Automatic activation of turn signals in a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for automatically activating a turn signal in a vehicle operated by a human driver, comprising:
- in a navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver, receiving a destination;
in the navigation device, determining a current location of the vehicle;
in the navigation device, determining a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle;
in the navigation device, generating an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location;
on an output device, and in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, outputting the generated instruction to the human driver;
subsequent to outputting the generated instruction, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, determining whether the human driver has manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver; and
in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, and in response to a determination that the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, automatically sending a signal from the navigation device to a turn signal controller to cause the turn signal of the vehicle to be automatically activated, wherein the automatically activated turn signal indicates the maneuver specified by the instruction output to the human driver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to various embodiments, turn signals are automatically activated in response to signals received from a navigation system, based on the navigation instructions generated by the navigation system. The navigation system of a vehicle (either built into the vehicle or provided as a stand-alone unit) is communicatively coupled with or otherwise integrated with the turn signals of the vehicle. When the navigation system instructs the driver to perform a maneuver (such as making a turn), it can also cause the appropriate turn signal to be automatically activated at the appropriate time and/or distance in advance of the maneuver. When the navigation system detects that the maneuver has been made, or that the driver has ignored the system'"'"'s instructions, the turn signal can be automatically deactivated.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for automatically activating a turn signal in a vehicle operated by a human driver, comprising:
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in a navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver, receiving a destination; in the navigation device, determining a current location of the vehicle; in the navigation device, determining a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle; in the navigation device, generating an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location; on an output device, and in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, outputting the generated instruction to the human driver; subsequent to outputting the generated instruction, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, determining whether the human driver has manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver; and in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, and in response to a determination that the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, automatically sending a signal from the navigation device to a turn signal controller to cause the turn signal of the vehicle to be automatically activated, wherein the automatically activated turn signal indicates the maneuver specified by the instruction output to the human driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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3. A method for automatically reminding a human driver to manually activate a turn signal in a vehicle operated by the human driver, comprising:
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in a navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver, receiving a destination; in the navigation device, determining a current location of the vehicle; in the navigation device, determining a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle; in the navigation device, generating an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location; on an output device, in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, outputting the generated instruction to the human driver; subsequent to outputting the generated instruction, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, determining whether the human driver has manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver; and on the output device, in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, and in response to a determination that the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, automatically outputting a reminder to the human driver to manually activate the turn signal. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A system for automatically activating a turn signal in a vehicle operated by a human driver, comprising:
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an input device, configured to receive input specifying a destination for the vehicle operated by the human driver; a geographical position determination device, configured to determine a current location of the vehicle; a processor, communicatively coupled to the input device and to the geographical position determination device, configured to; determine a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle; and generate an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location; an output device, communicatively coupled to the processor, configured to output the generated instruction to the human driver in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location; and a signal transmission device, communicatively coupled to the processor, configured to, in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, and in response to a determination that the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, automatically send a signal to a turn signal controller to cause the turn signal of the vehicle to be automatically activated, wherein the automatically activated turn signal indicates the maneuver specified by the instruction output to the human driver; wherein the processor is further configured to, subsequent to the output device outputting the generated instruction, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, determine whether the human driver has manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver. - View Dependent Claims (6, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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7. A computer program product for automatically activating a turn signal in a vehicle operated by a human driver, comprising:
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a nontransitory computer-readable storage medium; and computer program code, encoded on the medium, configured to cause at least one processor of a navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver to perform the steps of; receiving a destination; determining a current location of the vehicle; determining a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle; generating an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location; in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, causing an output device to output the generated instruction; subsequent to causing the output device to output the generated instruction, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, determining whether the human driver has manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver; and in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, and in response to a determination that the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, causing a signal to be automatically sent from the navigation device to a turn signal controller to cause the turn signal of the vehicle to be automatically activated, wherein the automatically activated turn signal indicates the maneuver specified by the instruction output to the human driver. - View Dependent Claims (8, 25, 26, 27)
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9. A system for automatically reminding a human driver to manually activate a turn signal in a vehicle operated by the human driver, comprising:
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an input device, configured to receive input specifying a destination for the vehicle operated by the human driver; a geographical position determination device, configured to determine a current location of the vehicle; a processor, communicatively coupled to the input device and to the geographical position determination device, configured to; determine a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle; and generate an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location; an output device, communicatively coupled to the processor, configured to; output the generated instruction to the human driver in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location; and in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, and in response to a determination that the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, automatically output a reminder to the human driver to manually activate the turn signal; wherein the processor is further configured to, subsequent to the output device outputting the generated instruction, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, determine whether the human driver has manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A computer program product for automatically reminding a human driver to manually activate a turn signal in a vehicle operated by the human driver, comprising:
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a nontransitory computer-readable storage medium; and computer program code, encoded on the medium, configured to cause at least one processor of a navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver to perform the steps of; receiving a destination; determining a current location of the vehicle; determining a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle; generating an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location; in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, causing an output device to output the generated instruction to the human driver; subsequent to causing the output device to output the generated instruction, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, determining whether the human driver has manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver; and in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, and in response to a determination that the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, causing the output device to automatically output a reminder to the human driver to manually activate the turn signal. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification