Method for generating road map for vehicle navigation and navigation device

1. A method for generating a road map for vehicle navigation, comprising:

providing original road image data having an image of a road;

identifying boundary lines defining respective lane segments of the road from the original road image data;

associating traffic properties with the lane segments defined by the boundary lines, respectively;

generating a series of waypoints for each lane segments, the series of waypoints are along a centerline of the lane segment, each waypoint contains information of lane geometry with lane boundaries, lane type and direction, lane speed limit, left/right lane segment, along with critical traffic control information and associated critical traffic zones;

grouping the lane segments to generate road segments; and

combining the road segments with traffic control objects corresponding thereto so as to generate the road map for vehicle navigation, wherein the traffic control objects have respective traffic control indications that can affect a traffic flow in the road segments;

connecting the waypoints at the ends of the lane segments of neighboring road segments to generate one or more paths for vehicle navigation via lines or curves, the lines or curves are generated in consideration of navigation information associated with the waypoints of the lane segments, and the curves are generated further in consideration of at least 3 waypoints closest to the waypoints at the ends of the lane segments.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying a crosswalk region, a keep clear region, a bump region, a road connection region or a non-drive region.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the traffic property is selected from the group consisting of drive way, speed limit, turning type, line type of the boundary line, crosswalk, keep clear, stop line, yield line and railway.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the traffic control object is selected from a traffic control sign, a traffic control light, a traffic control pattern and a traffic control bulletin.

5. A navigation device, comprising:

a data storage for storing a road map for vehicle navigation, wherein the road map is generated by the method of claim 1 ;

a positioning module for detecting a present position of a vehicle; and

a processor configured to:

receive a destination of the vehicle, and

plan a path and control a motion of the vehicle based on the connected waypoints of the road map, sensory information acquired by the vehicle, the present position and the destination of the vehicle.

6. The navigation device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive traffic information associated with the present position of the vehicle; and

generate at least one driving control instruction based on the route and the traffic information, wherein the vehicle drives according to the at least one driving control instruction.

7. The navigation device of claim 5 , wherein the one or more road segments comprise at least one drive region, and each of the at least one drive region comprises at least one lane segment associated with a traffic property.

8. The navigation device of claim 5 , wherein the road map further comprises a drive region, a crosswalk region, a keep clear region, a bump region, a road connection region or a non-drive region.

9. The navigation device of claim 5 , wherein the traffic property is selected from the group consisting of drive way, speed limit, turning type, a line type of the boundary line, crosswalk, keep clear, stop line, yield line and railway.

10. The navigation device of claim 5 , wherein the traffic control object is selected from the group consisting of a traffic control sign, a traffic control light, a traffic control pattern and a traffic control bulletin.

11. The navigation device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify a vehicle position in the road map corresponding to the present position of the vehicle detected by the positioning module; and

calculate the route for the vehicle connecting the vehicle position in the map and the destination of the vehicle.

12. A navigation method, comprising:

providing a road map for vehicle navigation, wherein the road map is generated by the method of claim 1 ;

receiving a present position of a vehicle and a destination of the vehicle; and

plan a path and control a motion of the vehicle based on the connected waypoints of the road map, sensory information acquired by the vehicle, the present position and the destination of the vehicle.

13. The navigation method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving traffic information associated with the present position of the vehicle; and

generating at least one driving control instruction based on the route and the traffic information, wherein the vehicle drives according to the at least one driving control instruction.

14. The navigation method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more road segments comprise at least one drive region, and each of the at least one drive region comprises at least one lane segment associated with a traffic property.

15. The navigation method of claim 12 , wherein the traffic control object is selected from the group consisting of a traffic control sign, a traffic control light, a traffic control pattern or a traffic control bulletin.

16. The navigation method of claim 12 , wherein the step of calculating a route for the vehicle based on the road map, the present position of the vehicle and the destination of the vehicle comprises:

identifying a vehicle position in the road map corresponding to the present position of the vehicle detected by the positioning module; and

calculating the route for the vehicle connecting the vehicle position in the map and the destination of the vehicle.