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US5023798A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of and apparatus for determining a position of a land vehicle

Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
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Filing: 1988-06-04
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Granted: 1991-06-11
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Expires: 2008-06-04
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Abstract

Abstract In a method of and an apparatus for determining the position of a land vehicle by detecting and evaluating driving data and subsequent correction of the position calculated from the driving data by matching with data of a stored, digitized road network, the determination of the position is carried out in a very reliable manner. By dividing the digital road network into meshes defined according to surface area by covering it with a grid. The meshes in which the instantaneous position of the vehicle is located, are selected one after the other proceeding from a starting position, and the position calculated from the driving data is corrected at predetermined intervals to the possible and most probable position through the road network in the respective selected mesh and its proximate surrounding area.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ernst-Peter Neukirchner
  • 👤 Dietmar Schlogl

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 23:19
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/28; G01C21/30; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/123; G08G1/133; G08G1/137

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 101 words
A method of determining a position of a land vehicle, comprising the steps of dividing a digital road network in a plurality of meshes in a grid-like manner with each mesh containing a predetermined number of street sections that should not be exceeded; determining and evaluating driving data and calculating a position of the vehicle in accordance with the driving data; and correcting the calculated position of the vehicle by comparing the calculated position with possible positions of the digital road network wherein only street sections contained at least in a mesh in which the calculated position is located, are considered.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 101 words
A method of determining a position of a land vehicle, comprising the steps of dividing a digital road network in a plurality of meshes in a grid-like manner with each mesh containing a predetermined number of street sections that should not be exceeded; determining and evaluating driving data and calculating a position of the vehicle in accordance with the driving data; and correcting the calculated position of the vehicle by comparing the calculated position with possible positions of the digital road network wherein only street sections contained at least in a mesh in which the calculated position is located, are considered.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing includes considering street sections contained at least in one of meshes that surround the mesh in which the calculated position is located.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing includes weighting of each considered street section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 44 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the weighting is determined by at least one of a proximity of the calculated position to each considered street section, comparison of street angles, and agreement of a street course with a driving direction of the vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the weighting is effected in regular intervals and weighting results are added.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said correcting step includes correcting the calculated position of the vehicle in accordance with a street section having a highest weighting value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said correcting step includes correcting the calculated position in accordance with a respective street section only when weighting value of the respective street section exceeds a predetermined value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein a size of a mesh is determined in accordance with a number of streets.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein a size of a mesh is determined in accordance with street density.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 98 words
An apparatus for determining a position of a land vehicle, comprising a driving data sensor; a first memory for storing a digital road network; computer means for evaluating the driving data and subsequent correction of a position calculated from the driving data by matching with data of the stored digital road network; and a second memory for storing a mesh grid of the digital road network and containing, for each mesh of the grid, a list of number of streets of the digital road network and including all streets which lie at least partially in a respective mesh.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 98 words
An apparatus for determining a position of a land vehicle, comprising a driving data sensor; a first memory for storing a digital road network; computer means for evaluating the driving data and subsequent correction of a position calculated from the driving data by matching with data of the stored digital road network; and a second memory for storing a mesh grid of the digital road network and containing, for each mesh of the grid, a list of number of streets of the digital road network and including all streets which lie at least partially in a respective mesh.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 23 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the list of number of streets includes all streets that completely lie in a respective mesh.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 20 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said driving data sensor comprises a sensor for sensing distance and direction data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 18 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said driving data sensor comprises a compass for detecting direction data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a third memory for storing weighting data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 53 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a working memory connected with said computer means and said first memory for storing street sections of a mesh in which the calculated position of the vehicle is located, and street sections of meshes which border the mesh in which the calculated position is located.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4796191A Cited
US4937572A Cited
US4924402A Cited
US4897792A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-06-10 1994-12-10 1995-06-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-06-10 1998-12-10 1999-06-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-06-10 2002-12-10 2003-06-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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