Front-end matching optimised algorithm of cartographer with multi-resolution layered search strategy

Cartographer is used in LiDAR simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM), and it has a stable mapping results and utilises loop closure detection to eliminate accumulated errors. However, considerable calculation is needed to guarantee the accuracy of mapping results and the decrease of accumulated errors when correlative scan matcher (CSM) is used to carry out the global search of the front-end matching. In order to resolve the above problem, a structure, multi-resolution layered search strategy (MLSS) is proposed in the frond-end of Cartographer. MLSS structure makes use of layered strategy and the full-number locally optimal principle to decrease accumulated errors from sources and time costs of front-end matching. Verification and comparison studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed structure.