Data mining in a digital map database to identify traffic signals, stop signs and yield signs at bottoms of hills and enabling precautionary actions in a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for making an augmented version of a database that can be used as a component in a vehicle system that provides a precautionary action in a vehicle when the vehicle approaches a potentially hazardous location, wherein the potentially hazardous location is one in which two conditions are present at a same location along a road network in a geographic region, wherein one of the two conditions comprises presence of a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign and another of the two conditions comprises a bottom of a hill, the method comprising:
- using data contained in a first version of the database to identify traffic lights, stop signs or yield signs located at the bottoms of hills throughout the geographic region; and
forming the augmented version of the database by adding precautionary action data to the first version of the database to indicate locations at which a precautionary action is to be taken by the vehicle system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at the bottom of a hill. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign is located at the bottom of a hill. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at the bottom of a hill. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action. When the vehicle is at such a location, a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system as the vehicle is approaching a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at the bottom of a hill.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for making an augmented version of a database that can be used as a component in a vehicle system that provides a precautionary action in a vehicle when the vehicle approaches a potentially hazardous location, wherein the potentially hazardous location is one in which two conditions are present at a same location along a road network in a geographic region, wherein one of the two conditions comprises presence of a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign and another of the two conditions comprises a bottom of a hill, the method comprising:
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using data contained in a first version of the database to identify traffic lights, stop signs or yield signs located at the bottoms of hills throughout the geographic region; and forming the augmented version of the database by adding precautionary action data to the first version of the database to indicate locations at which a precautionary action is to be taken by the vehicle system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A database stored on a computer-readable medium, wherein the database includes data that represents a road network in a geographic region, wherein the database comprises:
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data records that represent road segments that make up the road network; data that indicates altitude of the road segments; and data that indicates precautionary action locations, wherein a precautionary action location is associated with a location where two conditions are present at a same location, wherein one of the two conditions comprises a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign and another of the two conditions is a bottom of a hill. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A vehicle system comprising:
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a database that contains data representing a geographic region in which a vehicle is being operated, wherein the data includes data that represents a road network located in the geographic region and precautionary action data that indicates precautionary action locations associated with locations where traffic lights, stop signs or yield signs are located at bottoms of hills; a positioning system that determines a current location of the vehicle relative to the data representing a geographic region; and a precautionary action application responsive to the positioning system and the database that provides a precautionary action when the positioning system determines that the current location of the vehicle is approaching a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at a bottom of a hill. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for providing precautionary actions in a vehicle comprising:
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accessing a database that represents a road network, determining a current position of the vehicle relative to the road network represented by the database; upon determining that data representations of a part of the road network around the current position of the vehicle include precautionary action data, taking a precautionary action as the vehicle is approaching a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at a bottom of a hill. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification