SELF-LOCALIZATION OF A VEHICLE BASED ON AN INITIAL POSE

Abstract

According to a method for self-localization, a vehicle is detected by a vehicle-external sensor system of a parking infrastructure when it is located in a detection region of the vehicle-external sensor system. By way of a vehicle-external communication interface of the parking infrastructure, position information regarding the detection region is relayed in dependence on the detection of the vehicle to at least one vehicle computer unit and an initial pose of the vehicle is determined by the at least one vehicle computer unit in dependence on the position information.

Claims

1. A method for self-localization of a vehicle in a parking structure, comprising: detecting the vehicle, by a vehicle-external sensor system of the parking structure, when the vehicle is located in a detection region of the vehicle-external sensor system; relaying position information regarding the detection region, in dependence on detection of the vehicle, by a vehicle-external communication interface of the parking structure, to at least one vehicle computer unit; and determining an initial pose of the vehicle, by the at least one vehicle computer unit, in dependence on the position information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: environment sensor data are generated by an environment sensor system of the vehicle, representing an environment of the vehicle; a landmark in the environment is detected by the at least one vehicle computer unit based on the environment sensor data; the detected landmark is compared by the at least one vehicle computer unit against a digital map; and a detected pose of the vehicle is determined by the at least one vehicle computer unit depending on the initial pose and the result of the comparison.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: in the course of the comparing of the detected landmark against the digital map, two or more reference landmarks that are stored in the digital map are identified; depending on the initial pose, precisely one of the two or more reference landmarks is selected; and the current pose is determined based on the selected reference landmark.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the digital map is relayed by the vehicle-external communication interface to the at least one vehicle computer unit.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: an electromagnetic signal is emitted in the direction of the vehicle by a signal source of the vehicle external sensor system; portions of the electromagnetic signal reflected by the vehicle are detected by a detector of the vehicle-external sensor system; and the vehicle is detected in the detection region in dependence on the detected reflected portions.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: a light beam is emitted in the direction of the vehicle by a signal source of the vehicle external sensor system; an interruption of the light beam by the vehicle is recognized by the vehicle-external sensor system in order to detect the vehicle in the detection region.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a camera image is generated by a camera of the vehicle external sensor system, the image depicting the vehicle, in order to detect the vehicle in the detection region.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: based on the camera image, a relative position of the vehicle in the camera image and/or a relative orientation of the vehicle in the camera image is identified; and the initial pose of the vehicle is determined in dependence on the relative position and/or the relative orientation.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein: a user interface is actuated in order to open a device blocking a roadway for the vehicle; the actuating of the user interface is detected by the vehicle-external sensor system, in order to detect the vehicle in the detection region.

10. A system for self-localization of a vehicle in a parking structure, comprising: a vehicle-external sensor system, which is adapted to detect the vehicle when the vehicle is located in a detection region of the vehicle-external sensor system; and at least one vehicle computer unit as well as a vehicle-external communication interface, which is adapted to relay position information regarding the detection region to the at least one vehicle computer unit in dependence on the detection of the vehicle; wherein the at least one vehicle computer unit is adapted to determine an initial pose of the vehicle in dependence on the position information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] The FIGURE shows, schematically, an embodiment of a system for self-localization of a vehicle in a parking infrastructure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] In the embodiments described herein, the components described each represent individual features to be viewed independently of each other, which may also develop further independently of each other and therefore should also be viewed as part of the disclosure individually or in a combination other than the one shown. Furthermore, the embodiments described can also be supplemented with other of the features already described.

[0050] The FIGURE shows the vehicle 2, which finds itself in the access zone of a parking infrastructure. The system 1 for self-localization of the vehicle 2 comprises a vehicle computer unit 3, which can contain for example one or more electronic controllers or electronic control units ECU of the vehicle 2 or be part of an ECU. The system 1 furthermore comprises a vehicle-external sensor system, for example, a light barrier 5a and/or a camera 5b, as well as an evaluation unit 6 coupled to the light barrier 5a and/or the camera 5b. The system 1 furthermore comprises a vehicle-external communication interface 7 connected to the evaluation unit 6 or the vehicle-external sensor system for wireless transmission of data to the vehicle computer unit 3.

[0051] Now, when the vehicle 2 drives through the detection region of the light barrier 5a, the evaluation unit 6 recognizes the presence of the vehicle 2 in the corresponding detection region. The position of the light barrier 5a is stored in a predetermined digital map (not shown). The digital map can be stored on the evaluation unit 6 and/or the vehicle computer unit 3 and/or some other computing unit of the parking infrastructure. In response to the detection of the vehicle 2 crossing the light barrier 5a, the evaluation unit 6 can transmit corresponding position information to the vehicle computer unit 3 via the vehicle-external communication interface 7. The vehicle computer unit 3 can then determine the initial position of the vehicle 2 in the map coordinates system of the digital map based on the position information. For example, the roadway in the detection region or in the entry zone of the parking infrastructure may likewise be indicated, so that the vehicle computer unit 3 can determine the initial pose of the vehicle 2.

[0052] Alternatively or additionally to the detection of the vehicle 2 by means of the light barrier 5a, the camera 5b can generate a camera image, depicting the vehicle 2 in the visual field of the camera 5b and based on this the evaluation unit 6 can relay the position information to the vehicle computer unit 3 via the communication interface 7.

[0053] The camera 5b for example can be calibrated and measured in the map coordinates system so that the corresponding visual field is known precisely in the map coordinates system.

[0054] Instead of or in addition to the light barrier 5a, a mechanical barrier can also be used, such as one which can be opened by pressing a button, so that it is also possible to transmit for example information as to the entry lane where the vehicle 2 is situated, in order to determine even more accurately the position and/or orientation of the vehicle 2.

[0055] Based on the camera image, the evaluation unit 6 in various embodiments can also detect and read out a number plate of the vehicle 2 and relay to the vehicle 2 the thus determined position of its own number plate. In order to prevent the data regarding the number plate from being read by other possibly unauthorized vehicles or persons, an encryption method can be used, such as an encryption method relying on a public key.

[0056] For this, for example, each vehicle can send a corresponding public key to the parking infrastructure, especially the evaluation unit 6. The evaluation unit 6 can then encrypt the detected data based on the camera image with the corresponding public key and provide this data over a public transmission pathway. Each of the vehicles can use its corresponding private key to decrypt the message intended for the particular vehicle.

[0057] The radio transmission pathways for transmission of the position information can also be used in various embodiments for the transmission of other information. Thus, for example, the vehicle 2 can send to the evaluation unit 6, as just described, the public key or other vehicle-specific information relevant to the parking, such as a handicapped condition of the driver, the size or the excessive size of the vehicle, and so forth. The evaluation unit 6 can also send to the vehicle computer unit 3 a public key for safeguarding the upload data, the digital map, a position of a target parking place and/or a proposed route to the target parking place via the communication interface 7.

[0058] After the initial pose of the vehicle 2 has been determined, the vehicle 2 can move into the parking infrastructure, for example autonomously. At a later time, an environment sensor system 4 of the vehicle 2, such as a radar system, a lidar system and/or a camera system of the vehicle 2 can generate corresponding environment sensor data in order to detect landmarks 8a, 8b, 8c present in the parking infrastructure. In the non-limiting example of the FIGURE, the landmarks 8a, 8b, 8c may contain intersections of lane marking lines, for example to define the parking places.

[0059] The detected landmark 8a, 8b, 8c can be compared by means of the vehicle computer unit 3 against the digital map and it can be identified distinctly together with the initial pose, so that a current or relevant pose of the vehicle 2 can be determined with high accuracy and reliability.

[0060] As described in particular with respect to the FIGURE, some embodiments make it possible to achieve a greater accuracy and reliability in the self-localization of vehicles, especially autonomous vehicles. In particular, some embodiments make it possible to work locally with landmarks which are not necessarily globally distinct, such as the marking lines of parking bays and so forth.

[0061] Since autonomous driving functions in particular are security-relevant, it can be assured in various embodiments that the processed information meets the corresponding security classification or the corresponding security requirements, such as those of ASIL-B. Thus, in various embodiments the initial pose of the vehicle can be determined at a time when a human operator is still controlling the vehicle, or at least before the human operator leaves the vehicle. The landmark-based localization thereby initiated can then make the initial pose more plausible and possibly refine it, and the autonomous driving can be commenced only when the self-localization has achieved an adequate degree of security.

[0062] Additional security can be achieved by a combination of different pose estimation methods.

[0063] In various embodiments, the initial pose can be determined with the aid of inconspicuous markers or markers already present in the parking infrastructure, for example, in addition to the described determination with the aid of the vehicle-external sensor system, in order to create enhanced security and reliability through redundancy, for example. The inconspicuous markers may contain, for example, logos or advertising signs, or other objects whose position is known in the coordinates of the digital map. These markers can be detected by the environment sensor system of the vehicle, in particular the vehicle camera. Since both the size and the position of the marker are known in the map coordinates, the vehicle can thus determine its initial pose. The use of inconspicuous markers can be used to refine the information based on the vehicle-external sensor system, or standing alone. In such embodiments it is possible to evaluate not just geometrical properties of the marker, but also content qualities of the marker, such as text or picture contents and so forth, in order to achieve the most distinct possible and globally unmistakable pose estimation.

[0064] German patent application no. 10 2021 117744.8, filed Jul. 9, 2021, to which this application claims priority, is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety. Aspects of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.