

16. A computer program for realizing an arithmetic processing unit, Computers, Using map information, information indicating the direction of movement of the moving object at the target location, and time information indicating the target time, this system functions as an estimation means to estimate whether the actual performance of the sensor mounted on the moving object deteriorates at the target time and location. If the estimation means estimates that the measured performance of the sensor is degrading, it further estimates the measured performance level of the sensor at the target location and the target time, The aforementioned measured performance level indicates the degree of measured performance, based on a predetermined measured performance of the sensor. Computer program.

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