Route determination device, route determination method, and recording medium recording program

1. A determination device, comprising:

an input terminal which receives first direction distance information representing directions and distances to objects existing in a first range, from a first sensor mounted on a moving body;

route detection circuitry which detects, from the first direction distance information,

a first continuous body with respect to a first object among the objects, and a second continuous body with respect to a second object among the objects, the second object being located farther from the moving body than the first object in a first direction along a first route on which the moving body moves, a break zone being between the first continuous body and the second continuous body in the first direction, and

a third continuous body in a second direction different from the first direction;

route determination circuitry which determines presence of a second route along the third continuous body when a length of the third continuous body is at least equal to a first value; and

an output terminal which outputs a determination result of the route determination circuitry to a moving body control device, the determination result causing the moving body control device to control movement of the moving body,

wherein the route detection circuitry calculates a first likelihood for the first range, the first likelihood representing whether or not the first route connects with the second route, based on the determination result of the route determination circuitry, and

the route determination circuitry

determines intersections of routes, T-junctions, or L-junctions of routes including the first route and the second route, by using the first likelihood of the first range,

obtains a first position which is an intersection point between the second continuous body and the third continuous body for each frame cycle,

determines whether or not the first position which is obtained for each frame cycle exists on an identical position,

obtains a second position which is an end point of the first continuous body for each frame cycle, and

determines whether or not the second position which is obtained for each frame cycle changes in the second direction.

2. The determination device according to claim 1 , wherein the first direction distance information is received by the input terminal with a predetermined frame cycle.

3. The determination device according to claim 1 , wherein

the route determination circuitry

obtains a distance between the first position and the second position for each frame cycle, and

determines a change of the second position by using the distance which is obtained for each frame cycle.

4. The determination device according to claim 1 , wherein

the input terminal receives second direction distance information representing directions and distances to objects existing in a second range, from a second sensor mounted on the moving body, the second range being different from the first range,

the route detection circuitry detects, from the second direction distance information,

a fourth continuous body with respect to a third object among the objects existing in the second range, and a fifth continuous body with respect to a fourth object among the objects existing in the second range, the second object being located farther from the moving body than the third object in the first direction, and

a sixth continuous body in a third direction different from the first direction, and

the route determination circuitry determines presence of a third route along the sixth continuous body when a length of the sixth continuous body is at least equal to a second value.

5. The determination device according to claim 4 , wherein

the route detection circuitry calculates a second likelihood for the second range, the second likelihood representing whether or not the third route connects to the first route, based on a second determination result of the route determination circuitry with respect to the presence of the third route along the sixth continuous body, and

the route determination circuitry determines intersections of routes, T-junctions or L-junctions of routes including the first route and the third route, by using the second likelihood of the second range.

6. The determination device according to claim 5 , wherein

the route determination circuitry calculates a third likelihood representing whether or not the first route connects with each of the second route and the third route, based on the first likelihood of the first range and the second likelihood of the second range.

7. The determination device according to claim 5 , further comprising:

moving object detection circuitry which calculates a fourth likelihood for the second range, the fourth likelihood representing whether or not another moving body exists on the third route, based on the second direction distance information, wherein

the route determination circuitry further determines the presence of the third route by using the fourth likelihood of the second range.

8. The determination device according to claim 4 , further comprising:

moving object detection circuitry which calculates a second likelihood for the first range, the second likelihood representing whether or not another moving body exists on the second route, based on the first direction distance information, wherein

the route determination circuitry further determines the presence of the third route by using the second likelihood of the first range.

9. A determination method, comprising:

receiving first direction distance information representing directions and distances to objects existing in a first range, from a first sensor mounted on a moving body;

detecting, from the first direction distance information,

a first continuous body with respect to a first object among the objects, and a second continuous body with respect to a second object among the objects, the second object being located farther from the moving body than the first object in a first direction along a first route on which the moving body moves, a break zone being between the first continuous body and the second continuous body in the first direction, and

a third continuous body in a second direction different from the first direction;

determining presence of a second route along the third continuous body when a length of the third continuous body is at least equal to a first value;

calculating a first likelihood for the first range, the first likelihood representing whether or not the first route connects with the second route, based on a first determination result of the determining the presence of the second route;

obtaining a first position which is an intersection point between the second continuous body and the third continuous body for each frame cycle;

determining whether or not the first position which is obtained for each frame cycle exists on an identical position;

obtaining a second position which is an end point of the first continuous body for each frame cycle;

determining whether or not the second position which is obtained for each frame cycle changes in the second direction;

determining intersections of routes, T-junctions, or L-junctions of routes including the first route and the second route, by using the first likelihood of the first range; and

outputting a second determination result of the determining of the intersections to a moving body control device, the second determination result causing the moving body control device to control movement of the moving body.

10. A non-transitory recording medium recording a program which makes a computer execute processing comprising:

receiving first direction distance information representing directions and distances to objects existing in a first range, from a first sensor mounted on a moving body;

recognizing, from the first direction distance information,

a first continuous body with respect to a first object among the objects, and a second continuous body with respect to a second object among the objects, the second object being located farther from the moving body than the first object in a first direction along a first route on which the moving body moves, a break zone being between the first continuous body and the second continuous body in the first direction, and

a third continuous body in a second direction different from the first direction;

determining presence of a second route along the third continuous body when a length of the third continuous body is at least equal to a first value;

calculating a first likelihood for the first range, the first likelihood representing whether or not the first route connects with the second route, based on a first determination result of the determining the presence of the second route;

obtaining a first position which is an intersection point between the second continuous body and the third continuous body for each frame cycle;

determining whether or not the first position which is obtained for each frame cycle exists on an identical position;

obtaining a second position which is an end point of the first continuous body for each frame cycle;

determining whether or not the second position which is obtained for each frame cycle changes in the second direction;

determining intersections of routes, T-junctions, or L-junctions of routes including the first route and the second route, by using the first likelihood of the first range; and

outputting a second determination result of the determining of the intersections to a moving body control device, the second determination result causing the moving body control device to control movement of the moving body.