Having Particular Storage Or Retrieval Of Data Patents (Class 701/430)
  • Publication number: 20140172189
    Abstract: In a method for providing to a driver assistance system of a vehicle a course of a road ahead in relation to a geographical position and a direction of travel of the vehicle using the road, the geographical position is determined and the direction of travel is detected. Environmental data in the form of aerial image data are retrieved in relation to an aerial image of a predetermined area around the vehicle. The environmental data is evaluated for identifying road data of the used road from the aerial image data, and the vehicle is associated with the road. The position of the vehicle is determined relative to the road, and the course of the road is determined from the road data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventor: Sebastian Engel
  • Patent number: 8751144
    Abstract: An automatic navigation method and automatic navigation system are provided. The automatic navigation method includes the following steps. A guiding path is provided. A current facing direction which a user faces is obtained by an electronic compass. A turning direction is obtained according to the current facing direction and the guiding path. The turning direction is notified by an electric shock signal. A nearest trace point of the guiding path is obtained by sensing a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. The turning direction is updated according to the nearest trace point and the current facing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Szu-Han Tzao, Jong-Jeng Hong, Shang-Yuan Cheng
  • Publication number: 20140156182
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to identifying and displaying traffic lanes that are available for autonomous driving. This information may be displayed to a driver of a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode, in order to inform the driver of where he or she can use the autonomous driving mode. In one example, the display may visually distinguishing between lanes that are available for auto-drive from those that are not. The display may also include an indicator of the position of a lane (autodrive or not) currently occupied by the vehicle. In addition, if that lane is an autodrive lane the display may include information indicating how much further the vehicle may continue in the autonomous driving mode in that particular lane. The display may also display information indicating the remaining autodrive distance in other lanes as well as the lane with the greatest remaining autodrive distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Philip Nemec, Brian Cullinane, Manuel Christian Clement, Robertus Christianus Elisabeth Mariet
  • Patent number: 8744670
    Abstract: A method for quickly calculating mileage includes the steps: A, receiving report data from a vehicular terminal and updating data center according to the report data; B, receiving an inquiry request which includes a vehicle number, a first time point which is earlier than a second time point and the second time point which are requested to inquire; C, inquiring the data center to acquire a first total mileage value to which the time point that is proximate to the first time point corresponds and a second total mileage value to which the time point that is proximate to the second time point corresponds; D, obtaining a running mileage L from the first time point to the second time point by subtracting the first total mileage value from the second total mileage value. A system for quickly calculating mileage quickly is also proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: ChinaGps Co., Ltd (Shenzhen)
    Inventors: Jie Zhu, Jialiang Chu, Decheng Huang, Youwen Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140149033
    Abstract: Systems (100), methods (400), devices (110, 120, 1006, 952), and computer programming products for improved navigation inside buildings and in other locations, using both passive and active NFC-capable devices, in conjunction with inertial and/or magnetic devices (8242, 8134, 8135).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Vahid MOOSAVI, Mamdouh Kamal YANNI
  • Patent number: 8731808
    Abstract: A road network analysis system detects major changes in a road network based on probe information from a plurality of vehicles. The probe information is tabulated and the change in the amount of traffic is calculated for each road with a predetermined time interval. If a remarkable change in the amount of traffic is detected for a road before and after a specific baseline day, it is determined that a major change in the road network affecting the traffic has occurred in the vicinity of the road, and the road is specified as a change-related road. A path search may be performed between the endpoints of a plurality of change-related roads, and the searched paths that have the most overlap with the searched paths are selected so as to identify the change-related roads which are commonly affected by the same cause and the endpoints thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Zenrin Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tashiro, Yukiko Katsuki, Naoki Ushijima, Motohiro Nakamura, Kazunori Watanabe, Sadahiro Koshiba, Kazuteru Maekawa
  • Patent number: 8731770
    Abstract: The present invention is a data logger for collecting information about operation of vehicle for monitoring by a parent or supervisor. The data logger includes speed limits for highway and local streets. The data logger includes an algorithm estimating whether the vehicle is being operated on a highway or local street. An alert status is determined when the corresponding speed limit is exceeded. Alert information is recorded for later display and review by the parent or supervisor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Speed Demon Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Fischer
  • Patent number: 8718864
    Abstract: A system for collecting operating data of a vehicle, including a digital tachograph that can be installed rigidly in the vehicle, and a receiver module for receiving data for controlling the tachograph. The module is removalby connected to the tachograph by way of an interface prescribed by the tachograph. At least one remote control is equipped with a transmitter for operating the tachograph the remote control being adapted to wirelessly transfer data using the receiver module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Dittmers, Dirk Gandras, Michael Gut, Reinhold Schlenker, Frank Schulz
  • Patent number: 8706411
    Abstract: A method and a system for dispatching vehicle are provided. The method for dispatching vehicle includes the following steps: A. obtaining the vehicle information, which includes vehicle numbers, vehicle states and relative positions; B. placing the vehicle icons corresponding to the vehicle numbers in the corresponding positions on the virtual line schedule map according to the vehicle states and the relative positions; C. displaying the virtual line schedule map refreshed via step B. The system for dispatching vehicle includes vehicle information obtaining unit, vehicle states judging and processing unit, displaying unit and dispatching unit. The system realize the visual vehicle dispatching method by utilizing the virtual line schedule map, so as to implement vehicle monitoring and dispatching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: ChinaGPS Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen)
    Inventors: Jie Zhu, Jialiang Chu, Xiang He, Chuan Liang, Youwen Zhang
  • Patent number: 8706399
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for triggering events based on user location with respect to zones of influence is described. One or more zones of influence each having a plurality of points of geolocational data are defined. One or more user events are associated with each of the zones of influence. A location of a wireless device is identified based on geolocational data obtained by the wireless device. The geolocational data of the wireless device is compared with the geolocational data for one or more of the zones of influence. The user events associated with one such zone of influence are triggered when the geolocational data of the wireless device correlates with at least one of the points of geolocational data for that zone of influence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy A. Irish, Elias Alvord
  • Patent number: 8700329
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus is provided that is highly convenient for a user to view a map screen and a menu window. A display controller 15 determines a view mode of each of a map screen and a menu window, based on information about a travel condition of a moving object from a route search unit 12 and an own-vehicle location identification unit, when the menu window is displayed according to information entered from an input unit 10. A display map generator 16 generates a map screen according to information about the view mode from the display controller 15. A display menu generator 17 generates a menu window according to information about the view mode from the display controller 15. A display unit 21 displays the map screen from the display map generator 16 and the menu window from the menu generator 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hideto Miyazaki, Tsuyoshi Sempuku, Shoji Tanaka, Kuniyo Ieda, Takashi Sadahiro
  • Patent number: 8700308
    Abstract: A navigation system for a motor vehicle includes: a motor vehicle, a server which is spatially separate from the motor vehicle, and a wireless communication connection between the server and the motor vehicle for the time-staggered transmission of a first navigation information item and at least a second navigation information item from the server to the motor vehicle, the first navigation information item being assigned a first priority and the second navigation information item being assigned a second priority, the sequence of the transmission of the first navigation information item and the second navigation information item being a function of the priority level, and a man-machine interface being arranged in the motor vehicle for outputting the first navigation information item and the second navigation information item to an operator of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Brian Ng, Thomas Chan, Chu Hee Lee, Daniel Rosario, Arne Stoschek
  • Patent number: 8694255
    Abstract: A driver assistance system for a motor vehicle has a surroundings sensor and an evaluation unit for evaluating the surroundings sensor data. The evaluation unit receives data from a positioning device. Furthermore, a reduced or limited subset of data taken from a digital roadmap is stored in a non-volatile memory, which is provided to the evaluation unit. The reduced data are selected to include only data relevant for the function(s) of the driver assistance system. Thereby the driver assistance system does not need to be connected for data transmission with a navigation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: ADC Automotive Distance Control Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Mehr, Wolfgang Fey
  • Patent number: 8688380
    Abstract: A method and apparatus in a vehicular telemetry system and a remote data analysis system for detecting an event and switching a data acquisition mode. Checking a state of a data acquisition mode. If the state is in a filtered data state and if an indicator value is at or above a threshold value, then switch the data acquisition mode to an unfiltered data state and acquire unfiltered data. If the data acquisition mode is in an unfiltered data state and if the indicator value is below the threshold value, switch the data acquisition mode to a filtered data state and acquire filtered data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: GEOTAB Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Charles Cawse, Darren Marc Lohmann Beams, Antonios Partheniou, Stelian Dumitrascu
  • Patent number: 8681176
    Abstract: A map server generates vector descriptors and corresponding style identifiers for rendering a map image. Each vector descriptor indicates a geometry of a respective map element in accordance with a vector graphics format, and each style identifier identifies a style according to which the corresponding map element is rendered. The map server then causes map data including the vector descriptors and the style identifiers to be transmitted to the client device via a communication network. When the map server receives a request for style data for modifying a map image at the client device, the map server generates a description of visual characteristics for one or more styles identified by the style identifiers included in the map data previously provided to the client device and causes the description of visual characteristics to be transmitted to the client device for applying to the vector descriptors at the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Maurer, Sean Egan, Brian Cornell
  • Publication number: 20140074396
    Abstract: A method and system for generating a location identification grid and for using a location identification grid. The location identification grid can include a first geographic area that correspond to a pre-existing area. This pre-existing area can correspond to a postal code such as a zip code, a telephone code such as, an area code, or any other desired pre-existing area. The location identification grid can be subdivided into smaller geographic areas to allow more accurate identification of a location. The location identification grid can include a second geographic area. The second geographic area can be a subdivision of the first geographic area. The location identification grid can be used with signals that identify a location within a location identification grid. These signals can include a first component corresponding to the first geographic area and the second component corresponding to one or more second geographic areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Clayton C. Bonnell, Neri G. Terry, JR., Kurt J. Schulz
  • Publication number: 20140067255
    Abstract: In a navigation method for tracking a second electronic device using a first electronic device, the first electronic device receives position information of the second electronic device. A position of the second electronic device is marked on a navigation map stored in the first electronic device. The first electronic device is directed to track the second electronic device according to the marked position on the navigation map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: CHI MEI COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: MING-FENG HSU
  • Patent number: 8666593
    Abstract: Travel information is categorized into plural time slot categories according to information characteristics of traffic flow information that represents a traffic flow of each of road sections in a database of an information center, and a learn database is built for each of the categories derived from above categorization. The travel information collected by a travel of a self vehicle along the road sections is learned according to the categories of the learn database for accurately managing the travel information according to the characteristics of the traffic flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunao Yamada
  • Publication number: 20140058663
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for generating a sketch map in a portable terminal. The apparatus includes a sketch map generating unit. The sketch map generating unit collects information about route points of the portable terminal by using location information, generates a sketch map message including the route information, and shares the generated sketch map message with another user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Woo-Jun Choi
  • Patent number: 8660795
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus has a road learning function. When a new road is learned and a new road link is connected to one of a map road link present in a ready-made map data and a previously-learned road link, the navigation apparatus designates the one of the map road link and the learned road link as a base link and generates a supplement link that extends along the base link from a base-link-side end point of the new road link to an end point of the base link. The navigation apparatus specifies an entrance link and an exit link connected to a process target point on the guidance route, and determines content of the route guidance by using the base link corresponding to the supplement link when the entrance link or the exit link is the supplement link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Syo Shimomura, Seiji Kato
  • Publication number: 20140046582
    Abstract: Methods are provided for updating a digital road map in which road segments having segment lengths are stored. At least two vehicles are equipped with at least one respective onboard unit generating position readings. If a first set of position readings of a first onboard unit can be associated with a road segment, a first path length is determined based on the position readings of the first set. If a second set of position readings of a second onboard unit can be associated with the road segment, a second path length is determined based on the position readings of the second set. An average path length is calculated based on at least the first and second path lengths. If the average path length deviates from the stored segment length, the average path length is stored as an updated stored segment length of this road segment in the digital road map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Kapsch TrafficCom AG
    Inventors: Jasja Tijink, Thomas Scheider, Franz Weimann, Sören SCHRÖDL
  • Patent number: 8649973
    Abstract: The present invention provides the simple operation for displaying the information that is expected to be necessary for the user and the simplified procedure of the hands-free operation when displaying the map information on the screen. The display device 20 in which an arrangement state of the screen can be selected between a first state and a second state displays on the screen the detailed information of a destination or its surrounding area such as parking lot information, an access route guide to the transportation facilities, and information of the facility of the destination is displayed on the screen if a change of the arrangement of the screen is detected, if the destination has been set in advance, and if a distance between a current position and the destination is within a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kawaguchi, Mayuha Sakai
  • Publication number: 20140025289
    Abstract: An illustrative method of data gathering includes determining that a vehicle traveling characteristic has changed beyond an expected parameter. The method further includes recording the GPS coordinates of the vehicle and ceasing recording the GPS coordinates of the vehicle when the vehicle traveling characteristic resumes the expected parameter. Finally, the method includes determining and storing a traffic control feature associated with at least one set of the GPS coordinates, if the recorded GPS coordinates of the vehicle correspond to previously recorded GPS coordinates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Schunder, David DiMeo, Mark Scalf
  • Publication number: 20140019041
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a method of estimating an ability of a vehicle to reach a target road segment, comprising retrieving road segment data for road segments containing previously generated route information for routes connecting the road segments, the route information parameterizing costs associated for travelling along the respective route); and establishing first road segment data for the target road segment indicating a gateway road segment and indicating route information for a successive route from the gateway road segment to the target road segment. The method further comprises, based on the route information of the successive route, determining first costs for travelling along the successive route, and establishing, based on the indicated gateway road segment, second road segment data for the current road segment, the second road segment data indicating route information for an initial route from the current road segment to the gateway road segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Sebastian Kluge, Hans-Peter Engelhardt
  • Patent number: 8626395
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing data in an influencing device, whereby the influencing device is connectable to a vehicle control unit and to a data processing unit. If the influencing device receives a first trigger or a second trigger, the first trigger is checked for a valid assignment to a function implemented in the hardware or software. If there is a valid assignment, the assigned function is started. A first address and/or a second address and/or the value are checked for a valid assignment to a first sub-function or a second sub-function. Depending on the called sub-function, the value is checked and/or manipulated and depending on the result of the check, the checked value and/or the manipulated value are sent by the influencing device to the vehicle control unit and/or to the data processing unit and/or stored in the memory of the influencing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: dSPACE GmbH
    Inventor: Marc Dressler
  • Patent number: 8620578
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method that enables a user to save locations (e.g., addresses, landmarks, etc.) to a central storage location system from within third party applications and then automatically have access to saved location information on registered, client devices, including navigational devices. Third party applications send saved locations, as well as information identifying the applicable users, to a central storage location system. The central storage location system stores location information associated with each saved location in a database (e.g., address and corresponding geocodes). Each location is saved in association with a unique ID corresponding to the user that saved the location. The central storage location system provides each saved location to registered client devices associated with the user that saved the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Cloudmade, Ltd.
    Inventors: James W. Brown, Nicholas J. A. Black, Cragg E. Nilson
  • Patent number: 8612107
    Abstract: Method, control apparatus and powertrain system controller are provided for real-time, self-learning control based on individual operating style. The method calibrates powertrain system performance in a passenger vehicle in real-time based on individual operating style. The method includes powering the vehicle with the system and generating a sequence of system operating point transitions based on an operating style of an operator of the vehicle during the step of powering. The method further includes learning a set of optimum values of controllable system variables in real-time during the steps of powering and generating based on the sequence of system operating point transitions and predetermined performance criteria for the system. The method still further includes generating control signals based on the set of optimum values to control operation of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventor: Andreas A. Malikopoulos
  • Publication number: 20130332069
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments include update determination programmed logic circuitry operable to determine that a map data tile stored in a vehicle database is in need of updating. The illustrative embodiments further include update qualification programmed logic circuitry operable to qualify the permissibility of an update. Also included in the illustrative embodiments is update provision programmed logic circuitry operable to, contingent on the qualifying, provide an updated version of the map data tile. The update determination, update qualification and update provision programmed logic circuitry are operable to repeat the determining, qualifying and providing for at least all tiles included in a route within a predetermined proximity of a vehicle's current location along the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Schunder, David M. DiMeo, Mark Scalf
  • Publication number: 20130332068
    Abstract: A method and system for discovering locations of interesting photographs. The method includes receiving a geographic location and retrieving at least one portion of a map associated with the geographic location. The at least one portion of the map associated with the geographic location is displayed. A plurality of photographs tagged with the geographic location are asynchronously retrieved. The retrieved photographs are ranked based on interestingness of the retrieved photographs. The method further comprises dynamically propagating the at least one portion of the map with markers identifying locations of highest ranking photographs within the geographic location and indicating one or more photographic hotspots based on the propagated markers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Parag Kesar, Mausam Hazarika
  • Patent number: 8600654
    Abstract: A route guidance device is provided with a two-dimensional road network for a route search, a three-dimensional road network for a route guidance, and guiding line shape data. The guiding line shape data is three-dimensional guidance display data for guiding an operator to go straight through, or to make a right turn, left turn, etc. at intersections in accordance with a passage mode, or to switch lanes before entering an intersection. A link node of the two-dimensional road network is associated with the guiding line shape data through the three-dimensional road network. The route search uses the two-dimensional road network, and the route guidance uses the guiding line shape data associated with the link node acquired by the route search. The present invention can realize an instinctively understandable route guidance that follows a passage mode without increasing a load of a route search.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: GEO Technical Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyonari Kishikawa, Eiji Teshima, Masatoshi Aramaki, Hideyuki Shimozuru, Masaya Ada, Tatsuji Kimura, Satomi Baba, Kouhei Tou, Toru Irie
  • Patent number: 8594928
    Abstract: Provided is a device, method and program enabling high-speed map matching while maintaining a precision of an analysis based on a map matching result even when event data is transmitted from numerous vehicles. A grid is obtained by the division of a region in which a road network exists into a latitude direction and a longitude direction by equal spaces based on data stored in the road data storage unit. A grid ID is unitarily assigned to each set of grids whose sets of arcs which are roads are common and arc passing the grid. An event grid matching unit correlates event data collected from a vehicle and a grid. When the number of pieces of event data correlated with the grid is large, a data selecting unit selects a part of the data. An event road matching unit correlates the selected event data and a road in the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Kida, Kenichiro Fujiyama
  • Publication number: 20130311084
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for positioning a user inside a building, wherein the user has a user carried device and the device is provided with a direction sensor and a movement sensor. The method includes providing the user carried device with a vector map of the building, wherein the vector map includes vectors and nodes representing possible movement paths for the user in the building; determining a starting point in the vector map, receiving movement information from the movement sensor, receiving direction information from the direction sensor, receiving a magnetic field map at the user carried device, wherein the magnetic field is detectable by the user carried device, and estimating a new position of the user based on the vector map, the movement information, the direction information and the property map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: SenionLab
    Inventors: CHRISTIAN LUNDQUIST, Per Skoglar, Fredik Gustafsson
  • Publication number: 20130297202
    Abstract: There is provided a device that receives a broadcast providing a data distribution service from a broadcast station, registers data related to facilities acquired through the data distribution service in a primary database, extracts from the primary database data related to facilities near the position of the host vehicle every time a host vehicle has run a predetermined distance, registers the extracted data in a secondary database, and presents data for presentation extracted from the secondary database to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Tamiya, Yasuhiro Monde, Masahito Matsumoto, Makoto Oi
  • Patent number: 8577597
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for estimating position location of a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Lionel Jacques Garin
  • Publication number: 20130282273
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus for providing a guidance about an exiting road of a circular intersection based on a prestored road and a learned road is disclosed. The navigation apparatus determines whether or not the learned road is included in connection roads of the circular intersection. When the learned road is not included in the connection roads of the circular intersection, the navigation apparatus provides the guidance about the circular intersection in an exit number mode. When the learned road is included in the connection roads of the circular intersection, the navigation apparatus device provides the guidance about the circular intersection in a learned road guidance mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: DENSO CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20130282272
    Abstract: A navigation system may estimate a cruising range of a vehicle by performing a road network search. Digital map data that includes a set of road segments, where each road segment in the set can be associated with a hierarchy class and an elevation, may be retrieved. A road segment-specific weighting factor can be calculated for the road segments. The weighting factor can be calculated dependent on a distance of the specific road segment to a current location of the vehicle and on the elevation of the specific road segment. The road segments are selectively discarded by the navigation system based on the weighting factor and the associated hierarchy class to create a selected set of road segments. The road network search expands route links for the selected set of road segments based on an associated estimated energy consumption of the vehicle travelling along the route links.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
  • Patent number: 8566031
    Abstract: Provided is a map matching device, method and program. The map matching device may comprise a road grid dividing unit and a grid road combining unit. The road grid dividing unit is for deriving a grid obtained by the division of a region where a road network exists in a latitude direction and a longitude direction by equal spaces and correlating the grid and an arc crossing the grid. The grid road combining unit is for assigning a common arc ID to a plurality of grids which are adjacent to each other and whose sets of arcs correlated are coincident and assigning an arc ID to a grid whose set of arcs correlated is different from a set of arcs of any of adjacent grids to generate information indicative of a relationship among a range of a grid, a grid ID and an arc passing the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Kida, Kenichiro Fujiyama
  • Patent number: 8554467
    Abstract: The present invention relates to travel time determination, for example, determining a predicted travel time between locations based on historical data. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a method for determining a predicted amount of time required to travel from one location to another that includes dividing a region into multiple grid portions and designating each grid portion that contains at least one address of interest as a departure grid, a destination grid, or both. The method can further include generating a searchable data arrangement that includes travel times associated with traveling from selected departure grids to selected destination grids, and updating the travel times using historical data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: DDS Wireless International Inc.
    Inventor: William P. C. Ho
  • Patent number: 8554468
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for driver performance assessment and improvement. The systems and methods may be: active for warning purposes only; passive for monitoring purposes only; and active and passive. Any of the foregoing system and methods may be cooperative as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Inventor: Brian Lee Bullock
  • Patent number: 8554479
    Abstract: A possibility for simplifying the inputting of the destination in a motor vehicle navigation system by providing the user with useful additional items of information for the specification of ambiguous destination indications. Such a navigation system includes means for destination input, a navigation module for route planning, and means for displaying information, in particular indications of location, additional items of information concerning the indications of location, and route information, the means for destination input supporting a hierarchical, interactive inputting of the destination, by providing the user, in the case of ambiguous textual destination indications, with a choice of destination alternatives, including additional items of specifying information, until an unambiguous destination indication is made. The textual destination indications are stored together with corresponding geographic coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Marco Fiedler, Stefan Lueer, Henry Brandes
  • Patent number: 8554470
    Abstract: A movable terminal stores previously a travel time schedule in a regular travel state of a public transportation. The movable terminal executes a route retrieval from candidates containing route sections traveled by using the public transportation and route sections traveled by using different transportation (i.e., foot, vehicle) other than the public transportation. As a result of the route retrieval, when it is determined that the route using the public transportation is more suitable, a request for a multi-modal retrieval based on actual present travel state of the public transportation is transmitted to a center. A center route received thereafter from the center is recorded as a guidance route used for executing route guidance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takamitsu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8543293
    Abstract: Route guidance apparatuses, methods, and programs determine a guidance intersection in front of a movable body in a direction of travel along a navigation route. The apparatuses, methods, and programs acquire a shape of the guidance intersection, determine an exit road on which the movable body leaves the guidance intersection, and determine whether the determined exit road is one of a plurality of roads connected to the guidance intersection that exist in an area extending in the same direction as the determined exit road. When the determined road is one of the plurality of roads that exist in the area extending in the same direction as the exit road, the apparatuses, methods, and programs associate each of the plurality of roads with an identification information item usable to identify a connecting relationship with the guidance intersection, and provide guidance using the identification information item associated with the exit road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisuke Tanizaki
  • Patent number: 8538685
    Abstract: Situational location dependent information is transmitted from a server data processing system to a receiving data processing system. The server data processing system communicates with the receiving data processing system in a manner by pushing content when appropriate. A candidate delivery event associated with a current positional attribute of the receiving data processing system is recognized and a situational location of the remote data processing system is determined. The candidate delivery event may be a location and/or direction change, device state change, or movement exceeding a movement tolerance. The situational location of the remote data processing system may be its location, direction, location and direction, proximity to a location, state change, or location and/or direction relative to a previous location and/or direction, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: William J. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8527138
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first memory device, a second memory device and a controller. The first memory device stores vehicular data in accident. The second memory device has control data area for storing control data in nonvolatile manner. The controller records the vehicular data stored in the first memory device into the control data area of the second memory device by overwriting the control data in response to vehicular accident. It is possible to increase a recordable amount of vehicular data in vehicular accident without increasing recording capacity exclusively preserved to vehicular data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Eisuke Nishino, Yuuji Nagano
  • Patent number: 8521425
    Abstract: In a position registering apparatus, an acquiring unit acquires traveling state information indicating a traveling state of a mobile object and a position identifying unit specifies the current position of the mobile object, based on the traveling state information and map information. After the current position of the mobile object is identified to be on a road within a predetermined range from a destination set by a destination setting unit and is then identified to be at a place other than the road, if the parking determining unit determines that the mobile object is parked, a registering unit registers, into a storage unit, a deviation point from the road as an entrance point of a parking lot of the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Sakata, Kenichiro Yano, Seiji Goto
  • Patent number: 8515610
    Abstract: An automatic driving system includes: a reference driving information database for storing reference driving information including reference driving lines, reference driving speeds, and lane change information; and a navigation apparatus for searching a driving route from a starting point to a destination by using a position value of a vehicle and generating driving route information by reflecting the reference driving information in the searched driving route. The automatic driving system further includes a vehicle controller for determining a driving line and a driving speed by using the generated driving route information and performing unmanned automatic driving along the determined driving line at the determined driving speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Kyung Bok Sung, Kyoung Hwan An, Do Hyun Kim, Jungsook Kim, Jeong Dan Choi
  • Publication number: 20130197799
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for determining indoor collection points and collecting heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information. The apparatus includes a sensor module unit for sensing a motion and a location. An indoor map DB includes attribute information of an indoor space and an indoor map. A collection route generation unit generates a collection route on the indoor map depending on collection conditions. A collection point determination unit determines a collection point from which the heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information is to be collected on the collection route while moving, based on information of the sensor module unit and the indoor map DB. A heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information collection unit collects heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information from the collection point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventor: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
  • Patent number: 8489332
    Abstract: A car navigation system 1 includes a HDD map 110 and a cached map 109. Map data for entire area is stored in the HDD, and map data used by a route search unit 115 and a guidance unit 116 are stored in the cached map 109. A cached map area specifying unit 108 specifies map data files that should be stored in the cached map 109 for each navigation application, and stores the names of the specified map data files, linked to the respective navigation applications, into a navigation application consistency management table 103. A consistency judgment unit 104 monitors an update status of a data file of which name stored in the navigation application consistency management table 103, and stores the update status (completed or not completed) into the navigation application consistency management table 103.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Tomobe, Yukihiro Kawamata, Hiroto Sasaki, Takayuki Uchida, Tetsumori Aikawa
  • Patent number: 8483953
    Abstract: A map information processing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a processor for calculating a vehicle position; a data generation unit for generating traveling locus data on the basis of the calculated vehicle position when the vehicle position deviates from a road; a registration unit for registering the traveling locus data generated by the data generation unit in a temporarily registered road list as a temporarily registered road; an operation unit for selecting one of temporarily registered roads registered in the temporarily registered road list; and an official registration unit for registering the selected temporarily registered road in an officially registered road list as an officially registered road in accordance with an instruction from the operation unit, generating road data on the basis of traveling locus data relating to the temporarily registered road, and adding the generated road data to a map data stored in a map data storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Umezu, Atsushi Kohno, Kiyoshi Matsutani, Tomoya Ikeuchi, Makoto Mikuriya, Tomohiro Nakae, Yasushi Kodaka
  • Patent number: 8478337
    Abstract: A navigation device (a vehicle-mounted navigation device 1) is connected, via a mobile communication network 3, to a server 5 by way of a telephone 2 connected thereto via cable 1a or radio 1b, and includes a communication control unit 12 for communicating with the server 5 by using the telephone 2 to measure parameter information about a command support status of the telephone 2 or a communication connection environment, and a main control unit 10 for transmitting the parameter information measured by the communication control unit 12 to an external storage medium 21 or the server 5, and for controlling subsequent communications according to the parameter information transmitted to the external storage medium 21 or the server 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Toshio Kawagishi