Method and system for linked vehicle navigation

• US 20070027614A1
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Sumcad, Anthony, Veliu, Shpetim, Patenaude, Russell, Reeser, Brad
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0968 Systems involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A method of navigating a plurality of vehicles includes receiving vehicle identifications from the plurality of vehicles at a central location. A travel group is formed based on the received vehicle identifications. Global positioning information is received from at least one vehicle associated with the travel group at the central location. The received global positioning information is transmitted from the central location to at least one vehicle associated with the travel group.

Claims

1. A method of navigating a plurality of vehicles, the method comprising:

receiving vehicle identifications from the plurality of vehicles at a central location;

forming a travel group based on the received vehicle identifications;

receiving global positioning information from at least one vehicle associated with the travel group at the central location; and

transmitting the received global positioning information from the central location to at least one vehicle associated with the travel group.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the travel group comprises:

receiving a travel group request at the central location; and

associating a plurality of the received vehicle identifications based on the travel group request.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the travel group comprises verifying at least one of the vehicle identification.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the travel group comprises a leader and at least one follower.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the leader and a follower switch positions.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting travel information from at least one of the central location and a travel group vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the travel information is selected from a group consisting of an estimated time of arrival of a travel group vehicle, directions, distance between travel group vehicles, a route, an itinerary, road conditions, and miscellaneous information.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the travel information is transmitted upon receiving a travel information request.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the travel information is sent automatically.

10. A computer usable medium including a program for navigating a plurality of vehicles, the computer usable medium comprising:

computer readable program code for receiving vehicle identifications from the plurality of vehicles at a central location;

computer readable program code for forming a travel group based on the received vehicle identification;

computer readable program code for receiving global positioning information from at least one vehicle associated with the travel group at the central location; and

computer readable program code for transmitting the received global positioning information from the central location to at least one vehicle associated with the travel group.

11. The computer usable medium of claim 10, wherein computer readable program code for forming the travel group comprises:

computer readable program code for receiving a travel group request at the central location; and

computer readable program code for associating a plurality of the received vehicle identifications based on the travel group request.

12. The computer usable medium of claim 10, wherein computer readable program code for forming the travel group comprises computer readable program code for verifying at least one of the vehicle identification.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 10, wherein the travel group comprises a leader and at least one follower.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the leader and a follower switch positions.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 10 further comprising computer readable program code for transmitting travel information from at least one of the central location and a travel group vehicle.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 15, wherein the travel information is selected from a group consisting of an estimated time of arrival of a travel group vehicle, directions, distance between travel group vehicles, a route, an itinerary, road conditions, and miscellaneous information.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 16, wherein the travel information is transmitted upon receiving a travel information request.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 16, wherein the travel information is sent automatically.

19. A system for navigating a plurality of vehicles, the system comprising:

means for receiving vehicle identifications from the plurality of vehicles at a central location;

means for forming a travel group based on the received vehicle identifications; and

means for receiving global positioning information from at least one vehicle associated with the travel group at the central location; and

means for transmitting the received global positioning information from the central location to at least one vehicle associated with the travel group.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising means for transmitting travel information from at least one of the central location and a travel group vehicle.