Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-04
2001-01-16
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3614)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C701S023000, C701S025000, C701S026000, C701S201000, C701S209000, C701S211000, C073S17800T
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175803
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to route generation in vehicle navigation systems, and, more specifically, to route selection criteria including user selectable routing options such as a statistical risk index which allows the user to avoid or minimize the corresponding statistical risk along the generated route.
Vehicle navigation systems have become well known wherein a map database is used to provide navigational assistance to the driver of a vehicle. Based upon a current location and a desired destination, a navigation computer generates an optimum route between the two points. The route may then be displayed visually for the driver. Turn-by-turn instructions and/or a description of the route may be given visually and/or aurally.
Various techniques have been developed for constructing a route which is the most desirable according to predetermined optimization criteria. Typically, the map database is comprised of route segments, each segment connecting two endpoints or intersections. One widely used method for determining an optimal route is the Dijkstra method wherein each route segment in the map database has an associated cost or weight. The total weight of various potential routes between the current location and the destination are calculated and compared so that a route may be selected with the lowest overall weight.
In prior art systems, the optimization criteria is typically comprised of either the shortest route or the fastest route. In addition, selections have been provided for avoiding freeways, maximizing use of freeways, or avoiding tollways, for example. Thus, a route segment may have a plurality of weights and/or other attributes associated with it. For example, there may be a distance weight and a travel-time weight associated with a particular route segment. The generated route may be optimized using the various available weights according to the drivers preferred optimization. In addition, many prior art systems allow the driver to specify a specific route segment to be eliminated from consideration for use in a route, such as when a road is closed for construction or there is an error in the database. Nevertheless, drivers have had little control over route optimization criteria or how they are applied.
Navigation systems may be used to help a driver navigate through areas with which they are not familiar. Other than knowing that a route is optimized for distance, time or avoiding freeways or tollways, etc., the user of a prior art navigation system has not known the prevailing risk characteristics of the areas through which the route passes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has the advantage of providing advanced navigation route generation employing route optimization using a statistical risk index. The user may establish a customized risk threshold for their individually optimized navigation route.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of generating a navigation route for a motor vehicle wherein the route connects an initial location with a destination. The navigation route includes a plurality of route segments selected from a database of route segments. The database includes respective attributes associated with respective route segments. The attributes include a statistical risk index that has been measured and indexed to respective route segments. A route criteria is established which is to be optimized over the navigation route. The route criteria includes the statistical risk index. Total weights are compared according to the route criteria for various potential navigation routes. The navigation route is selected as one of the potential navigation routes for which the routing criteria is substantially optimized.
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Chowanic Andrea Bowes
McNamara David Arthur
Beaulieu Yonel
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Ford Global Technologies Inc.
Mollon Mark L.
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