Data mining in a digital map database to identify blind intersections along roads and enabling precautionary actions in a vehicle

• US 9,279,688 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2015
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Denaro, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US14/694,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20150226562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/219 Managing data history or versioning querying versioned data G06F16/2474; querying temporal data G06F16/2477
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a blind intersection along a section of road. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a blind intersection is located along a section of road. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the blind intersection located along the section of road. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action. When the vehicle is at such a location, a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system as the vehicle is approaching a blind intersection.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing precautionary actions in a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, by a computer processor, existence of a hazardous condition from data already collected and present in a database that contains data that represents features of a road network in a geographic area, wherein the step of determining comprises;

evaluating, by the computer processor, multiple data items in the database; and

determining, by the computer processor, whether, when combined, the features represented by the multiple data items constitute a hazardous condition; and

upon determining that the features represented by the multiple data items when combined constitute a hazardous condition, providing, by the computer processor, for taking a precautionary action when approaching a location of the features.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the providing for taking a precautionary action comprises adding, by the computer processor, precautionary action data to the database.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the providing for taking a precautionary action comprises determining, by the computer processor, precautionary action data that indicates where a precautionary action may be taken.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the providing for taking a precautionary action comprises determining, by the computer processor, precautionary action data that indicates a type of condition about which a precautionary action is to be taken.

5. A computer implemented method for providing precautionary actions in a vehicle comprising:

evaluating, by a computer processor, multiple data items already collected and present in a database that contains data that represents features of a road network in a geographic area;

determining, by the computer processor, whether, when combined, the features represented by the multiple data items constitute a hazardous condition; and

upon determining that the features represented by the multiple data items when combined constitute a hazardous condition, providing, by the computer processor, for taking a precautionary action when approaching a location of the features.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the database is located in the vehicle.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the database is located remotely and accessed by vehicle systems in the vehicle.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein part of the database is located locally in the vehicle and part of the database is located remotely.

9. A vehicle system comprising:

a positioning system that determines a current location of the vehicle; and

a precautionary action application responsive to the positioning system and operative to provide for taking a precautionary action when positioning system determines that the current location of the vehicle is approaching a location of features, represented by multiple data items, determined in combination to constitute a hazardous condition based on an evaluation of the multiple data items stored in a database of previously collected data that represents features of a road network in a geographic area.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the precautionary action application is further operative to indicate a location along a road segment at which the precautionary action is to be taken by a vehicle system.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the precautionary action application is further operative to indicate a direction along a road segment at which the precautionary action is to be taken.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the features comprise an intersection along the road and another geographic feature where, in combination, the driver'"'"'s view of the intersection is obstructed by the other geographic feature.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the precautionary action application is further operative to provide for taking the precautionary action based on precautionary action data stored in the database in association with the location of the features.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the precautionary action data indicates a type of condition about which a precautionary action is to be taken.

15. A computer implemented method for providing precautionary actions in a vehicle comprising:

determining by a computer processor, a current position of the vehicle;

providing, by the computer processor, for taking a precautionary action when positioning system determines that the current location of the vehicle is approaching a location of features, represented by multiple data items, determined in combination to constitute a hazardous condition based on an evaluation of the multiple data items stored in a database of previously collected data that represents features of a road network in a geographic area.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15 further comprising:

building by the computer processor, an electronic horizon after accessing the database; and

using by the computer processor, the electronic horizon to determine whether the precautionary action should be taken.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 15 wherein the precautionary action is provided via a user interface of the vehicle.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 15 wherein the precautionary action application is further operative to indicate a location along a road segment at which the precautionary action is to be taken by a vehicle system.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 15 further comprising indicating, by the computer processor, a direction along a road segment at which the precautionary action is to be taken.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 15 wherein the features comprise an intersection along the road and another geographic feature where, in combination, the driver'"'"'s view of the intersection is obstructed by the other geographic feature.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 15 further comprising providing, by the computer processor, for taking the precautionary action based on precautionary action data stored in the database in association with the location of the features.

22. The computer implemented method of claim 21 wherein the precautionary action data indicates a type of condition about which a precautionary action is to be taken.