Adaptive geographic mapping in vehicle information systems

• US 6,680,674 B1
• Filed: 04/13/1994
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cufer Asset Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Park, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US08/227,609
• Time in Patent Office: 3,569 Days
• Field of Search: 340/934, 340/910, 340/907, 340/993, 340/989, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate 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 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A travel information system broadcasts a stream of traffic event information relative to a given road network and a information collecting devices carried in vehicles travelling within the road network each filter among the stream of traffic event information to display only those traffic events relative to a selected travel route of the host vehicle. Each stored travel route is defined by placing the information device in a learn mode to collect a sequence of current vehicle position values during travel along the route. The information device need not include a costly and difficult to maintain large scale database representing the road network. The device thereby constructs and maintains a collection of frequent travel routes specific to the vehicle carrying the device and need not be updated to reflect changes in the road network, but rather allows the user to simply redefine the stored travel routes in light of current road usage and route selection.

Claims

1. A method of presenting traffic event information at a vehicle, the method comprising the steps:

transmitting a stream of traffic event information, said traffic event information including a descriptive portion and a location portion;

monitoring said stream of traffic event information at said vehicle;

comparing at said vehicle said location portion of said traffic event information relative to a previously stored travel route model specifying a corresponding travel route of said vehicle, said travel route model being defined at said vehicle while said vehicle was previously traversing said travel route; and

displaying for presentation at said vehicle a subset of monitored traffic events, said subset including only events which coincide geographically with said travel route.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said travel route model comprises a sequence of location data collected and stored by said vehicle while said vehicle is traversing said travel route.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the steps:

maintaining a collection of stored travel route models at said vehicle, each travel route model specifying a corresponding travel route, each travel route model being defined at said vehicle while traversing the corresponding travel route; and

selecting one of said stored travel route models to dictate said subset of traffic events displayed.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein each travel route model is defined by collecting vehicle position data while said vehicle is traversing the corresponding travel route.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the step of providing at said vehicle a vehicle position detecting device and each travel route model is defined by collecting and storing a sequence of vehicle position information taken from said vehicle detecting device while traversing the corresponding travel route.

6. A method of filtering for display traffic event information at a vehicle, said traffic event information being broadcast by radio signal and providing information relative to a given road network, the method comprising the steps:

defining a travel route model by traversing with said vehicle a corresponding travel route within said road network while collecting and storing a sequence of current vehicle position data;

monitoring said broadcast of said traffic event information; and

displaying a subset of said traffic event information, said subset being events which coincide with said travel route model.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein traffic event information includes a geographic location portion, and wherein said subset of said traffic event information is coincides with locations on said travel route model when a geographic correspondence exists between the geographic location portion of a given traffic event and vehicle position data and points therebetween of said travel route model.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said geographic correspondence comprises said location portion indicating a given range of proximity relative to a portion of said travel route model.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein said method further comprises the steps:

maintaining a collection of stored travel route models at said vehicle, each travel route model specifying a corresponding travel route, each travel route model being defined at said vehicle while traversing the corresponding travel route; and

selecting one of said stored travel route models to dictate said subset of traffic events displayed.

10. An information receiving and displaying device for a vehicle, said device comprising:

a vehicle position sensing device;

a data receiving device responsive to transmitted event information, each item of event information including a descriptive portion and a location portion;

a display for presenting items of event information to a vehicle driver;

a processing and data storage element coupled to said vehicle position sensing device, said data receiving device, and to said display whereby said processing element collects transmitted event information and displays a selected subset of said event information on said display, said processing element including a learn mode defining a travel route model by collecting and storing vehicle position information while said vehicle traverses a corresponding travel route, said travel route model being referenced in selecting said subset of event information for display.

11. A device according to claim 10 wherein said processing element references said travel model to identify event information which geographically coincide with said travel route model.

12. A device according to claim 11 wherein said processing element takes as relevant that event information including a location portion within a given geographic proximity relative to said vehicle position information and points therebetween indicated in said travel route model.

13. A device according to claim 10 wherein the learn mode of said device may be activated multiple times to establish multiple travel route models, and said device further includes a travel mode including selection of a stored travel route with reference to said selected travel route model in selecting said subset of event information for display.