Data mining in a digital map database to identify curves along downhill roads 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 road sections located throughout the geographic region that have a curve on a downhill section thereof; 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 curve along a downhill road segment. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a curve is located along a downhill road segment. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the location of the curve along the downhill road segment. 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 location of the curve in the downhill road segment.
48 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 road sections located throughout the geographic region that have a curve on a downhill section thereof; 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 altitudes of the road segments; and data that indicates precautionary action locations, wherein a precautionary action location is associated with a location at which a curve is located on a downhill section of the road. - 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 a curve is located on a downhill section of a road segment; 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 curve on a downhill section of a road segment. - 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; and upon determining that the data representations of the part of the road network around the current position of the vehicle includes precautionary action data, taking a precautionary action as the vehicle is approaching a curve in a downhill road. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification