Sensor control device

Abstract

The present invention provides a sensor control device that can acquire current information about geographic features using sensors while simultaneously reducing the total data size of the information acquired by the sensors. [Solution] A sensor control device is provided that can acquire detailed current information of geographic features using sensors while reducing the total data size of the information acquired by the sensors. The control unit 4 of the sensor control device 1 controls sensors 20A to 20D based on geographic feature information and sensor information about sensors 20A to 20D, thereby operating sensors 20A to 20D appropriately as needed, thereby acquiring detailed current information of geographic features using sensors 20A to 20D while reducing the total data size of the information acquired by sensors 20A to 20D.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device that controls a sensor capable of acquiring current information of a ground object.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a moving object such as a vehicle may be provided with sensors for recognizing ground objects or other moving objects located on or around the moving path. As such a moving object, one in which a plurality of lidar sensors are provided has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the moving object described in Patent Document 1, road ground objects are measured by scanning laser light.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when the moving object is moving, the ground objects pass by one after another around the moving object. In a moving object equipped with a lidar as described in Patent Document 1, if it attempts to always measure road ground objects during driving, the data size of the measurement data will become extremely large. At this time, although the data size can be reduced by lowering the sensing accuracy or measurement frequency, there is a possibility that necessary information about the ground object cannot be obtained.

[0005] Therefore, an example of the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a sensor control device that can reduce the total data size of the information acquired by the sensor while acquiring the current information of the ground object by the sensor.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the objective, the sensor control device of the present invention as described in claim 1 comprises: a first acquisition unit that acquires feature information including feature location information relating to the location of a feature; a second acquisition unit that acquires sensor information relating to a sensor capable of acquiring current information of the feature; a third acquisition unit that acquires current location information indicating the current location information of the sensor or a moving body on which the sensor is located; and a control unit that controls the sensitivity of the sensor based on the feature location information acquired by the first acquisition unit, the sensor information acquired by the second acquisition unit, and the current location information acquired by the third acquisition unit, wherein the sensor information includes at least recognizeable range information relating to a recognizeable range which is an area determined based on the distance at which the sensor can recognize the feature.

[0007] The sensor control method of the present invention as described in claim 10 is a sensor control method used by a sensor control device, comprising: a first acquisition step of acquiring feature information including feature location information relating to the location of a feature; a second acquisition step of acquiring sensor information relating to a sensor capable of acquiring current information of the feature; a third acquisition step of acquiring current location information indicating the current location information of the sensor or a moving body on which the sensor is located; and a control step of controlling the sensitivity of the sensor based on the feature location information acquired in the first acquisition step, the sensor information acquired in the second acquisition step, and the current location information acquired in the third acquisition step, wherein the sensor information includes at least recognizeable range information relating to a recognizeable range which is an area determined based on the distance at which the sensor can recognize the feature. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic block diagram showing a sensor control device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an external server that communicates with the sensor control device. [Figure 2] This is a plan view showing how the sensor control device is positioned on the moving object. [Figure 3]This is a side view showing how the sensor control device is positioned on the moving object. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows an example of the procedure for sensor control processing performed by the aforementioned sensor control device. [Figure 5] This is a graph showing the sensitivity of the sensor controlled by the aforementioned sensor control device. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows an example of the procedure for transmitting feature data performed by an external server. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows an example of the procedure for the second sensor control process performed by the sensor control device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The sensor control device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a first acquisition unit that acquires feature information relating to a feature, a second acquisition unit that acquires sensor information relating to a sensor capable of acquiring current information of a feature, and a control unit that controls a sensor based on the feature information acquired by the first acquisition unit and the sensor information acquired by the second acquisition unit.

[0010] According to this embodiment of the sensor control device, the sensor can be operated appropriately as needed by controlling the sensor based on feature information about the feature and sensor information about the sensor. Furthermore, it is possible to acquire detailed current information about the feature using the sensor while reducing the total data size of the information acquired by the sensor.

[0011] The system further includes a current location information acquisition unit that acquires the current location information of a sensor or a moving object on which the sensor is placed. Preferably, the feature information includes feature location information relating to the location of the feature, and the sensor information includes recognizable range information relating to the range recognizable by the sensor. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the control unit operates the sensor in a first state (e.g., a high-sensitivity state with high sensing sensitivity) when the location indicated by the feature location information is located within the recognizable range (in other words, when it is determined that the sensor can acquire the current information of the feature), and operates the sensor in a second state (e.g., a low-sensitivity state with low sensing sensitivity) when the location indicated by the feature location information is located outside the recognizable range (in other words, when it is determined that the sensor cannot acquire the current information of the feature). This makes it possible to acquire detailed current information of the feature by the sensor when it is determined that it can acquire the current information of the feature, and to reduce the data size of the information acquired by the sensor when it is determined that it cannot acquire the current information of the feature. Note that operating the sensor in the second state also includes operating it so that the output from the sensor is 0 (i.e., no sensing is performed).

[0012] In this case, the sensor only needs to have at least one of the following characteristics greater in the first state than in the second state: the number of measurements taken within a predetermined scan range, or the energy consumed per measurement. By doing so, it becomes possible to efficiently acquire current information about geographic features.

[0013] The sensor information includes detailed recognition range information relating to the proximity recognition range within the recognizable range and the normal recognition range outside the proximity recognition range within the recognizable range. The control unit operates the sensor in a first high-sensitivity state if the position indicated by the feature position information is within the normal recognition range, and operates the sensor in a second high-sensitivity state if the position indicated by the feature position information is within the proximity recognition range. The sensor may operate at a lower sensitivity in the second high-sensitivity state than in the first high-sensitivity state. This reduces the data size of the information acquired by the sensor. It also enables control that takes into account the effects of electromagnetic waves and other radiation emitted by the sensor on the human body. The proximity recognition range may be set appropriately depending on the performance of the sensor.

[0014] The control unit is preferably configured to control multiple sensors and to independently control the multiple sensors based on feature information and the sensor information of each of the multiple sensors. This allows each sensor to operate appropriately. For example, if sensors are provided on both sides in the width direction of a moving body, when a feature is located on one side in the width direction relative to the moving body, the sensor on the other side does not sense, and the sensor on the one side switches between a first state and a second state based on whether the position indicated by the feature position information is within the recognizable range.

[0015] It is preferable to further include an external output unit that outputs current information acquired by the sensor to the outside. This allows current information of features to be collected on an external server, etc., and the map data stored on the external server, etc., to be updated. It is even more preferable that sensors and sensor control devices are provided on multiple mobile bodies, and that current information of features is output from the external output unit of each sensor control device to a common external server. This allows the map data stored on the external server to be updated over a wide area and at a high frequency, thereby improving the accuracy of the map data.

[0016] The sensor may include a projection unit that projects electromagnetic waves and a reception unit that receives the reflected waves of the electromagnetic waves by the ground object. Further, the sensor control device is disposed on the moving body, and the sensor may be able to acquire at least one of information on the ground objects located on the path of the moving body and information on the surrounding ground objects located around the path as current information.

[0017] Also, the sensor control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a sensor control method used by a sensor control device, including a first acquisition step of acquiring ground object information regarding the ground object, a second acquisition step of acquiring sensor information regarding a sensor capable of acquiring current information of the ground object, and a control step of controlling the sensor based on the ground object information acquired in the first acquisition step and the sensor information acquired in the second acquisition unit. According to such a sensor control method of the present embodiment, similar to the above-mentioned sensor control device, the sensor can be appropriately operated as needed, and while acquiring detailed current information of the ground object by the sensor, the total data size of the information acquired by the sensor can be reduced.

[0018] Further, it may be a sensor control program that causes a computer to execute the above-mentioned sensor control method. By doing so, while acquiring detailed current information of the ground object by the sensor using a computer, the total data size of the information acquired by the sensor can be reduced.

[0019] Further, the above-mentioned sensor control program may be stored in a computer-readable recording medium. By doing so, in addition to incorporating the program into the device, it can be distributed alone, and version updates and the like can be easily performed.

Example

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described. The sensor control device 1 is arranged on a vehicle 100 as a moving body, and as shown in FIG. 1, includes a communication unit 2, a current position acquisition unit 3, a control unit 4, and a storage unit 5. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a total of four sensors 20A to 20D are provided on each of the front, rear, left, and right of the vehicle 100. Note that the vehicle 100 may be a measurement vehicle for the purpose of collecting current information on road information and ground features, or may be a general vehicle for the purpose of moving passengers, transporting passengers, or transporting goods.

[0021] The sensor control device 1 communicates with a storage device (external server) 300. The external server 300 has a storage unit main body 301, a communication unit 302, and a control unit 303.

[0022] The sensors 20A to 20D each have a projection unit that projects an electromagnetic wave and a reception unit that receives a reflected wave of the electromagnetic wave by an irradiation target object (ground feature described later). These sensors may be optical sensors that project light and receive reflected light by an irradiation target object (so-called LIDAR; Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging). Hereinafter, it will be described assuming that the sensors 20A to 20D are composed of optical sensors. By processing the output signals output from the sensors 20A to 20D, it is possible to recognize an object located closer than the longest recognition distance L according to the direction in which the laser light is projected and the intensity of the laser light. Note that the longest recognition distance L means a distance such that when the irradiated laser light is reflected by an object and reaches the reception unit, this reflected light has an intensity recognizable by the reception unit. Further, the sensors 20A to 20D each have a pair of an angular range θ of the direction in which the laser light can be irradiated in the horizontal plane and an angular range φ of the direction in which the laser light can be irradiated in the vertical direction for each sensor. Therefore, the recognizable range of each of the sensors 20A to 20D forms a fan-shaped region determined by the longest recognition distance L and the angular range θ in a plan view, and a fan-shaped region determined by the longest recognition distance L and the angular range φ in a front view and a side view.

[0023] The maximum recognition distance L and angular range θ and φ described above are stored in the storage unit 5 as a database. Specifically, the storage unit 5 stores recognition range information as sensor information for sensors 20A to 20D, which is the range in which each sensor can acquire current information about a feature (the range in which the sensor can recognize a feature). Sensors 20A to 20D may have different performance characteristics, and sensor information is stored in the storage unit 5 for each of sensors 20A to 20D.

[0024] Furthermore, the memory unit 5 also stores detailed recognition range information as sensor information, including the proximity recognition range within the recognizable range and the normal recognition range outside the proximity recognition range within the recognizable range. The proximity recognition range is a range determined considering the impact on the human body, and should be set appropriately according to the performance of sensors 20A to 20D. An example of the sensor information stored in the memory unit 5 in this way is shown in Table 1.

[0025] [Table 1]

[0026] Here, the control unit 4 may control the recognition sensitivity of each of the sensors 20A to 20D to change continuously. Alternatively, it may simply control each of the sensors 20A to 20D to turn on or off. The recognition sensitivity is determined by the number of measurements taken when scanning a predetermined scan range (the number of times the projection unit irradiates laser light per unit time) and the energy consumed per measurement (the intensity of the laser light irradiated by the projection unit). In other words, the more measurements taken (the more laser light irradiations) in a predetermined scan range, the higher the recognition sensitivity, and the greater the energy consumed per measurement (the intensity of the irradiated laser light), the higher the recognition sensitivity.

[0027] The communication unit 2 consists of circuits and antennas for communicating with networks such as the Internet and public telephone lines, and communicates with the external server 300 to send and receive information. The communication unit 2 acquires map information and feature information related to features from the external server 300. The timing of acquisition from the server 300 may be before the vehicle starts moving or while it is moving. The acquired map information and feature information can be stored in the storage unit 5. This feature information includes feature location information related to the location of features. Furthermore, as will be described later, the communication unit 2 outputs current information of features acquired by sensors 20A to 20D to the outside and functions as an external output unit.

[0028] Here, "land features" is a concept that includes all natural or artificial objects existing on the ground. Examples of land features include road features located on vehicle routes (i.e., roads) and surrounding features located around roads. Examples of road features include road signs, traffic lights, guardrails, pedestrian bridges, etc., and also include the road itself. That is, letters and figures drawn on the road surface, as well as the shape of the road (road width and curvature), are also included as road features. Examples of surrounding features include buildings (houses, shops) and signs located along roads. Land feature information is information related to the above-mentioned land features. Examples of information included in land feature information include land feature location information that shows the location of the land feature (including location information that shows the absence of a land feature due to its removal), feature point information that shows the shape and other characteristics of the land feature obtained by analyzing images and videos taken of the land feature in advance, and change point information that records changes in the shape and other characteristics of the land feature due to aging, etc. In other words, by using sensors, it becomes possible to acquire (collect) current information about geographical features, which allows for the recognition of not only the features themselves, but also changes in features or the absence of features.

[0029] Sensors 20A to 20D are capable of acquiring current information about the aforementioned geographic features by recognizing (detecting, identifying) them. Recognition of geographic features by sensors 20A to 20D includes not only the recognition of the existence of a geographic feature, such as the recognition of its outline and surface, but also the recognition of changes in the geographic feature or the recognition that the geographic feature has been removed. For example, when sensors 20A to 20D recognize a road sign as a geographic feature, they may recognize the shapes written on the road sign, or the surface condition (such as peeling paint or fading). They may also recognize that the orientation of the sign has changed, or that a sign that should be there (or that previously existed) has been removed.

[0030] The current position acquisition unit 3 is a GPS receiver that receives radio waves transmitted from multiple GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites, as is well known, to obtain the current position information of the vehicle 100. Alternatively, a GPS receiver installed in the vehicle as part of a navigation system can be used as the current position acquisition unit 3. The positions of sensors 20A to 20D may be the same as the vehicle's current position, or they may be calculated based on the vehicle's current position information and information regarding their mounting locations (placement locations) on the vehicle. Information regarding mounting locations may be stored in memory beforehand. That is, the current position acquisition unit 3 may function as a current position information acquisition unit by using the acquired vehicle 100 current position information directly as the current position information of sensors 20A to 20D, or it may function as a current position information acquisition unit by appropriately correcting the acquired vehicle 100 current position information and using it as the current position information for sensors 20A to 20D.

[0031] The feature information acquired by the communication unit 2 from the external server 300 includes feature location information. The control unit 4 calculates the distance between the feature and sensors 20A to 20D based on the feature location information included in the feature information acquired by the communication unit 2 and the current location information acquired by the current location acquisition unit 3. If there is a discrepancy between the location of the feature estimated using the distance between sensors 20A to 20D and the feature calculated using the output signals of sensors 20A to 20D and the current location information acquired by the current location acquisition unit 3, and the feature location information included in the feature information, the current location information may be calibrated using the amount of this discrepancy.

[0032] The control unit 4 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) equipped with memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and is responsible for the overall control of the sensor control device 1. The control unit 4 also acquires sensor information from sensors 20A to 20D from the storage unit 5 and functions as a second acquisition unit.

[0033] The memory unit 5 is composed of, for example, a hard disk or non-volatile memory, and stores sensor information from sensors 20A to 20D, map information and feature information acquired from the external server 300, the control program for the control unit 4, and mathematical formulas and tables necessary for various calculations. It is read from and written to by control from the control unit 4.

[0034] The storage unit 301 of the external server 300 is composed of, for example, a hard disk or non-volatile memory, and stores the map information and feature information described above, and is read from and written to by control from the control unit 303. The storage unit 301 may store the map information and feature information separately as described above, or it may store them together with the map information (i.e., feature information is included in the map information). Furthermore, when the sensor control device 1 acquires map data as described above, it is not always necessary to acquire it from the external server 300, and may pre-install packaged feature data. Alternatively, map data may be acquired when the feature data transmission process described later is executed.

[0035] The feature information stored in the memory unit 301 includes feature data. This feature data has a data structure (feature data structure) that includes at least one of the following: recognition information regarding the recognizable range in which the feature can be recognized by the sensor, and permission information regarding whether or not sensing by the sensor is permitted. The recognizable range indicates the range in which the feature is expected to be recognizable when the sensor is within that recognizable range. The recognizable range is set according to, for example, the size of the feature, the shape of the feature, the location of the feature (e.g., height from the ground), the reflectivity of the feature to electromagnetic waves (e.g., light), etc. The recognition information only needs to include information about the longest distance. That is, the recognizable range may be a circular two-dimensional area within the longest distance centered on the feature, or a spherical three-dimensional area within the longest distance centered on the feature. The recognizable range is not limited to a circular or spherical shape, and may be a shape that is a variation of a circle or sphere depending on the shape of the feature. Furthermore, the recognizable range may be set not only based on the longest distance, but also according to the arrangement of the features. For example, for features arranged along a road, the recognizable range may be set only on the road side, resulting in a semicircular or hemispherical recognizable range. Similarly, for features with a front and back, such as signs, the recognizable range may be set only on the front side, resulting in a semicircular or hemispherical recognizable range. In addition, the recognition information may consist of one piece of information per feature, or it may consist of multiple pieces of information. For example, the range in which a sensor can recognize a feature will differ depending on the type and specifications of the sensor. Therefore, the feature data may contain multiple pieces of recognition information indicating different recognizable ranges depending on the type and specifications of the sensor.

[0036] Permission information refers to information indicating whether or not to permit the sensor to recognize the feature information. An example of permission information is information that permits sensing if a vehicle 100 (or sensors 20A to 20D) is located within the recognizable range, and denies sensing if it is not located within that range. Such a feature data structure is created by the time of execution of the second sensor control process described later, and is stored in the storage unit 301 as part of the map information or feature information (storage process). Note that the feature data structure does not need to be created for all features; it may be created only for features that sensors 20A to 20D want to measure preferentially (i.e., those of high importance). For example, when a moving object on which a sensor is placed performs self-position estimation, it may use information obtained from sensing surrounding features by the sensor to improve the estimation accuracy. In this case, the results of sensing road signs placed at appropriate intervals on the road may be used. Therefore, it is desirable to configure the feature data structure that preferentially shows road signs over other features as described above.

[0037] One method for determining the importance of geographic features is to determine it based on the sensing purpose. For example, when sensing for the purpose of acquiring road information, the importance of features along the route, such as signs and traffic lights, can be increased. When sensing for the purpose of acquiring information about facilities around the road, the importance of surrounding features, such as buildings (houses, shops) and signs, can be increased. It is also possible to determine the importance of geographic features using other methods.

[0038] The communication unit 302 consists of circuits and antennas for communicating with networks such as the Internet and public telephone lines, and communicates with the communication unit 2 of the sensor control device 1 installed in each of the multiple vehicles 100 to send and receive information. At this time, the external server 300 obtains the current location information acquired by the sensor control device 1 by the current location acquisition unit 3 through communication between the communication unit 302 and the communication unit 2. Therefore, the communication unit 302 functions as a location information acquisition unit that acquires the location information of the vehicles 100 on which the sensors 20A to 20D are located.

[0039] Furthermore, the external server 300 transmits feature data to the sensor control device 1, as will be described later, through communication between the communication unit 302 and the communication unit 2. Therefore, the communication unit 302 functions as a transmitter that transmits feature data to the vehicle 100 on which sensors 20A to 20D are installed.

[0040] The control unit 303 consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) equipped with memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and is responsible for the overall control of the external server 300.

[0041] Here, the procedure by which the control unit 4 executes the sensor control processing shown in Figure 4 will be explained. While the vehicle is in motion, the control unit 4 executes the sensor control processing at appropriate intervals (for example, every time a predetermined amount of time has elapsed or every time the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance). Note that the sensor control processing may be executed independently for each of the sensors 20A to 20D. In the sensor control processing, first the control unit 4 acquires the vehicle's current location information using the current location acquisition unit 3 (step S1). Next, the control unit 4 extracts feature information indicating features that are predicted to exist around the current location from the feature information stored in the storage unit 5 (i.e., feature information acquired in advance from the external server 300 as described later), and acquires feature location information included in the feature information (step S2). Here, in step S2, the control unit 4 may also extract information indicating the absence of features, such as the removal of features, as feature information around the current location, and acquire feature location information (information on locations where features do not exist). Next, the control unit 4 calculates the relative position between the location indicated by the location information and the sensor location (the distance between the location indicated by the location information and the sensor location) based on the location information and the current location information (Step S3, first acquisition step). Next, the control unit 4 acquires the recognizable range information and detailed recognition range information from the storage unit 5 (Step S4, second acquisition step).

[0042] Next, the control unit 4 determines, based on the calculated relative position, whether the position indicated by the feature position information is within the recognizable range (step S5). If the position indicated by the feature position information is outside the recognizable range (N in step S5), the control unit 4 operates sensors 20A to 20D in a low-sensitivity state to acquire sensor information (step S6, control process).

[0043] On the other hand, if the location indicated by the feature location information is within the recognizable range (Y in step S5), the control unit 4 determines whether the location indicated by the feature location information is within the normal recognition range (step S7). If the location indicated by the feature location information is within the normal recognition range (Y in step S7), the control unit 4 operates sensors 20A to 20D in the first high-sensitivity state to acquire sensor information (step S8, control process). On the other hand, if the location indicated by the feature location information is outside the normal recognition range (i.e., within the proximity recognition range) (N in step S7), the control unit 4 operates sensors 20A to 20D in the second high-sensitivity state to acquire sensor information (step S9, control process).

[0044] The control unit 4 either retains the sensor acquisition information obtained in steps S6, S8, and S9 in the recording device provided in the sensor control device 1, or transmits it to the external server 300 via the communication unit 2 (step S10), and terminates the sensor control processing. If the sensor acquisition information is retained in the storage device, the sensor acquisition information is uploaded to the external server in bulk after the vehicle has finished driving.

[0045] Here, specific examples of the high-sensitivity and low-sensitivity states described above will be explained based on Figure 5. In the graph of Figure 5, the horizontal axis represents the distance (relative distance) between sensors 20A to 20D and the object, and the vertical axis represents the recognition sensitivity of sensors 20A to 20D. The first control example is shown with a solid line, the second with a dashed line, the third with a dotted line, and the fourth with a double-dotted line. Note that in Figure 5, the relationship between object information and sensitivity state is shown only in terms of distance, but it is assumed that the position indicated by the object position information is located within the angular range of the direction in which the laser beam can be emitted.

[0046] First, in the first control example, the recognition sensitivity is approximately constant in the first high-sensitivity state, the second high-sensitivity state, and the low-sensitivity state, and is not zero in the low-sensitivity state (i.e., sensors 20A to 20D are operating). Furthermore, the recognition sensitivity in the first and second high-sensitivity states is higher than the recognition sensitivity in the low-sensitivity state, and the recognition sensitivity in the first high-sensitivity state is higher than the recognition sensitivity in the second high-sensitivity state.

[0047] In the second control example, the recognition sensitivity increases as the relative distance decreases in the first high-sensitivity state, decreases as the relative distance decreases in the second high-sensitivity state, and is 0 in the low-sensitivity state. Furthermore, in both the first and second high-sensitivity states, the recognition sensitivity graph is an upward-curving convex curve.

[0048] In the third control example, the recognition sensitivity increases gradually (discontinuously) as the relative distance decreases in the first high-sensitivity state, remains approximately constant in the second high-sensitivity state, and is 0 in the low-sensitivity state.

[0049] As shown in the first to third control examples above, the recognition sensitivity may change according to the relative distance in each sensitivity state, or it may remain approximately constant. Furthermore, if the recognition sensitivity changes according to the relative distance, the manner of change can be set arbitrarily. In addition, in the low sensitivity state, the recognition sensitivity may become 0 and sensors 20A to 20D may be turned off (not operating), or the recognition sensitivity may not become 0 and sensors 20A to 20D may operate. Also, the shape of the graph in each control example may be a straight line, a curve, or a multidimensional polynomial other than the shape shown in Figure 5.

[0050] Next, the procedure by which the control unit 303 of the external server 300 executes the feature data transmission process shown in Figure 6 will be described. The control unit 303 always executes the feature data transmission process for all corresponding sensor control devices 1 while the external server 300 is running. First, the control unit 303 acquires the current location information of the vehicle 100 on which the sensors 20A to 20D are located (step S21, location information acquisition step). Next, the control unit 303 determines whether or not there are features around the vehicle 100 (step S22). As a specific example of this determination, the control unit 303 determines whether or not there is feature location information that is within a predetermined range from the location indicated by the current location information of the vehicle 100 acquired in step S21. Here, "within a predetermined range" refers to a range wider than the recognizable range of that feature. That is, if the predetermined range and the recognizable range are circular (or spherical), then the radius of the circle (or sphere) formed by the predetermined range is longer than the radius of the circle (or sphere) formed by the recognizable range. Furthermore, in step S22, the determination may be based solely on the current position of the vehicle 100, or it may also be based on the direction of movement of the vehicle 100. For example, even if the position indicated by the feature location information of a certain feature is within a predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle 100, if the vehicle 100 is moving away from the feature, it may be determined that the vehicle 100 is not located in the vicinity of the feature.

[0051] If there are features around the vehicle 100 (Y in step S22), the control unit 303 transmits feature data of the features around the vehicle 100 stored in the memory unit 301 to the sensor control device 1 (step S23, transmission step), and returns to step S21. On the other hand, if there are no features around the vehicle 100 (N in step S22), the control unit 303 returns to step S21. In this way, by transmitting feature data to the sensor control device 1, the sensor control device 1 can sense a specific target feature and acquire current information. When the control unit 4 of the sensor control device 1 acquires feature data from the external server 300, for example, in steps S5 to S9 of the sensor control process described above, it should operate sensors 20A to 20D by making a determination based on the feature data. That is, the control unit 4 should operate sensors 20A to 20D based on the current location information and the recognized information or permission information included in the acquired feature data.

[0052] Figure 7 shows an example of the procedure for the second sensor control process in which the control unit 4 controls sensors 20A to 20D when feature data is acquired from the external server 300 as described above. In the second sensor control process, first the control unit 4 acquires the vehicle's current location information using the current location acquisition unit 3 (step S31). Next, the control unit 4 acquires the feature recognition information from the external server 300 (step S32). In step S32, the feature recognition information can be acquired by executing step S23 in the feature data transmission process described above. Next, the control unit 4 determines whether the vehicle is located within the recognizable range (step S33). If the vehicle is located within the recognizable range (Y in step S33), the control unit 4 operates sensors 20A to 20D in a first state (for example, the high-sensitivity state described above). On the other hand, if the vehicle is located outside the recognizable range (N in step S33), the control unit 4 operates sensors 20A to 20D in a second state (for example, the low-sensitivity state described above).

[0053] The control unit 4 either retains the sensor acquisition information obtained in steps S34 and S35 in the recording device provided in the sensor control device 1, or transmits it to the external server 300 via the communication unit 2 (step S36), and terminates the second sensor control process. If the sensor acquisition information is retained in the storage device, the sensor acquisition information is uploaded to the external server in bulk after the vehicle has finished driving.

[0054] With the above configuration, the control unit 4 of the sensor control device 1 controls sensors 20A to 20D based on feature information about the feature and sensor information about sensors 20A to 20D, thereby operating sensors 20A to 20D appropriately as needed. This allows for the acquisition of detailed current information about the feature using sensors 20A to 20D, while simultaneously reducing the total data size of the information acquired by sensors 20A to 20D.

[0055] Furthermore, when the location indicated by the feature location information is within the recognizable range, sensors 20A to 20D can be operated in a high-sensitivity state to acquire detailed current information about the feature. Conversely, when the location indicated by the feature location information is outside the recognizable range, sensors 20A to 20D can be operated in a low-sensitivity state to reduce the data size of the acquired information.

[0056] Furthermore, by using lower sensitivity when the location indicated by the feature information is within the proximity recognition range compared to when it is within the normal recognition range, it becomes possible to acquire detailed current information about the feature while considering the impact on the human body. In addition, the data size of the acquired information can be reduced.

[0057] Furthermore, the control unit 4 can independently control the multiple sensors 20A to 20D, thereby enabling each sensor 20A to 20D to operate appropriately.

[0058] The sensor control device 1 transmits the acquired sensor information to the external server 300, thereby collecting the sensor information and updating the map data stored in the external server 300. Furthermore, by equipping multiple vehicles 100 with sensor control devices 1, and transmitting sensor information from each vehicle 100 to a single external server 300, a single map data set can be updated over a wide area and at a high frequency, thereby improving the accuracy of the map data.

[0059] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes other configurations that can achieve the objectives of the present invention, as well as the following modifications.

[0060] For example, in the above embodiment, the sensor control device 1 transmits sensor acquisition information to an external server 300. However, the sensor control device may not output sensor acquisition information externally, but instead use the sensor acquisition information to update map data stored in its own memory unit.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control unit 4 independently controls the multiple sensors 20A to 20D. However, for example, the recognition range of the multiple sensors may be combined into a single region, and the multiple sensors may be operated uniformly based on whether or not the location indicated by the feature position information is located within this single region. Such control can simplify the control process.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the sensitivity was set lower when the location indicated by the feature location information was within the proximity recognition range than when it was within the normal recognition range. However, the relationship between the location of the feature and the sensitivity of the sensor can be set appropriately according to the performance of the sensor, etc. The sensitivity of the sensor may be kept constant when the location indicated by the feature location information is within the recognition range, or the sensitivity may be increased as the distance between the feature and the sensor decreases.

[0063] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, step SS5 of the sensor control process determines whether the location indicated by the feature location information is within the recognizable range and decides whether to set it to a high-sensitivity state or a low-sensitivity state. However, a range narrower than the recognizable range may be defined, and it may be determined whether the location indicated by the feature location information is within this range and decide whether to set it to a high-sensitivity state or a low-sensitivity state.

[0064] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, sensors 20A to 20D were operated in a high-sensitivity state when the location indicated by the feature location information was within the recognizable range, and sensors 20A to 20D were operated in a low-sensitivity state when the location indicated by the feature location information was outside the recognizable range. However, the scan range of the sensors may be changed based on whether or not the location indicated by the feature location information is within the recognizable range. That is, if the location indicated by the feature location information is outside the recognizable range, the scan range may be narrowed (including 0), and if the location indicated by the feature location information is within the recognizable range, the scan range may be widened to the extent that the current information of the feature can be acquired in sufficient detail.

[0065] Furthermore, although the sensor control device 1 is positioned on a vehicle as a mobile body in the above embodiment, it may also be positioned on other mobile bodies such as ships or aircraft, and the object to be recognized by the sensor can be any appropriate object depending on the route of the mobile body on which the sensor control device is positioned.

[0066] Furthermore, although the above embodiment assumes that sensors 20A to 20D are optical sensors, the sensors can be any type with a limited recognition range, and may use sound waves or electromagnetic waves.

[0067] Furthermore, while the best configurations and methods for carrying out the present invention are disclosed in the above description, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, although the present invention is particularly illustrated and described with respect to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the embodiments described above in terms of shape, material, quantity, and other detailed configurations without departing from the scope of the technical idea and objectives of the present invention. Therefore, the descriptions of shapes, materials, etc. disclosed above are illustrative to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. Accordingly, descriptions of components with some or all of these limitations removed are included in the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0068] 1. Sensor control device 2. Communication Unit (First Acquisition Unit, External Output Unit) 3 Current position acquisition unit (current position information acquisition unit) 4. Control Unit (First Acquisition Unit, Second Acquisition Unit) 20A~20D Sensor 100 vehicles (mobile vehicles)

Claims

1. A first acquisition unit that acquires feature information, including feature location information regarding the location of the feature, A sensor having a projection unit that projects electromagnetic waves and a receiving unit that receives reflected electromagnetic waves from a geological object, comprising a second acquisition unit that acquires sensor information including recognition range information relating to a recognition range which is an area determined based on a distance at which the sensor can recognize the geological object, A third acquisition unit that acquires current location information indicating the current location information of the sensor or the moving object on which the sensor is located, The system comprises a control unit that controls the sensitivity of the sensor based on the object location information acquired by the first acquisition unit, the sensor information acquired by the second acquisition unit, and the current location information acquired by the third acquisition unit. The control unit is characterized in that, when the position indicated by the feature position information is located outside the recognizable range, it operates the sensor in a first state where the sensitivity of the sensor is lower than when the position indicated by the feature position information is located within the recognizable range.

2. The sensor control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recognizable range is an area determined by the maximum recognition distance and angular range of the sensor.

3. The sensor control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit operates in a second state in which the sensitivity is higher when the position indicated by the feature position information is located within the recognizable range than when the position indicated by the feature position information is located outside the recognizable range.

4. The sensor control device according to claim 3, characterized in that, in the second state, the sensor increases at least one of the number of measurements in a predetermined scan range and the energy consumed by the projection unit per measurement compared to the first state.

5. The sensor information includes detailed recognition range information relating to the proximity recognition range within the recognitionable range and the normal recognition range outside the proximity recognition range within the recognitionable range. The control unit operates the sensor in a first high-sensitivity state when the position indicated by the feature location information is within the normal recognition range, and operates the sensor in a second high-sensitivity state when the position indicated by the feature location information is within the proximity recognition range. The sensor control device according to claim 4, characterized in that the sensor operates with lower sensitivity in the second high-sensitivity state than in the first high-sensitivity state.

6. The control unit is configured to control the sensitivity of the plurality of sensors, and independently controls the sensitivity of the plurality of sensors based on the location information of the feature, the sensor information of each of the plurality of sensors, and the current location information of the plurality of sensors or a moving body on which the plurality of sensors are arranged. This is the sensor control device according to claim 1.

7. The sensor control device according to claim 1, further comprising an external output unit that acquires current information of the feature and outputs the acquired current information to the outside.

8. Placed on the mobile unit, The sensor control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor is capable of acquiring, as current information, at least one of the following: information relating to objects on the path of the moving object and information relating to surrounding objects located around the path.

9. A sensor control method used by a sensor control device, A first acquisition step involves acquiring feature information, including feature location information, regarding the location of the feature. A sensor having a projection unit that projects electromagnetic waves and a receiving unit that receives reflected waves of the electromagnetic waves from a geological object, comprising a second acquisition step of acquiring sensor information including recognizable range information relating to a recognizable range which is an area determined based on a distance at which the sensor can recognize the geological object, A third acquisition step of acquiring current location information indicating the current location information of the sensor or the moving object on which the sensor is located, The process includes a control step that controls the sensitivity of the sensor based on the object location information acquired in the first acquisition step, the sensor information acquired in the second acquisition step, and the current location information acquired in the third acquisition step. The sensor information includes at least recognition range information relating to a recognition range which is an area determined based on the distance at which the sensor can recognize the feature, A sensor control method characterized in that, when the position indicated by the feature position information is located outside the recognizable range, the control unit operates the sensor in a first state, where the sensitivity is lower than when the position indicated by the feature position information is located within the recognizable range.

10. A sensor control program characterized by causing a computer to execute the sensor control method described in claim 10.

11. A computer-readable recording medium characterized by storing the sensor control program described in claim 11.

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