Method and device for traffic sign recognition and navigation

• US 6,560,529 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Janssen, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/787,163
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/213, 701/215, 701/223, 348/119, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/768 using context analysis, e.g. recognition aided by known co-occurring patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A method and a coupled system for road sign recognition and for navigation is proposed, which enables a bidirectional data transmission between the road sign recognition device and the navigation device.

Claims

1. A method of recognizing road signs in surroundings of a vehicle and for navigating the vehicle, comprising the steps of recognizing road signs and preparing road sign recognition data;

furnishing navigation data for locating the vehicle via a satellite-base positioning system;

evaluating in the vehicle in a manner selected from the group consisting of evaluating the navigation data for updating and/or supplementation with the road sign recognition data, evaluating the road sign recognition data for their supplementation with the navigation data, and both;

comparing the road sign recognition data with the navigation data and if there is a deviation, providing an action selected from the group consisting of a warning issued to a vehicle driver, updating the navigation data or the road sign recognition data, and both;

comparing the road sign recognition data with the navigation data and if there is a deviation, storing information relating to said deviation for future use; and

employing a system selected from the group consisting of a video system, a laser scanning system, and a radio system, if road sign-specific transmitters that can be received by a road sign recognition device of the vehicle are built into the road signs.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising using the data that supplements the navigation data, selected from the group consisting of a current road type, a number of lanes in a road, a width of a roadway, entering or leaving a town, signs indicating danger, an implicit cancellation of a validity of road signs because of a change of road, an existence of roads adjacent to a current road, entrance and exit lanes, merging lanes, intersecting roadways, intersections, bridges and footpaths and bicycle paths;

and using for processing the road sign recognition data also the supplementary data, so that road signs recognized are reported to the vehicle driver only within a context of a current traffic situation.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising ascertaining a currently valid speed limit for the road sign recognition and the navigation data.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising generating control signals for intervention into a vehicle controller from data selected from the group consisting of the navigation data, the road sign recognition data, and both.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 further comprising using the control signals for triggering at least one unit selected from the group consisting of a vehicle brake, a fuel delivery device of the vehicle to a drive assembly, a steering device, and a vehicle speed monitoring device.