Generating a maneuver at the intersection through a turn lane

• US 5,902,350 A
• Filed: 10/30/1996
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tomtom Global Assets BV (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Technologies LLC (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Tamai, Haruhisa, Desai, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael
• Application Number:
  US08/741,093
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/211, 701/201, 340/995, 340/996
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3655 Timing of guidance instructions

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating a maneuver indication for an intersection having a turn-lane connector which is consistent with what a driver sees and expects. According to one aspect of the invention, it provides a method for providing maneuver indications to a driver for an intersection having a turn-lane connector which includes the steps of (a) determining when the intersection includes a turn-lane connector, (b) determining whether it is appropriate to collapse the turn lane into the main portion of the intersection for the purposes of generating a maneuver indication, (c) collapsing the turn lane into the intersection when it is appropriate, (d) generating a maneuver indication for the collapsed intersection, and (e) outputting the maneuver indication to the user in time so that the driver may use the turn-lane connector if desired.

Claims

1. In a vehicle navigation system, a method for providing maneuver guidance for an intersection comprising:

a) retrieving information corresponding to the intersection from a map database;

b) determining from the information whether the intersection includes a turn lane;

c) where the intersection includes a turn lane reducing the information for generation of a simplified maneuver indication representing both the intersection and the turn lane; and

d) generating the simplified maneuver indication.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

e) outputting a representation of the maneuver indication to the driver.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein outputting the representation comprises:

calculating a warning time; and

outputting the representation to the driver at the warning time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein calculating a warning time comprises:

calculating a first warning time which corresponds to a vehicle being a predetermined distance from a main portion of the intersection when the intersection does not include a turn lane; and

calculating a second warning time which corresponds to a vehicle being the predetermined distance from an entry point of the turn lane when the intersection does include a turn lane.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes road attribute data;

and wherein determining whether the intersection includes a turn lane comprises recognizing when the road attribute data for the intersection includes a turn-lane connector road attribute.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes road positional data and road attribute data;

and wherein determining whether the intersection includes a turn lane comprises analyzing the road positional data and the road attribute data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the intersection includes a turn lane comprises:

identifying one or more characteristic features of the intersection; and

recognizing when the one or more characteristic features correspond to a pre-determined pattern of an intersection including a turn lane.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the intersection includes a turn lane comprises:

generating maneuver indications for the intersection; and

analyzing the maneuver indications and determining whether the maneuver indications correspond to an intersection including a turn lane.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the maneuver indications correspond to an intersection including a turn lane comprises recognizing when the maneuver indications includes a double-maneuver indication.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the simplified maneuver indication comprises:

determining a complexity of the turn lane;

generating a first set of maneuver indications for the intersection when the complexity of the turn lane is below a first complexity level; and

generating a second set of maneuver indications for the intersection when the complexity of the turn lane is above the first complexity level.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein generating a second set of maneuver indications comprises:

reducing the information into collapsed intersection data, thereby simplifying the intersection; and

generating, from the collapsed intersection data, the simplified maneuver indication.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the intersection includes an entry road, a turn lane, and an exit road, and wherein determining the complexity of the turn lane comprises:

identifying an entry point for the turn lane; and

calculating a distance between the entry point and the exit road.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the simplified maneuver indication comprises:

determining whether the turn lane is critical for proper execution of a turn through the intersection;

generating a first set of maneuver indications for the intersection when the turn lane is critical for proper execution of a turn through the intersection; and

generating a second set of maneuver indications for the intersection when the turn lane is not critical for proper execution of a turn through the intersection.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating a second set of maneuver indications comprises:

reducing the information into collapsed intersection data, thereby simplifying the intersection; and

generating, from the collapsed intersection data, the simplified maneuver indication.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the intersection includes an entry road, a turn lane, and an exit road, and wherein determining the complexity of the turn lane comprises:

identifying an entry point for the turn lane; and

calculating a distance between the entry point and the exit road.

16. A computer program product for providing maneuver guidance for an intersection, comprising:

at least one computer-readable medium; and

a computer program mechanism embedded in the at least one computer-readable medium for causing a computer to perform the steps of;

retrieving information corresponding to the intersection from a map database;

determining from the information whether the intersection includes a turn lane;

where the intersection includes a turn lane, reducing the information for generation of a simplified maneuver indication representing both the intersection and the turn lane; and

generating the simplified maneuver indication.

17. A vehicle navigation system, comprising:

a user interface; and

a processor coupled to the user interface, the processor being operable to;

retrieve information corresponding to an intersection from a map database;

determine from the information whether the intersection includes a turn lane;

where the intersection includes a turn lane, reducing the information for generation of a simplified maneuver indication representing both the intersection and the turn lane; and

generate the simplified maneuver indication.