Route data base generation procedures and systems, processes and products relating thereto

• US 7,610,150 B1
• Filed: 11/10/2000
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rothar Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rothar Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Sasser, Thurman, Martin, Roger L.
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/415,961
• Time in Patent Office: 3,273 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/211, 701/212, 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/221, 340/995.14, 340/995.15, 340/995.23, 340/988, 340/990, 340/989, 340/995.28, 340/825.49, 340/444, 342/104, 342/118, 342/147, 342/107, 342/109, 342/113, 342/133
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A route data base generating system avoids GPS satellite signals sources for land based vehicle azimuth and heading determinations in areas where reception of the satellite signals is unavailable or impaired and relies on vehicle part movements that are equitable to the heading and azimuth changes of the vehicle for determining such vehicle orientations. Part movements equitable to the heading changes are found in the vehicle wheel assemblies. A route data base founded on interconnecting linear route segments that are arranged in and end-to-end serial order is advocated and wherein the angular deviation between connecting segments in the order is predetermined. Various uses of the generating systems and related procedures are advocated for both on-the-road and off-road usage.

Claims

1. A route data base generating system for use in an area having impaired reception of navigational signals emanating from satellites associated with a global positioning system, said route data base being based on a division of the route into a plurality of linear segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order and comprising data that includes the lengths and opposite end coordinates of the linear segments in the serial order arrangement, said generating system comprising:

(a) a vehicle moveable over the course of the route for generating such distance movements and heading changes and having rotatable means with rotatable movements that are equatable to distance movements and heading changes of the vehicle during its movements over the course of the route,

(b) computer means operatively connected to said rotatable means for generating data relating to the lengths and orientations of the linear segments in the serial order without dependency upon geo-magnetic or gyroscopic forces during such movements of the vehicle over the course of the route, and

(c) data storage means operatively connected to said computer means for receiving and storing the data relevant to the linear segment lengths and opposite end coordinates generated thereby during the traversal of the route by the vehicle.

2. A route data base generating system in accord with claim 1 wherein:

said rotatable means with movements equatable to changes in the vehicle heading includes a pair of rotatable components that are spaced apart and rotatable in ground contact about a horizontal axis of rotation that is common to both of said components.

3. A route data base generating system in accord with claim 1 wherein:

said rotatable means with movements equatable to changes in the vehicle heading includes a pair of rotatable components that are spaced apart and rotatable in ground contact about a horizontal axis of rotation that is common to both of said components, and the computer means connection with the rotatable means with equatable movement includes means associated with each of said rotatable components for determining incremental rotational movements of the component and for generating output signals which are respectively equated to a predetermined distance of travel by the component during the increment of movement.

4. A route data base generating system where the route data base is founded on a division of the route into a plurality of linear segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order that includes data indicative of the segment lengths and orientations in the serial order, said generating system comprising:

(a) an assembly with a pair of rotatable components that are spaced apart and rotatable in ground contact about a horizontal axis of rotation that is common to both components, said rotatable components being moveable with the assembly over the course of the route, and each of said rotatable components having associated means for detecting incremental rotational movements of the component and generating output signals which are respectively equated to a predetermined distance of travel by the component during an increment of rotational movement thereof,

(b) computer means operatively connected to said associated means for generating route data during movements of the assembly over the course of the route and which are indicative of the heading changes of the assembly and the lengths and orientations of the linear route segments in the serial order, and

(c) means for receiving and storing the computer generated route data.

5. A route data base generating system in accord with claim 4 wherein:

said computer means has means operating in response to detection of said output signals for measuring the length of a route segment as it is being traversed by the assembly and continually determining the difference in distance traveled by said pair of rotatable components during the assembly traversal of the route segment, and means for comparing said difference in distance traveled by the assembly components as the assembly traverses the route segment to a predetermined threshold distance value which, upon the occurrence of a match therebetween, determines the measured length of the route segment and change in assembly heading during its traversal thereof.

6. A route data base generating system for generating data definitive of a traversable route and accumulating data relevant to the location and orientation of a plurality of linear segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order definitive thereof comprising:

(a) an assembly with a pair of rotatable components that are spaced apart and rotatable in ground contact about a horizontal axis of rotation that is common to both components, said rotatable components being moveable with said assembly over said linear segments of the route and each of said rotatable components having an associated means for determining incremental rotational movements of the component and generating output signals which are respectively indicative of a predetermined distance of travel by the component during an increment of movement thereof, and

(b) computer means operatively connected to the associated means of each of said components for detecting the output signals indicative of the distances traveled thereby during the assembly traversals of the respective linear segments and generating data indicative of the segment lengths and heading changes thereof, said lengths and heading changes of the linear segments being generated in response to the detection of a predetermined change in segment heading during the respective traversals of the linear segments by the assembly, and

(c) a data storage facility for accumulating and storing the data relevant to the location and orientation of the linear segments traversed by the assembly.

7. A route data base generating system in accord with claim 6 wherein the detection of the predetermined change in assembly heading is also determinative of the angular deviation between the segment being traversed by the assembly at the time of the detected heading change and the next segment connected thereto in the serial order which was theretofore traversed by the assembly.

8. A route data base generating system in accord with claim 6 wherein the detection of the predetermined change in assembly heading controls the delivery to said storage facility of the definitive data relevant to the location and orientation of the linear segment being traversed by the assembly at the time of the detected heading change.

9. A route data base generating system in accord with claim 6 wherein the computer means for detecting the predetermined change in assembly heading includes:

means for determining the difference in distance traveled by said rotatable components as the assembly traverses a linear segment, and means for comparing the difference in distance traveled by the rotatable components during their traversal of a linear segment to a predetermined threshold distance value equatable to the predetermined change in assembly heading and having an output, upon the occurrence of a match between said difference in distance traveled and said predetermined threshold distance value, that serves to terminate the computation of the length of the linear segment then being traversed.

10. A route data base generating system in accord with claim 9 wherein said predetermined threshold distance value exceeds said predetermined distance of travel.

11. A route data base generating system in accord with claim 6 wherein said computer means also has means operating in dependency upon detection of said predetermined change in assembly heading during its movement over said liner segments for computing the coordinates of the end points of said linear segments.

12. A route data base generating system for accumulating data relevant to the location and orientation of a plurality of linear segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order definitive of a traversable route comprising:

(a) a self-propelled vehicle that has an assembly with a pair of rotatable components that are spaced apart and rotatable in ground contact about a horizontal axis of rotation that is common to both components, said assembly being moveable over said linear segments of said route and arranged to successively traverse the interconnected linear segments of the serial order, each of said rotatable components having associated means for determining incremental rotational movements of the component and for generating output signals which are respectively indicative of a predetermined distance of travel by the component during an increment of movement of the component,

(b) computer means operatively connected to the associated means of said components and in response to the generation of output signals during traversal of a linear segment that are indicative of a predetermined heading change of the linear segment for thereupon generating data indicative of the length and end point coordinates of the linear segment, and

(c) a storage facility for accumulating and storing the computer generated data relevant to the location and orientation of the linear segments in said serial order including the data indicative of the lengths and end point coordinates of the linear segments in said serial order.

13. A route data base generating system in accord with claim 12 wherein the detection of said predetermined heading change of the linear segment then being traversed is determinative of the segment length of the linear segment being traversed and also determinative of the angular deviation at the common end point connection thereof with the previously traversed linear segment next adjacent thereto in the serial order.

14. The combination of a self-propelled vehicle and a navigation system for vehicles traversing area highway routes having impaired reception of navigational signals emanating from satellites associated with a global positioning system, said vehicle having means with tangible movements equatable to heading changes and incremental distances of movement of the vehicle, said navigation system comprising:

(a) a data base of an area route that is traversable by the vehicle and based on a division of the area route into a plurality of linear route segments which are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order,

(b) computer means responsive to said tangible movements for generating route data without dependency upon geo-magnetic or inertial forces but nevertheless indicative of the current location of the vehicle along the area route of said data base, said route data comprising length and opposite end point coordinates of the linear route segments successively traversed by the vehicle,

(c) means for generating a visually perceivable graphic display of said area route during its traversal by the vehicle, and

(d) means for generating indicia on said graphic display and which is thereon indicative of the current location of the vehicle along said area route.

15. The combination of a self-propelled vehicle and a navigation system for vehicles traversing area routes in accord with claim 14 wherein:

said indicia generating means operates under the control of said data generating means.

16. The combination of a self-propelled vehicle and a navigation system for vehicles traversing area routes in accord with claim 14 wherein:

the vehicle has a pair of wheels that are spaced apart and rotatable about a common horizontal axis, and said vehicle means with movements equatable to changes in the vehicle heading comprises said pair of wheels.

17. The combination of a self-propelled vehicle and a navigation system for vehicles traversing area routes in accord with claim 14 wherein:

the vehicle has a pair of duo-wheel components that are spaced apart and rotatable about a common horizontal axis, and said vehicle means with movements equatable to changes in the vehicle heading comprises said pair of duo-wheel components.

18. The combination of a self-propelled vehicle and a navigation system for vehicles traversing area routes in accord with claim 14 wherein:

the vehicle has a pair of wheels that are spaced apart and rotatable about a common horizontal axis, said pair of wheels of the vehicle having said tangible movements equatable to changes in the vehicle heading, and said data generating computer means includes means for determining the difference in distances traveled by said wheels during movement of the vehicle over the respective segments of said area route, and means operating in dependency upon said difference in distances traveled for determining the change in heading of the vehicle during its movement over the respective segments of said area routes.

19. The combination of a self-propelled vehicle and a navigation system for vehicles traversing area routes in accord with claim 14 wherein:

said data generating computer means includes means responsive to said tangible movements for determining the lengths of the respective segments of said area route and determining the coordinates at the opposite ends of said segments.

20. The combination of a self-propelled vehicle and a navigation system for vehicles traversing an area highway route having impaired reception of navigational signals emanating from satellites associated with a global positioning system,

(a) said navigation system including a data base generating system for generating and recording driving events that occur during traversal of the area route and where the generating system is based on traversal of a route having a plurality of interconnected linear segments that are arranged in an end-to-end serial order with each segment having an equal angular change of heading with respect to the adjacent linear segments connected thereto in the serial order,

(b) the vehicle has means with tangible movements equatable to heading changes and incremental distances of movement of the vehicle,

(c) said data base generating system having computer means responsive to said tangible movements for generating data without dependency upon geo-magnetic or inertia forces but nevertheless indicative of current locations of the vehicle along the area route then being traversed,

(d) said navigation system having means for generating a visually perceivable graphic display of the area route then being traversed, and means for generating indicia on said graphic display which is thereon indicative of the current location of the vehicle along the area route then being traversed, and

(e) said computer means has a data storage means for receiving and storing the generated data indicative of said current locations of the vehicle along the area route.

21. A system for generating a data base of a route in an area where reception of navigational signals emanating from satellites associated with a global positioning system are obstructed and wherein the data base includes an accumulation of data relevant to the route that comprises a plurality of linear segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order definitive thereof, said generating system comprising:

(a) an assembly having a pair of rotatable components that are spaced apart in ground contact and adapted for rotation continually about a horizontal axis that is common to both of the components, said assembly being moveable over the course of the route in said area and having sensing means associated with each rotatable component for generating signals that are respectively indicative of a predetermined incremental distance of rotational movement of the component,

(b) computer means operatively responsive to reception of the predetermined incremental distance indicative signals for generating data without reliance upon geo-magnetic or inertial force dependent systems but which are definitive of the location and orientation of the linear segments in the serial order of the route being traversed by the assembly, and

(c) means including a storage facility for accumulating and storing the generated data definitive of the location and orientation of the linear segments in the serial order together with dated time occurrences indicative of the generation thereof.

22. A system for generating data base of a route in accord with claim 21 wherein:

said computer means is supported by and moveable with the assembly over the area route.

23. A system for generating a data base of a route in accord with claim 21 wherein:

said computer means is at a location remote from that of the moveable assembly, and said assembly supports means adapted to receive and transmit said signals to the computing means at said remote location.

24. A system for generating a data base of a route being traversed by a vehicle having a pair of rotatable components that in ground contact are spaced apart and continually rotatable about a common horizontal axis during the vehicle traversal of the route, the definition of the route being based upon a plurality of linear route segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order and have an equal angular change of heading with respect to the adjacent linear segments connected thereto in the serial order, said system comprising:

(a) measuring means associated with said rotatable components for incrementally measuring the respective distances traveled by the rotatable components and having output signals associated with the respective components that are indicative of predetermined incremental distances of rotational movement thereof,

(b) means operating in response to the associated measuring means for determining the respective distances traveled by the vehicle during its traversals of the linear segments of the route,

(c) means operating in response to the associated measuring means without dependency upon geo-magnetic or inertial forces for continually determining the heading of the vehicle during its traversals of the linear segments of the route, and

(d) means operating in response to the associated measuring means for computing coordinates indicative of the locations of the opposite ends of the linear segments traversed by the vehicle.

25. A self-propelled vehicle for use in traversing land based routes and having a system for generating a data base definitive of a route traversed by the vehicle which is founded on an orientation of a plurality of linear route segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order, said system comprising:

(a) means for generating data indicative of the lengths of the respective linear segments of the route during their traversal by the vehicle,

(b) means for generating coordinate data indicative of the terminal end coordinates of the respective linear segments at the real time completions of the length determinations thereof,

(c) a recoverable data storage facility for receiving and storing the generated data indicative of the lengths and terminal end coordinates of the respective linear route segments traversed by the vehicle, and

(d) means for generating time data equatable to or indicative of the real time generations of the lengths and terminal end coordinates of the respective linear route segments traversed by the vehicle and storing such time data in said facility for subsequent recovery with the data indicative of the lengths and terminal end coordinates of the segments traversed by the vehicle.

26. A vehicle adapted for use in generating a data base definitive of a route being traversed by the vehicle without dependency upon reception of signals from a global positioning system and wherein the route data base definition is founded on an orientation of a plurality of linear route segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order, said vehicle comprising:

(a) a pair of wheels in a coaxial spaced apart arrangement,

(b) means associated with the respective wheels for detecting predetermined incremental rotational distance movements thereof,

(c) computer means operating in response to the detected incremental distance movements, and without dependency upon geo-magnetic or inertial forces, for generating data indicative of the lengths, heading changes and terminal end coordinates of the respective linear route segments traversed by the vehicle during its movements along the route,

(d) a data storage facility for receiving and storing the generated length, heading, and terminal end coordinate data of the traversed route segments, and

(e) means for generating data indicative of or equatable to the real time generations of the lengths, heading changes, and terminal end coordinates of the respective linear route segments traversed by the vehicle and storing such real time data in said facility for subsequent recovery with the data indicative of the lengths, heading changes and terminal end coordinates of the segments traversed by the vehicle.

27. A self-propelled vehicle for use in traversing land based roadway routes and having a system for generating and storing a data base definitive of a route being traversed by the vehicle wherein the generated route data is founded on an orientation of a plurality of linear route segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order, said system comprising:

(a) means for detecting predetermined incremental distance movements of the vehicle during its successive traversals of the linear segments of the route,

(b) computing means operatively connected to the detecting means for successively determining and generating data indicative of the lengths, heading changes and terminal end coordinates of the respective linear route segments traversed during the movements of the vehicle over the route,

(c) a data storage facility for receiving and storing the route data that is generated by said computing means and relevant to the location and orientation in the serial order of the linear route segments traversed during movements of the vehicle over the route, and

(d) means for generating time data for reception and storing in said facility as relevant data indicative of or equatable to the real time generation occurrences of the lengths, heading changes, and terminal end coordinate data generations by said computing means.

28. The combination of a self-propelled vehicle for use in traversing land based roadway routes and a route data base generating system for generating a data base that is definitive of a route traversed by the vehicle and founded on an orientation of a plurality of linear segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order over the course of the route, said vehicle having a pair of wheels which are spaced apart and rotatable in ground contact about a common axis, said data base generating system comprising:

(a) means associated with each wheel for detecting predetermined incremental distance movements thereof and providing an output signal indicative of each increment of movement during the traversal of the route by the vehicle,

(b) computing means operatively connected to the wheel associated incremental distance detecting means for receiving the output signals thereof and successively generating data indicative of the lengths, heading changes and terminal end point coordinates of the respective linear segments successively traversed during movement of the vehicle over the course of the route,

(c) a retrievable data storage facility for receiving and storing route data generated by said computing means which is relevant in the serial order to the location and orientation of the linear route segments traversed during movement of the vehicle over the course of the route, and

(d) means for generating time data for reception and storing in said facility as relevant data indicative of or equatable to the real time generation occurrences of the lengths and terminal end coordinates of the traversed linear route segments.

29. The combination of a self-propelled vehicle for use in traversing land based roadway routes, a route data base generating system with computing means for generating data definitive of a route being traversed by the vehicle, and a data base storage facility for receiving and storing relevant route data generated by the system computing means and having a stored data base definitive of the last route traversed and generated by the system,

(a) said definitive data of a traversed route generated by the system being based on an orientation of a plurality of linear segments that are interconnected and arranged in an end-to-end serial order over the course of a route traversed by the vehicle,

(b) said generating system being moveable with and operatively connected to the vehicle for reception of signals respectively indicative of predetermined incremental distance movements of the vehicle as it traverses a land based roadway route,

(c) said relevant data including data indicative of the lengths of the route segments traversed by the vehicle, data indicative of the heading changes of the vehicle during its traversal of the route segments, data indicative of the terminal end point coordinates of the route segments traversed by the vehicle, and data indicative of the real time generation occurrences of such relevant data, and

(d) said data base generated by the system and stored in said facility being that of the most recent route traversed by the vehicle.