Patent US6061630A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6061630A
Expired / Lapsed
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Navigation system and method for guiding a road vehicle
Assignee: Aumovio Germany GmbH
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Filing: 1997-12-17
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Granted: 2000-05-09
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Expires: 2017-12-17
Abstract
Abstract In a navigation system a driver of a vehicle is guided along a planned route (310) from an origin to a destination. The system comprises a receiver (122) for receiving a traffic message of an actual travel condition concerning a road-element. The system comprises an evaluation module (126) to determine whether the received traffic message makes it necessary to plan a new route to the destination. If a traffic message is received for a road-element which does not form a part of the planned route (212), the evaluation module determines whether the message indicates an improvement (204) of the travel condition of that road-element and if this is so then the planning module plans a new route.
Inventors
- 👤 Erik J. Walgers
- 👤 Edwin W. Mulder
- 👤 Carla J. M. Emmerink
- 👤 Paul D. M. E. Lahaije
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:51
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/09; G08G1/0962; G08G1/0968; G08G1/096805; G08G1/096827; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/34; G01C21/3407; G01C21/3415; G08G1/096833; G08G1/096844
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A method for guiding a driver of a road vehicle along a route, the method comprising the steps of: planning the route between a current position and a destination, the route comprising a number of road-elements, during travel of the vehicle along a planned route, receiving and decoding a traffic message and therefrom deriving an actual travel condition of a particular road-element to which the message is directed, evaluating whether replanning the route is required, which evaluation comprises detecting whether the actual travel condition indicates a problem relating to one of the road-elements on the route to the destination and if this is the case then deciding to replan the route, in case of a positive decision, replanning the route between the current travel position and the destination, maintaining a list of travel conditions from received traffic messages directed to road-elements in a relevance region, and in the case where the traffic message relates to a particular road-element which is off the planned route, the evaluation comprises detecting whether the actual travel condition message indicates an improvement in the particular off-route road element, and if this is the case then deciding to replan the route.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
195 words
A method for guiding a driver of a road vehicle along a route, the method comprising the steps of: planning the route between a current position and a destination, the route comprising a number of road-elements, during travel of the vehicle along a planned route, receiving and decoding a traffic message and therefrom deriving an actual travel condition of a particular road-element to which the message is directed, evaluating whether replanning the route is required, which evaluation comprises detecting whether the actual travel condition indicates a problem relating to one of the road-elements on the route to the destination and if this is the case then deciding to replan the route, in case of a positive decision, replanning the route between the current travel position and the destination, maintaining a list of travel conditions from received traffic messages directed to road-elements in a relevance region, and in the case where the traffic message relates to a particular road-element which is off the planned route, the evaluation comprises detecting whether the actual travel condition message indicates an improvement in the particular off-route road element, and if this is the case then deciding to replan the route.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of planning the route includes exploring a search area for route alternatives and that the relevance region comprises said search area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the relevance region is a restricted area around the route, and reducing the relevance region in accordance with the progress of the vehicle along the route, the relevance region comprising the current position of the vehicle, the road-elements of the route and the destination.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting whether the actual travel condition indicates an improvement comprises detecting that the received message is no longer valid or detecting that a newly received message indicates an improvement with respect to said actual travel condition of the particular road-element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the particular road-element is off the route, the evaluation comprises detecting whether the message is the first received for the particular road-element and if so then establishing that the travel condition is not an improvement and that no replanning is required.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the particular road-element is on the route, the evaluation comprises detecting whether the actual travel condition indicates an improvement and if so then deciding that replanning the route is not required.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein the relevance region includes additional road-elements off the route but in the vicinity of the route.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
176 words
A navigation system for guiding a driver of a road vehicle along a route, the system comprising: a planning module for planning the route between a current position and a destination, the route comprising a number of road-elements, a receiver for receiving and decoding a traffic message and therefrom deriving an actual travel condition of a particular road-element to which the message is directed, an evaluation module for evaluating whether replanning the route is required, wherein the evaluation module is arranged to detect whether the actual travel condition indicates a problem relating to one of the road-elements on the route to the destination and if this is the case then to decide to replan the route, wherein the system is arranged to maintain a list of travel conditions from received traffic messages directed to road-elements in a relevance region, and the evaluation module is arranged to detect, in the case where the particular road-element is off the route, whether the actual travel condition indicates an improvement and if so then to decide to replan the route.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
176 words
A navigation system for guiding a driver of a road vehicle along a route, the system comprising: a planning module for planning the route between a current position and a destination, the route comprising a number of road-elements, a receiver for receiving and decoding a traffic message and therefrom deriving an actual travel condition of a particular road-element to which the message is directed, an evaluation module for evaluating whether replanning the route is required, wherein the evaluation module is arranged to detect whether the actual travel condition indicates a problem relating to one of the road-elements on the route to the destination and if this is the case then to decide to replan the route, wherein the system is arranged to maintain a list of travel conditions from received traffic messages directed to road-elements in a relevance region, and the evaluation module is arranged to detect, in the case where the particular road-element is off the route, whether the actual travel condition indicates an improvement and if so then to decide to replan the route.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the planning module is arranged to explore a search area for route alternatives and that the relevance region comprises said search area.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
A navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the system is arranged to employ as the relevance region a restricted area around the route, which area is reduced in accordance with progress of the vehicle along the route, the relevance region comprising the current position of the vehicle, the road-elements of the route and the destination.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A navigation system according to claim 10 wherein the relevance region includes additional road-elements off the route but in the vicinity of the route.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A navigation system according to claim 10 wherein the planning module explores a search area for alternative routes and the relevance region is smaller than the search area.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
A navigation system according to claim 10 wherein the evaluation module detects, when the particular road-element is off the route, whether the message is the first received for the particular road-element and if so establishing that the actual travel condition is not an improvement and that no replanning is required.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
A navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the evaluation module is arranged to detect whether the actual travel condition indicates an improvement on the basis of detection that the received message is no longer valid or of detection that a newly received message indicates an improvement with respect to said actual travel condition of the particular road-element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
A navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the evaluation module is arranged to detect, in case the particular road-element is off the route, whether the message is the first received for the particular road-element and if so then to establish that the actual travel condition is not an improvement and that no replanning is required.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
A navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the evaluation module is arranged to detect, in case the particular road-element is on the route, whether the actual travel condition indicates an improvement and if so then to decide that replanning the route is not required.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
64 words
A navigation system according to claim 8 wherein, during travel along a planned route, if a received traffic message relates to a particular off the route road-element within the relevance region, and the evaluation module determines that an improvement occurred in the particular off the route road-element, then the planning module replans for an optimal route from the current vehicle position to the destination.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for guiding a road vehicle along a route to a destination point, which comprises: planning the route between a current vehicle position and the destination point, the route comprising a number of road-elements, during travel of the vehicle along a planned route, receiving and decoding a traffic message and deriving therefrom an actual travel condition of a particular road-element to which the message is directed, evaluating whether replanning the route is required on the basis of a received traffic message relating to a road-element on the route to the destination point, if the traffic message indicates a deterioration of the road-element on the route to the destination point, then replanning the route between the current vehicle travel position and the destination point, maintaining a list of travel conditions from received traffic messages directed to road-elements in a relevance region, and during travel along a planned route, if a received traffic message relates to a particular off the route road-element within the relevance region, evaluating whether or not an improvement occurred in the particular off the route road-element, and if so, then replanning for an optimal route from the current vehicle position to the destination point.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for guiding a road vehicle along a route to a destination point, which comprises: planning the route between a current vehicle position and the destination point, the route comprising a number of road-elements, during travel of the vehicle along a planned route, receiving and decoding a traffic message and deriving therefrom an actual travel condition of a particular road-element to which the message is directed, evaluating whether replanning the route is required on the basis of a received traffic message relating to a road-element on the route to the destination point, if the traffic message indicates a deterioration of the road-element on the route to the destination point, then replanning the route between the current vehicle travel position and the destination point, maintaining a list of travel conditions from received traffic messages directed to road-elements in a relevance region, and during travel along a planned route, if a received traffic message relates to a particular off the route road-element within the relevance region, evaluating whether or not an improvement occurred in the particular off the route road-element, and if so, then replanning for an optimal route from the current vehicle position to the destination point.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 18 which further comprises: reducing the relevance region in accordance with the progress of the vehicle along the route, the relevance region comprising the current position of the vehicle, the road-elements of the route and the destination point.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 19 wherein the relevance region further comprises additional road-elements off the planned route but in the vicinity thereof.
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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) | 2003-05-09 | 2003-11-08 | 2004-05-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-09 | 2007-11-08 | 2008-05-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-09 | 2011-11-08 | 2012-05-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |