Mapping road illumination

• US 9,891,071 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2017
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Thompson, Joshua, Zhao, Yunjie
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US15/489,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20170248437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 302 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/60 characterised by a variable light distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing navigation services including illumination data. A request for a route is received with one or more preferences related to illumination for the route. One or more road segments that have illumination road attributes that correspond to the one or more preferences are selected. The illumination road attributes are calculated as a function of high beam frequency for the one or more road segments. The route is generated including the one or more road segments. The route is provided with the illumination road attributes.

Claims

1. A method for providing navigation services, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a route and one or more preferences related to illumination for the route;

selecting, by a processor, one or more road segments that have illumination values that correspond to the one or more preferences;

wherein the illumination values are calculated as a function of high beam frequency or high beam values for the one or more road segments;

generating, by the processor, the route including the one or more road segments; and

providing, by the processor, the route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the illumination values are calculated further as a function of ambient light values for the one or more road segments.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more preferences comprise a visibility threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more preferences comprise a threshold illumination value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the route includes one or more notifications for road segments of the one or more road segments that have an illumination value below the threshold illumination value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more notifications include an alert to inform a user that high beams should be turned on.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more notifications include a command to automatically turn on high beams.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the route includes one or more notifications for road segments of the one or more road segments that have frequent high beam usage.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the route comprises:

rendering, by the processor, a geographic map including at least one of the one or more road segments in the route; and

displaying the geographic map.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the geographic map is rendered and displayed with different visual aspects for different illumination values of the one or more road segments.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the different visual aspects include one or more different colors for different illumination values of the one or more road segments.

12. An apparatus for providing navigation services, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs;

the at least one memory configured to store the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform;

identify an upcoming road segment with a roadway illumination value;

wherein the roadway illumination value is calculated as a function of high beam data; and

generate and provide a notification for the upcoming road segment based on the roadway illumination value.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to further perform:

render a geographic map including at least the upcoming road segment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to further perform:

render the geographic map including a visual indicator corresponding to the notification.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the notification comprises an alert or instructions to turn on high beams.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the notification comprises an alert or instructions to switch from automatic operation to manual operation of a vehicle.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the notification comprises an alert or instructions to lower a speed of a vehicle.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed are operable to:

identify one or more road segments, wherein the one or more road segments each have a roadway illumination value based on high beam frequency data or high beam value data for a respective road segment; and

display a geographic map comprising the one or more road segments;

wherein the one or more road segments are displayed differently depending on the roadway illumination value for the each of the one or more road segments.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the one or more road segments are displayed differently with different colors.

20. The medium of claim 18, wherein the geographic map is displayed with one or more notifications for road segments with roadway illumination values below a predefined threshold.