Navigation system and navigation method

• US 20050171694A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Schirmer, Harmut, Rauterberg, Karl-Friedrich
• Granted Patent: US 7,869,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

A navigation system and method having a function of alerting the driver to potential wrong way driving comprises means 102 for determining a position of a vehicle 300, means 107 for calculating a driving route of the vehicle 300, means 108 for determining a driving manoeuvre in accordance with the predetermined driving route 305, means 104, 105, 110, 111 for outputting indications relating to the determined driving manoeuvre to a driver of the vehicle 300, and means 109 for alerting the driver to potential wrong way driving including means 201 for detecting a potential wrong way driving situation and means 202, 104, 105, 110, 111 for outputting an indication relating to the potential wrong way driving situation to the driver.

Claims

1. A navigation system in a vehicle with a driver, comprising:

a position determination unit that determines a position of the vehicle;

a route calculation unit that calculates a driving route;

a manoeuvre unit that determines a driving manoeuvre in accordance with the driving route;

means for outputting indications associated with the driving manoeuvre that alert the driver; and

a potential wrong way driving unit that detects the potential wrong way driving situation and generates an indication at the means for outputting associated with the potential wrong way driving situation.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, including:

at least one sensors from a plurality of sensors that detects at least one value of at least one parameter relating to an operational state of the vehicle, where the potential wrong way driving unit determines a determined value of the at least one parameter dependent on the driving route;

a comparator that compares the detected at least one value and the determined value of said at least one parameter; and

a judging unit that judges the result of the comparison to detect the potential wrong way driving situation.

3. The navigation system according to claim 2, where the judging unit further include:

an indication that indicates that the vehicle is on the driving route.

4. The navigation system according to claim 2, where the judging unit further indicates that the vehicle is leaving the driving route.

5. The navigation system according to any of claim 2, where the sensors further include:

a relative position of the vehicle determined by a time period, an advancing direction of the vehicle, a position of a driving direction indicator control, an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, a vehicle speed, a rotational speed of the vehicle and a time period during which at least one value is within a predetermined value range.

6. The navigation system according to claim 5, where the at least one value of the relative position of the vehicle is a distance of a vehicle to at least one location of the driving route.

7. The navigation system according to claims 1, where the position determination unit has at least one value of at least one parameter relating to an operation state of the vehicle is at least one means for detecting at least one value from at least one parameter of the group comprising:

a geographical position of the vehicle, a relative position of the vehicle, a time period, an advancing direction of the vehicle, a position of a driving direction indicator control, an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, a vehicle speed, a rotational speed of the vehicle, and a time period during which at least one value of said parameter is within a predetermined value range.

8. The navigation system according to claim 7, where the position determination unit further includes:

a relative position unit that determines a distance from the vehicle to at least one location of the driving route.

9. The navigation system according to any of claims 7, where the relative position unit determines at least one of the following distances selected from a set comprising a distance to a nearest location of said driving route, a distance to a location of said driving route where the driving manoeuvre is to be performed, and a distance to a location of the driving route where it is possible to leave the driving route.

10. The navigation system according to claim 1, where the indication comprises an audio response unit.

11. The navigation system according to claim 1, where the audio response unit is a TTS unit.

12. The navigation system of claim 11, where a content of the indication is selectable by the driver.

13. The navigation system of claim 1, where the indication is associated with a driving recommendation for staying on the driving route.

14. A navigation method for guiding a driver of a vehicle comprising:

predetermining a driving route of the vehicle;

determining a position of the vehicle;

determining a driving manoeuvre in accordance with the predetermined driving route;

alerting the driver to potential wrong way driving by detection of a potential wrong way driving situation; and

outputting an indication relating to said potential wrong way driving situation to the driver, if a potential wrong way situation has been detected.

15. The navigation method according to claim 14, further including:

detecting a potential wrong way driving situation when at least one value of a at least one parameter relating to an operation state of the vehicle;

determining at least one value of at least one parameter relating to an operation state of the vehicle based upon the predetermined driving route;

comparing the detected value and the determined values; and

judging the result of comparison to detect a potential wrong way driving situation.

16. The navigation method of claim 15, where the determined value is based upon traffic provisions along the predetermined driving route.

17. The navigation method of claim 15, where the determined value based upon the determined driving manoeuvre.

18. The navigation method of claim 15, further includes:

determining a location of the predetermined driving route where it is possible to leave the predetermined driving route.

19. Navigation method of claim 15, where the determining the at least one value further includes:

determining the at least one value within a predetermined distance to a point of the predetermined driving route where the driving manoeuvre is to be performed.

20. The navigation method of claim 15, where the at least one parameter(s) is/ selected from a group of parameter comprising:

a geographical position of the vehicle, a relative position of the vehicle with respect to at least one location of the predetermined driving route, an advancing direction of the vehicle, a position of a direction indicator control, a vehicle speed, a rotational speed of the vehicle, and a time period during which any parameters are within one or more predetermined ranges of values.

21. The navigation method of claim 20, where value of the respective parameter is selected based upon another value of another parameter and a distance to a point in the predetermined driving route where the determined driving manoeuvre is to be performed.

22. The navigation method of claim 15, further comprises:

determining an output information related to said predetermined driving route which is to be output to the driver upon detection of the potential wrong way driving situation.

23. The navigation method according to claim 15, further comprising:

inputting information relating to a desired driving route; and

calculating the predetermined driving route in accordance with said input information.

24. The navigation method according to any of claims 15, further comprising selecting a driving route from a plurality of driving routes stored on a storage medium of an external server.