Data mining in a digital map database to identify traffic signals, stop signs and yield signs at bottoms of hills and enabling precautionary actions in a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for making a database that represents a road network in a geographic region, the method comprising:
- using data contained in the database to identify traffic lights, stop signs or yield signs located at the bottoms of hills throughout the geographic region; and
adding precautionary action data to the database to indicate a condition for which a precautionary action is to be taken by a vehicle system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at the bottom of a hill. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign is located at the bottom of a hill. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at the bottom of a hill. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action. When the vehicle is at such a location, a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system as the vehicle is approaching a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at the bottom of a hill.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for making a database that represents a road network in a geographic region, the method comprising:
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using data contained in the database to identify traffic lights, stop signs or yield signs located at the bottoms of hills throughout the geographic region; and adding precautionary action data to the database to indicate a condition for which a precautionary action is to be taken by a vehicle system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A database stored on a computer-readable medium, wherein the database includes data that represents a road network in a geographic region, wherein the database comprises:
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data records that represent road segments that make up the road network; data that indicates altitude of the road segments; and data that indicates precautionary action locations, wherein a precautionary action location is associated with a location where a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign is located at a bottom of a hill. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A vehicle system comprising:
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a database that contains data representing a geographic region in which a vehicle is being operated, wherein the data includes data that represents a road network located in the geographic region and precautionary action data that indicates precautionary action locations associated with locations where traffic lights, stop signs or yield signs are located at bottoms of hills; a positioning system that determines a current location of the vehicle relative to the data representing a geographic region; and a precautionary action application responsive to the positioning system and the database that provides a precautionary action when the positioning system determines that the current location of the vehicle is approaching a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at a bottom of a hill. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for providing precautionary actions in a vehicle comprising:
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determining a current position of the vehicle; accessing a database that represents a road network to obtain data representations of a part of the road network around of the current position of the vehicle; upon determining that the data representations of the part of the road network around the current position of the vehicle include precautionary action data, taking a precautionary action as the vehicle is approaching a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at a bottom of a hill. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification