A high-definition map system receives sensor data from vehicles travelling along routes and combines the data to generate a high definition map for use in driving vehicles, for example, for guiding autonomous vehicles. A pose graph is built from the collected data, each pose representing location and orientation of a vehicle. The pose graph is optimized to minimize constraints between poses. Points associated with surface are assigned a confidence measure determined using a measure of hardness/softness of the surface. A machine-learning-based result filter detects bad alignment results and prevents them from being entered in the subsequent global pose optimization. The alignment framework is parallelizable for execution using a parallel/distributed architecture. Alignment hot spots are detected for further verification and improvement. The system supports incremental updates, thereby allowing refinements of sub-graphs for incrementally improving the high-definition map for keeping it up to date

A high-definition map system receives sensor data from vehicles travelling along routes and combines the data to generate a high definition map for use in driving vehicles, for example, for guiding autonomous vehicles. A pose graph is built from the collected data, each pose representing location and orientation of a vehicle. The pose graph is optimized to minimize constraints between poses. Points associated with surface are assigned a confidence measure determined using a measure of hardness/softness of the surface. A machine-learning-based result filter detects bad alignment results and prevents them from being entered in the subsequent global pose optimization. The alignment framework is parallelizable for execution using a parallel/distributed architecture. Alignment hot spots are detected for further verification and improvement. The system supports incremental updates, thereby allowing refinements of sub-graphs for incrementally improving the high-definition map for keeping it up to date

The invention relates to a calibration tool and a method for calibrating a laser-triangulation measuring system, wherein the calibration tool comprises a tool body that defines a reference plane and that is rotatable relative to the measuring system about a rotation axis perpendicular to said reference plane, wherein the tool body is provided with one or more calibration surfaces that define a pattern of calibration positions, wherein the pattern comprises at least three columns extending in a radial direction away from the rotation axis and at least three rows extending in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis, wherein for each column the calibration positions within said respective column vary in height relative to the reference plane in a height direction perpendicular to said reference plane and wherein for each row the calibration positions within the respective row vary in height in the height direction relative to the reference plane.

The invention relates to a calibration tool and a method for calibrating a laser-triangulation measuring system, wherein the calibration tool comprises a tool body that defines a reference plane and that is rotatable relative to the measuring system about a rotation axis perpendicular to said reference plane, wherein the tool body is provided with one or more calibration surfaces that define a pattern of calibration positions, wherein the pattern comprises at least three columns extending in a radial direction away from the rotation axis and at least three rows extending in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis, wherein for each column the calibration positions within said respective column vary in height relative to the reference plane in a height direction perpendicular to said reference plane and wherein for each row the calibration positions within the respective row vary in height in the height direction relative to the reference plane.

A high-definition map system receives sensor data from vehicles traveling along routes and combines the data to generate a high definition map for use in driving vehicles, for example, for guiding autonomous vehicles. A pose graph is built from the collected data, each pose representing location and orientation of a vehicle. The pose graph is optimized to minimize constraints between poses. Points associated with surface are assigned a confidence measure determined using a measure of hardness/softness of the surface. A machine-learning-based result filter detects bad alignment results and prevents them from being entered in the subsequent global pose optimization. The alignment framework is parallelizable for execution using a parallel/distributed architecture. Alignment hot spots are detected for further verification and improvement. The system supports incremental updates, thereby allowing refinements of subgraphs for incrementally improving the high-definition map for keeping it up to date.

A high-definition map system receives sensor data from vehicles traveling along routes and combines the data to generate a high definition map for use in driving vehicles, for example, for guiding autonomous vehicles. A pose graph is built from the collected data, each pose representing location and orientation of a vehicle. The pose graph is optimized to minimize constraints between poses. Points associated with surface are assigned a confidence measure determined using a measure of hardness/softness of the surface. A machine-learning-based result filter detects bad alignment results and prevents them from being entered in the subsequent global pose optimization. The alignment framework is parallelizable for execution using a parallel/distributed architecture. Alignment hot spots are detected for further verification and improvement. The system supports incremental updates, thereby allowing refinements of subgraphs for incrementally improving the high-definition map for keeping it up to date.

A method and a device for determining a highly precise position and for operating an automated vehicle, including: detecting surroundings data values, the surroundings data values representing surroundings of the automated vehicle, the surroundings encompassing at least two surroundings features, determining a pattern, as a function of the at least two surroundings features, reading in map data values, the map data values representing a map, the map representing at least the surroundings of the automated vehicle, the map encompassing a reference pattern, determining the highly precise position of the automated vehicle, proceeding from a comparison of the pattern to the reference pattern, and operating the automated vehicle, as a function of the highly precise position.

Provided is a survey system capable of more highly accurately obtaining a product of a three-dimensional survey. A survey system includes a mobile body, a scanner including an emitting unit, a light receiving unit, a distance measuring unit, a first optical axis deflecting unit disposed on an optical axis of the distance measuring light and configured to deflect a distance measuring light, a second optical axis deflecting unit disposed on a light receiving optical axis of the reflected distance measuring light and configured to deflect a reflected distance measuring light at the same angle in the same direction as those of the first optical axis deflecting unit, and an emitting direction detecting unit to detect deflection angles and directions of the first and the second optical axis deflecting units, a posture detecting device of the scanner, and a position measuring device of the scanner.

Provided is a survey system capable of more highly accurately obtaining a product of a three-dimensional survey. A survey system includes a mobile body, a scanner including an emitting unit, a light receiving unit, a distance measuring unit, a first optical axis deflecting unit disposed on an optical axis of the distance measuring light and configured to deflect a distance measuring light, a second optical axis deflecting unit disposed on a light receiving optical axis of the reflected distance measuring light and configured to deflect a reflected distance measuring light at the same angle in the same direction as those of the first optical axis deflecting unit, and an emitting direction detecting unit to detect deflection angles and directions of the first and the second optical axis deflecting units, a posture detecting device of the scanner, and a position measuring device of the scanner.

The present disclosure relates to a tracking system for tracking the position and/or orientation of an object in an environment, the tracking system including: at least one camera mounted to the object; a plurality of spaced apart targets, at least some of said targets viewable by the at least one camera; and, one or more electronic processing devices configured to: determine target position data indicative of the relative spatial position of the targets; receive image data indicative of an image from the at least one camera, said image including at least some of the targets; process the image data to: identify one or more targets in the image; determine pixel array coordinates corresponding to a position of the one or more targets in the image; and, use the processed image data to determine the position and/or orientation of the object by triangulation.