Intelligent navigation system

• US 8,855,847 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Uehara, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US13/355,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 701/25
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09

Abstract

An intelligent navigation system navigates a motor vehicle according to real-time road conditions and maneuverability conditions. The intelligent navigation system predicts and corrects potential route deviations before they actually occur. The intelligent navigation system interacts with the maneuverability of a motor vehicle, such that it can navigate the motor vehicle with very little to no human intervention. The intelligent navigation system may embody a method comprising the steps of receiving, from an input device, destination information related to a destination to be reached by the motor vehicle; receiving, from a positioning device, initial location information related to an initial location of the motor vehicle; determining, using a processor, a task for maneuvering the motor vehicle from the initial location to the destination; and instructing, using the processor, a vehicle maneuver controller to implement the task.

Claims

1. An intelligent navigation system for automatically navigating and maneuvering a motor vehicle, the intelligent navigation system comprising:

an input device configured to receive destination information related to a destination to be reached by the motor vehicle;

a sensor configured to detect at least one maneuverability condition of the motor vehicle;

a memory for storing a vehicle maneuvering software application having a software instruction or code for controlling a movement or an operation of the motor vehicle;

a vehicle maneuver controller for operating or moving the motor vehicle;

at least one processor in communication with the input device, the sensor, the memory, and the vehicle maneuver controller, the at least one processor configured to;

determine or receive information regarding at least one road condition,

an initial location of the motor vehicle,

determine a first route for navigating the motor vehicle from the initial location to the destination based on the at least one road condition,

determine a plurality of successive routing positions corresponding to the first route,

determine a plurality of navigation tasks for each two successive routing positions of the plurality of successive routing positions in order to autonomously navigate the motor vehicle between the each two successive routing positions,

determine an autonomous maneuvering function for each of the plurality of navigation tasks based on the at least one maneuverability condition,

execute the software instruction or code of the vehicle maneuvering software application to control an operation or a movement of the motor vehicle using the vehicle maneuver controller based on the autonomous maneuvering function,

collect vehicle data corresponding to an operation of at least a physical component of the motor vehicle or an actuating device of the motor vehicle, and

automatically analyze functioning or malfunctioning of an operation of the vehicle maneuvering software application based on the executed software instruction or code of the vehicle maneuvering software application and the collected vehicle data.

2. The intelligent navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a computer server in communication with the at least one processor, and configured to generate the information regarding the at least one road condition.

3. The intelligent navigation system of claim 1,

wherein the vehicle maneuver controller is configured to actuate the autonomous maneuvering function, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to automatically allow a user-generated maneuvering command to override the actuation of the autonomous maneuvering function in response to receiving a user input indicating an override request at any time during the actuation of the autonomous maneuvering function or in response to the motor vehicle being within a predetermined distance of the destination.

4. The intelligent navigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one maneuverability condition includes at least one of a fuel level of the motor vehicle, a speed of the motor vehicle, a horsepower of the motor vehicle, or a brake condition of the motor vehicle, a relative distance between the motor vehicle and a surrounding object, a relative speed between the motor vehicle and the surrounding object, a traffic light output state, or a lane boundary.

5. The intelligent navigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor includes a processor located within the motor vehicle and connected with the positioning device and the vehicle maneuver controller.

6. The intelligent navigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor includes a processor located outside the motor vehicle and configured to communicate with a positioning device and the vehicle maneuver controller via a wireless communication connection.

7. A method for navigating and maneuvering a motor vehicle, comprising:

providing a vehicle maneuver controller;

providing a memory for storing a vehicle maneuvering software application having a software instruction or code for controlling the vehicle maneuver controller to move or operate the motor vehicle;

receiving, from an input device, destination information related to a destination to be reached by the motor vehicle;

receiving, from a positioning device, initial location information related to an initial location of the motor vehicle;

receiving or determining, using the positioning device, a first route for navigating the motor vehicle from the initial location to the destination;

periodically receiving, using the positioning device, information regarding at least one road condition;

detecting, using a sensor, at least one maneuverability condition of the motor vehicle;

determining, using a processor, a task for maneuvering the motor vehicle from the initial location to the destination;

executing, using the processor, the software instruction or code of the vehicle maneuvering software application to implement the task using the vehicle maneuver controller based on the at least one road condition and the at least one maneuverability condition;

collecting, using the processor, vehicle data corresponding to an operation of at least a physical component of the motor vehicle or an actuating device of the motor vehicle;

automatically analyzing, using the processor, functioning or malfunctioning of an operation of the vehicle maneuvering software application based on the executed software instruction or code of the vehicle maneuvering software application and the collected vehicle data;

automatically re-routing, using the processor, for determining a second route based on the at least one road condition and the at least one maneuverability condition;

automatically updating, using the processor, the task based on the at least one maneuverability condition; and

automatically instructing, using the processor, the vehicle maneuver controller to implement the updated task.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining, using the processor, the task for maneuvering the motor vehicle from the initial location to the destination includes:

defining, using the processor, a plurality of routing positions within the first route,

receiving, from a computer server, initial road condition information related to an initial road condition between a pair of successive routing positions of the plurality of routing positions, and

determining, using the processor and based on the received initial road condition, a first autonomous maneuverability function for maneuvering the motor vehicle from a first routing position of the pair of successive routing positions to a second routing position of the pair of successive routing position.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the received initial road condition includes at least a traffic condition between the pair of successive routing positions or a terrain condition between the pair of successive routing positions.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

automatically allowing, using the processor, a user-generated maneuvering command to override the actuation of the updated task in response to receiving a user input indicating an override request at any time during the actuation of the updated task or in response to the motor vehicle being within a predetermined distance of the destination.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one maneuverability condition includes at least one of a fuel level of the motor vehicle, a speed of the motor vehicle, a horse power of the motor vehicle, or a brake condition of the motor vehicle, a relative distance between the motor vehicle and a surrounding object, a relative speed between the motor vehicle and the surrounding object, a traffic light output state, or a lane boundary.

12. A method comprising:

determining, using at least one processor, a destination to be reached by the motor vehicle;

determining, using the at least one processor, an initial location of the motor vehicle;

providing a memory for storing a vehicle maneuvering software application having a software instruction or code for controlling a movement or an operation of the motor vehicle;

providing a vehicle maneuver controller for operating or moving the motor vehicle;

calculating, using at least one processor, an initial route for navigating the motor vehicle from the initial location to the destination;

determining, using the at least one processor, an initial task for maneuvering the motor vehicle based on the initial route;

determining, using the at least one processor, a plurality of successive routing positions corresponding to the initial route;

determining, using the at least one processor, a plurality of navigation tasks for each two successive routing positions of the plurality of successive routing positions in order to autonomously navigate the motor vehicle between the each two successive routing positions;

periodically receiving, using the at least one processor, information regarding at least one road condition;

detecting, using a sensor, at least one maneuverability condition of the motor vehicle;

determining, using the at least one processor, an autonomous maneuvering function for each of the plurality of navigation tasks based on the at least one road condition and the at least one maneuverability condition;

executing, using the at least one processor, the software instruction or code of the vehicle maneuvering software application to control an operation or a movement of the motor vehicle using the vehicle maneuver controller based on the determined autonomous maneuvering function;

collecting, using the at least one processor, vehicle data corresponding to an operation of at least a physical component of the motor vehicle or an actuating device of the motor vehicle;

automatically analyzing, using the at least one processor, functioning or malfunctioning of an operation of the vehicle maneuvering software application based on the executed software instruction or code of the vehicle maneuvering software application and the collected vehicle data;

automatically determining, using the at least one processor, a first safety value for completing the initial task via at least a portion of the initial route, the automatic determination of the first safety value being based on the detected at least one maneuverability condition and the at least one road condition;

automatically determining, using the at least one processor, a second route from a current or a transient location of the motor vehicle to the destination when the first safety value is less than a safety threshold value;

automatically updating the initial task using the at least one processor; and

automatically instructing, using the at least one processor, the vehicle maneuver controller to implement the updated task when the first safety value is less than the safety threshold value and less than a second safety value for completing the updated task via at least a portion of the second route.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the autonomous maneuverability function is based on an initial road condition including at least a traffic condition between a pair of the plurality of successive routing positions or a terrain condition between the pair of the plurality of successive routing positions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one maneuverability condition includes at least one of a fuel level of the motor vehicle, a speed of the motor vehicle, a horse power of the motor vehicle, a brake condition of the motor vehicle, a relative distance between the motor vehicle and a surrounding object, a relative speed between the motor vehicle and the surrounding object, a traffic light output state, or a lane boundary.