Turn-by-turn navigation-based descriptive direction indicator for vehicles

• US 8,756,005 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2010
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Choi, Yong Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/978,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20120166078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 701/400, 701117-119, 701 23- 24, 701/28, 701423-425, 701/428, 701/409, 701/487, 701/431, 701/436, 340/988, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 701/436
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3661 Guidance output on an external device, e.g. car radio

Abstract

A system for providing an externally visible signal regarding a navigational instruction at a vehicle includes a navigation system, a navigation message sender, a navigation message receiver, and a display system. The navigation system generates and outputs turn-by-turn navigational directions within the vehicle to assist a driver of the vehicle in reaching a given destination location. The navigation message sender receives the turn-by-turn navigational directions and transmits them to the navigation message receiver. The navigation message receiver provides a navigational message to the display system for display in a manner visible outside the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for providing an externally visible signal regarding a navigational instruction at a vehicle, the system comprising:

a navigation system for generating and outputting turn-by-turn navigational directions within the vehicle to assist a driver of the vehicle in reaching a given destination location;

a navigation message sender for receiving turn-by-turn navigational directions from the navigation system and transmitting corresponding navigational messages;

a navigation message receiver for receiving the navigational messages from the navigation message sender; and

a display system for receiving the navigational messages from the navigation message receiver and in response displaying, a directional message in a manner visible outside the vehicle, a directional message based on the navigational messages;

wherein the navigation message receiver is linked to a user signaling interface;

wherein the user signaling interface includes at least one of a user-actuated lever and a user-actuated button for causing a turn indication to be display by the vehicle; and

wherein the navigation message receiver is configured to receive a turn signal from the user signaling interface, to determine whether the received turn signal is consistent with a current received navigational message, and to provide the current navigational message to the display system only in the case that the received turn signal is consistent with the current received navigational message.

2. The system for providing an externally visible signal regarding a navigational instruction at a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the navigation message receiver is configured to provide the turn-by-turn navigation directions to the display system based on an external signal.

3. The system for providing an externally visible signal regarding a navigational instruction at a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the navigation message receiver is configured to provide the navigational messages from the navigation message sender to the display system when the user signaling interface is activated and to not provide the navigational messages from the navigation message sender to the display system when the user signaling interface is not activated.

4. The system for providing an externally visible signal regarding a navigational instruction at a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is adapted to generate the turn-by-turn navigational directions by using at least one of a map, a road topology database, real-time traffic information, and a historical routes database.

5. The system for providing an externally visible signal regarding a navigational instruction at a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the navigation message receiver is configured to transmit the navigational messages to the display system via a wireless signal.

6. The system for providing an externally visible signal regarding a navigational instruction at a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the turn-by-turn navigation directions contain at least one of a specified action, an immediate destination, and a distance to a location where an action should be taken.

7. The system for providing an externally visible signal regarding a navigational instruction at a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the display system is configured to convert the navigation directions to at least one of an abbreviation, a scrolling format, and a rotating format.

8. The system for providing an externally visible signal regarding a navigational instruction at a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the displayed directional message includes a textual portion and a graphical portion.

9. A method for providing an externally visible signal at a vehicle to signal a trailing driver of an imminent turn of the vehicle, the method comprising:

generating turn-by-turn navigational directions within the vehicle to direct a driver of the vehicle in reaching a given destination location;

determining whether the driver of the vehicle has actuated a user-selectable turn indicator; and

providing a message based on the turn-by-turn navigational directions to an external display system when the driver of the vehicle has actuated the user-selectable turn indicator only in the case that the turn indicator is consistent with a current one of the turn-by-turn navigational directions, wherein a display surface of the external display system is visible outside the vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the user signaling interface includes at least one of a user-actuated lever and a user-actuated button for causing a turn signal to be displayed by the vehicle.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein generating the turn-by-turn navigational directions within the vehicle comprises generating the turn-by-turn navigational directions by using at least one of a map, a road topology database, real-time traffic information, and a historical routes database.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein providing a message based on the turn-by-turn navigational directions to the external display system comprises transmitting the navigation directions to the external display system via a wireless signal.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the turn-by-turn navigation directions contain at least one of a specified action, an immediate destination, and a distance to a location where an action should be taken.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising converting the navigation directions to at least one of an abbreviation, a scrolling format, and a rotating format.

15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising displaying the message based on the turn-by-turn navigational directions on a display surface of the external display system.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the message based on the turn-by-turn navigational directions includes a textual portion and a graphical portion.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein the external display system is located at one of a top of the vehicle, a window of the vehicle, and a bumper of the vehicle.

18. An apparatus for alerting a vehicle non-occupant of an imminent turn of the vehicle, including:

a navigation interface; and

an external display device configured to be mounted to an external surface of the vehicle, wherein the navigation interface is configured to interface to an in-vehicle guidance system, a user-actuated turn signal, and the external display device, such that when the user-actuated turn signal is active, turn-by-turn directions are retrieved from the in-vehicle guidance system and a directional message based on the turn-by-turn directions is provided to the external display device for display to the non-occupant only in the case that the turn signal is consistent with a current one of the turn-by-turn directions.