US 12,232,000 B2
Apparatus and method for collecting data for map generation, and vehicle
Ryo Neyama, Tokyo (JP); Masahiro Tanaka, Tokyo (JP); and Jun Koreishi, Musashino (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Jan. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/159,622.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-012684 (JP), filed on Jan. 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0231457 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. H04W 4/44 (2018.01); G01C 21/00 (2006.01); G06V 10/764 (2022.01); G06V 20/56 (2022.01); H04W 4/02 (2018.01); H04W 4/38 (2018.01)
CPC H04W 4/44 (2018.02) [G01C 21/3815 (2020.08); G01C 21/3841 (2020.08); G06V 10/764 (2022.01); G06V 20/56 (2022.01); H04W 4/025 (2013.01); H04W 4/38 (2018.02)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for collecting data for map generation, comprising:
determining whether a current state of a vehicle is suitable for collection of collection target data to be used for generating or updating a map, based on suitability data received from the vehicle using a communication device, the suitability data indicating suitability of the vehicle or surroundings thereof for the collection, wherein the suitability data includes a visibility index indicating a visibility of a road or a road feature, the visibility index being generated based on data obtained by an illuminance sensor and a camera for generating an image of the surroundings of the vehicle;
transmitting to the vehicle, before transmitting a collection command, a type of collection target data to be collected for a target region, wherein the type of the collection target data comprises whole image data and sub-image data, and based on the type of the collection target data being sub-image data, an area representing a road surface is extracted from a road image;
based on the collection target data being the whole image data, identifying a location of a center of a whole-image or a center of a sub-image, based on a bearing of a location corresponding to an image center with respect to the camera, a location and traveling direction of the vehicle, and internal parameters of the camera, and identifying a location of a feature based on the location of the center of the whole-image or the sub-image;
transmitting, using the communication device, after determining that the current state of the vehicle is suitable for the collection, the collection command instructing the vehicle to collect the collection target data corresponding to the type of the collection target data to be collected for the target region; and
based on the collection target data, controlling travel of the vehicle using newly generated map information.