Method for generating and holding map for moving robot

PURPOSE: To facilitate the navigation of a self-contained moving robot vehicle by dynamically generating and maintaining the map of a peripheral environment. CONSTITUTION: The peripheral environment is scanned and the map of a beacon on a geometrical position is generated. The features 22, 24, 26 and 28 of the map are guided. When a feature observed when the robot passes through the environment is matched with the previously stored map, the degree of credibility is increased, and is reduced when they are not matched. When the observed geometrical beacon is observed in a position which does not match with the feature of the map, the feature is added to the map. COPYRIGHT: (C)1992,JPO