Vehicle-based navigation system with smart map filtering, portable unit home-base registration and multiple navigation system preferential use

• US 20030191583A1
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Uhlmann, Eugenie V., Schofield, Kenneth, Lynam, Niall R., OʼFarrell, Desmond J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,151,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/24 Means for warning road traffic that a gate is closed or closing, or that rail traffic is approaching, e.g. for visible or audible warning
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A vehicle-based navigation system is described including a position locator that establishes the geographic position of the vehicle and a map database located external to and remote from the vehicle. The system determines at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter, and transfers data from the remote map database to the vehicle and displays the data in the vehicle at a resolution that is a function of at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter.

Claims

1. A method of navigating a vehicle, comprising:

providing a position locator and a map database;

determining at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter; and

transferring data from said map database to the vehicle and displaying the transferred data at a resolution that is a function of said at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter.

2. The method of navigating in claim 1 in which the data transferred from said map database pertains to an area around the vehicle, said area being a function of said at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter.

3. The method of navigating in claim 2 wherein said area is larger in a direction of vehicle travel than in an opposite direction thereof.

4. The method of navigating in claim 1 including providing a display and displaying an output of said position locator and data transferred from said map database with said display.

5. The method of navigating in claim 1 wherein said vehicle parameter comprises the speed of the vehicle and including transferring data at a higher resolution for lower speeds and at a lower resolution for higher speeds.

6. The method of navigating in claim 1 wherein said position locator comprises one of a global positioning system receiver, a signal triangulator, a compass-based system, and an inertial navigation system.

7. The method of navigating in claim 1 wherein said vehicle parameter comprises the speed of the vehicle.

8. The method of navigating in claim 7 wherein speed of the vehicle is determined from a GPS signal.

9. The method of navigating in claim 7 including providing a portable device having another position locator and a port in said vehicle providing communication between said portable device and said position locator.

10. The method of navigating in claim 9 including transferring data to said portable device through said port.

11. The method of navigating in claim 9 including providing a communication link between said vehicle and said portable device and transferring data between said vehicle and said portable device through said communication link when said portable device is not connected with said port.

12. The method of navigating in claim 9 including determining a position of said vehicle when said portable device is in communication with said port using said position locator and said another position locator in combination.

13. The method of navigating in claim 12 including determining a position of said vehicle using one of said position locator and said another position locator.

14. The method of navigating in claim 13 including determining which of said position locator and said another position locator is more accurately determining position.

15. The method of navigating in claim 7 wherein said transferring data includes transferring data from a map located off-vehicle to the vehicle using a communication link.

16. The method of navigating in claim 9 wherein said portable device comprises one of a cellular telephone, a radio, a personal digital assistant, a computer and a pager.

17. The method of navigating in claim 9 wherein said another position locator comprises one of a global positioning system receiver, a signal triangulator, a compass-based system, and an inertial navigation system.

18. A method of navigating, comprising:

providing a vehicle having a navigational system including a position locator and a port;

providing a portable device having another position locator; and

providing communication between said portable device and said navigation system when said portable device is connected with said port.

19. The method of navigating in claim 18 wherein said navigation system includes a map store that is adapted to storing map data and including downloading data to said portable device from said map store when said portable device is connected with said port.

20. The method of navigating in claim 19 including storing a position of said vehicle by said portable device when said portable device is not connected with said port.

21. The method of navigating in claim 19 including transferring high resolution data to said portable device port when said portable device is connected with said port.

22. The method of navigating in claim 19 including providing a communication link between said vehicle and said portable device and transferring data between said vehicle and said portable device through said communication link when said portable device is not connected with said port.

23. The method of navigating in claim 18 including determining a position of said vehicle when said portable device is connected with said port using said position locator and said another position locator in combination.

24. The method of navigating in claim 23 including determining a position of said vehicle using one of said position locator and said another position locator.

25. The method of navigating in claim 24 including determining which of said position locator and said another position locator is more accurately determining position.

26. A method of navigating, comprising:

providing a vehicle having a navigational system including a position locator;

providing a portable device having another position locator;

providing communication between said portable device and said navigation system; and

determining a position of said vehicle using one of said position locator and said another position locator.

27. The method of navigating in claim 26 including determining which of said position locator and said another position locator is more accurately determining position.

28. The method of navigating in claim 26 wherein at least one of said position locator and said another position locator comprises one of a global positioning system receiver, a signal triangular, a compass-based system, and an inertial navigational system.

29. The method of navigating in claim 26 wherein said portable device comprises one of a cellular telephone, a radio, a personal digital assistant, a computer and a pager.

30. A vehicle navigation system, comprising:

a position locator and a map database;

a control which determines at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter, and transfers data from said map database; and

a display displaying the transferred data at a resolution that is a function of said at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter.

31. The navigation system in claim 30 in which the data transferred from said map database pertains to an area around the vehicle, said area being a function of said at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter.

32. The navigation system in claim 31 wherein said area is larger in a direction of vehicle travel than in an opposite direction thereof.

33. The navigation system in claim 30 wherein said display displays an output of said position locator and data transferred from said map database.

34. The navigation system in claim 30 wherein said vehicle parameter comprises the speed of the vehicle and wherein data is transferred at a higher resolution for lower speeds and at a lower resolution for higher speeds.

35. The navigation system in claim 30 wherein said position locator comprises one of a global positioning system receiver, a signal triangulator, a compass-based system, and an inertial navigation system.

36. The navigation system in claim 30 wherein said vehicle parameter comprises the speed of the vehicle.

37. The navigation system in claim 36 wherein speed of the vehicle is determined from a GPS signal.

38. The navigation system in claim 36 including a portable device having another position locator and a port in said vehicle providing communication between said portable device and said position locator.

39. The navigation system in claim 38 wherein data is transferred to said portable device through said port.

40. The navigation system in claim 38 including a communication link between said vehicle and said portable device, wherein data is transferred between said vehicle and said portable device through said communication link when said portable device is not connected with said port.

41. The navigation system in claim 38 wherein a position of said vehicle is determined when said portable device is in communication with said port using said position locator and said another position locator in combination.

42. The navigation system in claim 41 wherein a position of said vehicle is determined using one of said position locator and said another position locator.

43. The navigation system in claim 42 wherein it is determined which of said position locator and said another position locator is more accurately determining position.

44. The navigation system in claim 36 wherein data is transferred from a map located off-vehicle to the vehicle using a communication link.

45. The navigation system in claim 38 wherein said portable device comprises one of a cellular telephone, a radio, a personal digital assistant, a computer, and a pager.

46. The navigation system in claim 38 wherein said another position locator comprises one of a global positioning system receiver, a signal triangulator, a compass-based system, and an inertial navigation system.

53. The navigation system in claim 42 wherein a position of said vehicle is determined using one of said position locator and said another position locator.

54. The navigation system in claim 53 wherein a determination is made which of said position locator and said another position locator is more accurately determining position.

47. A vehicular navigation system, comprising:

a vehicle-based navigation system including a position locator and a port;

a portable device having another position locator; and

a communication link between said portable device and said vehicle-based navigation system when said portable device is connected with said port.

48. The navigation system in claim 47 wherein said vehicle-based navigation system includes a map store that is adapted to storing map data and wherein data is downloaded to said portable device from said map store when said portable device is connected with said port.

49. The navigation system in claim 48 wherein a position of said vehicle is stored by said portable device when said portable device is not connected with said port.

50. The navigation system in claim 48 wherein high resolution data is transferred to said portable device port when said portable device is connected with said port.

51. The navigation system in claim 47 including another communication link between said vehicle-based navigation system and said portable device, wherein data is transferred between said vehicle and said portable device through said another communication link when said portable device is not connected with said port.

52. The navigation system in claim 47 wherein a position of said vehicle is determined when said portable device is connected with said port using said position locator and said another position locator in combination.

55. A vehicular navigation system, comprising:

a vehicle-based navigational system including a position locator;

a portable device having another position locator;

a communication link between said portable device and said navigation system; and

wherein a position of said vehicle is determined using one of said position locator and said another position locator.

56. The navigation system in claim 55 wherein a determination is made which of said position locator and said another position locator is more accurately determining position.

57. The navigation system in claim 55 wherein at least one of said position locator and said another position locator comprises one of a global positioning system receiver, a signal triangular, a compass-based system, and an inertial navigational system.

58. The navigation system in claim 55 wherein said portable device comprises one of a cellular telephone, a radio, a personal digital assistant, a computer and a pager.