Navigation systems and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10222225-B2
Application number	US-201715858011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 29, 2011
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

Navigation systems and associated methods for providing navigation services are provided. Information associated with a desired route for a vehicle, such as a route between a current location and a desired destination, may be determined. Additionally, contextual information associated with the vehicle may be identified. Based upon the desired route and the contextual information, a direction may be generated for presentation to one or more users, and the generated direction may be output for presentation.

First claim

The claimed invention is:

1. A vehicle electronic system, comprising:
at least one processor;
a first I/O interface to couple to the at least one processor and to receive sensor data from one or more sensors on a vehicle, the one or more sensors including at least one camera;
a second I/O interface to couple to the at least one processor and transmit output information to an output device; and
at least one computer-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon, that when executed by the at least one processor result in operations that include:
identify a first contextual information based on sensor data from the one or more sensors, the first contextual information including image data associated with a driver of the vehicle;
identify a second contextual information associated with a cruise control operation of the vehicle;
determine whether the driver of the vehicle is involved in a cognitive task related to operation of the vehicle based on the first contextual information associated with the driver of the vehicle;
determine whether cruise control operation is ON based on the second contextual information; and
generate an output to cause an indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle:
based on the determination whether the driver of the vehicle is involved in a cognitive task related to operation of the vehicle based on the first contextual information; and
based on the determination that the cruise control operation of the vehicle is ON based on the second contextual information.

2. The vehicle electronic system of claim 1 wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, result in operations that include:
determine whether the vehicle is along a particular route; and
generate the output to cause the indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle:
based on the determination whether the driver of the vehicle is involved in a cognitive task related to driving based on the first contextual information;
based on the determination whether the cruise control operation of the vehicle is ON based on the second contextual information; and
based on the determination whether the location of the vehicle is along the particular route.

3. The vehicle electronic system of claim 1 wherein the indicator comprises a visual indicator.

4. The vehicle electronic system of claim 1 wherein the indicator comprises an audible indicator.

5. The vehicle electronic system of claim 1 wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, result in operations that include:
determine whether driver involvement in the cognitive task is below a threshold value; and
generate the output to cause the indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle:
based on the determination whether the driver of the vehicle is involved in a cognitive task related to operation of the vehicle based on the first contextual information;
based on the determination that the cruise control operation of the vehicle is ON based on the second contextual information; and
based on the determination that the level of driver involvement in the cognitive task is below the threshold value.

6. A vehicle navigation method, comprising:
receiving, by at least one processor via a first input/output (I/O) interface, sensor data from one or more sensors on a vehicle, the sensor data including image data from at least one camera;
identifying a first contextual information based on sensor data from the one or more sensors, the first contextual information including image data associated with a driver of the vehicle;
receiving, by the at least one processor, a second contextual information associated with a cruise control operation of the vehicle;
determining, by the at least one processor, whether the driver of the vehicle is involved in a cognitive task related to vehicle operation based on the first contextual information;
determining, by the at least one processor, whether the cruise control operation is ON based on the second contextual information;
generating, by the at least one processor, data representative of an output that causes an indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle:
based on the determination that the driver of the vehicle is involved in a cognitive task related to driving based on the first contextual information; and
based on the determination whether the cruise control operation is ON based on the second contextual information; and

communicating, by the at least one processor, the data representative of the output to provide the indicator to the driver of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle navigation method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining, by the at least one processor, whether the vehicle is along a particular route; and
generating, by the at least one processor, data representative of the output that causes the indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle:
based on the determination whether the driver of the vehicle is involved in a cognitive task related to driving based on the first contextual information;
based on the determination whether the cruise control operation is ON based on the second contextual information; and
based on the determination whether the vehicle is located along the particular route.

8. The vehicle navigation method of claim 6 wherein generating data representative of an output that causes an indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle comprises:
generating, by the at least one processor, data representative of a video output that causes a visual indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle navigation method of claim 6 wherein generating data representative of an output that causes an indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle comprises:
generating, by the at least one processor, data representative of an audio output that causes an audible indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle navigation method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining, by the at least one processor, whether driver involvement in the cognitive task is below a threshold value; and
generating the output to cause the indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle:
based on the determination whether the driver of the vehicle is involved in a cognitive task related to operation of the vehicle based on the first contextual information;
based on the determination that the cruise control operation of the vehicle is ON based on the second contextual information; and
based on the determination that the level of driver involvement in the cognitive task is below the threshold value.

11. A vehicle navigation system, comprising:
means for receiving sensor data from one or more sensors on a vehicle, the sensor data including image data from at least one camera;
means for identifying a first contextual information based on sensor data from the one or more sensors, the first contextual information including image data associated with a driver of the vehicle;
means for receiving a second contextual information associated with a cruise control operation of the vehicle;
means for determining whether the driver of the is involved in a cognitive task related to vehicle operation based on the first contextual information;
means for determining whether the cruise control operation is ON based on the second contextual information;
means for generating data representative of an output that causes an indicator to be provided to the driver of the vehicle:
based on the determination that the driver of the vehicle is involved in a cognitive task related to driving based on the first contextual information; and
base

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Rosario Barbara

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• G09B29/00

  Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram (star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F) · CPC title

• G08G1/096838

  where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality · CPC title

• G01C21/3602

  Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera · CPC title

• A63F9/183

  electric · CPC title