Navigation system and navigation method

• US 9,076,334 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2011
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Schirmer, Hartmut, Rauterberg, Karl-Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US12/987,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/200, 701207-215, 701300-302, 701/400, 701/411, 701/417, 701/423, 701/437, 340/988, 3409951-99527
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

A navigation system and method having a function of alerting the driver to potential wrong way driving comprises means 102 for determining a position of a vehicle 300, means 107 for calculating a driving route of the vehicle 300, means 108 for determining a driving maneuver in accordance with the predetermined driving route 305, means 104, 105, 110, 111 for outputting indications relating to the determined driving maneuver to a driver of the vehicle 300, and means 109 for alerting the driver to potential wrong way driving including means 201 for detecting a potential wrong way driving situation and means 202, 104, 105, 110, 111 for outputting an indication relating to the potential wrong way driving situation to the driver.

Claims

1. A navigation method for guiding a driver of a vehicle comprising:

predetermining a driving route of the vehicle;

determining, by a position determination unit, a position of the vehicle;

determining, by a maneuver determination unit, a driving maneuver in accordance with the predetermined driving route;

detecting, by a wrong-way driving detection unit, a potential wrong way driving situation away from the predetermined driving route, while the vehicle is on the predetermined driving route, and based in part on a current speed of the vehicle; and

alerting, by an alert unit, the driver to the potential wrong way driving, while the vehicle is on the predetermined driving route, by outputting to the driver an indication pertaining to said potential wrong way driving situation, in response to the potential wrong way situation being detected.

2. The navigation method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting said potential wrong way driving situation based on a value of a parameter relating to an operation state of the vehicle;

determining the value of the parameter relating to the operation state of the vehicle based upon the predetermined driving route;

comparing the detected value and the determined value; and

judging the result of comparison to detect said potential wrong way driving situation.

3. The navigation method of claim 2, wherein the determined value is based upon traffic provisions along the predetermined driving route.

4. The navigation method of claim 2, wherein the determined value is based upon the determined driving maneuver.

5. The navigation method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a location of the predetermined driving route where it is possible to leave the predetermined driving route.

6. The navigation method of claim 2, wherein the determining the value further comprises

determining the at least one value within a predetermined distance to a point of the predetermined driving route where the driving maneuver is to be performed.

7. The navigation method of claim 2, where the parameter comprises at least one of a geographical position of the vehicle, a relative position of the vehicle with respect to at least one location of the predetermined driving route, an advancing direction of the vehicle, a position of a direction indicator control, a vehicle speed, a rotational speed of the vehicle, and a time period during which any parameters are within one or more predetermined ranges of values.

8. The navigation method of claim 7, wherein a value of a respective parameter is selected based upon another value of another parameter and a distance to a point in the predetermined driving route where the determined driving maneuver is to be performed.

9. The navigation method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining an output information related to said predetermined driving route which is to be output to the driver upon detection of the potential wrong way driving situation.

10. The navigation method according to claim 2, further comprising:

inputting information relating to a desired driving route; and

calculating the predetermined driving route in accordance with said input information.

11. The navigation method according to claim 2, further comprising:

selecting a driving route from driving routes stored in a storage medium of an external server.

12. A navigation method for guiding a driver of a vehicle comprising:

predetermining a driving route of the vehicle;

determining, by a position determination unit, a position of the vehicle;

determining, by a maneuver determination unit, a driving maneuver in accordance with the predetermined driving route;

alerting, by an alert unit, the driver to potential wrong way driving by detection of a potential wrong way driving situation, the potential wrong way driving situation deviating away from the predetermined driving route being detected while on the predetermined driving route and based in part on a current speed of the vehicle; and

outputting, by an output unit, an indication relating to said potential wrong way driving situation to the driver, in response to a potential wrong way situation being detected.

13. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

detecting said potential wrong way driving situation based on a value of a parameter relating to an operation state of the vehicle;

determining the value of the parameter relating to the operation state of the vehicle based upon the predetermined driving route;

comparing the detected value and the determined value; and

judging the result of comparison to detect said potential wrong way driving situation.

14. The navigation method of claim 13, wherein the determined value is based upon traffic provisions along the predetermined driving route.

15. The navigation method of claim 13, wherein the determined value is based upon the determined driving maneuver.

16. The navigation method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a location of the predetermined driving route where it is possible to leave the predetermined driving route.

17. The navigation method of claim 13, wherein the determining the value further comprises

determining the at least one value within a predetermined distance to a point of the predetermined driving route where the driving maneuver is to be performed.

18. The navigation method of claim 13, where the parameter comprises at least one of a geographical position of the vehicle, a relative position of the vehicle with respect to at least one location of the predetermined driving route, an advancing direction of the vehicle, a position of a direction indicator control, a vehicle speed, a rotational speed of the vehicle, and a time period during which any parameters are within one or more predetermined ranges of values.

19. The navigation method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining an output information related to said predetermined driving route which is to be output to the driver upon detection of the potential wrong way driving situation.

20. The navigation method according to claim 13, further comprising:

inputting information relating to a desired driving route; and

calculating the predetermined driving route in accordance with said input information.