Method and system for determining speed limit of vehicle on the basis of speed limit sign information

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for determining a speed limit of a vehicle on the basis of speed limit sign information, comprising: obtaining speed limit sign information stored in a vehicle, wherein the stored speed limit sign information comprises first position information and a first speed limit value of a first speed limit sign; determining first positional relationship information on the basis of the first position information, wherein the first positional relationship information is used for indicating a positional relationship between the first speed limit sign and the lane in which the vehicle is traveling; obtaining second speed limit sign information on a road, wherein the second speed limit sign information comprises second position information and a second speed limit value of a second speed limit sign; determining second positional relationship information on the basis of the second position information, wherein the second positional relationship information is used for indicating a positional relationship between the second speed limit sign and the lane in which the vehicle is traveling; and on the basis of the second positional relationship information and the first positional relationship information, processing the stored speed limit sign information. The present invention further relates to a corresponding system, vehicle, computer program product and computer-readable storage medium.

Description

Method and system for determining speed limit of vehicle according to speed limit sign information

[0001] The present application claims priority from the Chinese Patent Application No. 202410726280.8 filed on June 5, 2024 and entitled "Method and system for determining speed limit of vehicle according to speed limit sign information", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety as part of the present application. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to a method for determining speed limit of vehicle according to speed limit sign information, a system for determining speed limit of vehicle according to speed limit sign information, a vehicle having the system, a computer program product and a computer readable storage medium for executing the method. BACKGROUND

[0003] In an assisted driving system or an autonomous driving system of a vehicle, the vehicle utilizes sensors to perceive the surrounding environment, and controls the driving of the vehicle according to useful environmental information, either assisting or replacing the driver.

[0004] In a traffic sign recognition (TSR) system, road signs appearing on the road where the motor vehicle is driving can be recognized, and displayed and / or warned to the driver accordingly, so as to improve the driving safety. In addition, in a speed recognition limit (SRL) system based on vehicle detection information, the driving speed of the vehicle can be controlled according to the speed limit traffic sign. For example, when the vehicle is in a speed cruise or adaptive cruise or autonomous driving state, the vehicle can determine the road speed limit according to the recognized speed limit sign, and can further limit the maximum driving speed of the vehicle or issue a prompt when the vehicle exceeds the speed limit. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application provides a method for determining speed limit of vehicle according to speed limit sign information. In a case where the speed limit sign of the lane where the vehicle is located can be recognized, the speed limit sign of the current lane can be adopted. In a case where the speed limit sign of the lane where the vehicle is located cannot be recognized, the speed limit value on the speed limit sign of the adjacent lane can be adopted.

[0006] The application provides a method for determining a speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information, the method comprising: obtaining stored speed limit sign information in the vehicle, the stored speed limit sign information comprising first position information and a first speed limit value of a first speed limit sign; determining first position relationship information according to the first position information, the first position relationship information being used to describe a position relationship between the first speed limit sign and a lane where the vehicle is located; obtaining second speed limit sign information in a road, the second speed limit sign information comprising second position information and a second speed limit value of a second speed limit sign; determining second position relationship information according to the second position information, the second position relationship information being used to describe a position relationship between the second speed limit sign and the lane where the vehicle is located; and processing the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information.

[0007] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, processing the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises: determining whether the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane where the vehicle is located based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information; and in the case that the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane where the vehicle is located, processing the stored speed limit sign information according to a first speed limit value and / or a second speed limit value included in the speed limit sign corresponding to the lane where the vehicle is located among the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign.

[0008] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, in the case that the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign both correspond to the lane where the vehicle is located, the stored speed limit sign information is processed according to a maximum value among the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value.

[0009] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, processing the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises: determining whether the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane where the vehicle is located based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information; and in the case that neither the second speed limit sign nor the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane where the vehicle is located, processing the stored speed limit sign information according to a maximum value among the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value.

[0010] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, processing the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises: if the second speed limit sign corresponds to the lane where the vehicle is located and the first speed limit sign does not correspond to the lane where the vehicle is located, updating the stored speed limit sign information by using the second speed limit sign information.

[0011] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, processing the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises comparing the second speed limit value and the first speed limit value if neither the second speed limit sign nor the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, and updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value.

[0012] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, processing the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises comparing the second speed limit value and the first speed limit value if neither the second speed limit sign nor the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, and updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value.

[0013] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, determining whether the second position relationship information and / or the first position relationship information corresponds comprises determining a lateral distance from the position of the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign to the lane in which the vehicle is located, wherein the lateral distance extends perpendicular to a direction in which the lane extends, and comparing the lateral distance to a lateral distance threshold to determine whether the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located.

[0014] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, the lateral distance threshold is in a range of 2 to 5 meters. Illustratively, the lateral distance threshold is 3 meters.

[0015] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, if the second speed limit sign information comprises a plurality of speed limit values, a maximum value of the plurality of speed limit values is determined as the second speed limit value.

[0016] The present disclosure also provides a system for determining a speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information, the system comprising: a storage unit providing stored speed limit sign information, the stored speed limit sign information comprising first position information and a first speed limit value of a first speed limit sign; an image recording unit configured to record a second speed limit sign in a road; an image recognition unit configured to recognize second position information and a second speed limit value of the second speed limit sign; a control unit configured to perform the following steps: determining whether the second speed limit sign corresponds to a lane in which the vehicle is located according to the second position information; determining whether the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located according to the first position information; if the second speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located and the first speed limit sign does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information; if the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign both correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, comparing the second speed limit value with the first speed limit value, and if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information; and if neither the second speed limit sign nor the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, comparing the second speed limit value with the first speed limit value, and if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information.

[0017] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to limit the speed of the vehicle according to the first speed limit value in the stored speed limit sign information.

[0018] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to issue a warning if the speed of the vehicle is greater than the first speed limit value in the stored speed limit sign information.

[0019] The present disclosure also provides a vehicle having the system according to the above embodiments.

[0020] The present disclosure also provides a computer program product comprising a computer program which, when executed by a processor, is configured to perform the method for determining a speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information according to the above embodiments.

[0021] The present disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, are configured to perform the method for determining a speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information according to the above embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some of the example embodiments of the present disclosure, and other embodiments can also be obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative labor on the basis of these embodiments.

[0023] In the drawings,

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a highway with multiple lanes, where a speed limit sign is arranged for each lane,

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a state diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a schematic flowchart of a method for determining a speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a system for determining a speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In order to make the purposes, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure more obvious, the example embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all the embodiments of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the example embodiments described here.

[0029] In addition, in the present specification and drawings, substantially the same or similar steps and elements are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and repeated descriptions of these steps and elements will be omitted.

[0030] In addition, in the present specification and drawings, elements are described in singular or plural form according to the embodiments. However, the selection of singular and plural forms for the proposed case is only for the convenience of explanation and is not intended to limit the present disclosure thereto. Therefore, the singular form can include the plural form, and the plural form can also include the singular form, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0031] In addition, in the present specification and drawings, the term "first / second" referred to is only to distinguish similar objects, and does not represent a specific order of the objects. Understandably, "first / second" can be interchanged with a specific order or sequence as allowed, so that the embodiments of the present disclosure described here can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described here.

[0032] Also, in the present specification and drawings, terms relating to orientation or positional relationship, such as "upper", "lower", "vertical", "horizontal", etc., used in the present specification and drawings are used only for the convenience of description of embodiments according to the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure thereto. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation on the present disclosure.

[0033] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a highway 100 having multiple lanes, with speed limit signs arranged for each lane. On a highway having multiple lanes, speed limit signs for individual lanes are typically arranged above the highway by gantry. For example, in the highway 100 shown in Fig. 1, the highway 100 has a first lane 111, a second lane 112, and a third lane 113. Above the highway 100, a first speed limit sign 121, a second speed limit sign 122, and a third speed limit sign 123 are arranged by a gantry. The first speed limit sign 121 is used to indicate the maximum speed allowed (100 km / h) and the minimum speed allowed (60 km / h) on the first lane 111; the second speed limit sign 122 is used to indicate the maximum speed allowed (110 km / h) and the minimum speed allowed (90 km / h) on the second lane 112, and the third speed limit sign 123 is used to indicate the maximum speed allowed (120 km / h) and the minimum speed allowed (100 km / h) on the third lane 113. In other words, the first speed limit sign 121, the second speed limit sign 122, and the third speed limit sign 123 correspond to the first lane 111, the second lane 112, and the third lane 113, respectively.

[0034] When a vehicle is driving in one of the three lanes 111, 112, and 113, the vehicle needs to comply with the speed limit sign corresponding to the current lane, in particular the maximum speed allowed.

[0035] In other roads, speed limit signs can be arranged on both sides of the road or other positions. In this case, different speed limit signs correspond to different lanes in the road. For example, the speed limit sign on the left side of the road corresponds to the left lane, and the speed limit sign on the right side of the road corresponds to the right lane.

[0036] In the assisted driving or autonomous driving function of a vehicle, the vehicle is able to recognize speed limit signs on speed limit signs using its camera. In order to determine which of the recognized speed limit signs at a certain moment is the highest speed limit that the current vehicle needs to obey, the present disclosure provides a method for determining the speed limit sign of the current lane based on the lateral distance of the vehicle to the speed limit sign. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the recognized speed limit signs at a certain moment are "polled" and the appropriate speed limit sign information is determined according to the following rules: first, when the vehicle recognizes multiple speed limit signs, the vehicle prioritizes the speed limit sign corresponding to the current lane, and if the speed limit sign of the current lane is blocked, the speed limit sign of the adjacent lane is used. Second, if there are multiple speed limit signs in the speed limit sign to be used, the speed limit sign with the largest value is used, which represents the highest speed limit of the vehicle in the lane.

[0037] Figure 2 shows a state diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle first obtains and stores a speed limit sign information, i.e. the position information of a first speed limit sign and a first speed limit value. The first speed limit value may, for example, be the speed limit value on the first speed limit sign recognized by the vehicle. In the absence of the recognition of another speed limit sign or speed limit value, the highest speed of the vehicle is limited to the first speed limit value at the moment.

[0038] When the vehicle recognizes a new speed limit sign while driving, i.e. obtains the position information of a second speed limit sign and a second speed limit value, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it can be determined whether to use the second speed limit value to replace the first speed limit value stored in the vehicle at present based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information, i.e. whether the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, and the size relationship between the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value. Specifically, whether the second speed limit value should replace the first speed limit value can be considered in the following four states:

[0039] In the first state 210, the first speed limit sign corresponding to the first speed limit value corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located (i.e. the current lane), and the second speed limit sign corresponding to the second speed limit value also corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located. In the first state 210, both the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value are considered to be the speed limit of the current lane. The first speed limit value is compared with the second speed limit value. If the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, the second speed limit value replaces the first speed limit value stored in the vehicle for limiting the highest speed of the vehicle. If the second speed limit value is less than the first speed limit value, the first speed limit value is not replaced.

[0040] In the second state 220, the first speed limit sign corresponding to the first speed limit value does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, and the second speed limit sign corresponding to the second speed limit value also does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located. In the second state 220, both the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value are considered to be speed limits for adjacent lanes or other lanes. The second state 220 can occur when the forward field of view of the host vehicle is obstructed. For example, when the forward vehicle of the host vehicle is a large truck or bus, the speed limit sign on the gantry in front of the host vehicle can be obstructed. In the second state 220, the speed limit value on the speed limit sign corresponding to the adjacent lane or other lane is used by the vehicle to limit the current speed. In the second state 220, the first speed limit value is compared with the second speed limit value. If the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, the second speed limit value replaces the first speed limit value stored in the vehicle for limiting the maximum speed of the vehicle. If the second speed limit value is less than the first speed limit value, the first speed limit value is not replaced.

[0041] In the third state 230, the first speed limit sign corresponding to the first speed limit value corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, and the second speed limit sign corresponding to the second speed limit value does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located. In the third state 230, the first speed limit value is considered to be a speed limit for the current lane, and the second speed limit value is considered to be a speed limit for adjacent lanes or other lanes. Therefore, the first speed limit value is not replaced without considering the second speed limit value.

[0042] In the fourth state 240, the first speed limit sign corresponding to the first speed limit value does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, and the second speed limit sign corresponding to the second speed limit value corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located. In the fourth state 240, the second speed limit value is considered to be a speed limit for the current lane, and the first speed limit value is considered to be a speed limit for adjacent lanes or other lanes. Therefore, the second speed limit value replaces the first speed limit value stored in the vehicle for limiting the maximum speed of the vehicle.

[0043] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, the first speed limit sign and / or the second speed limit sign corresponding to the lane in which the vehicle is located can in particular mean that the first speed limit sign and / or the second speed limit sign is located in the lane in which the vehicle is located or directly above the lane in which the vehicle is located, as shown in Fig. 1.

[0044] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information, it is determined whether the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located; and in the case that the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, the stored speed limit sign information can be processed according to the first speed limit value and / or the second speed limit value included in the speed limit sign corresponding to the lane in which the vehicle is located in the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign. In other words, the speed limit sign corresponding to the current lane can be prioritized to process the stored speed limit sign information. Exemplarily, in the third state 230 as shown in FIG. 2, the first speed limit sign corresponds to the current lane while the second speed limit sign does not correspond to the current lane. Therefore, the second speed limit value is not considered and the first speed limit value is not replaced. Here, the traffic sign recognition system in the motor vehicle will continue to use the first speed limit value included in the first speed limit sign corresponding to the current lane. Exemplarily, in the fourth state 240 as shown in FIG. 2, the second speed limit sign corresponds to the current lane while the first speed limit sign does not correspond to the current lane. Therefore, the second speed limit value should be considered to replace the first speed limit value. Here, the traffic sign recognition system in the motor vehicle can use the second speed limit value included in the second speed limit sign corresponding to the current lane to replace the first speed limit value, store it in the vehicle and use it to limit the maximum speed of the vehicle, prompt the driver, etc.

[0045] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, in the case that multiple speed limit signs, for example, the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign, correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, the stored speed limit sign information can be processed based on the size relationship of the speed limit values included in the multiple speed limit signs. Preferably, the maximum value among the speed limit values is used to process the stored speed limit sign information. Exemplarily, in the first state 210 as shown in FIG. 2, the first speed limit sign and the second speed limit sign both correspond to the current lane. Therefore, further, the size relationship of the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value can be considered. In the case that the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, it indicates that for the current lane, a higher allowed speed limit value can be used. Therefore, the updated speed limit value, i.e., the second speed limit value, can be used to replace the currently stored first speed limit value. In addition, if the second speed limit value is less than the first speed limit value, it indicates that the higher allowed speed limit value can be the first speed limit value rather than the second speed limit value. Therefore, the second speed limit value is not considered and the first speed limit value is not replaced.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it can be determined, based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information, whether the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located; and in the case that neither the second speed limit sign nor the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, the stored speed limit sign information is processed according to the maximum of the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value. In other words, in the case that neither the first speed limit sign nor the second speed limit sign corresponds to the current lane, as shown in the second state 220 of FIG. 2, the maximum of the speed limit values of the speed limit signs corresponding to the lanes adjacent to the current lane can be considered to "replace" the speed limit value corresponding to the current lane. In the case that the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, it means that for the lanes adjacent to the current lane, a higher allowed speed limit value can be used at present. Therefore, the second speed limit value can be referred to instead of the first speed limit value stored at present. In addition, if the second speed limit value is less than the first speed limit value, it means that the higher allowed speed limit value can be the first speed limit value stored instead of the second speed limit value. Therefore, the second speed limit value is not considered and the first speed limit value is not replaced.

[0047] According to the state diagram shown in FIG. 2, the present disclosure proposes a method 300 for determining the speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information. FIG. 3 shows a schematic flowchart of the method 300. In step S310, the speed limit sign information stored in the vehicle is first obtained. The stored speed limit sign information includes first position information of a first speed limit sign and a first speed limit value. In step S320, the current speed limit sign information in the road, i.e., second speed limit sign information, is obtained. The second speed limit sign information includes second position information of a second speed limit sign and a second speed limit value. The execution order of steps S310 and S320 can also be exchanged or can be performed simultaneously.

[0048] In step S330, it is determined according to the second position information whether the second speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located. If the second speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, it is further determined in step S340 according to the first position information whether the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located. If the second speed limit sign does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, it is further determined in step S350 according to the first position information whether the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located.

[0049] The negative result of step S340 corresponds to the fourth state 240 shown in FIG. 2, i.e., the second speed limit value is considered as the speed limit for the current lane, and the first speed limit value is considered as the speed limit for the adjacent lane or other lane. Therefore, the stored speed limit sign information can be updated, i.e., the first speed limit value is replaced, using the second speed limit sign information.

[0050] An affirmative result of step S340 corresponds to the first state 210 shown in Fig. 2, i.e. both the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value are considered to be speed limits for the subject lane. In a subsequent step S360, the second speed limit value is compared to the first speed limit value for size. If the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, the stored speed limit sign information is updated with the second speed limit sign information. If the second speed limit value is less than the first speed limit value, the second speed limit value is disregarded and the first speed limit value is not replaced.

[0051] A negative result of step S350 corresponds to the second state 220 shown in Fig. 2, i.e. both the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value are considered to be speed limits for the adjacent lane or other lane. In a subsequent step S370, the second speed limit value is compared to the first speed limit value for size. If the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, the stored speed limit sign information is updated with the second speed limit sign information. If the second speed limit value is less than the first speed limit value, the second speed limit value is disregarded and the first speed limit value is not replaced.

[0052] An affirmative result of step S350 corresponds to the third state 230 shown in Fig. 2, i.e. the first speed limit value is considered to be a speed limit for the subject lane and the second speed limit value is considered to be a speed limit for the adjacent lane or other lane. The second speed limit value is therefore disregarded and the first speed limit value is not replaced.

[0053] In the method according to the present disclosure, speed limit signs of the lane in which the vehicle is located have priority over speed limit signs of adjacent lanes, and speed limit values of higher speed have priority over speed limit values of lower speed. In cases where a speed limit sign of the lane in which the vehicle is located can be identified, the speed limit sign of the subject lane can be employed. In cases where a speed limit sign of the lane in which the vehicle is located cannot be identified, a speed limit value on a speed limit sign of an adjacent lane can be employed.

[0054] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, the vehicle can for example simultaneously identify a plurality of speed limit signs and a plurality of speed limit values on these speed limit signs as the vehicle approaches a gantry. These speed limit values can be input into the method 300 of the present disclosure in turn, whereby the method 300 of the present disclosure is executed in a loop. Ultimately, the highest speed limit value that the vehicle should currently adhere to can be determined from the speed limit values.

[0055] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, determining whether a speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located according to the position information of the speed limit sign can for example be achieved by determining a lateral distance of the position of the speed limit sign to the lane in which the vehicle is located, wherein the lateral distance extends perpendicular to the direction in which the lane extends. The lateral distance is compared to a lateral distance threshold value to determine whether the speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located.

[0056] The lateral distance threshold is related to the lane width. In embodiments according to the present disclosure, the lateral distance threshold can be set in the range of 2 to 5 meters, for example. In particular, the lateral distance threshold can be set to 3 m, in particular. In this case, if the lateral distance of one speed limit sign is less than 3 m, it is considered that the speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, and otherwise, it is considered that the speed limit sign is located in the adjacent lane of the vehicle.

[0057] In embodiments according to the present disclosure, when there are multiple speed limit values, for example two speed limit values, on one speed limit sign, as shown in FIG. 1. The generally larger speed limit value indicates the maximum speed limit, and the lower speed limit value indicates the minimum speed limit. In this case, in the method step S320 of the above method 300, the maximum value among the multiple speed limit values can be determined as the second speed limit value, for example.

[0058] In the case of identifying multiple speed limit signs and multiple speed limit values, by the above steps, the number of second speed limit values that need to be brought into the method 300 can be reduced, and thus the number of times of loop execution of the method 300 can be reduced.

[0059] Fig. 4 shows a system 400 for determining a speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system 400 comprises a storage unit 410, an image recording unit 420, an image recognition unit 430 and a control unit 440. The storage unit 410 provides stored speed limit sign information, the stored speed limit sign information comprising first position information and a first speed limit value of a first speed limit sign. The image recording unit 420 is configured to record a second speed limit sign in a road. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the image recording unit 420 can be, for example, a camera, in particular a front-view camera of the vehicle. The image recognition unit 430 is configured to recognize second position information and a second speed limit value of the second speed limit sign. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the image recognition unit 420 can be, for example, a vision chip which determines target objects, for example speed limit signs and speed limit values on speed limit signs, from recorded images based on its own recognition algorithm. The control unit 440 is configured to perform the following steps: determining whether the second speed limit sign corresponds to a lane in which the vehicle is located according to the second position information; determining whether the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located according to the first position information; updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information if the second speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located and the first speed limit sign does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located; comparing the second speed limit value with the first speed limit value if both the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, and updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value; and comparing the second speed limit value with the first speed limit value if neither the second speed limit sign nor the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, and updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value. In other words, the control unit 440 is configured to perform the flow of the method 300 shown in Fig. 3. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit 440 can be, for example, an electronic controller unit (ECU) which can receive data information from the image recognition unit 430 and can also receive data information from the storage unit 410.

[0060] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit 440 is configured to limit the speed of the vehicle according to the first speed limit value in the stored speed limit sign information.

[0061] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit 440 is configured to issue a warning when the speed of the vehicle is greater than the first speed limit value in the stored speed limit sign information.

[0062] The present disclosure also provides a vehicle having the system according to the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0063] The present disclosure also provides a computer program product comprising a computer program which, when executed by a processor, is configured to perform the method for determining a speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information according to the above embodiments.

[0064] The present disclosure also provides a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, are configured to perform the method for determining a speed limit of a vehicle according to speed limit sign information according to the above embodiments.

[0065] The present disclosure uses certain terms to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are intended to have the following meanings. “First / second embodiments”, “an embodiment”, and / or “some embodiments” means that a certain feature, structure, or characteristic described in one or more embodiments is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be emphasized that a repeated use of certain terms in the present description is not intended to necessarily refer to the same embodiment, unless otherwise explicitly stated. Moreover, certain features, structures, or characteristics of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined in an appropriate manner.

[0066] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this present disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0067] The above is a description of the present disclosure and should not be considered as limiting. Although several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the claims. It should be understood that the above is a description of the present disclosure and should not be considered as limiting. Although several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the claims. The present disclosure is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for determining a speed limit of a vehicle based on speed limit sign information, comprising: obtaining stored speed limit sign information in the vehicle, the stored speed limit sign information comprising first position information and a first speed limit value of a first speed limit sign; determining first position relationship information based on the first position information, the first position relationship information being used to describe a position relationship between the first speed limit sign and a lane in which the vehicle is located; obtaining second speed limit sign information in a road, the second speed limit sign information comprising second position information and a second speed limit value of a second speed limit sign; determining second position relationship information based on the second position information, the second position relationship information being used to describe a position relationship between the second speed limit sign and the lane in which the vehicle is located; and processing the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information. The processing of the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises:

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, determining whether the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information; and in the case that the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, processing the stored speed limit sign information according to a first speed limit value and / or a second speed limit value comprised in the speed limit sign corresponding to the lane in which the vehicle is located in the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign. in the case that both the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, processing the stored speed limit sign information according to a maximum value between the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The processing of the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises:

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, determining whether the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information; and in the case that neither the second speed limit sign nor the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, processing the stored speed limit sign information according to a maximum value between the first speed limit value and the second speed limit value. The processing of the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises:

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, if the second speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located and the first speed limit sign does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information. The processing of the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises:

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, if both the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, comparing the second speed limit value with the first speed limit value, and if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information. The processing of the stored speed limit sign information based on the second position relationship information and the first position relationship information comprises:

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, ​ If neither the second speed limit sign nor the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, the second speed limit value is compared to the first speed limit value, and if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, the stored speed limit sign information is updated with the second speed limit sign information.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, determining, from the second position information, whether the second speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located; determining a lateral distance of the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign to the lane in which the vehicle is located, wherein the lateral distance extends perpendicular to a direction in which the lane extends; and comparing the lateral distance to a lateral distance threshold to determine whether the second speed limit sign and / or the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the lateral distance threshold is in a range of 2 to 5 meters.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, If the second speed limit sign information comprises a plurality of speed limit values, a maximum value of the plurality of speed limit values is determined as the second speed limit value.

11. A system for determining a speed limit for a vehicle from speed limit sign information, comprising: a storage unit providing stored speed limit sign information, the stored speed limit sign information comprising first position information and a first speed limit value of a first speed limit sign; an image recording unit configured to record a second speed limit sign in a road; an image recognition unit configured to recognize second position information and a second speed limit value of the second speed limit sign; a control unit configured to perform the following steps: determining, from the second position information, whether the second speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located; determining, from the first position information, whether the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located; if the second speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located and the first speed limit sign does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information; if the second speed limit sign and the first speed limit sign both correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is located, comparing the second speed limit value to the first speed limit value, and if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information; and if neither the second speed limit sign nor the first speed limit sign corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is located, comparing the second speed limit value to the first speed limit value, and if the second speed limit value is greater than the first speed limit value, updating the stored speed limit sign information with the second speed limit sign information.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein, the control unit is configured to limit the speed of the vehicle according to the first speed limit value in the stored speed limit sign information.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein, the control unit is configured to issue a warning if the speed of the vehicle is greater than the first speed limit value in the stored speed limit sign information.

14. A vehicle having the system according to any one of claims 11 to 13.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer program which, when executed by a processor, is configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer- executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

Images