Method and system for telematics location sensing

• US 20060089791A1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Fillwock, Brian W., Hay, Curtis L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of operating a telematics device within a mobile vehicle communication system to provide a current telematics device geographic location. The method includes receiving odometer information including velocity information for a specified time period, and receiving positional information including velocity information for a specified time period. The method further includes determining a first distance traveled value based on the received odometer information and determining a second distance traveled value based on the received positional information. The method additionally includes selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on predetermined criteria, and determining a current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance traveled value. The odometer information may include velocity information from a power-train sensor. The positional information may include velocity information from one or more wheel sensors.

Claims

1. A method of operating a telematics device within a mobile vehicle communication system, comprising:

receiving odometer information, the odometer information including velocity information for a specified time period;

receiving positional information, the positional information including velocity information for a specified time period;

determining a first distance traveled value based on the received odometer information;

determining a second distance traveled value based on the received positional information;

selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on predetermined criteria; and

determining a current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance traveled value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the odometer information includes velocity information from a power-train sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the positional information includes velocity information from one or more wheel sensors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined first distance traveled value is based on a normalized product of the velocity information and the specified time period included within the odometer information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined second distance traveled value includes utilizing Earth Centered Earth Fixed methodology incorporating the received positional information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on predetermined criteria comprises:

comparing the first distance traveled value to the second distance traveled value;

selecting the second distance traveled value as the primary distance traveled value when the difference between the first distance traveled value and the second distance traveled value is less than or equal to a predetermined tolerance value; and

selecting the first distance traveled value as the primary distance traveled value when the difference between the first distance traveled value and the second distance traveled value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on predetermined criteria comprises:

comparing the first distance traveled value and the second distance traveled value to a predetermined threshold distance traveled value; and

selecting the first distance traveled value as the primary distance traveled value when either distance traveled values is less than the predetermined threshold distance traveled value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance traveled value comprises:

receiving the selected primary distance traveled value;

receiving a previously determined telematics device geographic location; and

determining the current telematics device geographic location as the previously determined geographic position when the received primary distance traveled value is less than or equal to a predetermined distance traveled value threshold.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance traveled value comprises:

receiving the selected primary distance traveled value;

receiving a previously determined telematics device geographic location; and

determining the current telematics device geographic location utilizing the previously determined telematics device geographic location and the selected primary distance traveled value.

10. A computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:

computer readable code for providing received odometer information, the odometer information including velocity information for a specified time period;

computer readable code for providing received positional information, the positional information including velocity information for a specified time period;

computer readable code for determining a first distance traveled value based on the received odometer information;

computer readable code for determining a second distance traveled value based on the received positional information;

computer readable code for selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on predetermined criteria; and

computer readable code for determining a current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance traveled value.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the odometer information includes velocity information from a power-train sensor.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the positional information includes velocity information from one or more wheel sensors.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the determined first distance traveled value is based on a normalized product of the velocity information and the specified time period.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the determined second distance traveled value includes utilizing Earth Centered Earth Fixed methodology incorporating the received positional information.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer readable code for selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on predetermined criteria comprises:

computer readable code for comparing the first distance traveled value to the second distance traveled value;

computer readable code for selecting the second distance traveled value as the primary distance traveled value when the difference between the first distance traveled value and the second distance traveled value is less than or equal to a predetermined tolerance value; and

computer readable code for selecting the first distance traveled value as the primary distance traveled value when the difference between the first distance traveled value and the second distance traveled value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer readable code for selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on predetermined criteria comprises:

computer readable code for comparing the first distance traveled value and the second distance traveled value to a predetermined threshold distance traveled value; and

computer readable code for selecting the first distance traveled value as the primary distance traveled value when either distance traveled values is less than the predetermined threshold distance traveled value.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer readable code for determining the current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance traveled value comprises:

computer readable code for providing the received selected primary distance traveled value;

computer readable code for providing a received previously determined telematics device geographic location; and

computer readable code for determining the current telematics device geographic location as the previously determined geographic position when the received primary distance traveled value is less than or equal to a predetermined distance traveled value threshold.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer readable code for determining the current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance traveled value comprises:

computer readable code for providing the received selected primary distance traveled value;

computer readable code for providing the received previously determined telematics device geographic location; and

computer readable code for determining the current telematics device geographic location utilizing the previously determined telematics device geographic location and the selected primary distance traveled value.

19. A system for operating a telematics device within a mobile vehicle communication system, comprising:

means for receiving odometer information, the odometer information including velocity information for a specified time period;

means for receiving positional information, the positional information including velocity information for a specified time period;

means for determining a first distance traveled value based on the received odometer information;

means for determining a second distance traveled value based on the received positional information;

means for selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on predetermined criteria; and

means for determining a current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance traveled value.

20. A method of determining a current telematics device geographic location, the method comprising:

receiving a first and second odometer information;

receiving a positional information, the positional information including velocity information;

determining a first distance traveled value based on the first and second odometer information;

determining a second distance traveled value based on the received positional information;

selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on a tolerance value; and

determining a current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance value traveled.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on a tolerance value comprises comparing the first and second distance traveled values and determining if the difference between the first and second distance traveled values exceeds the tolerance value.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on a tolerance value further comprises selecting the first distance traveled value when the difference between the first and second distance traveled values exceeds the tolerance value.