Digital Map Landmark Position Accuracy via Sensor Updates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current digital maps used in navigation systems lack sufficient accuracy, which hinders their effectiveness in supporting advanced vehicle applications such as autonomous driving, active safety features, and precise positioning.

Innovation Solution

A digital map enhancement system that continuously updates the pre-stored positions of stationary landmarks using on-board sensor devices, such as vision, radar, or laser sensors, to replace less accurate pre-stored values with more precise detected positions, ensuring improved accuracy and confidence in road information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If pre-stored digital map data is used for navigation, then the system has simple structure and fast access, but the position accuracy of landmarks is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition accuracy of stationary landmarkVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-stores digital map data with landmark positions in advance, creating a baseline database that can be quickly accessed. This preliminary action allows the system to have fast access while later refining the accuracy through sensor-based updates when the vehicle is in operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses sensor devices to detect stationary landmarks and compares their detected positions with pre-stored positions. This feedback mechanism allows the system to identify and correct position inaccuracies, continuously improving measurement precision while maintaining operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If sensor-based detection is used to update map data, then position accuracy improves, but energy consumption and processing load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition accuracy of stationary landmarkVSAvoidenergy consumption of sensor devices
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuously activating all sensor devices, the system performs sensor-based detection partially - only when needed to update specific landmark positions. This selective approach improves position accuracy for critical landmarks while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption and processing load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the vehicle's existing sensor devices and infrastructure to perform map updates, rather than requiring dedicated high-energy systems. This self-service approach leverages available resources efficiently, reducing additional energy consumption while maintaining improved position accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If continuous sensor updates are performed, then map data accuracy improves over time, but processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of digital map dataVSAvoidprocessing time for map updates
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs sensor-based map updates periodically or at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. This periodic action allows the system to improve map data reliability over time through regular updates while minimizing processing time loss by avoiding constant detection and comparison operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system skips unnecessary processing steps by only updating landmark positions when detection confidence is high or when significant position deviations are detected. This selective updating approach improves reliability of critical data while reducing overall processing time by skipping redundant verification steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enhances the accuracy of digital map data, providing more precise road information and improving the reliability of navigation systems, especially in autonomous driving and safety applications, by iteratively refining map data through sensor-based updates.

Implementation Method 1

one or more sensor devices on-board the vehicle adapted for observing the surroundings of the vehicle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadar: Radar

Implementation Method 2

one or more sensor devices on-board the vehicle adapted for observing the surroundings of the vehicle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLIDAR: LIDAR

Data Source

PatentEP3032221B1Method and system for improving accuracy of digital map data utilized by a vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.03.30 VOLVO CAR CORP
  • EP3032221B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3032221B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3032221B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a digital map enhancement system (1) for improving accuracy of pre-stored digital map data (311) of a digital map (31) adapted to be utilized by a vehicle (2). The digital map enhancement system determines (1001) a current position (21) of the vehicle (2), and identifies (1002), in the pre-stored digital map data, a mapped digital landmark (3111) representing a stationary landmark (4) predicted to be in the vicinity of the current position of the vehicle, which mapped digital landmark comprises a pre-stored position (31111) of the stationary landmark. The digital map enhancement system furthermore detects (1003) the stationary landmark by means of one or more sensor devices (5) on-board the vehicle, which one or more sensor devices are adapted for observing the surroundings of the vehicle, and determines (1004) a detected position (41) of the stationary landmark based on the current position of the vehicle and the detection of the stationary landmark. Moreover, the digital map enhancement system updates (1007) the pre-stored position comprised in the mapped digital landmark, with the detected position of the stationary landmark. The disclosure also relates to a digital map enhancement system in accordance with the foregoing, and a vehicle and/or a mobile device (9) comprising at least a portion of the digital map enhancement system.