IP Library Granted Patent US 8,725,474
Granted Patent B2
US 8,725,474 · App. 12/540,665 · Granted May 13, 2014

Bezier curves for advanced driver assistance system applications

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,725,474
App. No.
12/540,665
Granted
May 13, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system for using Bezier curves in vehicle positioning and electronic horizon applications for providing data to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) applications are disclosed. The Bezier curves are obtained from B-splines. The obtained Bezier curves are subdivided in a manner that allows the vehicle positioning application to derive a polyline representation in real time. Using the Bezier and polyline geometry, the vehicle positioning application provides a vehicle position approximation to the ADAS applications. Using the Bezier curves, the electronic horizon application provides curvature, slope, and heading profiles to the ADAS applications.

Claims (26)

1. A method for generating a curvature profile for use by a driver assistance application, comprising:

obtaining, by a processor, curvature information from B-spline road geometry representing at least one road segment;

converting, by the processor, the B-spline road geometry to Bezier curves to facilitate real time derivation of polyline representations thereof;

calculating, by the processor, arc length for the Bezier curves; and

publishing, by the processor, a curvature profile comprising a pair of values, a first value of which comprises the curvature information and a second value of which comprises the calculated arc length, the curvature profile being for use by at least one driver assistance application.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining curvature information includes

sampling the B-spline road geometry to obtain curvature and arc length;

graphing the obtained curvature and arc length;

calculating a polyline approximation of the graphed curvature and arc length; and

inserting knots in the B-spline road geometry corresponding to vertexes of the polyline approximation.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising associating the inserted knots with a knot curvature flag.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein converting the B-spline road geometry to Bezier curves includes converting the knot curvature flag to a control point curvature flag.

5. A method for generating a slope profile that can be used by a driver assistance application, comprising:

obtaining, by a processor, slope information from B-spline road geometry representing at least one road segment;

converting, by the processor, the B-spline road geometry to Bezier curves;

calculating, by the processor, arc length for the Bezier curves; and

publishing, by the processor, a slope profile comprising a pair of values, a first value of which comprises the slope information and a second value of which comprises the calculated arc length, the slope profile being for use by at least one driver assistance application.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein obtaining slope information includes

sampling the B-spline road geometry to obtain slope and arc length;

graphing the obtained slope and arc length;

calculating a polyline approximation of the graphed slope and arc length; and

inserting knots in the B-spline road geometry corresponding to vertexes of the polyline approximation.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising associating the inserted knots with a knot slope flag.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein converting the B-spline road geometry to Bezier curves includes converting the knot slope flag to a control point slope flag.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating of arc length for the Bezier curves further comprises using Gaussian quadrature to estimate arc length.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein calculating of arc length for the Bezier curves further comprises using Gaussian quadrature to estimate arc length.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 15, 2014
From: NAVTEQ B.V.
To: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
Reel/Frame 032689/0581 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2012
From: NAVTEQ NORTH AMERICA, LLC
To: NAVTEQ B.V.
Reel/Frame 027588/0051 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2009
From: DORUM, OLE HENRY; GNEDIN, MARIANNA
To: NAVTEQ NORTH AMERICA, LLC
Reel/Frame 023104/0768 →