Intelligent navigation system

• US 7,636,632 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Wolterman, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amin; Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US11/148,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A system and method of intelligent navigation of a vehicle using a navigation system with artificial intelligence is provided. The system includes a global positioning means, a navigation means, a controller, and an information database containing a map of a location of a traffic control device. The method includes the steps of maintaining a map in an information database associated with the navigation system, and sensing a location of the vehicle using an input means in communication with the navigation system.

Claims

1. A method of intelligent navigation of a vehicle using a navigation system with artificial intelligence, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a map in an information database associated with the navigation system of the vehicle, wherein navigation system includes a global positioning means, a navigation means, and a controller, and the map includes a location of a traffic control device;

sensing a location of the vehicle using an input means in communication with the navigation system;

determining when the sensed vehicle location is identifiable on the map maintained by the information database and updating the map using the sensed vehicle location when not identifiable;

determining when the vehicle is approaching an identifiable traffic control device using the map in the information database and the sensed vehicle location, when the sensed vehicle location is identifiable;

adaptively updating the map in the information database with a potential presence of a traffic control device by determining when the vehicle is slowing or stopped, when determined that the vehicle is not approaching an existing identifiable traffic control device on the map in the information database; and

transmitting an alert message that the vehicle is approaching the identifiable traffic control device, when determined that the vehicle is approaching the identifiable traffic control device on the map in the information database,

wherein adaptively updating the map in the information database further comprises;

determining when the vehicle is stopped at the location of the vehicle,

using the map in the information database to determine if the vehicle has previously stopped at the location, and

updating the map in the information database that location has a stoplight, when the vehicle has not previously stopped at the identified vehicle location, and

updating the map in the information database that the location may have a stoplight or stop sign, when the vehicle has previously stopped at the location.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the steps of:

periodically receiving a manual input from a driver manual input device indicating a location of a traffic control device; and

updating the map in the information database with the location of the traffic control device.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the alert message is transmitted via a driver notification device and identifies the identifiable traffic control means.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the steps of determining when the alert message is erroneous and updating the map stored in the information database when the alert message is erroneous, after said step of transmitting an alert message to the vehicle operator.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the steps of determining whether to transmit the alert message to a remote navigation notification system and transmitting the alert message to the remote navigation notification system to update a map in a remotely located information database regarding the location of the identifiable traffic control means.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of adaptively updating the map in the information database further includes the steps of:

determining when the vehicle is slowing or stopping and updating the map in the information database that the identified vehicle location does not have a traffic control device, when the vehicle is not slowing or stopping; and

determining when the vehicle is slowing but not stopping when determined that the vehicle is not stopped, and determining if the vehicle has previously slowed or stopped at the identified location and updating the map in the information database that the identified vehicle location potentially has a traffic control device when determined that the vehicle has previously stopped at the identified vehicle location, and updating the map in the information database that the identified vehicle location has stoplight, stop sign or yield sign, when determined that the vehicle has not previously stopped at the identified vehicle location.

7. A method of intelligent navigation of a vehicle using a navigation system with artificial intelligence, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a map in an information database associated with the navigation system of the vehicle, wherein navigation system includes a global positioning means, a navigation means, and a controller, and the map includes a location of a traffic control device;

sensing a location of the vehicle using an input means in communication with the navigation system;

determining when the sensed vehicle location is identifiable on the map maintained by the information database and updating the map using the sensed vehicle location when not identifiable;

determining when the vehicle is approaching an identifiable traffic control device using the map in the information database and the sensed vehicle location, when the sensed vehicle location is identifiable;

adaptively updating the map in the information database when determined that the vehicle is not approaching the identifiable traffic control device on the map in the information database by;

determining when the vehicle is slowing or stopping and updating the map in the information database that the identified vehicle location does not have a traffic control device, when the vehicle is not slowing or stopping;

determining when the vehicle is stopped when determined that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, and using the map in the information database to determine when the vehicle has previously stopped at the identified vehicle location, and updating the map in the information database that the identified vehicle location has a stoplight, when determined that the vehicle has not previously stopped at the identified vehicle location or updating the map in the information database that the identified vehicle location may have a stoplight or stop sign at the identified location, when determined that the vehicle has previously stopped at the identified vehicle location; and

determining when the vehicle is slowing but not stopping when determined that the vehicle is not stopped, and determining if the vehicle has previously slowed or stopped at the identified location and updating the map in the information database that the identified vehicle location potentially has a traffic control device when determined that the vehicle has previously stopped at the identified vehicle location, and updating the map in the information database that the identified vehicle location has stoplight, stop sign or yield sign, when determined that the vehicle has not previously stopped at the identified vehicle location;

transmitting an alert message that the vehicle is approaching the identifiable traffic control device, when determined that the vehicle is approaching the identifiable traffic control device on the map in the information database.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 further including the steps of:

periodically receiving a manual input from a drive manual input device indicating a location of a traffic control device; and

updating the map in the information database with the location of the traffic control device.

9. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the alert message is transmitted via a driver notification device and identifies the identifiable traffic control means.

10. A method as set forth in claim 7 further including the steps of determining when the alert message is erroneous and updating the map stored in the information database when the alert message is erroneous, after said step of transmitting an alert message to the vehicle operator.

11. A method as set forth in claim 7 further including the steps of determining whether to transmit the alert message to a remote navigation notification system and transmitting the alert message to the remote navigation notification system to update a map in a remotely located information database regarding the location of the identifiable traffic control means.

12. An intelligent navigation system for a vehicle using with artificial intelligence comprising:

a global positioning means;

a navigation means in communication with the global positioning means;

a controller in communication with said navigation means;

an information database associated with the controller, wherein said information database includes a map identifying a location of a traffic control device;

an input means for sensing a location of the vehicle that is in communication with said navigation means;

an alert means for transmitting an alert message to the vehicle operator; and

wherein the controller includes an intelligent navigation computer program that;

determines when the sensed vehicle location is identifiable on the map maintained by the information database and updates the map using the sensed vehicle location when not identifiable;

determines when the vehicle is approaching an identifiable traffic control device using the map in the information database and the sensed vehicle location, if the sensed vehicle location is identifiable;

adaptively updates the map in the information database with a potential presence of a traffic control device by determining when the vehicle is slowing or stopped, when determined that the vehicle is not approaching an existing identifiable traffic control device on the map in the information database; and

transmits the alert message that the vehicle is approaching the identifiable traffic control device, when determined that the vehicle is approaching the identifiable traffic control device on the map in the information database,

wherein adaptively updating the map in the information database further comprises;

determining when the vehicle is stopped at the location of the vehicle,

using the map in the information database to determine if the vehicle has previously stopped at the location, and

updating the map in the information database that location has a stoplight, when the vehicle has not previously stopped at the identified vehicle location, and

updating the map in the information database that the location may have a stoplight or stop sign, when the vehicle has previously stopped at the location.