System and method for hybrid off-board navigation

• US 9,310,212 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Environmental Systems Research Institute Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Environmental Systems Research Institute Incorporated
• Inventors: Rogers, Jeff, Crowder, Matt, Somerville, Kerry, Pearlman, Richard, Chaffin, Matthew, Yagrich, Bert
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US14/536,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20150112584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for hybrid off-board vehicle navigation are disclosed. In the system, a multi-stop route package is created and sent from a route server to a navigation device. The route package can include a collection of vehicle attributes and corresponding road restrictions for guiding the vehicle towards its destination. The server can optionally push the route package to the vehicle in an email message or other stored communication. When an off-route condition is detected, the navigation device can send a route request to the server that includes the vehicle attributes and the corresponding road restrictions. The server can respond with a partial route correction that is determined based on the vehicle attributes and road restrictions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a server from a navigation device, a route request message including;

routing information related to a route from a starting point to a destination;

a location of the navigation device; and

vehicle attributes that correspond to a vehicle associated with the navigation device;

generating a route correction message including a multi-stop route to the destination based on;

the location of the navigation device;

the vehicle attributes provided by the navigation device; and

a set of fleet rules associated with a plurality of vehicles including the vehicle associated with the navigation device,

wherein the vehicle attributes include one or more of a vehicle height, a vehicle weight, and load restrictions, and

wherein the multi-stop route is further based on expected changes to one or more of the vehicle attributes during transit; and

sending the route correction message to the navigation device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing information comprises road restrictions corresponding to the vehicle attributes.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle attributes additionally include a width of cargo, weight per axle, and number of axles.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle attributes further include a hazardous materials indicator.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fleet rules include business policy rules corresponding to fleet-wide cost reduction measures.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a route correction message includes:

accessing a map database associated with the server; and

retrieving a map corresponding to the routing information.

7. The method of claim 1 further including:

providing a network interface for data communication with the plurality of vehicles including the vehicle associated with the navigation device.

8. A computer-implemented system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving, at a server from a navigation device, a route request message including;

routing information related to a route from a starting point to a destination;

a location of the navigation device; and

vehicle attributes that correspond to a vehicle associated with the navigation device;

generating a route correction message including a multi-stop route to the destination based on;

the location of the navigation device;

the vehicle attributes provided by the navigation device; and

a set of fleet rules associated with a plurality of vehicles including the vehicle associated with the navigation device,

wherein the vehicle attributes include one or more of a vehicle height, a vehicle weight, and load restrictions, and

wherein the multi-stop route is further based on expected changes to one or more of the vehicle attributes during transit; and

sending the route correction message to the navigation device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the routing information comprises road restrictions corresponding to the vehicle attributes.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the vehicle attributes additionally include a width of cargo, weight per axle, and number of axles.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the vehicle attributes further include a hazardous materials indicator.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the fleet rules include business policy rules corresponding to fleet-wide cost reduction measures.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein generating a route correction message includes:

accessing a map database associated with the server; and

retrieving a map corresponding to the routing information.

14. The system of claim 8 further including instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

providing a network interface for data communication with the plurality of vehicles including the vehicle associated with the navigation device.

15. A non-transitory computer-program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable non-transitory storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive, at a server from a navigation device, a route request message including;

routing information related to a route from a starting point to a destination;

a location of the navigation device; and

vehicle attributes that correspond to a vehicle associated with the navigation device;

generate a route correction message including a multi-stop route to the destination based on;

the location of the navigation device;

the vehicle attributes provided by the navigation device; and

a set of fleet rules associated with a plurality of vehicles including the vehicle associated with the navigation device,

wherein the vehicle attributes include one or more of a vehicle height, a vehicle weight, and load restrictions, and

wherein the multi-stop route is further based on expected changes to one or more of the vehicle attributes during transit; and

send the route correction message to the navigation device.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15 wherein the routing information comprises road restrictions corresponding to the vehicle attributes.

17. The computer-program product of claim 15 wherein the vehicle attributes additionally include a width of cargo, weight per axle, and number of axles.

18. The computer-program product of claim 15 wherein the vehicle attributes further include a hazardous materials indicator.

19. The computer-program product of claim 15 wherein the fleet rules include business policy rules corresponding to fleet-wide cost reduction measures.

20. The computer-program product of claim 15 further including instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

access a map database associated with the server; and

retrieve a map corresponding to the routing information.