Navigation apparatus and method for monitoring vehicle safety

• US 8,041,508 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Altek Corporation
• Original Assignee: Altek Corporation
• Inventors: Yen, Yu-Ping, Liao, Kuo-Hung, Wu, Shie-Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/976,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/211, 701/2, 701/35, 701/36, 701/29, 340/445, 340/995.1, 340/426.33, 340/428, 348/231.2, 731/463, 702/140
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A navigation apparatus including a central processing unit, an imaging module, a GPS module, a tire pressure monitoring module, and a storage module is provided. The imaging module captures an image signal. The central processing unit controls the imaging module to capture the image signal for generating image data, and further stores the image data in the storage module. The central processing unit executes the electronic map software stored in the storage module and receives the positional data generated by the GPS module for generating route guidance. The central unit receives the digital tire pressure signal received by the tire pressure monitoring module to generate tire pressure data and further identifies whether or not the tire pressure data is in compliance with a safety value.

Claims

1. A portable navigation apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

an imaging module, for capturing an image signal;

a global positioning system (GPS) module, for generating positional data;

a tire pressure monitoring module, for receiving a wireless tire pressure signal of the vehicle wherein the tire pressure monitoring module processes the wireless tire pressure signal into a digital tire pressure signal;

a storage module, for storing electronic map software;

a display interface;

a central processing unit, coupled to the imaging module, the GPS module, the tire pressure monitoring module, the storage module, and the display interface;

wherein the central processing unit is provided for receiving the image signal, generating image data, and transmitting the image data to the storage module for storage; and

a casing within which the imaging module, the GPS module, the tire pressure monitoring module, a storage module, the display interface, and the central processing unit are disposed;

wherein the central processing unit is provided for executing the electronic map software, and receiving the positional data as a route guidance;

wherein the central processing unit is provided for processing the digital tire pressure signal into tire pressure data, and determining whether or not the tire pressure data is in compliance with a predetermined safety value; and

wherein the central processing unit controls the display interface to display the tire pressure data.

2. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless tire pressure signal is outputted by a tire pressure detector.

3. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit adds the positional data to the image data, and transmits the data to the storage module for storage.

4. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an operating interface coupled to the central processing unit for inputting a control command to the central processing unit.

5. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an alarm module coupled to the central processing unit for receiving an alarm signal controlled and generated by the central processing unit.

6. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage module includes a first memory and a second memory, and the first memory and the second memory are an external memory and a built-in memory of the navigation apparatus respectively.

7. The navigation apparatus of claim 6, wherein the storage module includes a first memory controller coupled between the central processing unit and the first memory for controlling a data access of the first memory.

8. The navigation apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first memory is a flash memory card.

9. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the imaging module includes an image capturing device for capturing the image signal.

10. The navigation apparatus of claim 9, wherein the image capturing device and the display interface are disposed on two corresponding surfaces of the casing, respectively.

11. A method for monitoring vehicle safety, applied in a motor vehicle having a plurality of tires, and the method comprising the steps of:

providing the motor vehicle with a portable navigation apparatus comprising a casing within which the imaging module, the GPS module for generating positional data as route guidance, a tire pressure monitoring module, a storage module, a display interface, and a central processing unit are disposed;

connecting the tire pressure monitoring module with a plurality of tire pressure detectors via a wireless method, wherein the tire pressure detectors are installed on the tires;

receiving a wireless tire pressure signal outputted from each tire pressure detector via the tire pressure monitoring module;

processing the wireless tire pressure signal into tire pressure data via the central processing unit;

controlling the display interface to display the tire pressure data; and

determining whether or not the tire pressure data is in compliance with a predetermined safety value via the central processing unit, for controlling a generation of an alarm signal.

12. The method for monitoring vehicle safety of claim 11, wherein the navigation apparatus includes an image capturing device, and the method further comprises using the image capturing device to capture an image signal, a processing the image signal into image data via the navigation apparatus, a and transmitting and storing the image data into a storage module via the navigation apparatus.

13. The method for monitoring vehicle safety of claim 12, wherein in the step of providing the motor vehicle with a navigation apparatus, the navigation apparatus is fixed in the motor vehicle, so that the image capturing device faces a driving direction of the motor vehicle.

14. The method for monitoring vehicle safety of claim 12, further comprising adding the positional data to the image data via the navigation apparatus, and storing the image data on the storage module.