VISION AUGMENTED NAVIGATION

• US 20140372020A1
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobilEye Vision Technologies Ltd. (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MobilEye Vision Technologies Ltd. (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Stein, Gideon
• Granted Patent: US 9,671,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/410
• 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 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects

Abstract

A navigation system may include at least one processing device configured to determine, based on an output of one or more position sensors associated with the navigation system, a current location of at least one component associated with the navigation system and determine a destination location different from the current location. The navigation system may also acquire, from one or more image acquisition devices, a plurality of images representative of an environment of a user of the navigation system and derive, from the plurality of images, visual information associated with at least one object in the environment. The system may also determine one or more instructions for navigating from the current location to the destination location, wherein the one or more instructions include at least one reference to the visual information derived from the plurality of images. The system may also deliver to the user the one or more instructions.

Claims

1. A navigation system, comprising:

at least one processing device configured to;

determine, based on an output of one or more position sensors associated with the navigation system, a current location of at least one component associated with the navigation system;

determine a destination location different from the current location;

acquire, from one or more image acquisition devices, a plurality of images representative of an environment of a user of the navigation system;

derive, from the plurality of images, visual information associated with at least one object in the environment;

determine one or more instructions for navigating from the current location to the destination location, wherein the one or more instructions include at least one reference to the visual information derived from the plurality of images; and

deliver to the user the one or more instructions.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein determination of the destination location is based on user input.

3. The navigation system of claim 2, wherein the user input includes entry of an address corresponding to the destination location.

4. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more image acquisition devices include a first camera and a second camera, the first camera having a focal length different from a focal length of the second camera.

5. The navigation system of claim 4, wherein the one or more image acquisition devices include a third camera having a focal length different from the focal length of the first camera and the focal length of the second camera.

6. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more image acquisition devices include a camera having a resolution of at least 5 megapixels.

7. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the visual information relates to at least one characteristic of the at least one object in the environment.

8. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein the at least one object includes at least one of a vehicle, a building, a sign, a traffic light, a road feature, a structure, or a person.

9. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

use map data to identify at least one mapped entity;

determine, based on the plurality of images, whether the at least one mapped entity is visible to the user; and

include in the one or more instructions at least one reference to the mapped entity, if the mapped entity is determined to be visible to the user.

10. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

use map data to identify at least one mapped entity;

determine, based on the plurality of images, whether the at least one mapped entity is visible to the user; and

include in the determined one or more instructions at least one reference to the mapped entity and at least one reference to an object obscuring the mapped entity from the users view, if the mapped entity is determined not to be visible to the user.

11. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

use map data to identify at least one mapped entity;

determine, based on the plurality of images, whether the at least one mapped entity is visible to the user; and

omit from the determined one or more instructions any references to the mapped entity, if the mapped entity is determined not to be visible to the user.

12. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the visual information includes a color associated with the at least one object in the environment.

13. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the visual information includes an object type associated with the at least one object in the environment.

14. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more instructions are delivered audibly to the user.

15. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more instructions are delivered to at least one of a display or a speaker associated with a mobile device.

16. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more instructions are delivered to at least one of a display or a speaker associated with a vehicle.

17. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more instructions are delivered to at least one of a display or a speaker associated with a wearable device.

18. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more image acquisition devices include a camera from an Advanced Driver Assistance System.

19. A vehicle, comprising:

a GPS sensor configured to provide an output representative of a position of the vehicle;

one or more image acquisition devices configured to acquire a plurality of images of an environment outside of the vehicle;

at least one processing device configured to;

determine, based on an output of one or more position sensors associated with the navigation system, a current location of at least one component associated with the navigation system;

determine a destination location different from the current location;

acquire, from one or more image acquisition devices, a plurality of images representative of an environment of a user of the navigation system;

derive, from the plurality of images, visual information associated with at least one object in the environment;

determine one or more instructions for navigating from the current location to the destination location, wherein the one or more instructions include at least one reference to the visual information derived from the plurality of images; and

deliver to the user the one or more instructions.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein determination of the destination location is based on user input including an address corresponding to the destination location.

21. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the one or more image acquisition devices include a first camera and a second camera, the first camera having a focal length different from a focal length of the second camera.

22. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the one or more image acquisition devices include a camera having a resolution of at least 5 megapixels.

23. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the visual information relates to at least one characteristic of the at least one object in the environment.

24. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the at least one object includes at least one of a vehicle, a building, a sign, a traffic light, a road feature, a structure, or a person.

25. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

use map data to identify at least one mapped entity;

determine, based on the plurality of images, whether the at least one mapped entity is visible to the user; and

include in the determined one or more instructions at least one reference to the mapped entity, if the mapped entity is determined to be visible to the user.

26. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the at east one processing device is configured to:

include in the determined one or more instructions at least one reference to the mapped entity and at least one reference to an object obscuring the mapped entity from the user'"'"'s view, when the mapped entity is determined not to be visible to the user.

27. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the visual information includes at least one of a color or a type associated with the at least one object in the environment.

28. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the one or more instructions are delivered audibly to the user.

29. A method for generating and delivering navigational information, the method comprising:

using one or more processing devices to determine a current location based on an output of one or more position sensors;

determining a destination location different from the current location;

acquiring, from one or more image acquisition devices, a plurality of images representative of an environment surrounding an individual;

using the one or more processing devices to derive, from the plurality of images, visual information associated with at least one object in the environment;

determining one or more instructions for navigating from the current location to the destination location, wherein the one or more instructions include at least one reference to the visual information derived from the plurality of images; and

delivering to the individual the one or more instructions.