Navigation system using RFID tags and method

• US 7,701,342 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chang, Leii H., Luo, Yi-Fei, Chen, Jian-Ren, Chou, Hon-Yue
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US11/583,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20070146136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/944, 340/539, 340/825.19, 342/465, 342/463, 701/200, 701/207, 701/211, 701/208, 701/213, 404/19, 404/995
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096822 where the segments of the route are transmitted to the vehicle at different locations and times
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn

Abstract

A navigation system and method are applied in a predetermined space in which a plurality of control points is defined. The navigation method comprises the steps of: installing a plurality of control point RFID tags near the entrance to every control point-controlled lane, wherein each control point RFID tag is stored with data thereof; reading the data stored in the RFID tags; determining, in light of the read data, a direction or a distance one should preferably go from a current location; and indicating the determined direction or the determined distance, using an indicating device.

Claims

1. A navigation system for use in a predetermined limited space in which a plurality of control points is defined, the navigation system comprising:

a plurality of control point RFID tags, each stored with data thereof and disposed near an entrance to control point-controlled lanes in the predetermined limited space;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader for reading the data stored in the control point RFID tags;

a processor for determining, in light of the data read by the RFID reader, a direction or a distance one should preferably go from a current location to a target location;

an indicating device for indicating the direction or the distance determined by the processor; and

at least one target location RFID tag for storing data about the target location,

wherein each of the control points is one selected from the group consisting of an exit, entrance, crossroads, fork junction, end of a lane, and turn; and

the processor judges the moving direction or distance in accordance with the data about the target location as well as the data stored in the control point RFID tags and currently read by the RFID reader;

wherein the data about the target location is sent to the processor by a source management system in the predetermined limited space via a wireless network; and

wherein the data about the target location comprise data regarding directions or distances to the target location from the control point-controlled lanes in the predetermined limited space;

wherein the processor determines;

at a moment when one reaches the last control point preceding the target location, at least one selected from the group consisting of;

a distance from the control point to the target location, whether the target location is on a left side or a right side in a forward direction, and on which floor the target location lies.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined space is one selected from the group consisting of a parking lot, shopping mall, performance venue, exhibition venue, theater, hospital, school, station, plant, commercial building.

3. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the data stored in the control point RFID tags comprise titles of the control points and orientation of the control point RFID tags in relation to the control points.

4. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is a processor that belongs to one selected from the group consisting of a PDA, notebook computer, panel computer, cell phone, and vehicular computer.

5. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the indicating device is a displayer coupled to the processor and configured to display the directions or the distances determined by the processor.

6. The navigation system of claim 5, wherein the displayer indicates the directions determined by the processor with arrows.

7. The navigation system of claim 5, wherein the displayer is a vehicular head-up display.

8. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein the displayer indicates the directions determined by the processor with arrows.

9. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the indicating device is a sound player coupled to the processor and configured to play sounds indicating the directions or the distances determined by the processor.

10. A navigation method for use in a predetermined limited space in which a plurality of control points is defined, the navigation method comprising the steps of:

disposing a plurality of control point RFID tags near an entrance to control point-controlled lanes in the predetermined limited space, each control point RFID tag stored with data thereof;

disposing at least one target location RFID for storing data about a target location;

reading the data stored in the control point RFID tag;

utilizing a processor to determine a direction or a distance one should preferably go from a current location in light of the read data; and

indicating the determined direction or the determined distance by an indicating device,

wherein the processor determines a direction or a distance one should preferably go from a current location in light of the data about the target location as well as the data stored in the control point RFID tags and currently read by the RFID reader;

wherein the data about the target location is sent to the processor by a source management system in the predetermined limited space via a wireless network; and

wherein the data about the target location comprise data regarding directions or distances to the target location from the control point-controlled lanes in the predetermined limited space;

wherein the processor determines, at a moment when one reaches the last control point preceding the target location, at least one selected from the group consisting of;

a distance from the control point to the target location, whether the target location is on a left side or a right side in a forward direction, and on which level the target location lies.

11. The navigation method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined space is one selected from the group consisting of a parking lot, shopping mall, performance venue, exhibition venue, theater, hospital, school, station, plant, commercial building.

12. The navigation method of claim 10, wherein the data stored in the control point RFID tags comprise titles of the control points and orientation of the control point RFID tags in relation to the control points.

13. The navigation method of claim 10, wherein the processor is a processor that belongs to one selected from the group consisting of a PDA, notebook computer, panel computer, cell phone, and vehicular computer.

14. The navigation method of claim 10, wherein the indicating device is a displayer coupled to the processor and configured to display the directions or the distances determined by the processor.

15. The navigation method of claim 14, wherein displayed on the displayer are arrows indicating the directions determined by the processor.

16. The navigation method of claim 14, wherein the displayer coupled to the processor is a vehicular head-up display.

17. The navigation method of claim 16, wherein displayed on the displayer are arrows indicating the directions determined by the processor.

18. The navigation method of claim 10, wherein the indicating device is a sound player coupled to the processor and configured to play sounds indicating the directions or the distances determined by the processor.