IP Library Granted Patent US 12,579,687
Granted Patent B2
US 12,579,687 · App. 18/667,095 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Estimation device, estimation method, and non-transitory storage medium that calculates an estimate value of a mobile object's position derived from three-dimensional point cloud data matchings

Inventors: Keigo Ikeda (Nisshin, JP); Yasuhiro Saito (Toyoake, JP); Daiki Yokoyama (Miyoshi, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G06T7/74G05D1/24B62D65/18G06T2207/10028
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,579,687
App. No.
18/667,095
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An estimation device used to cause a mobile object to move by driverless driving includes one or more processors configured to: perform first matching using three-dimensional point cloud data on the mobile object acquired by a first distance measurement device, and calculate at least one of a position and an orientation of the mobile object as a first calculation result derived from the first matching; perform second matching using three-dimensional point cloud data on the mobile object acquired by a second distance measurement device, and calculate at least one of a position and an orientation of the mobile object as a second calculation result derived from the second matching; and execute an estimation process of calculating an estimate value by using at least one of the first calculation result and the second calculation result, depending on the first calculation result and the second calculation result.

Claims (20)

1 . An estimation device used to cause a mobile object to move by driverless driving, the estimation device comprising one or more processors configured to:

perform first matching using three-dimensional point cloud data on the mobile object acquired by a first distance measurement device, and calculate at least one of a position and an orientation of the mobile object as a first calculation result derived from the first matching;

perform second matching using three-dimensional point cloud data on the mobile object acquired by a second distance measurement device, and calculate at least one of a position and an orientation of the mobile object as a second calculation result derived from the second matching;

calculate an estimate value that is an estimate value of at least one of the position and the orientation of the mobile object and that is used to generate a control command for the driverless driving;

execute an estimation process of calculating the estimate value by using at least one of the first calculation result and the second calculation result, when a difference between the first calculation result and the second calculation result is less than a predetermined standard level; and

generate a deceleration command to cause the mobile object to decelerate or stop, when the difference between the first calculation result and the second calculation result is the predetermined standard level or more.

2 . The estimation device according to claim 1 , wherein in the estimation process, the one or more processors calculate the estimate value by using one calculation result derived from the matching with higher reliability, of the first calculation result and the second calculation result.

3 . The estimation device according to claim 1 , wherein in the estimation process, the one or more processors calculate the estimate value by using an average of the first calculation result and the second calculation result.

4 . An estimation method comprising:

performing first matching using three-dimensional point cloud data on a mobile object acquired by a first distance measurement device, and calculating at least one of a position and an orientation of the mobile object as a first calculation result derived from the first matching;

performing second matching using three-dimensional point cloud data on the mobile object acquired by a second distance measurement device, and calculating at least one of a position and an orientation of the mobile object as a second calculation result derived from the second matching;

calculating an estimate value that is an estimate value of at least one of the position and the orientation of the mobile object and that is used to generate a control command for driverless driving;

executing an estimation process of calculating the estimate value by using at least one of the first calculation result and the second calculation result, when a difference between the first calculation result and the second calculation result is less than a predetermined standard level; and

generating a deceleration command to cause the mobile object to decelerate or stop, when the difference between the first calculation result and the second calculation result is the predetermined standard level or more.

5 . A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that are executable by one or more processors and that cause the one or more processors to perform functions comprising:

performing first matching using three-dimensional point cloud data on a mobile object acquired by a first distance measurement device, and calculating at least one of a position and an orientation of the mobile object as a first calculation result derived from the first matching;

performing second matching using three-dimensional point cloud data on the mobile object acquired by a second distance measurement device, and calculating at least one of a position and an orientation of the mobile object as a second calculation result derived from the second matching;

calculating an estimate value that is an estimate value of at least one of the position and the orientation of the mobile object and that is used to generate a control command for driverless driving;

executing an estimation process of calculating the estimate value by using at least one of the first calculation result and the second calculation result, when a difference between the first calculation result and the second calculation result is less than a predetermined standard level; and

generating a deceleration command to cause the mobile object to decelerate or stop, when the difference between the first calculation result and the second calculation result is the predetermined standard level or more.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2024
From: IKEDA, KEIGO; SAITO, YASUHIRO; YOKOYAMA, DAIKI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 067445/0726 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2023-089451 · May 31, 2023 · national
JP 2023-188218 · Nov 2, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240404105A1 · Dec 5, 2024
References Cited (12)
US 12045056B2 · Suzuki · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20120033071A1 · Kobayashi · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20170252925A1 · Cho · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170320529A1 · Nordbruch · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20210394747A1 · Li et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20240249427A1 · Sasatani · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240400063A1 · Ikeda et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016057677A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017538619A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2022515809A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
JP 2022175768A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
JP 202320478A · 2023 [cited by applicant]