Abstract: Provided is a laser welding method of welding a metal material and a plurality of metal foils together by irradiation with laser light, the laser welding method including: a first step of compressing, in a layering direction, the plurality of metal foils that have been layered; and a second step of joining the metal material and the plurality of metal foils together by irradiating the plurality of metal foils or the metal material with laser light and forming a welded portion that penetrates the plurality of metal foils in the layering direction and is present within the metal material.

Abstract: An information processing device and an information processing method capable of appropriately handling a shielding region of a road are provided. The information processing device includes a first information conversion unit 15 that estimates a first road region from an image obtained by imaging the road, a second information conversion unit 17 that estimates a second road region from map information stored in a map information storage unit 11, and a difference extraction unit 16 that extracts difference information representing a difference between the first road region and the second road region. Further, in the information processing method, a computer estimates the first road region from the image obtained by imaging the road, estimates the second road region from the map information, and extracts the difference information indicating the difference between the first road region and the second road region.

Abstract: A map generation apparatus including an in-vehicle detector detecting a situation around a subject vehicle and a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform extracting feature points from detection information detected by the in-vehicle detector, selecting first feature points from the feature points, calculating three-dimensional positions of the first feature points included in each of a plurality of the detection information while estimating a position or posture of the in-vehicle detector based on the plurality of the detection information, and generating a map including information of the three-dimensional positions of the first feature points. The microprocessor is configured to perform the selecting including selecting the first feature points other than a feature point of a predetermined landscape feature from the feature points, and the generating including adding information on a position of a second feature point not selected among the feature points to the map.

Abstract: A map generation apparatus includes a microprocessor configured to perform: extracting feature points from detection information detected by an in-vehicle detection unit; selecting feature points for which three-dimensional positions are to be calculated from extracted feature points; based on a plurality of the detection information, calculating the three-dimensional positions of same feature points in the plurality of the detection information for the selected feature points by using a position and posture of the in-vehicle detection unit; and generating a map including information of each of the three-dimensional positions by using the three-dimensional positions of the calculated feature points, wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the selecting including selecting the feature points on an object with a high priority among a plurality of objects included in the detection information based on a priority information set for each of the plurality of objects in advance.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is configured to detect an external situation of a vehicle based on image information acquired by a detection unit mounted on the vehicle. The image processing apparatus includes a microprocessor configured to perform: extracting feature points of an object included in the image information, selecting feature points to be used for processing from a plurality of feature points, dividing the image information into a plurality of regions, and adjusting the number of feature points to be selected in each of the plurality of regions based on distances to objects included in the plurality of regions.

Abstract: A position estimation apparatus estimates a position of a vehicle based on a first feature point of an object included in a camera image and a second feature point of the object included in map information. The apparatus includes a memory storing type information indicating a type of the object corresponding to the second feature point together with the map information, and a microprocessor performing: extracting the first feature point from the camera image, recognizing the type of the object corresponding to the first feature point based on the camera image, searching for the second feature point corresponding the first feature point from the map information based on the first feature point, the type of the object corresponding to the first feature point, and the type information, and estimating the position of the vehicle based on the first feature point and the second feature point.

Abstract: Provided is a laser welding method for welding a metal material and a laminated body of metal foil together by irradiation with laser light. The laser welding method includes: a first step of forming a first weld part in which at least a plurality of the metal foils included in the laminated body are welded by emitting the laser light; and a second step of welding the laminated body and the metal material together by irradiating the laser light onto a region at least partially including the first weld part.

Abstract: A position estimation apparatus includes a microprocessor and a memory. The memory stores beforehand an environmental map as first map information including feature points corresponding to an external situation of a vehicle. The microprocessor is configured to perform: extracting feature points from detection data of a detector configured to detect the external situation; estimating a position of the vehicle, based on the feature points extracted from the detection data and the first map information; determining whether a reliability degree of the estimated position of the vehicle is lower than a predetermined degree; generating second map information by using the feature points extracted from the detection data, in a case where it is determines that the reliability degree is lower than the predetermined degree; and estimating the position of the vehicle, based on the feature points extracted from the detection data and the second map information.

Abstract: Provided is a map information processing device which contributes to the improvement of high-precision map verification performance by generating road information at a traffic lane level for a verification purpose by functioning as a means for extracting a road area corresponding to a road and a demarcation line corresponding to a traffic lane from an aerial image (for example, a ground photo photographed from an aircraft or a satellite), inferring the position of an object/structure (occlusion) which may cover the road, determining whether or not the demarcation line in the vicinity of the occlusion forms a continuous line by using the inferred occlusion position and demarcation line information, and next determining whether or not the traffic lane in the vicinity of the occlusion has continuity such that a misunderstanding about the continuity of the road when the presence of no occlusion is possible can be avoided to suppress the inclusion of incorrect information.

Abstract: A map generation apparatus includes a microprocessor configured to perform: recognizing a surrounding environment based on detection data of a sensor; generating a map based on recognition information; estimating a position of the subject vehicle on the map; determining completion or incompletion of the map; and storing map information. The generating includes: generating the map of a driving section based on the recognition information; storing, in a memory, the map information corresponding to a completion section; and storing, in the memory, section information indicating an incompletion section together with position information of the subject vehicle. The generating further includes: when the subject vehicle travels next time on the incompletion section, generating a map of the incompletion section based on the recognition information; adding map information of the incompletion section to the map information; and rewriting the section information.

Abstract: A bonding layer evaluation system includes an elastic wave generation device configured to generate an elastic wave at an evaluation object including a bonding layer; an elastic wave detection device configured to detect the elastic wave from the evaluation object; and a control device configured to evaluate a parameter related to the bonding layer of the evaluation object. The control device compares an actual value of a frequency characteristic of the elastic wave detected by the elastic wave detection device and a theoretical value of the frequency characteristic of the elastic wave calculated based on a theoretical model related to the evaluation object and evaluates the parameter related to the bonding layer based on a result of the comparison.

Abstract: A map generation apparatus includes: an in-vehicle detection unit configured to detect a situation around a subject vehicle in traveling; and a microprocessor and a memory connected to the microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform: extracting one or more feature points from a detection data acquired by the in-vehicle detection unit; generating a map using the feature points extracted in the extracting while the subject vehicle is traveling; collating the feature points extracted in the extracting with the map to recognize a position of the subject vehicle on the map when the subject vehicle travels in a region corresponding to the map; and deleting, from the map, a feature point whose result of collation in the recognizing is less than a predetermined degree among the feature points included in the map.

Abstract: A bonding layer evaluation system includes an elastic wave generation device configured to generate an elastic wave from a sample including a bonding layer; an elastic wave reflection body configured to reflect the elastic wave generated from the sample; a sample installation unit provided between the elastic wave generation device and the elastic wave reflection body; an elastic wave detection device disposed in a direction in which the elastic wave is reflected by the elastic wave reflection body, and configured to detect the reflected elastic wave; and a control device configured to evaluate a parameter related to the bonding layer. The control device evaluates the parameter related to the bonding layer by comparing the actual value of the elastic wave detected by the elastic wave detection device with a theoretical value of the elastic wave calculated based on a theoretical model related to the sample.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technology for estimating a traveling direction of a lane by using accuracy of external environment information. An information processing device (100) of the present invention includes at least one memory (102 and 103) including a program code and at least one processor (101) configured to execute the program code. The processor is configured to acquire external environment information including at least information regarding a peripheral region of a vehicle, and determine a traveling direction of at least one lane by using a first accuracy (A1) indicating the level of precision of the external environment information.

Abstract: An information processing device and an information processing method capable of appropriately handling a shielding region of a road are provided. The information processing device includes a first information conversion unit 15 that estimates a first road region from an image obtained by imaging the road, a second information conversion unit 17 that estimates a second road region from map information stored in a map information storage unit 11, and a difference extraction unit 16 that extracts difference information representing a difference between the first road region and the second road region. Further, in the information processing method, a computer estimates the first road region from the image obtained by imaging the road, estimates the second road region from the map information, and extracts the difference information indicating the difference between the first road region and the second road region.

Abstract: Map generation apparatus includes processor and memory. Memory stores: first/second map information of first/second map of first/second area adjacent to each other. Processor generates first/second map based on first/second traveling history of first/second vehicle in first/second area; and updates at least one of first/second map information so as to combine first/second maps. First map information includes position information of point cloud recognized based on distance information to surrounding objects acquired by first vehicle. Second map information includes position information of lane marker recognized based on image information acquired by second vehicle. Processor recognizes position of lane marker based on first map information stored in memory; and updates at least one of first/second map information stored in memory so as to combine first/second maps based on recognized position of lane marker and position information of lane marker included in second map information.

Abstract: A map generation apparatus includes a microprocessor configured to perform: extracting feature points from detection information detected by an in-vehicle detection unit; selecting feature points for which three-dimensional positions are to be calculated from extracted feature points; based on a plurality of the detection information, calculating the three-dimensional positions of same feature points in the plurality of the detection information for the selected feature points by using a position and posture of the in-vehicle detection unit; and generating a map including information of each of the three-dimensional positions by using the three-dimensional positions of the calculated feature points, wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the selecting including selecting the feature points on an object with a high priority among a plurality of objects included in the detection information based on a priority information set for each of the plurality of objects in advance.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a microprocessor configured to perform: extracting feature points from detection information detected by an in-vehicle detection unit; selecting feature points for which three-dimensional positions are to be calculated from extracted feature points; based on a plurality of detection information, calculating three-dimensional positions of same feature points in the plurality of detection information for the selected feature points using a position and posture of the in-vehicle detection unit; and generating a map including information of each of the three-dimensional positions using the calculated three-dimensional positions of the plurality of the feature points. The selecting includes selecting the feature points so as to reduce a bias in a number of feature points on objects located in a first distance range unit and a number of feature points on objects located in a second distance range farther than the first distance range.

Abstract: In a mounting structure of a resin member, a collar has an outside diameter smaller than the diameter of a collar insertion hole of a resin-made fixation portion, and the collar defines a collar hole therein. A washer member defines a washer hole therein. The washer member has an outside diameter greater than the diameter of the collar insertion hole and an inside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the collar. A holding portion throughhole of a metal-made holding portion, the collar hole, and the washer hole form a bolt insertion hole through which a bolt shaft is inserted in a state in which the collar is inserted in the collar insertion hole, the metal-made holding portion is laid on or over one surface of the resin-made fixation portion, and the washer member is laid on or over the other surface of the resin-made fixation portion.

Abstract: A rubber strip manufacturing method that includes a step of extruding a rubber from an extrusion orifice of an extruder includes: a step of forming a long rubber member by extruding the rubber from the extrusion orifice that is circular; and a step of forming a rubber strip by passing the long rubber member through a gap between a pair of rotating rollers. The gap has a shape that is the widest in a central portion in a direction parallel to rotation axes of the rollers and that narrows as a distance from the central portion increases.