Crowdsourced Electronic Map Updates Using Vehicle Sensor Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic maps used for navigation and autonomous driving are often outdated due to the limited coverage of roads and infrastructure, as they rely on specialized vehicles with expensive hardware for updates, which are not efficient for frequently used or new routes.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a fleet of motor vehicles detect and assign positions to objects using sensor devices, generating data sets that represent detected objects and their positions, which are then used to update electronic maps, extending the detection range beyond physical sensors and incorporating indirect information from nearby infrastructure elements, allowing for crowdsourced updates and improved map accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If specialized vehicles with expensive measurement technology are used to update electronic maps, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables standard motor vehicles with existing sensors to perform map updating functions previously reserved for specialized vehicles. The system allows ordinary vehicles to contribute map data using their built-in sensor devices, eliminating the need for dedicated mapping vehicles with expensive specialized equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows motor vehicles to automatically detect, record, and transmit their own position and sensor data for map updating purposes. Vehicles self-generate the object data sets representing infrastructure elements they encounter, eliminating the need for manual data collection by specialized teams.
2Loss of information
If specialized vehicles drive along routes to update maps, then map data is collected, but productivity is reduced due to limited road coverage and time delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines data from multiple sources - position data from GPS receivers, sensor data from various detectors, and map data from servers - into unified object data sets. This integration allows comprehensive map updating through aggregated contributions from many vehicles rather than sequential coverage by single specialized vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous map updating as vehicles operate in their normal service roles throughout the day. Instead of periodic specialized mapping expeditions, map data is continuously collected and updated whenever any vehicle in the fleet operates, ensuring constant data freshness without disrupting normal vehicle usage.
3Productivity
If crowdsourcing approach is used with many different motor vehicles, then productivity is improved and cost is reduced, but measurement precision and reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates server-based validation and processing of object data sets received from multiple vehicles. The server evaluates, verifies, and integrates the crowd-sourced data, providing feedback mechanisms to ensure data quality, resolve conflicts, and maintain precision standards even when collecting data from diverse sources with varying sensor capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method for updating an electronic map. The method includes detecting at least one first object by means of a sensor device of a motor vehicle and assigning a position of the motor vehicle, detected by means of a position detecting device of the motor vehicle, to the detected first object. The method also includes generating a first object data set representing the detected first object and the position assigned to the first object, by means of an evaluation device of the motor vehicle. The method further includes deriving a second object data set, representing a second object external to the vehicle, which is different from the first object detected, from the first object data set. The method also includes updating the electronic map by adding map data corresponding to the second object data set to the map or by removing map data contradicting the second object data set from the map by means of a computing device to improve updating of the electronic map.