Automobile navigation system
First Claim
1. Automobile navigation system, comprising:
- means for receiving video signals representing standard road signs being approached by a vehicle;
means for determining a current direction of travel of said vehicle;
means for receiving a desired destination of said vehicle;
audio output means for outputting audio messages to a driver of said vehicle; and
control means for converting predetermines ones of said video signals to road data indicating a current location of said vehicle based on information including at least one of road sign text, color or shape;
for determining from said current location of said vehicle and said desired destination a desired route of travel of said vehicle; and
for controlling said audio output means to output to said driver audio directions based on the current location of said vehicle, the current direction of travel of said vehicle and the determined desired route of travel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Automobile navigation system utilizes a wide angle CCD camera that is coupled to the vehicle to receive video images of signs being approached by the vehicle. The user (e.g., the driver) of the system supplies via an input keyboard the desired destination of the vehicle and by using, e.g., a digital compass, the current direction of travel of the vehicle is ascertained. Then, by utilizing a computer system having therein a road database and optical character recognition software, the system converts the video images to road data that identifies the current location of the vehicle, and determines from the current location of the vehicle and the desired destination a desired route of travel. Specific audio directions then are supplied to the driver depending on the vehicle'"'"'s current location and desired route of travel.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. Automobile navigation system, comprising:
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means for receiving video signals representing standard road signs being approached by a vehicle; means for determining a current direction of travel of said vehicle; means for receiving a desired destination of said vehicle; audio output means for outputting audio messages to a driver of said vehicle; and control means for converting predetermines ones of said video signals to road data indicating a current location of said vehicle based on information including at least one of road sign text, color or shape;
for determining from said current location of said vehicle and said desired destination a desired route of travel of said vehicle; and
for controlling said audio output means to output to said driver audio directions based on the current location of said vehicle, the current direction of travel of said vehicle and the determined desired route of travel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Method of navigating a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a desired destination of a vehicle; receiving video signals representing standard road signs being approached by said vehicle; determining a current direction of travel of said vehicle; converting predetermines ones of the received video signals to road data indicating a current location of said vehicle based on information including at least one of road sign text, color or shape; determining from said current location of said vehicle and said desired destination a desired route of travel of said vehicle; and outputting to a driver of said vehicle audio directions based on the current location of said vehicle, the current direction of travel of said vehicle and the determined desired route of travel. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification