Mobile communication device

• US 7,298,289 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steven Mark Hoffberg
• Original Assignee: Steven Mark Hoffberg
• Inventors: Hoffberg, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/899,850
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station

Abstract

A mobile communications device comprising a location sensing system, producing a location output; a memory, storing a set of locations and associated events; a telecommunications device, communicating event and location information between a remote system and said memory; and a processor, processing said location output in conjunction with said stored locations and associated events in said memory, to determine a priority thereof.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

acquiring image sensor data proximate to a vehicle;

digitally compressing the sensor data while maintaining image information therein;

producing a movement dependent output representing at least a position of a vehicle;

bidirectionally wirelessly communicating current information comprising the compressed image sensor data and a respective position associated with the sensor data; and

presenting an output to a user of the vehicle in dependence on;

(a) a position of the vehicle determined based on at least said movement dependent output;

(b) an intended path of the vehicle;

(c) current information comprising at least information dependent on a position and a speed of other vehicles determined based on information derived from transmissions of other vehicles and compressed image sensor data; and

(d) a map database.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said bidirectionally wirelessly communicating step communicates current information through a direct communication pathway for communicating information directly with a fixed transceiver, and an indirect communication pathway employing at least one wireless repeater for communicating information through an intermediary.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said presenting step presents a decompressed image from an image sensor of another vehicle in conjunction with information defining a position of the other vehicle to the user.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said image sensor data is received from a video camera.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor data is compressed using a model-based vector quantization method.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said bidirectional wirelessly communicated current information is communicated using data packets which employ at least an error detection protocol.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of decompressing and displaying the compressed image sensor data from a plurality of other vehicles.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying the intended path of the vehicle in dependence on at least a received portion of the bidirectionally wirelessly communicated current information.

9. A navigational apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

an image sensor associated with a vehicle, configured to acquire images relating to the vehicle;

a processor adapted to digitally compress the images while maintaining object image information therein;

a device adapted to producing a movement dependent output representing at least a position of a vehicle;

a communication subsystem adapted to bidirectionally wirelessly communicate current information comprising the compressed images and a respective position of the vehicle associated with the images; and

a user interface configured to present an output to a user of the vehicle in dependence on;

(a) a position of the vehicle determined based on at least said movement dependent output;

(b) an intended path of the vehicle;

(c) current information comprising at least information dependent on a position and a speed of other vehicles determined based on information derived from transmissions of other vehicles and compressed image sensor data; and

(d) a map database.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the communication subsystem is configured to communicate current information through a direct communication pathway for communicating information directly with a fixed transceiver, and an indirect communication pathway employing at least one wireless repeater for communicating information through an intermediary.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said presenting step presents a decompressed image from an image sensor of another vehicle in conjunction with information defining a position of the other vehicle, to the user.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said image sensor data is received from a video camera.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the image sensor data is compressed using a model-based vector quantization method.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the communication subsystem is adapted to communicate current information using data packets which employ at least an error detection protocol.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the user interface is configured to display a motion graphic image representing the compressed image sensor data from other vehicles.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a processor subsystem for modifying the intended path of the vehicle in dependence on at least a received portion of the bidirectionally wirelessly communicated current information.

17. A computer readable medium, having stored thereon instructions for controlling a processor to:

acquire image sensor data from an image input representing images proximate to a vehicle;

digitally compress the image sensor data while maintaining image information therein;

receive a signal representing at least a position of a vehicle;

bidirectionally wirelessly communicate current information comprising transmitting the compressed image sensor data and a respective position associated with the compressed image sensor data and receiving from another vehicle compressed image sensor data and a respective position associated with the received compressed image sensor data; and

present an output to a user of the vehicle in dependence on;

(a) the position of the vehicle;

(b) an intended path of the vehicle;

(c) current information comprising at least information dependent on a position and a speed of the other vehicle determined based on information derived from transmissions of other vehicles and compressed image sensor data; and

(d) a map database.

18. A vehicle navigational apparatus, comprising:

an image sensor subsystem within the vehicle configured to acquire images outside of the vehicle;

a vehicle location sensing subsystem;

a communication subsystem adapted to wirelessly transmit current information comprising at least a digitally compressed representation of the acquired images and a respective position of the vehicle associated with the acquired images, and to wirelessly receive information from other vehicles comprising at least a digitally compressed representation of images acquired by the other vehicles and a respective position of the other vehicles; and

a user interface subsystem configured to present an output to a user in dependence on;

(a) a position of the vehicle;

(b) an intended path of the vehicle;

(c) at least information relating to compressed images from other vehicles and a position of other vehicles derived from the received communications; and

(d) a map database.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the communication subsystem is configured to communicate current information through a direct communication pathway directly between the vehicle and the other vehicle, and an indirect communication pathway employing at least one wireless repeater for communicating information through an intermediary between the vehicle and the other vehicle.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the user interface subsystem is configured to display a motion graphic image representing a decompressed representation of the compressed image sensor data from other vehicles.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a processor subsystem for modifying the intended path of the vehicle in dependence on at least a received portion of the bidirectionally wirelessly communicated current information.

22. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the image sensor subsystem produces data compressed using a model-based vector quantization method, and the communication subsystem communicates using an error detection and correction communication protocol.