SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE NAVIGATION AND PILOTING INCLUDING ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE COORDINATES
First Claim
1. A system for vehicle navigation using absolute and relative coordinates comprising:
- a map database that contains information for a plurality of objects, including the absolute geographic location and relative spatial location of the objects;
an absolute position sensor that is used by the system to determine an initial absolute geographic position of the vehicle;
one or more sensors can determine the existence and relative bearing of physical objects in the vicinity of the vehicle, that are also referenced as corresponding objects in the map database; and
a navigation logic that uses absolute geographic position of the vehicle to determine which of the plurality of objects in the map database should be selected, and then uses the spatial coordinate of the selected objects, together with the relative bearing of those physical objects to the vehicle, to determine an accurate vehicle position, for use in vehicle navigation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation system for use in a vehicle. The system includes an absolute position sensor, such as GPS, in addition to one or more additional sensors, such as a camera, laser scanner, or radar. The system further comprises a digital map or database that includes records for at least some of the vehicle'"'"'s surrounding objects. These records can include relative positional attributes and traditional absolute positions. As the vehicle moves, sensors sense the presence of at least some of these objects, and measure the vehicle'"'"'s relative position to those objects. This information, together with the absolute positional information and the added map information, is used to determine the vehicle'"'"'s location, and support features such as enhanced driving directions, collision avoidance, or automatic assisted driving. In accordance with an embodiment, the system also allows some objects to be attributed using relative positioning, without recourse to storing absolute position information.
201 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system for vehicle navigation using absolute and relative coordinates comprising:
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a map database that contains information for a plurality of objects, including the absolute geographic location and relative spatial location of the objects; an absolute position sensor that is used by the system to determine an initial absolute geographic position of the vehicle; one or more sensors can determine the existence and relative bearing of physical objects in the vicinity of the vehicle, that are also referenced as corresponding objects in the map database; and a navigation logic that uses absolute geographic position of the vehicle to determine which of the plurality of objects in the map database should be selected, and then uses the spatial coordinate of the selected objects, together with the relative bearing of those physical objects to the vehicle, to determine an accurate vehicle position, for use in vehicle navigation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for vehicle navigation using absolute and relative coordinates comprising the steps of:
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accessing a map database that contains information for a plurality of objects, including the absolute geographic location and relative spatial location of the objects; using an absolute position sensor to determine an initial absolute geographic position of the vehicle; using one or more sensors to determine the existence and relative bearing of physical objects in the vicinity of the vehicle, that are also referenced as corresponding objects in the map database; and using the absolute geographic position of the vehicle to determine which of the plurality of objects in the map database should be selected, and then using the spatial coordinate of the selected objects, together with the relative bearing of those physical objects to the vehicle, to determine an accurate vehicle position, for use in vehicle navigation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A map database for use in vehicle navigation using absolute and relative coordinates comprising:
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a plurality of object records corresponding to a real world environment, including streets and objects within, for use in conjunction with a land navigation and/or collision avoidance device used in vehicles, and wherein each of the plurality of object records further comprises a first set or sets of coordinates defining on the surface of the earth the absolute location of the object in any appropriate coordinate reference system, and a second set or sets of coordinates defining on the surface of the earth the relative location of at least one of said objects in said database in any appropriate coordinate reference system, and which can be compared to a sensor reading of the same object from a sensor on the vehicle; and whereby said first coordinates and said second coordinates are linked by attribution to the same map object, and can be used together to determine an accurate position for the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification