Vehicle information system

• US 6,970,783 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Brown, Steven, Knockeart, Ronald P., Jozefowicz, Paul A., Asher, Harry, Rode, Melvin A., Drury, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu V.
• Application Number:
  US10/655,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/210, 701/214, 701/216, 701/201, 342/357.02, 342/357.14, 342/357.13, 342/457
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle information system which includes an in-vehicle system and a centralized server system. The in-vehicle system communicates with the server system using a wireless communication link. The vehicle receives a reference signal from a positioning system, computes position data related to the location of the vehicle using the received reference signal, and transmits the position data to the server. The vehicle receives from the server position correction data and determines estimated coordinates of the vehicle, including combining data computed from the received reference signal and the position correction data. Computing the position data and determining the estimated coordinates are performed repeatedly for an interval of time using the same received position correction data, and subsequent to the interval of time, are performed repeatedly without using the received correction data.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a vehicle comprising:

receiving a reference signal from a positioning system;

computing position data related to the location of the vehicle using the received reference signal;

transmitting the position data from the vehicle to a server; and

at the vehicle, receiving from the server position correction data and determining estimated coordinates of the vehicle including combining data computed from the received reference signal and the position correction data;

wherein computing the position data and determining the estimated coordinates are performed repeatedly for an interval of time using the same received position correction data, and subsequent to the interval of time, are performed repeatedly without using the received correction data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

receiving the reference signal from a positioning system includes receiving signals from a plurality of positioning satellites;

computing the position data includes computing a range measurement to each of the positioning satellite;

receiving the position correction data includes receiving range correction data for range measurements to the positioning satellites; and

combining the position data and the position correction data includes combining the range measurements and the range correction data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

receiving the position correction data includes receiving a location correction; and

combining the position data and the position correction data includes computing uncorrected coordinates from the position data and adding the location correction to the uncorrected coordinates to determine the estimated location of the vehicle.

4. Software recorded on a computer readable medium for causing an in-vehicle computer to perform the functions of:

receiving a reference signal from a positioning system;

computing position data related to the location of the vehicle using the received reference signal;

transmitting the position data to a server;

receiving from the server position correction data;

determining estimated coordinates of the vehicle including combining data computed from the received reference signal and the received position correction data; and

repeatedly computing the position data and determining the estimated coordinates for the vehicle using the computed position data and the received position correction data for a time interval, and after the time interval determining the estimated coordinates without using the received position correction data.

5. The software of claim 4 wherein:

receiving the reference signal from a positioning system includes receiving signals from a plurality of positioning satellites;

computing the position data includes computing a range measurement to each of the positioning satellite;

receiving the position correction data includes receiving range correction data for range measurements to the positioning satellites; and

combining the position data and the position correction data includes combining the range measurements and the range correction data.

6. The software of claim 4 wherein:

receiving the position correction data includes receiving a location correction; and

combining the position data and the position correction data includes computing uncorrected coordinates from the position data and adding the location correction to the uncorrected coordinates to determine the estimated location of the vehicle.

7. An in-vehicle navigation system comprising:

a positioning system receiver for receiving reference signals from a positioning system;

a wireless communication interface for accepting data signals from a server; and

a processor coupled to the positioning system and to the wireless communication system, wherein the onboard computer is programmed to perform the functions of

accepting reference data from the positioning system receiver,

determining position data from the reference data,

providing the position data to the wireless communication interface for transmission to the server,

accepting position correct data from the communication interface, and

determining estimated coordinates for the vehicle from the reference data and the accepted position correction data; and

repeatedly computing the position data and determining the estimated coordinates for the vehicle using the computed position data and the accepted position correction data for a time interval, and after the time interval determining the estimated coordinates without using the accepted position correction data.

8. The in-vehicle navigation system of claim 7 wherein:

accepting reference data includes accepting reference data from a plurality of positioning satellites;

determining position data includes determining a range measurement to each of the positioning satellites;

accepting position correction data includes accepting range correction data for range measurements to the positioning satellites; and

determining estimated coordinates data includes combining the range measurements and the range correction data.

9. The in-vehicle navigation system of claim 7 wherein:

accepting position correction data includes accepting a location correction; and

determining estimated coordinates data includes computing uncorrected coordinates from the position data and adding the location correction to the uncorrected coordinates to determine the estimated coordinates of the vehicle.