System and method for vehicle navigation using lateral offsets
First Claim
1. A method for vehicle navigation using the vehicle'"'"'s lateral offset from a common reference axis, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a digital map database containing stored absolute geographic location and relative spatial location for a plurality of objects, said objects including a longitudinally extending roadway, a marker disposed adjacent to the roadway, and a reference axis spatially associated with and extending generally parallel to the roadway, said digital map database further including an object offset stored therein, said object offset comprising the perpendicular distance measurement between said reference axis and said marker;
providing a vehicle configured to travel along the roadway, the vehicle transporting therewith a navigation system enabled by at least one object sensor;
sensing the existence, identity, and relative bearing/range to the marker using at least one object sensor; and
calculating an instantaneous vehicle offset using the stored object offset and the sensed relative bearing/range to the marker, the instantaneous vehicle offset being the perpendicular distance measurement between the reference axis and the vehicle.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation system for use in a vehicle (402). The system includes an absolute position sensor, such as GPS, in addition to one or more additional sensors, such as a camera, laser scanner, or radar. The system further comprises a digital map or database that includes records for at least some of the vehicle'"'"'s surrounding objects (400). These records can include relative positional attributes with respect to a reference axis (404). As the vehicle (402) moves, sensors sense the presence of at least some of these objects (400), and measure the vehicle'"'"'s relative position to those objects. This information is used to determine the vehicle'"'"'s instantaneous lateral offset (428) relative to the reference axis (404), and support features such as enhanced driving directions, collision avoidance, or automatic assisted driving. The system also allows new objects (408, 414) to be attributed using relative positioning, and thereby factored into the enhanced navigation features.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for vehicle navigation using the vehicle'"'"'s lateral offset from a common reference axis, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital map database containing stored absolute geographic location and relative spatial location for a plurality of objects, said objects including a longitudinally extending roadway, a marker disposed adjacent to the roadway, and a reference axis spatially associated with and extending generally parallel to the roadway, said digital map database further including an object offset stored therein, said object offset comprising the perpendicular distance measurement between said reference axis and said marker; providing a vehicle configured to travel along the roadway, the vehicle transporting therewith a navigation system enabled by at least one object sensor; sensing the existence, identity, and relative bearing/range to the marker using at least one object sensor; and calculating an instantaneous vehicle offset using the stored object offset and the sensed relative bearing/range to the marker, the instantaneous vehicle offset being the perpendicular distance measurement between the reference axis and the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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6. A system for vehicle navigation using its lateral offset from a common reference axis, said system comprising:
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a digital map database containing stored absolute geographic location and relative spatial location for a plurality of objects, said objects including a longitudinally extending roadway, a marker disposed adjacent to the roadway, and a reference axis spatially associated with and extending generally parallel to the roadway; said digital map database further including an object offset stored therein, said object offset comprising the perpendicular distance measurement between said reference axis and said marker; at least one object sensor for sensing the relative bearing/range to said marker; and a portable navigation device operatively interconnecting said object sensor and said digital map database for calculating an instantaneous vehicle offset using the stored object offset and the sensed relative bearing/range. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18)
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Specification