Method, System, and Computer Program Product for Iterative Warping of Maps for Autonomous Vehicles and Simulators

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products for generating an updated map for use with an autonomous vehicle driving operation or a simulation thereof may include obtaining first map data associated with a first map of a geographic location including a roadway, and the first map data may include at least one first lane segment. Second map data associated with a second map of the geographic location may be obtained, and the second map data may include at least one second lane segment. A plurality of non-overlapping areas may be determined based on the first lane segment(s) and the second lane segment(s). A first non-overlapping and/or a first warp point within the first non-overlapping area may be selected. The first lane segment(s) may be warped around the first warp point to increase a total overlapping area based on the based on the second lane segment(s) and the first lane segment(s) after warping.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for generating an updated map for use with an autonomous vehicle driving operation or a simulation thereof, comprising:
 obtaining, with at least one processor, first map data associated with a first map of a geographic location comprising a roadway, the first map data comprising at least one first lane segment representing the roadway;   obtaining, with the at least one processor, second map data associated with a second map of the geographic location, the second map data comprising at least one second lane segment representing the roadway;   determining, with the at least one processor, a plurality of non-overlapping areas based on the at least one first lane segment and the at least one second lane segment;   selecting, with the at least one processor, a first non-overlapping area of the plurality of non-overlapping areas;   selecting, with the at least one processor, a first warp point within the first non-overlapping area; and   warping, with the at least one processor, the at least one first lane segment around the first warp point to increase a total overlapping area based on the at least one second lane segment and the at least one first lane segment after warping to generate updated map data associated with an updated map of the geographic location comprising the roadway.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first map data comprises first vector map data associated with a first vector map of the geographic location and the second map data comprises second vector map data associated with a second vector map of the geographic location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of non-overlapping areas comprises determining a symmetric difference of the at least one first lane segment and the at least one second lane segment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first lane segment comprises a plurality of first lane segments and the at least one second lane segment comprises a plurality of second lane segments, wherein determining the plurality of non-overlapping areas comprises:
 merging, with the at least one processor, the plurality of first lane segments to provide a first polygon;   merging, with the at least one processor, the plurality of second lane segments to provide a second polygon;   determining, with the at least one processor, at least one first area of the first polygon that does not overlap the second polygon; and   determining, with the at least one processor, at least one second area of the second polygon that does not overlap the first polygon,   wherein the plurality of non-overlapping areas comprises the at least one first area and the at least one second area.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the first non-overlapping area comprises:
 determining, with the at least one processor, an area of each non-overlapping area of the plurality of non-overlapping areas; and   selecting, with the at least one processor, a non-overlapping area of the plurality of non-overlapping areas having a greatest area as the first non-overlapping area.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the first warp point comprises:
 determining, with the at least one processor, a centroid of the first non-overlapping area; and   selecting, with the at least one processor, the centroid as the first warp point.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, with the at least one processor, a further plurality of non-overlapping areas based on the at least one first lane segment after the warping and the at least one second lane segment;   selecting, with the at least one processor, a further non-overlapping area of the further plurality of non-overlapping areas;   selecting, with the at least one processor, a further warp point within the further non-overlapping area;   warping, with the at least one processor, the at least one first lane segment around the further warp point to increase the total overlapping area based on the at least one second lane segment and the at least one first lane segment after warping; and   iteratively repeating the determining of the further plurality of non-overlapping areas, the selecting of the further non-overlapping area, the selecting of the further warp point, and the warping of the at least one first lane segment around the further warp point until the total overlapping area reaches a local maximum.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using, with the at least one processor, the first map data comprising the at least one first lane segment after the warping to facilitate at least one autonomous driving operation of an autonomous vehicle or to facilitate at least one simulated autonomous driving operation of a simulated autonomous vehicle.   
     
     
         9 . A system for generating an updated map for use with an autonomous vehicle driving operation or a simulation thereof, comprising:
 a map database configured to store first map data associated with a first map of a geographic location comprising a roadway, the first map data comprising at least one first lane segment representing the roadway;   a map data source system configured to obtain second map data associated with a second map of the geographic location, the second map data comprising at least one second lane segment representing the roadway; and   a mapping system configured to:
 obtain, from the map database, the first map data; 
 obtain, from the map data source system, the second map data; 
 determine a plurality of non-overlapping areas based on the at least one first lane segment and the at least one second lane segment; 
 select a first non-overlapping area of the plurality of non-overlapping areas; 
 select a first warp point within the first non-overlapping area; and 
 warp the at least one first lane segment around the first warp point to increase a total overlapping area based on the at least one second lane segment and the at least one first lane segment after warping to generate updated map data associated with an updated map of the geographic location comprising the roadway. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the map data source system comprises an autonomous vehicle comprising a ray-casting system configured to generate the second map data based on ray-casting operations of the ray-casting system. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein determining the plurality of non-overlapping areas comprises determining a symmetric difference of the at least one first lane segment and the at least one second lane segment. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein determining the plurality of non-overlapping areas comprises:
 determining at least one first area of the at least one first lane segment that does not overlap the at least one second lane segment; and   determining at least one second area of the at least one second lane segment that does not overlap the at least one first lane segment,   wherein the plurality of non-overlapping areas comprises the at least one first area and the at least one second area.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein selecting the first non-overlapping area comprises:
 determining an area of each non-overlapping area of the plurality of non-overlapping areas; and   selecting a non-overlapping area of the plurality of non-overlapping areas having a greatest area as the first non-overlapping area.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein selecting the first warp point comprises:
 determining a centroid of the first non-overlapping area; and   selecting the centroid as the first warp point.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the mapping system is further configured to:
 determine a further plurality of non-overlapping areas based on the at least one first lane segment after the warping and the at least one second lane segment;   select a further non-overlapping area of the further plurality of non-overlapping areas;   select a further warp point within the further non-overlapping area;   warp the at least one first lane segment around the further warp point to increase the total overlapping area based on the at least one second lane segment and the at least one first lane segment after warping; and   iteratively repeat the determining of the further plurality of non-overlapping areas, the selecting of the further non-overlapping area, the selecting of the further warp point, and the warping of the at least one first lane segment around the further warp point until the total overlapping area reaches a local maximum.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising an autonomous vehicle, wherein the mapping system is further configured to communicate the first map data comprising the at least one first lane segment after the warping to the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to use the first map data comprising the at least one first lane segment after the warping to facilitate at least one autonomous driving operation of the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a simulation system, wherein the mapping system is further configured to communicate the first map data comprising the at least one first lane segment after the warping to the simulation system, and wherein the simulation system is configured to use the first map data comprising the at least one first lane segment after the warping to facilitate at least one simulated autonomous driving operation of a simulated autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product for generating an updated map for use with an autonomous vehicle driving operation or a simulation thereof, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 obtain first map data associated with a first map of a geographic location comprising a roadway, the first map data comprising at least one first lane segment representing the roadway;   obtain second map data associated with a second map of the geographic location, the second map data comprising at least one second lane segment representing the roadway;   determine a plurality of non-overlapping areas based on the at least one first lane segment and the at least one second lane segment;   select a first non-overlapping area of the plurality of non-overlapping areas;   select a first warp point within the first non-overlapping area; and   warp the at least one first lane segment around the first warp point to increase a total overlapping area based on the at least one second lane segment and the at least one first lane segment after warping.