Data mining in a digital map database to identify curves along downhill roads and enabling precautionary actions in a vehicle

• US 8,332,143 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Denaro, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Application Number:
  US12/156,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20090299617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213, 701/117, 701/423, 701/439, 701/454, 340/905, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 701/454
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

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 curve along a downhill road segment. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a curve is located along a downhill road segment. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate such a location. 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 such a location, at which a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system.

Claims

1. A method for making a component configured for a vehicle system that provides a precautionary action in a vehicle when the vehicle approaches a potentially hazardous location, wherein the component comprises an augmented version of a database that represents a road network in a geographic region, the method comprising:

with a computer configured to operate under programming instructions, evaluating, prior to the vehicle system having been provided with the component comprising the augmented version of the database, data contained in a first version of the database to identify road sections located throughout the geographic region that have a combination of a first condition and a second condition that exist together at a same location wherein the first condition comprises a curve and wherein the second condition comprises a downhill section; and

with the computer configured to operate under programming instructions, upon determining existence of the second condition at the location of the first condition adding precautionary action data to form the augmented version of the database to indicate a condition for which a precautionary action is to be taken by a vehicle system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting from the first version of the database a data record that represents a road segment;

upon determining that the road segment is downhill, obtaining data that represent curvature along sections of the road segment; and

upon determining that the road segment is downhill and includes a curve, adding the precautionary action data to the first version of the database to indicate the presence of a condition for which a precautionary action is to be taken.

3. The method of claim 2 further wherein the road segment is determined to be curved by evaluating shape point data associated with the road segment.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

continuing to select from the first version of the database data records that represent road segments to identify all locations of downhill roads throughout the geographic region that include curved sections.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

continuing to select from the first version of the database data records that represent road segments until all data records that represent road segments have been selected.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

compiling the augmented version of the database into a format suitable for use in a navigation system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of evaluating data contained in the first version of the database comprises evaluating at least two items of data contained in the first version of the database to determine whether a downhill road has a curved section.

8. A database stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and operable 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 database includes data that represents a road network in a geographic region, wherein the database comprises:

data records configured to represent road segments that make up the road network;

data configured to indicate altitudes of the road segments; and

data configured, prior to installation in the vehicle system, to indicate precautionary action locations, wherein a precautionary action location is associated with a location at which a curve is located on a downhill section of the road.

9. The database of claim 8 wherein the precautionary action data further includes data that indicates a location along a road segment at which a precautionary action is to be taken by a vehicle system.

10. The database of claim 8 wherein the precautionary action data further includes data that indicates a direction along a road segment at which a precautionary action is to be taken.

11. The database of claim 8 wherein the precautionary action data further includes data that refers to the location of the actual curve along a downhill section of the road.

12. The database of claim 8 further comprising data that indicates permitted directions of travel along road segments, speed limits along road segments, classifications of road segments, and locations of road segments.

13. The database of claim 8 further comprising data that identifies speed limits road segments.

14. A vehicle system comprising:

a database, configured prior to installation in the vehicle system to contain 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 a curve is located on a downhill section of a road segment;

a positioning system configured to determine a current location of the vehicle relative to the data in the database representing a geographic region; and

a precautionary action application executed on a processor and responsive to the positioning system and the database wherein the precautionary action application is configured to provide a precautionary action when the positioning system determines that the current location of the vehicle is a precautionary action location associated with precautionary action data.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the precautionary action data further includes data that indicates a location along a road segment at which a precautionary action is to be taken by a vehicle system.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the precautionary action data further includes data that indicates a direction along a road segment at which a precautionary action is to be taken.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the precautionary action data further includes data that refers to the location of the actual location of the curve along the downhill section of the road.

18. A method performed with a program executed on a processor configured to provide precautionary actions in a vehicle comprising:

accessing, by the processor, a database configured prior to installation in the vehicle to represent a road network, wherein the database includes data that indicates potentially hazardous locations at which a precautionary action is to be taken, wherein said potentially hazardous locations comprise locations at which a combination of conditions exist, wherein a first of said combination of conditions comprises a curved road section and a second of said combination of conditions comprises a downhill road section;

determining, by the processor, a current position of the vehicle relative to the road network represented by the database; and

upon determining that data representations of a part of the road network ahead of the current position of the vehicle includes precautionary action data, taking, by the processor, a precautionary action.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

building an electronic horizon after accessing the database; and

using the electronic horizon to determine whether precautionary action data is included therein.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the precautionary action is provided via a user interface of the vehicle.