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US4890233A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vehicle bearing detection and data processing methods applicable to vehicle navigation system

Assignee: Pioneer Corp
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Filing: 1987-10-27
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Granted: 1989-12-26
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Expires: 2007-10-27
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Abstract

Abstract The invention provides various methods for detecting the bearing of a moving vehicle and of processing data in a vehicular navigation system. Provided there is carried out a process of recognizing the present position of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving at a predetermined speed, bearing data obtained from a prestored map is utilized to determine the present position of the vehicle. At that time, the data output from a terrestrial magnetism sensor, which would otherwise be used, is discarded.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hitoshi Ando
  • 👤 Takashi Kashiwazaki
  • 👤 Masayuki Hosoi
  • 👤 Atsuhiko Fukushima

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 12:17
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/28; G01C21/04; G01C21/08; G09; G09B; G09B29/00; G09B29/10; G09B29/106

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 91 words
In a method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle equipped with a terrestrial magnetism sensor for producing vehicle bearing data according to terrestrial magnetism on the basis of the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor, the improvement comprising the steps of: employing a bearing obtained from map data when a process of recognizing the present vehicle location on the basis of said map data while said vehicle is traveling at a speed higher than a predetermined speed has been effected, and discarding output data from said terrestrial magnetism sensor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 91 words
In a method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle equipped with a terrestrial magnetism sensor for producing vehicle bearing data according to terrestrial magnetism on the basis of the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor, the improvement comprising the steps of: employing a bearing obtained from map data when a process of recognizing the present vehicle location on the basis of said map data while said vehicle is traveling at a speed higher than a predetermined speed has been effected, and discarding output data from said terrestrial magnetism sensor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 85 words
The method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of inhibiting the use of: the bearing obtained from said map data for one of a predetermined length of time and predetermined distance covered by said vehicle while the process of recognizing said present vehicle location is being performed, and employing the bearing from the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor for said one of said predetermined length of time and distance covered by said vehicle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 87 words
The method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of inhibiting the use of: the bearing obtained from said map data for one of a predetermined length of time and predetermined distance covered by said vehicle while said vehicle is traveling at a speed lower than said predetermined speed, and employing the bearing obtained from the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor for said one of said predetermined length of time and distance covered by said vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 85 words
The method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: setting an allowable range of fluctuation for the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor, monitoring the difference between the bearing obtained from the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor and that obtained from said map data, and, when the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor is within said allowable range, employing the bearing obtained from the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 110 words
A method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle equipped with an angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of said vehicle according to the output data of said angular velocity sensor, said vehicle being also equipped with a terrestrial magnetism sensor for producing the bearing data of said vehicle based on the terrestrial magnetism, the method comprising the steps of: setting an allowable range for the fluctuation of the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor, and conforming the bearing obtained from said angular velocity sensor to that obtained from said terrestrial magnetism sensor when the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor is within said allowable range.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 110 words
A method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle equipped with an angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of said vehicle according to the output data of said angular velocity sensor, said vehicle being also equipped with a terrestrial magnetism sensor for producing the bearing data of said vehicle based on the terrestrial magnetism, the method comprising the steps of: setting an allowable range for the fluctuation of the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor, and conforming the bearing obtained from said angular velocity sensor to that obtained from said terrestrial magnetism sensor when the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor is within said allowable range.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 89 words
In a method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle equipped with an angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of said vehicle according to the output data of said angular velocity sensor, the improvement comprising the step of: conforming the bearing obtained from the output data of said angular velocity sensor to that obtained from map data if a process of recognizing the present vehicle location is implemented on the basis of map data while said vehicle is traveling at a speed higher than a predetermined speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 89 words
In a method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle equipped with an angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of said vehicle according to the output data of said angular velocity sensor, the improvement comprising the step of: conforming the bearing obtained from the output data of said angular velocity sensor to that obtained from map data if a process of recognizing the present vehicle location is implemented on the basis of map data while said vehicle is traveling at a speed higher than a predetermined speed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 59 words
The method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein said method further comprises the step of: inhibiting the bearing obtained from the output data of the said angular velocity sensor from conforming to that obtained from said map data only for one of a predetermined time and distance interval covered by said vehicle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 74 words
The method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein said method further comprises the step of: inhibiting the process of conforming the bearing obtained from the output data of said angular velocity sensor to that obtained from said map data for one of a predetermined length of time and distance covered by said vehicle, provided that said vehicle is traveling at a speed lower than said predetermined speed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 83 words
In a method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle equipped with an angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of said vehicle according to the output data of said angular velocity sensor, the improvement comprising the steps of: monitoring the output data of said angular velocity sensor when said vehicle is standing still and, when a drift of said output data occurs, processing the bearing obtained from the output data of said angular velocity sensor in accordance with a predetermined procedure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 83 words
In a method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle equipped with an angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of said vehicle according to the output data of said angular velocity sensor, the improvement comprising the steps of: monitoring the output data of said angular velocity sensor when said vehicle is standing still and, when a drift of said output data occurs, processing the bearing obtained from the output data of said angular velocity sensor in accordance with a predetermined procedure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein said predetermined procedure comprises conforming the bearing obtained from the output data of said angular velocity to that obtained from the output data of a terrestrial magnetism sensor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 37 words
The method for detecting the bearing of a vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein said predetermined procedure comprises conforming the bearing obtained from the output data of said angular velocity to that obtained from map data.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 86 words
A method for processing data from a terrestrial magnetism sensor mounted on a vehicle equipped with a vehicle navigation system having an auxiliary bearing sensor for detecting a direction in which said vehicle is traveling, comprising the steps of: sampling the output data from both said sensors per one of a unit distance and time covered by said vehicle and, when a significant difference is recognized therebetween, correcting the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor according to the output data of said auxiliary bearing sensor.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 86 words
A method for processing data from a terrestrial magnetism sensor mounted on a vehicle equipped with a vehicle navigation system having an auxiliary bearing sensor for detecting a direction in which said vehicle is traveling, comprising the steps of: sampling the output data from both said sensors per one of a unit distance and time covered by said vehicle and, when a significant difference is recognized therebetween, correcting the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor according to the output data of said auxiliary bearing sensor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method for processing data from a terrestrial magnetism sensor as claimed in claim 12, wherein said auxiliary bearing sensor is an angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of said vehicle.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 133 words
A method for processing data from an angular velocity sensor in a vehicle navigation system having said angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of a vehicle and a terrestrial magnetism sensor for producing bearing data of said vehicle based on terrestrial magnetism, said vehicle navigation system being used to detect the bearing of said vehicle from the output data of said angular velocity sensor and said terrestrial magnetism sensor, comprising the steps of: detecting a turn of said vehicle, computing the angle of said turn according to the output data of said angular velocity sensor and the angle of said turn according to the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor, and establishing the ratio of the former to the latter as a coefficient of correction for said angular velocity sensor.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 133 words
A method for processing data from an angular velocity sensor in a vehicle navigation system having said angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of a vehicle and a terrestrial magnetism sensor for producing bearing data of said vehicle based on terrestrial magnetism, said vehicle navigation system being used to detect the bearing of said vehicle from the output data of said angular velocity sensor and said terrestrial magnetism sensor, comprising the steps of: detecting a turn of said vehicle, computing the angle of said turn according to the output data of said angular velocity sensor and the angle of said turn according to the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor, and establishing the ratio of the former to the latter as a coefficient of correction for said angular velocity sensor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method for processing data from an angular velocity sensor as claimed in claim 14, wherein the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor is employed to decide whether said vehicle is turning.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method for processing data from an angular velocity sensor as claimed in claim 15, wherein the output data of said terrestrial magnetism sensor with respect to one turn of said vehicle is corrected simultaneously with the turning said vehicle.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-12-25 1993-06-26 1993-12-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-12-25 1997-06-26 1997-12-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-12-25 2001-06-26 2001-12-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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