Vehicular operation processing system

• US 6,104,980 A
• Filed: 02/20/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Hideki, Sako, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/026,670
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/206, 701/207, 701/211, 701/212, 701/201, 701/23, 73/178 R, 37/196, 37/197, 37/232, 37/235, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 342/450
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/004 Devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path for graders or bulldozers E02F3/841; for other soil-shifting machines E02F9/2045
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/00 Removing snow or ice from roads or like surfaces; Grading or roughening snow or ice by applying de-icing agents E01H10/00; obstruction removers on vehicles B60R19/00; sand, gravel or salt spreaders E01C19/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

A vehicular operation processing system has a memory card for storing coordinates of a plurality of check point sets, each of which is composed of a set of check points, and an ECU for, when determining that a vehicle has approached to any one of the check point sets based on the coordinate of a current vehicle position and the coordinate of the check point set, detecting a next check point based on a relation between each of check points contained in that check point set and a check point detected in the last time and performing associated processes such as a voice guidance and automatic sampling of operation record for that check point.

Claims

1. A vehicular operation processing system which performs an associated process for a check point when a vehicle approaches the check point, said operation processing system comprising:

deriving means for deriving a current vehicle position;

storing means for storing coordinates of a plurality of check point sets; and

processing means for, when determining that the vehicle is approaching any one of the plurality of check point sets based on the current vehicle position and the coordinate of the check point set, detecting a next check point based on a relationship between each check point contained in the check point set and a check point previously detected and performing the associated process for the next check point,

wherein said processing means performs automatic sampling of operation record as the associated process for the check point.

2. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 1, wherein said processing means determines that the vehicle is approaching the check point set when the current vehicle position enters within a first distance from the coordinate of the check point set.

3. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 2, wherein said processing means determines that the vehicle has passed through the check point set when the current vehicle position is more than a second distance away which is greater than the first distance from the coordinate of the check point set.

4. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 2, wherein the first and second distances are individually set for each of the check point sets.

5. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 1, wherein said processing means detects the next check point based on cost calculation between each of check points contained in the check point set and a previously detected check point.

6. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a snowplow, the check point is set on a snow dumping prohibited section, and said processing means performs the associated process for the snow dumping prohibited section when determining that the snowplow is approaching the snow dumping prohibited section.

7. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a snowplow, the check point is set on a bridge joint, and said processing means performs the associated process for the bridge joint when determining that the snowplow is approaching the bridge joint.

8. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 1, wherein said processing means gives a caution to a driver as the associated process for the check point.

9. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 1, wherein said processing means give a voice guidance as the associated process for the check point.

10. A vehicular operation processing system which performs an associated process for a check point when a vehicle approaches the check point, said operation processing system comprising:

deriving means for deriving a current vehicle position;

storing means for storing coordinates of a plurality of check point sets; and

processing means for, when determining that the vehicle is approaching any one of the plurality of check point sets based on the current vehicle position and the coordinate of the check point set, detecting a next check point based on a relationship between each check point contained in the check point set and a previously detected check point and performing the associated process for the next check point,

wherein said storing means stores hierarchical structure data in which respective small areas obtained by subdividing a predetermined area are specified by coordinates and the check point set corresponds to a subdivided lowest level area, and said processing means retrieves the check point set in an area to which the current vehicle position belongs using the hierarchical structure data and the current vehicle position and determines that the vehicle has approached the check point set based on the coordinate of the check point set retrieved and the current vehicle position.

11. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 10, wherein said subdivided lowest level area is stored in said storing means in such a manner that adjacent two areas have an overlapped area.

12. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 11, wherein said processing means determines that the vehicle is approaching the check point set when the current vehicle position enters within a first distance from the coordinate of the check point set and a width of said overlapped area is equal to the first distance.

13. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 12, wherein the first distance is set to be shorter than a distance from a coordinate of a check point set to a main road when the check point set is established on a ramp extending from the main road.

14. A vehicular operation processing system which performs an associated process for a check point when a vehicle approaches the check point, said operation processing system comprising:

deriving means for deriving a current vehicle position;

storing means for storing coordinates of a plurality of check point sets; and

processing means for, when determining that the vehicle is approaching any one of the plurality of check point sets based on the current vehicle position and the coordinate of the check point set, detecting a next check point based on a relationship between each check point contained in the check point set and a previously detected check point and performing the associated process for the next check point,

wherein when the check point set includes a check point on a main road and a check point on a ramp branching from the main road and solidly crossing the main road, the check point on the main road substantially coinciding with the check point on the ramp, the next check point is detected from the check point on the main road and the check point on the ramp with the previously detected check point.

15. A vehicular operation processing system which performs an associated process for a check point set on a snow dumping prohibited section when a snow plow approaches the check point, said operation processing system comprising:

deriving means for deriving a current vehicle position;

storing means for storing coordinates of a plurality of check point sets; and

processing means for, when determining that the snow plow is approaching the snow plow dumping prohibited section based on the current vehicle position and the coordinate of the check point set, detecting a next check point based on a relationship between each check point contained in the check point set and a previously detected check point and performing the associated process for the next check point, wherein

said snow dumping section is set on a place where there is a solid crossing of two roads.

16. A vehicular operation processing system for a snowplow, comprising:

detecting means for detecting a current vehicle position; and

processing means for, when determining that the snowplow is approaching a snow dumping prohibited section based on the current vehicle position, performing an associated process for the snow dumping prohibited section,

wherein said processing means performs automatic sampling of operation record as the associated process for the snow dumping prohibited section.

17. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 16, wherein said snow dumping prohibited section is set on a place where there is a solid crossing of two roads.

18. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 16, wherein said processing means informs the a driver of the snow dumping prohibited section as the associated process for the snow dumping prohibited section.

19. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 18, wherein said processing means give a voice guidance to inform the driver of the snow dumping prohibited section as the associated process for the snow dumping prohibited section.

20. A vehicular operation processing system for a snowplow, comprising:

detecting means for detecting a current vehicle position; and

processing means for performing an associated process for the bridge joint, when determining that the snowplow is approaching to a bridge joint based on the current vehicle position,

wherein, when the processing means determines that the snowplow has approached the bridge joint based on the current vehicle position, the processing means outputs information regarding the approach of the snowplow to the bridge joint so as to lift a snow removing machine before the snowplow reaches the bridge joint.

21. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 20, wherein said processing means informs a driver of the bridge joint as the associated process for the bridge joint.

22. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 20, wherein said processing means give a voice guidance to inform the driver of the bridge joint as the associated process for the bridge joint.

23. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 20, wherein said processing means lifts a snowremoving machine as the associated process for the bridge joint.

24. A vehicular operation processing system for a snowplow, comprising:

detecting means for detecting a current vehicle position; and

processing means for, when determining that the snowplow has approached a bridge joint based on the current vehicle position, performing an associated process for the bridge joint,

wherein said processing means performs automatic sampling of an operation record as the associated process for the bridge joint.

25. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 24, wherein said processing means give a voice guidance to inform the driver of the bridge joint as the associated process for the bridge joint.

26. A vehicular operation processing system according to claim 24, wherein said processing means lifts a snow removing machine as the associated process for the bridge joint.

27. A vehicular operation processing system which performs an associated process for a check point when a vehicle approaches the check point, said operation processing system comprising:

deriving means for deriving a current vehicle position;

storing means for storing hierarchical structure data in which respective small areas obtained by sequentially subdividing a predetermined area are specified by coordinates and a check point set is included in a subdivided lowest level area; and

processing means for, when determining that the vehicle is approaching any one of check point sets based on the current vehicle position and the coordinates of the check point sets in an area to which the current vehicle position belongs, detected by using the hierarchical structure data and the coordinate of the current vehicle position, detecting a next check point from check points contained in that check point set and performing the associated process for the next check point.

28. A vehicular operation processing system which performs an associated process for a check point when a vehicle approaches the check point, said operation processing system comprising:

a storage element that stores hierarchical structure data in which respective small areas obtained by sequentially subdividing a predetermined area are specified by coordinates and a check point set is included in a subdivided lowest level area.

29. A processing system a vehicle check point comprising:

a sensing unit that determines a current vehicle position;

a storage unit that stores coordinates of a plurality of check point sets; and

a processor which, when determining that a vehicle is approaching any one of the plurality of check point sets based on the current vehicle position and the coordinate of the approached check point set, detects a next check point based on a relationship between each check point contained in the approached check point set and a previously detected check point and performs an associated process for the next check point,

wherein said storage unit stores hierarchical structure data in which respective small areas obtained by subdividing a predetermined area are specified by coordinates and the approached check point set corresponds to a subdivided lowest level area, and said processor retrieves a check point set in an area to which the current vehicle position belongs using the hierarchical structure data and the current vehicle position and determines that the vehicle is approaching the approached check point set based on the coordinate of the check point set retrieved and the current vehicle position.

30. A processing system which performs an associated process for a vehicle check point, said processing system comprising:

a sensing unit that determines a current vehicle position;

a storage unit that stores coordinates of a plurality of check point sets; and

a processor which, when determining that the vehicle is approaching any one of the plurality of check point sets based on the current vehicle position and the coordinate of the approached check point set, detects a next check point based on a relationship between each check point contained in the approached check point set and a previously detected check point and performs an associated process for the next check point,

wherein said processor performs automatic sampling of an operation record as the associated process for the approached check point.

31. A processing system for a snowplow, comprising:

a detector that detects a current vehicle position; and

a processor which, when determining that the snowplow is approaching a snow dumping prohibited section based on the current vehicle position, performs an associated process for the snow dumping prohibited section,

wherein said processor performs automatic sampling of an operation record as the associated process for the snow dumping prohibited section.

32. A processing system for a snowplow, comprising:

a detector that detects a current vehicle position; and

a processor that performs an associated process for a bridge joint when determining that the snowplow is approaching the bridge joint based on the current vehicle position,

wherein the processor outputs information regarding the approach of the snowplow to the bridge joint based on the current vehicle position so as to lift a snow removing machine before the snowplow reaches the bridge joint.

33. A processing system for a snowplow, comprising:

a detector that detects a current vehicle position; and

a processor which, when determining that the snowplow is approaching a bridge joint based on the current vehicle position, performs an associated process for the bridge joint, wherein said processor performs automatic sampling of an operation record as the associated process for the bridge joint.