Method for determining deviation of a mobile object in a navigation system from a travel route

• US 7,653,484 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Hyun Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US11/275,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20060142940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 701/202, 701/205, 701208-210, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/995.21, 340988-992, 340/995.19, 340/995.25
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A travel route stray discriminating method of a mobile object in navigation system is disclosed in which discrimination of travel route deviation is temporarily withheld even if the mobile object has deviated from the travel route on a busy road such as a cross-road, and a warning that the mobile object has deviated from the travel route is issued if it is accurately discriminated that the mobile object has strayed from the travel route. The method comprises: a controller searching for a travel route of a mobile object, discriminating a current location of the mobile object if the mobile object travels along the searched travel route and displaying on a display unit by matching the discriminated current location of the mobile object to a stored map data, and initially discriminating the deviation of the mobile object from the travel route by a link on which the mobile object travels, a travel angle of the mobile object and whether the mobile object has deviated from the link; the controller secondly and thirdly discriminating absence and presence of a guidance subject point based on the travel distance of the mobile object; and the controller controlling a sound signal generating unit and issuing a warning that the mobile object has deviated from travel route if the mobile object is thirdly discriminated to have deviated from the travel route.

Claims

1. A method for determining a deviation of a mobile object from a travel route within a navigation system, wherein the navigation system includes a controller, the method comprising:

searching a travel route of the mobile object and determining a current location of the mobile object with the controller;

displaying the travel route on a display unit by matching the determined current location of the mobile object with stored map data;

determining the deviation of the mobile object from the travel route with the controller, wherein determining the deviation of the mobile object includes referencing a link situated on the travel route over which the mobile object is traveling, a traveling angle of the mobile object, a deviation from the link situated on the travel route, one or more reference points within a set distance of the current location of the mobile object, and a straight-line distance deviation from the travel route; and

providing a warning if the mobile object has deviated from the travel route.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein searching the travel route comprises receiving a starting point and a destination point of the mobile object.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein searching the travel route comprises using the map data to search the travel route from the starting point to the destination point.

4. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the starting point of the mobile object is an actual location of the mobile object determined by the controller with a mixed navigation using navigation messages received by a GPS receiver and a travel status detection signal of the mobile object detected by a sensor.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein the sensor provides a travel angle of the mobile object.

6. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein the sensor provides a travel speed of the mobile object.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the current location of the mobile object is determined by the controller with a mixed navigation using navigation messages received by a GPS receiver and a travel status detection signal of the mobile object detected by a sensor.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the sensor provides a travel angle of the mobile object.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the sensor provides a travel speed of the mobile object.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the deviation of the mobile object from the travel route comprises:

an initial determination of whether the mobile object has deviated from the travel route the link situated on the travel route over which the mobile object travels, a travel angle of the mobile object and whether the mobile object has deviated from the link located on the travel route of the mobile object;

a second determination of whether a reference point is absent or present within a set distance based on the current location of the mobile object following the initial determination of the deviation of the travel route; and

a third determination of whether the deviation from the travel route by a travel distance covered by the mobile object from a location of the second determination.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the initial determination of the deviation from the travel route comprises determining if the mobile object has deviated from the travel route by referencing a link on which the mobile object is currently located, and verifying if the link on which the mobile object is currently located is located on the searched travel route.

12. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the initial determination of the deviation comprises:

determining an angle difference between the travel angle of the mobile object and a link angle of the travel route; and

comparing the angle difference with a threshold angle.

13. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the initial determination of the deviation comprises determining if the mobile object has deviated from the link of the travel route in excess of a threshold distance.

14. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the initial determination of the deviation comprises assigning a deviation determination degree after determining the deviation of the mobile object from the travel route.

15. The method as defined in claim 14, further comprising re-setting the deviation determination degree if it is determined that the mobile object has not deviated from the travel route as a result of the initial determination.

16. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the second determination of the deviation from the travel route comprises:

determining whether the one or more reference points is present within the set distance based on the current location of the mobile object;

determining a distance from the current location of the mobile object to the one or more reference points are present; and

determining the deviation from the travel route if the one or more reference points are not present.

17. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the link is a portion of a roadway situated within the travel route.

18. A navigation system configured for determining a deviation of a mobile object from a travel route within the navigation system, wherein the navigation system comprises:

a controller, the controller being configured to search a travel route of the mobile object and determine a current location of the mobile object with the controller;

a database containing stored map data; and

a display unit for displaying the travel route, wherein the controller is configured to match the determined current location of the mobile object with the stored map data within the stored map database;

wherein the controller is configured to determine the deviation of the mobile object from the travel route, wherein determining the deviation of the mobile object includes referencing a link situated on the travel route over which the mobile object is traveling, a traveling angle of the mobile object, a deviation from the link situated on the travel route, one or more reference points within a set distance of the current location of the mobile object, and a straight line distance deviation from the travel route; and

the controller is configured for providing a warning if the mobile object has deviated from the travel route.