Vehicle navigation system for use with a telematics system

• US 20040128065A1
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Taylor, David W., McCarthy, Kevin C., Schofield, Kenneth, Lynam, Niall R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/976 massaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/406 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• 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 21/36 : Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/365 : Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 : Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 : Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 : Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 : Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 : Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 : Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 : Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 : Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A navigation system for a vehicle includes a vehicle-based telematics system, a vehicle-based global positioning system and a control. The telematics system is operable to receive a user input from a driver of the vehicle and to download directional information from an external service provider to the control in response to the user input and an initial geographic position of the vehicle. The directional information comprises at least two instructions with each of the instructions being coded or associated with or linked to a respective geographic location. The control is operable to provide an output corresponding to each of the instructions in response to a current actual geographic position of the vehicle. The control is operable to provide each instruction only when the then current actual geographic position of the vehicle at least generally corresponds to the particular geographic location associated with the instruction.

Claims

1. A navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle-based telematics system;

a vehicle-based global positioning system operable to determine a geographic position of the vehicle; and

a control, said telematics system being operable to receive a user input from a driver of the vehicle and download directional information from an external service provider to said control in response to said user input and an initial geographic position of the vehicle, said directional information comprising at least two instructions with each of said at least two instructions being coded or associated with or linked to a respective geographic location, said control being operable to provide an output corresponding to each of said at least two instructions in response to a current actual geographic position of the vehicle determined by said vehicle-based global positioning system, said control being operable to provide each instruction only when the then current actual geographic position of the vehicle at least generally corresponds to the particular geographic location associated with said each instruction.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to tag or code each of the instructions with a respective geographic location and is operable to only provide a particular one of the instructions when the respective geographic location tagged or coded to the particular instruction at least generally corresponds to the then current actual geographic position of the vehicle.

3. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein each of said at least two downloaded instructions is tagged or coded with or linked to a respective particular geographic location, said control being operable to only display a particular instruction when the respective geographic location tagged or coded or linked to the particular instruction at least generally corresponds to the then current actual geographic position of the vehicle.

4. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein said user input comprises a vocal input from the driver or occupant of the vehicle to a service center associated with said vehicle-based telematics system.

5. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein said initial geographic position of the vehicle is communicated to the service center via said vehicle-based global positioning system.

6. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein said at least two instructions are provided by said control as an audible message.

7. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein said at least two instructions are provided by said control as a visible display.

8. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein said visible display is provided at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle.

9. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein said visible display comprises at least one of a display on demand display element, a thin film transistor liquid crystal display element, a multi-pixel display element and a multi-icon display element.

10. The navigation system of claim 1 including a seat adjustment system, said seat adjustment system being operable to adjust a seat of the vehicle in response to data received via at least one of said vehicle-based telematics system and said vehicle-based global positioning system.

11. The navigation system of claim 10, wherein said seat adjustment system is operable in response to biometric data pertaining to the occupant of the seat of the vehicle.

12. A method for providing navigational directions to a driver of a vehicle comprising:

accessing a remote source via a vehicle-based wireless communication system;

providing an initial geographic position of the vehicle via a vehicle-based global positioning system;

downloading local information from the remote source to a control of the vehicle via the wireless communication system in response to a user input and said initial geographic position of the vehicle, said local information comprising at least two driving instructions, each of the at least two driving instructions being associated with or linked to a respective particular geographic location;

providing a current geographic position of the vehicle to said control via said vehicle-based global positioning system; and

providing each of said at least two driving instructions to the driver only when the then current geographic position of the vehicle at least generally matches the particular geographic location associated with or linked to the respective one of said at least two driving instructions.

13. The method of claim 12 including associating or tagging or coding or linking each of the instructions with a respective particular geographic location.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein providing each of said at least two driving instructions comprises visibly displaying each of said at least two driving instructions at a display of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein visibly displaying each of said at least two driving instructions comprises visibly displaying each of said at least two driving instructions at a display at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein visibly displaying each of said at least two driving instructions comprises visibly displaying each of said at least two driving instructions via at least one of a display on demand display element, a thin film transistor liquid crystal display element, a multi-pixel display element and a multi-icon display element.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein providing each of said at least two driving instructions comprises audibly communicating each of said at least two driving instructions via at least one speaker of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 12 including:

providing data to a seat adjustment system of the vehicle via at least one of said vehicle-based wireless communication system and said vehicle-based global positioning system; and

adjusting a seat of the vehicle in response to said data.

19. The method of claim 18 including providing biometric data pertaining to an occupant of the seat to said seat adjustment system and adjusting the seat in response to said biometric data.

20. A navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle-based telematics system;

a vehicle-based global positioning system operable to determine a geographic position of the vehicle; and

a control, said telematics system being operable to receive a user input from a driver of the vehicle and to download directional information to said control of the vehicle in response to said user input and an initial geographic position of the vehicle, said directional information comprising at least two instructions, said control being operable to tag or code or link each of the at least two instructions with a respective geographic location, said control being operable to provide an output corresponding to a particular one of the at least two instructions only when the geographic location tagged or coded or linked to the particular instruction at least generally corresponds to the current actual geographic position of the vehicle determined by said vehicle-based global positioning system.

21. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein said output comprises an audible message.

22. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein said output comprises a visible display.

23. The navigation system of claim 22, wherein said visible display comprises a portion of an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle.

24. The navigation system of claim 22, wherein said visible display comprises at least one of a display on demand display element, a thin film transistor liquid crystal display element, a multi-pixel display element and a multi-icon display element.

25. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein said user input comprises a vocal input from the driver or occupant of the vehicle to a service center associated with said vehicle-based telematics system.

26. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein said initial geographic position of the vehicle is communicated to the service center via said vehicle-based global positioning system.

27. The navigation system of claim 20 including a seat adjustment system, said seat adjustment system being operable to adjust a seat of the vehicle in response to data received via at least one of said vehicle-based telematics system and said vehicle-based global positioning system.

28. The navigation system of claim 27, wherein said seat adjustment system is operable in response to biometric data pertaining to the occupant of the seat of the vehicle.