On-board diagnostics based navigation device for dead reckoning

• US 8,417,450 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Figueroa, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Lubin, Valerie
• Application Number:
  US12/046,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/120, 701/211, 701/216
• US Class Current: 701/412
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/12 executed aboard the object being navigated; Dead reckoning
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/165 combined with non-inertial navigation instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled

Abstract

A computing navigation device is disclosed that includes a processor configured to control a communication module configured to receive a global positioning satellite (GPS) system signal corresponding to a vehicle position of a vehicle. The processor may be further configured to recognize a dropped signal condition in which no operational signal is detected from the GPS system, and to identify a last position of the vehicle corresponding to a time of the dropped signal condition. The processor may be further configured to retrieve on-board diagnostics data from an on-board diagnostics system of the vehicle corresponding with a movement of the vehicle. The computing navigation device may further include a kinematic module configured to calculate a calculated position of the vehicle based on the last position and the movement of the vehicle, and a display configured to display a representation of the calculated position.

Claims

1. A computing navigation device on board a vehicle, comprising:

a processor configured to execute;

a communication module configured to receive a global positioning satellite (GPS) system signal corresponding to a vehicle position of a vehicle and configured to recognize a dropped signal condition in which no operational signal is detected from the GPS system and GPS data is not being received, and configured to identify a last position of the vehicle corresponding to a time of the dropped signal condition, and configured to retrieve OBD data from an on-board diagnostics system of the vehicle corresponding with a movement of the vehicle;

a kinematic module configured to calculate a calculated position of the vehicle based on the last position and the OBD data when the dropped signal condition is recognized by the communication module; and

a graphical user interface configured to display a calculated position graphical element representing the calculated position during the dropped signal condition when GPS data is not being received and display a tracked position graphical element representing a path of the vehicle determined based on the GPS system signal during a signal receiving condition indicating an operational signal is being received from the GPS system, the tracked position graphical element and the calculated position graphical element being distinguishable in appearance.

2. The computing navigation device of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to display a tracked position of the vehicle based on the GPS system signal.

3. The computing navigation device of claim 1, wherein:

the tracked position graphical element is a line of a first pattern, color and/or thickness, depicting the movement of the vehicle along a map; and

the calculated position graphical element is a line of a second pattern, color and/or thickness, depicting the movement of the vehicle along the map.

4. The computing navigation device of claim 1, wherein the calculated position graphical element is selected from the group consisting of a text item, graphical icon, letter, number, and color scheme.

5. The computing navigation device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to receive a user input data to effect selected retrieval of one or more standard parameters and/or model specific parameters in the OBD data.

6. The computing navigation device of claim 1, wherein the kinematic module is further configured to calculate an updated calculated position of the vehicle based on the calculated position and updated OBD data from the on-board diagnostics system.

7. The computing navigation device of claim 1, further comprising a signal monitoring module configured to monitor the GPS signal, and configured to pass the last position to the kinematic module and communicate with an OBD data retrieval module to pass the OBD data to the kinematic module.

8. The computing navigation device of claim 1, wherein the OBD data includes a speed, a steering wheel angle, and a cardinal direction of the vehicle.

9. The computing navigation device of claim 1, wherein the kinematic module is configured to calculate the calculated position based on one or more of a speed of the vehicle, a steering wheel angle, and a cardinal direction.

10. A method for dead reckoning, comprising:

receiving a GPS signal from a GPS system with a GPS receiver coupled with a moving vehicle;

displaying on a graphical user interface, on board the vehicle, a tracked position graphical element representing a path of the vehicle determined based on the GPS signal during a signal receiving condition indicating an operational signal is being received from the GPS system;

recognizing a lack of an operational signal from the GPS system as a dropped signal condition;

passing a last position of the vehicle to a kinematic module upon reaching the dropped signal condition during the dropped signal condition;

retrieving OBD data corresponding with a continued movement of the vehicle from an on-board diagnostics system of the vehicle during the dropped signal condition;

calculating a calculated position of the vehicle with the kinematic module based on the last position of the vehicle and the OBD data during the dropped signal condition; and

displaying on the graphical user interface a calculated position graphical element representing a path of the vehicle determined based on the kinematic module during the dropped signal condition, the calculated position graphical element visually distinguishable from the tracked position graphical element.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the tracked position graphical element is a line of a first pattern, color and/or thickness, depicting the movement of the vehicle along a map; and

the calculated position graphical element is a line of a second pattern, color and/or thickness, depicting the movement of the vehicle along the map.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the retrieving OBD data from the on-board diagnostics system includes retrieving one or more of a speed, a steering wheel angle, and a cardinal direction of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the calculating the calculated position includes performing a calculation based on one or more of a speed, a steering wheel angle, and a cardinal direction of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the passing the last position is effected upon the recognizing a lack of signal from the GPS system, wherein the method further comprises:

communicating with an OBD data retrieval module to pass the OBD data to the kinematic module upon the recognizing the lack of signal from the GPS system.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the OBD data is retrieved based on user input instructions that are received from the graphical user interface to effect changes in display or calculation of the position of the vehicle.

16. A navigation system on board a vehicle, comprising:

a computing navigation device configured to receive an operational GPS signal from a GPS system sufficient to track a position of the computing navigation device during a signal receiving condition, and to receive from an on-board diagnostic system of a vehicle OBD data indicative of a movement of the vehicle, the computing navigation device including;

a processor configured to;

monitor the GPS signal from the GPS system;

recognize a dropped signal condition in which no operational GPS signal is detected from the GPS system and GPS data is not being received by the computing navigation device;

identify a last position of the vehicle upon reaching the dropped signal condition;

receive OBD data from the on-board diagnostic system upon reaching the dropped signal condition; and

calculate a calculated position of the vehicle based on the last position and the OBD data during the dropped signal condition; and

a display coupled with the processor and configured to display the tracked position during the signal receiving condition, and to display the calculated position during the dropped signal condition, the tracked position visually distinguishable from the calculated position.