Navigation system with sign assistance

• US 6,671,615 B1
• Filed: 05/02/2000
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navigation Technologies Corp. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaplan, Lawrence M., Casino, Roy, Fernekes, Robert, Becker, Lisa M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US09/563,132
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/208, 701/209, 701/23, 701/25, 701/201, 701/211, 340/988, 340/937, 340/995, 340/990, 348/148, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

A feature provided by a navigation system or other device whereby additional information about roadside signs can be provided to a driver of a vehicle while travelling along a road. The additional information may be provided automatically or in response to a request from the driver. The additional information may include a translation of the sign text into a selected language, supplementary information about the subject matter of the sign, commercial information about the subject matter of the sign, or other kinds of information. In one embodiment, the additional information is contained in a database that includes data identifying locations of roadside signs and additional information about the roadside signs. Programming in the navigation system or other device determines the location of the vehicle, uses the database to identify one or more roadside signs close to the location of the vehicle, and provides the driver with the additional information about the one or more roadside signs via a user interface.

Claims

1. A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a database that contains information about roadside signs and locations of said roadside signs;

determining at least one roadside sin in the vicinity of a current position of the vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located

accepting a filter criterion from the user, wherein said filter criterion relates to a business chain; and

providing user of said navigation system with the information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle only if the filter criterion is satisfied.

2. A navigation system comprising:

a database that includes data identifying locations of roadside signs and associated information about said roadside signs, wherein said associated information includes translations of sign text into alternative languages;

programming that determines a location of a vehicle;

programming that uses said database to identify at least one sign close to said location of said vehicle; and

a user interface that provides to a user of said navigation system said associated information from said database about the at least one roadside sign.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said user interface further comprises:

a help button accessible to the user by which the user can request the navigation system to provide additional information about roadside signs.

4. A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data in said database includes text that corresponds to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes historical facts;

determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and

providing the user of said navigation system with the additional information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle.

5. A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text arid wherein said data in said database includes text that corresponds to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information about the roadside signs other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes commercial information;

determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and

providing the user of said navigation system with the additional information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said commercial information includes at least one of an identity of a business associated with the roadside sign, hours of operation of a business associated with the roadside sign, and a telephone number of a business associated with the roadside sign.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said additional information includes text in a language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign.

8. A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a position of a vehicle in which said navigation system is located;

receiving via a user interface of said navigation system a request for information pertaining to a roadside sign in a vicinity of said vehicle;

accessing a database that contains information about roadside signs and locations of said roadside signs;

determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and

providing the user of said navigation system with the information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein said information includes at least one of;

commercial information, historical information and a translation of the text of the roadside sign into a language, other than the language of the roadside sign.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the roadside sign is a sign that has just been passed by the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said information includes the text of the roadside sign.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said information is provided to the user audibly.

12. A geographic database comprising:

data indicating locations of roads; and

data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data about roadside signs in said geographic database comprises;

data corresponding to the text on the roadside signs,

data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein aid additional information includes information about the roadside signs other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes text in a language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign.

13. A geographic database comprising:

data indicating locations of roads; and

data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data about roadside signs in said geographic database comprises;

data corresponding to the text on the roadside signs,

data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and

additional information, wherein said additional information includes information other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes historical facts.

14. A geographic database comprising:

data indicating locations of roads, and

data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data about roadside signs in said geographic database comprises;

data corresponding to the text on the roadside signs,

data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information about the roadside signs other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes commercial information.

15. The geographic database of claim 14 wherein said commercial information includes at least one of:

an identity of a business associated with the roadside sign, hours of operation of a business associated with the roadside sign, and a telephone number of a business associated with the roadside sign.

16. A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data in said database includes text in a language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign;

determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and

providing the user of said navigation system with the text in the language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign in the vicinity of the vehicle.

17. A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said data in said database includes commercial information that corresponds to the roadside sign;

determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and

providing the user of said navigation system with the commercial information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

prior to the step of providing, accepting a request from the user of the navigation system for information about a roadside sign in the vicinity of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said request from the user is made via a help button located on a user interface of said navigation system.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the roadside sign is a sign that has just been passed by the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said information includes a translation of the roadside sign into a selected language.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein said information includes supplemental information relating to the roadside sign.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein said information is provided to the user audibly.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein said database is located in said vehicle.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

prior to the step of determining at least one roadside sign, determining a location of said vehicle.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of providing is performed automatically.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein said steps of accessing, determining, and providing are performed continuously as the vehicle is being driven so that the user is provided with information about each roadside sign of a plurality of roadside signs located along a road upon which the vehicle is being driven as each roadside sign is encountered.

28. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

accepting a filter criterion from the user so that information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle is provided to the user only if the filter criterion is satisfied.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said filter criterion relates to a subject matter of the roadside sign.

30. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

accepting a filter criterion from the user,

and further wherein said steps of accessing, determining, and providing are performed continuously as the vehicle is being driven along a road so that the user is provided with information about each roadside sign that satisfies the filter criterion as each such roadside sign is encountered along the road upon which the vehicle is being driven.