Vehicle navigation network, apparatus and method for use in a mobile telecommunication system

• US 20030014187A1
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Nak-Koo, Chun, Kyung-Joon
• Granted Patent: US 6,532,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• 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 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

There is provided a vehicle navigation network using a mobile telecommunication system. In the vehicle navigation network, a vehicle navigation apparatus has a satellite signal receiver and a mileage calculator, which determines a current location of a vehicle based on a satellite signal and a mileage of the vehicle to its destination, and transmits information about the vehicle location from a mobile terminal to a base station transceiver system (BTS) periodically. The BTS receives a signal from the mobile terminal and transmits data to a base station controller (BSC), when a vehicle navigation service is requested. The BSC is connected to the BTS, which discriminates a call requesting the vehicle navigation service from a typical voice call and transmission of a text message. The BSC connects the voice call to a mobile switching center (MSC) in the case of the voice call, and connects the vehicle navigation service requesting call to one of a plurality of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switches when the vehicle navigation service requests the call. The ATM switches are connected to a navigation server, for a handoff and transmission of packet data when the BSC requests the vehicle navigation service. When the vehicle navigation service is requested from an ATM switch, the navigation server receives information about the current location and destination of a vehicle, road condition information, and map information and transmits route information to the navigation apparatus.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation network using a mobile telecommunication system, comprising:

a vehicle navigation apparatus having a satellite signal receiver and a mileage calculator, for determining a current location of a vehicle based on a satellite signal and mileage of the vehicle to a destination, and transmitting information about the current location of the vehicle to a base station transceiver system (BTS) periodically through a mobile terminal;

the BTS receiving a signal from the mobile terminal and transmitting data to a base station controller (BSC) when a vehicle navigation service is requested;

the BSC connected to at least one BTS, for discriminating a call requesting the vehicle navigation service from a typical voice call and transmission of a text message, connecting the voice call to a mobile switching center (MSC) in the case of the voice call, and connecting the vehicle navigation service requesting call to an switch in the case of the vehicle navigation service requesting call;

a plurality of ATM switches connected to a navigation server, for handoff and transmission of packet data when the BSC requests the vehicle navigation service; and

the navigation server receiving information about the current location and destination of the vehicle, road condition information, map information, and transmitting route information to the navigation apparatus when the vehicle navigation service is requested from an ATM switch.

2. The vehicle navigation network of claim 1, further comprising a router connected to the navigation server, for connecting ATM switches when the mobile terminal enters an area covered by a different ATM switch.

3. The vehicle navigation network of claim 1, further comprising a map information database for storing the map information.

4. The vehicle navigation network of claim 2, further comprising a map information database for storing the map information.

5. The vehicle navigation network of claim 3, further comprising a traffic information database for storing traffic information received from a traffic information collection server and updating the stored information, according to information regarding road conditions.

6. The vehicle navigation network of claim 4, further comprising a traffic information database for storing traffic information received from a traffic information collection server and updating the stored information, according to information regarding road conditions.

7. The vehicle navigation network of claim 1, wherein the mobile telecommunication system is a PCS mobile communication system.

8. The vehicle navigation network of claim 1, wherein the mobile telecommunication system is an IS-95B mobile communication system.

9. The vehicle navigation network of claim 1, wherein the mobile telecommunication system is an IMT-2000 mobile communication system.

10. A vehicle navigation apparatus comprising:

a satellite signal receiver for receiving data including a current location of a vehicle from a satellite;

a mileage calculator for calculating the speed and mileage to a destination of the vehicle;

a handset connector connected to a mobile phone, for outputting information about the current vehicle location and destination to the mobile phone and receiving route information and traffic information from the mobile phone;

a display for displaying a route to the destination and a map; and

a controller for calculating the current location of the vehicle based on the data received from the satellite signal receiver and the mileage calculator, outputting the calculated current location to the mobile phone via the handset connector, and displaying the route on the display based on the data received from the handset connector.

11. The vehicle navigation apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a voice processor for analyzing voice data received from the handset connector, converting the voice data to character data, and transmitting the voice data and the character data.

12. The vehicle navigation apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a keypad for receiving at least a destination data, current location data, and a termination signal.

13. The vehicle navigation apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a keypad for receiving at least a destination data, current location data, and a termination signal.

14. The vehicle navigation apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a CD-ROM driver for reading map information.

15. The vehicle navigation apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a CD-ROM driver for reading map information.

17. The vehicle navigation method of claim 16, further comprising outputting a service termination signal and terminating the connection to the navigation server when the vehicle arrives at the destination.

18. The vehicle navigation method of claim 16, further comprising the step of retransmitting information of the location of the vehicle if a predetermined time elapses after connection to the navigation server.

19. The vehicle navigation method of claim 17, further comprising the step of retransmitting information of the location of the vehicle if a predetermined time elapses after connection to the navigation server.

16. A vehicle navigation method for use in a mobile telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:

asking a user for the destination of a vehicle when a navigation service is requested and checking whether destination data has been received;

connecting to a navigation server connected to the mobile telecommunication system upon receipt of the destination data;

displaying route information and traffic information received from the server.

20. A vehicle navigation method for use with a navigation server connected to a mobile telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:

reading map information and road condition information according to the current location and destination of a subscriber from a database when the subscriber requests a navigation service; and

determining a route according to the road data and transmitting the determined route information to a navigation apparatus in a vehicle through the mobile telecommunication system.

21. The vehicle navigation method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the route is to be changed when the road condition of the subscriber is changed; and

changing the route when it is necessary to change the route and transmitting the changed route information to the vehicle navigation apparatus of the subscriber through the mobile telecommunication system.

22. A navigation method between a navigation server and a vehicle navigation apparatus using a mobile telecommunication system where an ATM switch is connected to the navigation server and a base station transceiver system (BTS) communicates with a mobile phone to transmit road condition information to the vehicle navigation apparatus, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a vehicle navigation service request signal from the vehicle navigation apparatus to the mobile telecommunication system through the mobile phone when a navigation service is needed;

transmitting the vehicle navigation service request signal from the mobile telecommunication system to the navigation server;

performing an authentication procedure at the navigation server when the navigation server receives the vehicle navigation service request signal; and

determining a route based on information about the current location and destination of a vehicle received from the vehicle navigation apparatus, map data, and road condition data at the navigation server when the authentication procedure is over, and transmitting information about the determined route from the navigation server to the vehicle navigation apparatus.