System and method for automatically generating and updating waypoint information in real time

• US 10,470,013 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gamba Group Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Ehud Mendelson
• Inventors: Mendelson, Ehud
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzales, April G
• Application Number:
  US15/953,389
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/103 Near field communication [NFC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/04 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0231 Emergency, distress or locator beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2240/00 Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A method and system to automatically change an operation of a vehicle, wherein the change is based upon obtained information associated with a road sign. The system provides accurate information associated with road signs, identified as way points, in real time to a user'"'"'s navigation system, to a user'"'"'s cellular telephone and/or to a vehicle computer. The waypoint and associated information would be obtained according to a location of the respective receiving device. The information can be presented on a display of the user'"'"'s cellular telephone, the GPS navigation system, any other Bluetooth-enabled device, etc. The system can interface with an existing GPS navigation system, a vehicle computer, etc. The process can be adapted to parking, navigation, roadway assistance, emergency conditions, mass transits, and the like.

Claims

1. A method contributing to automated driving of a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

creating a database comprising known locations of waypoints, wherein the waypoints include traffic signs and information presented by each respective traffic sign;

determining a location of a vehicle;

detecting traffic signs that are in a vicinity of the location of the vehicle, wherein the detection of the traffic signs is accomplished based upon the determined location of the vehicle and the database;

obtaining information associated with a road sign in a proximity of the vehicle using the database;

conveying the information associated with a road sign to a computer integrated into the vehicle; and

at least one of;

(a) displaying the information on a display within the vehicle;

(b) automatically causing a change in operation of the vehicle, wherein the change is based upon the obtained information associated with a road sign and speed limit.

2. A method contributing to automated driving of a vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the information on a display within the vehicle is accomplished by displaying the information associated with a road sign on at least one of:

(a) a vehicle display, and

(b) a vehicle navigation system.

3. A method contributing to automated driving of a vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining information associated with a road sign in a proximity of the vehicle is accomplished by receiving a transmission from a wireless transmitting device located proximate the road sign.

4. A method contributing to automated driving of a vehicle as recited in claim 1, the vehicle further comprising a wireless receiver integrated into the vehicle, wherein the step of obtaining information associated with a road sign in a proximity of the vehicle is accomplished by receiving a transmission from a wireless transmitting device located proximate the road sign using the wireless receiver integrated into the vehicle.

5. A method contributing to automated driving of a vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the information obtained from the road sign is a speed limit, the method further comprising a step of:

adjusting a vehicle speed in accordance with the speed limit presented by the road sign.

6. A method contributing to automated driving of a vehicle of a vehicle as recited in claim 1, the method further comprising steps of:

associating a waypoint with a vacant parking space;

conveying waypoints associated with vacant parking spaces to a computer integrated into the vehicle;

informing the user of locations of available parking spaces.

7. A method contributing to automated driving of a vehicle as recited in claim 1, the method further comprising a step of:

aiding a user in a process of returning to a parking location where the vehicle is parked.

8. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

creating a database comprising known locations of waypoints, wherein the waypoints include traffic signs and information presented by each respective traffic sign;

accessing a driving assistance device;

determining a location of the driving assistance device;

detecting which traffic signs are in a vicinity of the location of the vehicle;

wherein the detection of the traffic signs is accomplished based upon the determined location of the vehicle and the database;

obtaining information associated with a road sign in a proximity of the driving assistance device using the database; and

at least one of;

(a) displaying the information on a display of the driving assistance device;

(b) providing communication between the driving assistance device and a controller computer integrated into a vehicle, automatically causing a change in operation of the vehicle based upon the obtained information associated with a road sign.

9. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 8, wherein the driving assistance device is at least one of:

(a) a computer integrated into the vehicle,

(b) a vehicle navigation system integrated into the vehicle; and

(c) a cellular phone.

10. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 8, wherein the step of displaying the information on a display of the driving assistance device is accomplished by displaying the information associated with a road sign on at least one of:

(a) a display within a vehicle display,

(b) a display of a vehicle navigation system, and

(c) a display on a cellular phone.

11. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 8, wherein the step of obtaining information associated with a road sign in a proximity of the driving assistance device is accomplished by receiving a transmission from a wireless transmitting device located proximate the road sign.

12. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 8, the vehicle further comprising a wireless receiver integrated into the vehicle, wherein the step of obtaining information associated with a road sign in a proximity of the vehicle is accomplished by receiving a transmission from a wireless transmitting device located proximate the road sign using the wireless receiver integrated into the vehicle.

13. A method contributing to automated driving of a vehicle as recited in claim 8, wherein the information obtained from the road sign is a speed limit, the method further comprising a step of:

adjusting a vehicle speed in accordance with the speed limit presented by the road sign.

14. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 8, the method further comprising steps of:

associating a waypoint with a vacant parking space;

conveying waypoints associated with vacant parking spaces to the driving assistance device;

informing the user of locations of available parking spaces.

15. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 8, the method further comprising a step of:

aiding a user in a process of returning to a parking location where the vehicle is parked.

16. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

accessing a driving assistance device, wherein the driving assistance device includes at least one of a Radio Frequency (RF receiver), a Bluetooth receiver, a Wi-Fi receiver, and a cellular communication system;

determining a location of the driving assistance device;

detecting a road sign in a proximity of the driving assistance device using the at least one of the Radio Frequency (RF receiver), the Bluetooth receiver, the Wi-Fi receiver, and the cellular communication system,

obtaining information associated with the road sign in a proximity of the driving assistance device using a respective communication protocol of the at least one of the Radio Frequency (RF receiver), the Bluetooth receiver, the Wi-Fi receiver, and the cellular communication system; and

at least one of;

(a) displaying the information on a display of the driving assistance device;

(b) providing communication between the driving assistance device and a controller computer integrated into a vehicle, automatically causing a change in operation of the vehicle based upon the obtained information associated with a road sign.

17. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 16, wherein the driving assistance device is at least one of:

(a) a computer integrated into the vehicle,

(b) a vehicle navigation system integrated into the vehicle; and

(c) a cellular phone.

18. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of displaying the information on a display of the driving assistance device is accomplished by displaying the information associated with a road sign on at least one of:

(a) a display within a vehicle display,

(b) a display of a vehicle navigation system, and

(c) a display on a cellular phone.

19. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of obtaining information associated with a road sign in a proximity of the driving assistance device is accomplished by receiving a transmission from a wireless transmitting device located proximate the road sign.

20. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 16, the vehicle further comprising a wireless receiver integrated into the vehicle, wherein the step of obtaining information associated with a road sign in a proximity of the vehicle is accomplished by receiving a transmission from a wireless transmitting device located proximate the road sign using the wireless receiver integrated into the vehicle.

21. A method contributing to automated driving of a vehicle as recited in claim 16, wherein the information obtained from the road sign is a speed limit, the method further comprising a step of:

adjusting a vehicle speed in accordance with the speed limit presented by the road sign.

22. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 16, the method further comprising steps of:

associating a waypoint with a vacant parking space;

conveying waypoints associated with vacant parking spaces to the driving assistance device;

informing the user of locations of available parking spaces.

23. A method of providing assistance during a process of driving a vehicle as recited in claim 16, the method further comprising a step of:

aiding a user in a process of returning to a parking location where the vehicle is parked.