US6173231B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for collecting data concerning thermal properties of roads for a geographic database and use thereof in a vehicle safety system
Assignee: Here Global BV
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Filing: 2000-01-31
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Granted: 2001-01-09
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Expires: 2020-01-31
Abstract
Abstract A method and system of collecting data concerning thermal properties of roads and using the collected data to form a geographic database that can be used in a vehicle safety system to implement a safety process when the vehicle approaches a location of a potential ice hazard. Data indicative of the thermal properties of roads are collected by driving along roads in a vehicle equipped with equipment that senses thermal properties of the roads upon which the vehicle is being driven. Using the collected data, a geographic database is formed that relates positions along roads to thermal properties of the roads at the positions. A vehicle safety system uses the geographic database, a positioning system that determines a position of the end user's vehicle along the roads represented by the geographic database, and an ice hazard application to implement a safety procedure when the vehicle approaches a location at which a potential ice hazard
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Chojnacki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 01:12
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/20; G08G1/207; B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/26; B60Q1/50; B60Q1/52; B60Q9/00; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/34; G01C21/36; G01C21/3697; G01C21/38; G01C21/3804; G01C21/3807; G01C21/3815; G01C21/3822; G01C21/3833; G01C21/3837; G01C21/3848
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of collecting data concerning ice hazards for a geographic database comprising: operating sensor equipment responsive to a thermal property of a road surface to collect data from which potential ice hazards along roads are determined; associating said data from which potential ice hazards are determined with data indicative of locations along said roads; and storing said data from which potential ice hazards are determined with said data indicative of locations along said roads.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of collecting data concerning ice hazards for a geographic database comprising: operating sensor equipment responsive to a thermal property of a road surface to collect data from which potential ice hazards along roads are determined; associating said data from which potential ice hazards are determined with data indicative of locations along said roads; and storing said data from which potential ice hazards are determined with said data indicative of locations along said roads.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: driving a vehicle along said roads in a geographic area, wherein said vehicle is equipped with said sensor equipment, and wherein said data from which potential ice hazards along roads are determined are collected while said vehicle is being driven along said roads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said sensor equipment comprises a road surface sensor and wherein said method further comprises: operating said road surface sensor to collect data indicative of a temperature of said portion of the road over which said vehicle is being driven.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said sensor equipment comprises an air sensor and wherein said method further comprises: operating said air sensor to collect data indicative of an ambient temperature around said vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising: storing said data indicative of said temperature of said portion of the road over which said vehicle is being driven and said data indicative of said ambient temperature around said vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising: storing data indicative of a temperature difference between said temperature of said portion of the road over which said vehicle is being driven and said ambient temperature around said vehicle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising: while operating said sensor equipment to collect data, operating vehicle positioning equipment located in said vehicle to determine a location of said vehicle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising: storing data indicative of said vehicle position, wherein said data indicative of the thermal property of portions of said roads is associated with said data indicative of said vehicle position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said sensor equipment comprises a road composition sensor and wherein said method further comprises: operating said road composition sensor to collect data indicative of a composition of said portion of the road over which said vehicle is being driven; and storing said data indicative of a composition of said portion of the road over which said vehicle is being driven.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising: while operating said sensor equipment to collect data, operating vehicle positioning equipment located in said vehicle to determine a location of said vehicle; and storing data indicative of said vehicle position, wherein said data indicative of said vehicle position is associated with said data indicative of a composition of said portion of the road over which said vehicle is being driven.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising: performing the steps of driving and operating when ambient conditions are favorable to detection of temperature differences between a portion of the road over which said vehicle is being driven and ambient air.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said thermal property comprises thermal conductivity.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said thermal property comprises thermal conductivity.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for collecting data indicative of a thermal property of roads for a geographic database comprising: a vehicle equipped with sensor equipment responsive to the thermal property of a road surface upon which said vehicle is being driven; a vehicle positioning system by which a location of said vehicle along said roads is determined; and a data collection system located in said vehicle, wherein said data collection system is responsive to said sensor equipment and said vehicle positioning system, and wherein said data collection system includes a data storage device that stores data indicative of a thermal property of a surface of a road upon which said vehicle is being driven.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for collecting data indicative of a thermal property of roads for a geographic database comprising: a vehicle equipped with sensor equipment responsive to the thermal property of a road surface upon which said vehicle is being driven; a vehicle positioning system by which a location of said vehicle along said roads is determined; and a data collection system located in said vehicle, wherein said data collection system is responsive to said sensor equipment and said vehicle positioning system, and wherein said data collection system includes a data storage device that stores data indicative of a thermal property of a surface of a road upon which said vehicle is being driven.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system method of claim 14 wherein said sensor equipment comprises a first sensor that measures a temperature of a surface of said road over which said vehicle is located.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said first sensor is surrounded by a hood that restricts interference from directions other than from said surface of said road.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said first sensor comprises an infrared sensor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said sensor equipment includes a second sensor that collects data indicative of an ambient temperature around said vehicle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said sensor equipment includes a road composition sensor that collects data indicative of a composition of said portion of the road over which said vehicle is being driven.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 19 wherein said road composition sensor is responsive to colors indicative of a composition of said portion of the road over which said vehicle is being driven.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of forming a geographic database comprising: obtaining data indicative of roads including locations of said roads and thermal properties of said roads; and forming the geographic database that contains data representing roads including locations of roads and thermal properties of said roads at specific locations.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of forming a geographic database comprising: obtaining data indicative of roads including locations of said roads and thermal properties of said roads; and forming the geographic database that contains data representing roads including locations of roads and thermal properties of said roads at specific locations.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said step of obtaining further comprises: comparing a thermal differential measured at said locations to a threshold to obtain said thermal properties of said roads.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
41 words
A geographic database for use with a vehicle safety system that implements a safety procedure in a location of potential ice hazards, the geographic database comprising: data indicating locations of roads; and data indicating thermal properties at locations along said roads.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
A geographic database for use with a vehicle safety system that implements a safety procedure in a location of potential ice hazards, the geographic database comprising: data indicating locations of roads; and data indicating thermal properties at locations along said roads.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
111 words
A safety system for a vehicle comprising: a geographic database that contains data representing roads in a geographic area in which said vehicle is traveling and data indicating a thermal property of locations along said roads; a vehicle positioning system that determines a current location of said vehicle on a road represented by said geographic database; and an ice hazard application implemented on a computing device wherein said ice hazard application compares the current location of said vehicle to said data indicating the thermal property of locations along said roads and implements a safety procedure when said vehicle approaches a location at which said thermal property indicates a potential ice hazard.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
111 words
A safety system for a vehicle comprising: a geographic database that contains data representing roads in a geographic area in which said vehicle is traveling and data indicating a thermal property of locations along said roads; a vehicle positioning system that determines a current location of said vehicle on a road represented by said geographic database; and an ice hazard application implemented on a computing device wherein said ice hazard application compares the current location of said vehicle to said data indicating the thermal property of locations along said roads and implements a safety procedure when said vehicle approaches a location at which said thermal property indicates a potential ice hazard.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The safety system of claim 24 wherein said safety procedure comprises a warning to a driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is approaching a location of a potential ice hazard.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The safety system of claim 24 wherein said safety procedure comprises modifying a speed of travel of the vehicle as the vehicle is approaching the location of a potential ice hazard.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
52 words
The safety system of claim 24 further comprising: a temperature sensor that measures an ambient temperature around the vehicle and provides an output indicative thereof, and wherein said ice hazard application uses said output of said temperature sensor as a factor to determine whether an ice hazard potentially exists at a location.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
A safety system for a vehicle comprising: a geographic database; programming that uses the geographic database to provide a safety procedure in a location of potential ice hazards; and programming that uses the geographic database to provide at least one of: an additional safety procedure and navigation features.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
48 words
A safety system for a vehicle comprising: a geographic database; programming that uses the geographic database to provide a safety procedure in a location of potential ice hazards; and programming that uses the geographic database to provide at least one of: an additional safety procedure and navigation features.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-01-09 | 2004-07-10 | 2005-01-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-09 | 2008-07-10 | 2009-01-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-09 | 2012-07-10 | 2013-01-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |