FIELD: physics.
SUBSTANCE: home position calculator includes: a light projector 11 configured to project a light beam 32a with a pre-installed pattern onto the road surface 31 around the vehicle; and a chamber 12 configured to grip the image 38 of the road surface 31 around the vehicle including an area to which the light beam 32a with a pre-installed template is projected. The home position calculation device calculates the orientation angle of the vehicle 10 relative to the road surface 31 from the position of the light beam 32a with the preset pattern in the image 38 obtained by the camera 12 and calculates the amount of the vehicle orientation change based on the time variations of several characteristic points on the road surface, which are detected from the image 38. The home position calculation device calculates the current position and the vehicle orientation angle by summing the amount of the orientation change with the starting position and the vehicle orientation angle. If the condition at which several characteristic points are detected does not satisfy the first criterion, the home position calculator projects the light beam 32a with a pre-established template.
EFFECT: accurate and stable assessment of the current position of the vehicle, regardless of the conditions under which the characteristic points are detected.
7 cl, 17 dwg
