Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1995-06-07
2001-11-06
Chin, Gary (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C701S210000, C701S117000, C701S025000, C701S026000, C340S991000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314368
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicle guidance systems and more particularly, to a vehicle guidance system that is capable of detecting traffic congestion and advising vehicles of alternatives.
2. Description of the Art
Vehicle guidance systems are known in the prior art. For example, Turco, U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,506, discloses a system of storing the route in an on-board computer such that maps or travel instructions are eliminated. Tagami et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,050, discloses an apparatus for visually displaying the desired route of travel. In addition, the direction and distance of travel can be determined by the system disclosed in Tsumura, U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,241. Moreover, Stover, U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,671, discloses the use of roadside transmitting stations to assist vehicles by transmitting information such as the desired route of travel. Further, von Tomkewitsch, U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,970, discloses a method for determining traffic condition and routing information to vehicles.
Each of these prior art references is deficient in some aspects. The systems disclosed in the Turco, Tagami et al., and Tsumura patents are incapable of detecting traffic congestion. Although the system disclosed in Stover may be capable of transmitting information to passing vehicles, it is incapable of detecting traffic. Last, the von Tomkewitsch system requires the cumbersome use of a plurality of roadside stations to compute route recommendations. In addition, since roadside stations are spaced at large distances, on-board vehicle equipment such as magnetic field probe must be utilized.
Vehicle Guidance System must be a dependable means for guiding a vehicle from any point to any other destination desired by the motorist.
In addition, the ideal vehicle guidance system must give instructions of directions with the effect that a driver is enabled to maneuver the vehicle from one point to any other desired destination even though he had no previous knowledge of the route.
The vehicle as we know it today has come a long way in relieving the driver from stress and make him as comfortable as possible during his journey. The one main factor remaining is that he must still find his way, and sometimes under difficult conditions. In cases where he is in an area which he has no prior knowledge, his difficulties increase. The cost in terms of stress time and money becomes high.
It is also firmly established that up to now there has not been any direct communication between the motorist on the road and the traffic department of a city. This has made it difficult for a Central Traffic Department to accurately and in good time predict the areas of possible congestion in order to advise alternative routes that can avoid such areas. It is estimated that on the average the motorist wastes 8% (eight percent) more fuel either in the process of finding his way or due to a traffic jam.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In view of the prior art, it is a major object of the present invention to provide a vehicle guidance system that is capable of detecting traffic congestion and advising vehicles of alternative routes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle guidance system that is capable of detecting route errors made by the vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vehicle guidance system that is capable of providing alternative routes after the vehicle had made route errors.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle guidance system having a central traffic control system for guiding vehicles, detecting traffic congestions, and providing alternative routes.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a vehicle guidance system having a roadside equipment that is capable of transmitting its coordinates and receiving and transmitting vehicle information.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle guidance system having an on-board vehicle guidance and control system that is capable of guiding the vehicle, detecting vehicles route errors, and providing alternative routes.
In order to accomplish the above and still further object, the present invention provides a vehicle guidance system that comprises a central traffic control system, a plurality of roadside equipment, and an on-board vehicle guidance and control system.
More particularly, the central traffic control system includes a horizontal memory for storing horizontal coordinates and direction of a locality, and a vertical memory for storing vertical coordinates and direction of the locality. Transmitter means is provided for transmitting the horizontal and vertical information on the locality. Last, a system control unit is provided for controlling the continuous transmission of the horizontal and vertical information for the locality.
The roadside equipment includes coordinate memory for storing the coordinates information of the roadside equipment. In addition, coordinates transmitter means is provided for transmitting the roadside coordinates information to the vehicle. Moreover, receiver means is provided for receiving the destination information from the vehicle. Further, vehicle destination transmitter means is provided for transmitting the coordinates information of the roadside equipment and the destination information of the vehicle to the central traffic control system.
The on-board vehicle guidance and control system includes receiver means for receiving the horizontal and vertical coordinates information of the locality. Vertical coordinates memory and horizontal coordinates memory are provided for storing the vertical coordinates information of the locality and the horizontal coordinates information of the locality, respectively. An on-board system control unit is provided for controlling the reception and storage of the horizontal and vertical coordinates information of the locality. Moreover, a display feed memory is provided for storing the route direction information for reaching the destination of the vehicle. Further, display means is provided for displaying the route direction information.
One advantage of the present invention is that the vehicle guidance system is capable of detecting traffic congestion and providing vehicles with alternative routes.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the vehicle guidance system is capable of detecting route errors made by the vehicle.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the vehicle guidance system is capable of providing alternative routes after the vehicle had made route errors.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the vehicle guidance system includes a central traffic control system that is capable of guiding vehicles, detecting traffic congestions, and providing alternative routes.
A still further advantage of the present invention is that the vehicle guidance system includes roadside equipment that is capable of transmitting its coordinates and receiving and transmitting vehicle information.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the vehicle guidance system includes an on-board vehicle guidance and control system that is capable of guiding the vehicle, detecting vehicle route errors, and providing alternative routes.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description of the best mode of a preferred embodiment taken together with the accompanying drawing.
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patent: 4774671 (1988-09-01), Itoh et al.
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patent: 5115399 (1992-05-01), Nimura et al.
patent: 5168452 (1992-12-01), Yamada et al.
Gebre Adamsu
Gurmu Hailemichael
Chin Gary
Gifford, Krass, Groh Sprinkle, Anderson & Citkowski, P.C.
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