Abstract: The invention relates to a method of creating a map of a navigation region of a vehicle, the method comprising: traveling along a path, predefined by a track guidance marking present in the navigation region, with the vehicle; determining distances of the vehicle from objects possibly present in an environment of the path; and creating the map based on the track guidance marking and on the distances. The invention further relates to a method of determining a pose of a vehicle in a navigation region, the method comprising: determining a position of the vehicle relative to a track guidance marking present in the navigation region; determining distances of the vehicle from objects possibly present in an environment of the vehicle; and determining the pose based on the position, on the distances, and on a map. The invention further relates to a corresponding mapping apparatus and to a corresponding localization apparatus.

Abstract: A method for generating a new hybrid map by at least one of extending and modifying a first hybrid map with a second hybrid map, the hybrid map being used for the navigation of a vehicle (10) in a navigation area and including a plurality of information categories, one information category comprising a trajectory of the vehicle (10) to be driven, which trajectory is predefined by a trail (12), and one information category comprising a surrounding contour (24) of the trail (12), wherein a transfer decision is made for each of the information categories as to whether information from the first hybrid map, the second hybrid map, or both the first hybrid map and the second hybrid map is transferred to the new hybrid map.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle, in particular an automated guided vehicle, comprises a control device and a sensor for detecting a continuous lane marking. The control device is adapted to control the vehicle along the lane marking in dependence on the detected lane marking, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect a code marking arranged adjacent to the lane marking and to determine a distance between the detected code marking and the lane marking, and wherein the control device is further adapted to control the vehicle in dependence on the determined distance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of creating a map of a navigation region of a vehicle, the method comprising: traveling along a path, predefined by a track guidance marking present in the navigation region, with the vehicle; determining distances of the vehicle from objects possibly present in an environment of the path; and creating the map based on the track guidance marking and on the distances. The invention further relates to a method of determining a pose of a vehicle in a navigation region, the method comprising: determining a position of the vehicle relative to a track guidance marking present in the navigation region; determining distances of the vehicle from objects possibly present in an environment of the vehicle; and determining the pose based on the position, on the distances, and on a map. The invention further relates to a corresponding mapping apparatus and to a corresponding localization apparatus.

Abstract: A method and a system for calibrating a network of multiple range finders are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes performing a measurement with the range finders during a movement of an object through an area covered by the network, identifying, for each range finder, data sets of the measurement associated with the moving object, based on a static analysis of the respective range finder, determining, for each pair of overlapping range finders, an estimated relative transformation between respective poses of the pair, based on the identified data sets of the pair, determining an initial maximum likelihood configuration of poses of all of the range finders based on the estimated relative transformations of each pair and iteratively determining sets of point correspondences of the identified data sets and if a distance of the points in the pair is below a threshold, the threshold being redefined decreasingly for each iteration.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle, in particular an automated guided vehicle, comprises a control device and a sensor for detecting a continuous lane marking. The control device is adapted to control the vehicle along the lane marking in dependence on the detected lane marking, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect a code marking arranged adjacent to the lane marking and to determine a distance between the detected code marking and the lane marking, and wherein the control device is further adapted to control the vehicle in dependence on the determined distance.

Abstract: A method and a system for calibrating a network of multiple range finders are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes performing a measurement with the range finders during a movement of an object through an area covered by the network, identifying, for each range finder, data sets of the measurement associated with the moving object, based on a static analysis of the respective range finder, determining, for each pair of overlapping range finders, an estimated relative transformation between respective poses of the pair, based on the identified data sets of the pair, determining an initial maximum likelihood configuration of poses of all of the range finders based on the estimated relative transformations of each pair and iteratively determining sets of point correspondences of the identified data sets and if a distance of the points in the pair is below a threshold, the threshold being redefined decreasingly for each iteration.

Abstract: To carry out satisfactory object recognition in a short time. An object recognition method in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention is an object recognition method for recognizing a target object by using a preliminarily-created object model. The object recognition method generates a range image of an observed scene, detects interest points from the range image, extracts first features, the first features being features of an area containing the interest points, carries out a matching process between the first features and second features, the second features being features of an area in the range image of the object model, calculates a transformation matrix based on a result of the matching process, the transformation matrix being for projecting the second features on a coordinate system of the observed scene, and recognizes the target object with respect to the object model based on the transformation matrix.

Abstract: To carry out satisfactory object recognition in a short time. An object recognition method in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention is an object recognition method for recognizing a target object by using a preliminarily-created object model. The object recognition method generates a range image of an observed scene, detects interest points from the range image, extracts first features, the first features being features of an area containing the interest points, carries out a matching process between the first features and second features, the second features being features of an area in the range image of the object model, calculates a transformation matrix based on a result of the matching process, the transformation matrix being for projecting the second features on a coordinate system of the observed scene, and recognizes the target object with respect to the object model based on the transformation matrix.