Vehicle Navigation Method and System

• US 20120029807A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schunder, Mark, Berry, Joseph J., Scalf, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,846,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments

Abstract

A vehicle based computing system processor is operable to receive the coordinates from a GPS and transmit the coordinates to a remote network. The processor is operable to receive map data pertaining to a route to be traveled by the vehicle, including a recommended starting road. The processor is able to audibly announce the recommended starting road name on which the vehicle is not presently traveling and to determine if the vehicle has reached that road. The processor is operable to output at least initial instructions for the route to be traveled.

Claims

1. A vehicle based computing system comprising:

a processor configured to

(i) receive coordinates from a GPS receiver and transmit the coordinates through a communication link to a nomadic device located proximate the vehicle, for transmission to a remote network, and

(ii) receive from the network, through the communication link, map data pertaining to a route to be traveled including a recommended starting road based on present coordinates of the vehicle;

(iii) provide, through an audio or display output, directional instructions to travel to a recommended starting road name on which the vehicle is not presently traveling.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the recommended starting road is selected based on at least the heading of the vehicle.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instruction of travel to a recommended starting road by the processor includes a recommended compass direction in which to travel.

4. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine, based on a correspondence between the present location of the vehicle and coordinates corresponding to a road other than the recommended starting road, that the vehicle has entered a road other than the recommended starting road, and wherein the processor is further operable to transmit this information to the remote network and receive directions to be output starting from the other road.

5. A vehicle based computing system comprising:

a processor configured to

(i) receive coordinates from a GPS receiver and transmit the coordinates through the communication link to a nomadic wireless communication device proximate the vehicle, for transmission to a remote network,

(ii) receive, through the communication link, map data pertaining to a route to be traveled, the map data including

(a) a recommended starting road based on coordinates of the vehicle; and

(b) a plurality of potential locations, one of which the vehicle will likely be located proximally to when the map data is received by the processor;

(iii) determine, based on GPS coordinates of the vehicle when the map data is received, which potential location most closely corresponds to the vehicle'"'"'s location; and

(iv) output one or more travel instructions, based at least in part on which potential location the vehicle is located proximally to at the time the instructions were received.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of potential locations are within a 180 degree arc centered at the front of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of potential locations are determined at a remote server in communication with the remote network, based at least in part on a vehicle speed at the time of transmission.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of potential locations are determined at a remote server in communication with the remote network, based at least in part on a vehicle heading at the time of transmission.

9. A method of determining travel directions for a vehicle comprising:

receiving input representing vehicle coordinates and speed of a vehicle;

calculating how far the vehicle is likely to travel within a predetermined time span, based on the vehicle speed;

determining where the vehicle is located on a map based on the coordinates;

determining possible location points to which vehicle can travel on the map within the predetermined time span, based on the likely distance of travel;

determining a route of travel to a destination based on the coordinates of the vehicle;

determining one or more alternate routes of travel to the destination from at least one of the possible location points; and

transmitting to the vehicle the preferred route of travel and one alternate route of travel.

10. The method of claim 9, additionally comprising calculating how far the vehicle is likely to travel or possible location points based on a heading of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining possible location points determines possible location points within a 180 degree arc in front of the vehicle, based on a vehicle heading.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more alternate routes are routes back to a point on the preferred route.

13. The method of claim 9, additionally comprising outputting at an audio or display output at the vehicle the preferred route of travel or the alternative route of travel.

14. A computer readable storage medium storing a plurality of computer instructions, that, when executed, cause a computing system to perform the steps:

receive input corresponding to coordinates and speed of a vehicle;

calculate how far the vehicle is likely to travel within a predetermined time span, based on at least the received speed input;

determine where the vehicle is located on a map based on the coordinates;

determine possible location points to which the vehicle can travel on the map within the predetermined time span, based on the possible distance of travel;

determine a preferred route of travel to a destination based on the coordinates of the vehicle;

determine one or more alternate routes of travel to the destination from at least one of the possible location points; and

transmitting travel routes to the vehicle including at least the preferred route of travel and one alternate route of travel.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions further include instructions for receiving input corresponding to a vehicle heading, and calculating how far the vehicle is likely to travel based on the heading input.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further include instructions for determining possible location points within a 180 degree arc in front of the vehicle, based on the heading input.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more alternate routes are routes back to a point on the preferred route.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions further include instructions for outputting one or more of the routes at the graphical display or audio output at the vehicle.

19. A vehicle navigation system configured to:

receive GPS coordinate data;

determine a geographic area of a vehicle based on the GPS coordinate data, the geographic area being unmapped; and

provide a vehicle driver with initial directional instructions to guide the vehicle from the unmapped geographical area to a known route of travel.

20. A navigation system configured to:

identify that a vehicle is off a mapped route;

in response to vehicle being off route,

receive and transmit vehicle heading, speed information, and GPS coordinate information;

determine a plurality of possible locations of a vehicle based on the information; and

navigate to the mapped route from two or more of the possible locations of the vehicle.