Method and system of route guidance for a towing vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016245659-A1
Application number	US-201514631427-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 25, 2015
Priority date	Feb 25, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and system of route guidance for a vehicle alerts traffic restriction considering its towing status. The vehicle's towing status may be obtained either by automatically detecting a towed vehicle or manually setting such status by a user. When it is determined that the vehicle is towing another vehicle, traffic restriction information such as a speed limit and a dimension limit associated with each link in a route is obtained by accessing to a map database including such traffic restriction information. Based on the traffic restriction information, it is possible to provide the best route with a more correctly estimated time of arrival, while avoiding links which have dimension limits not suitable for the towing vehicle.

First claim

1 . A method of route guidance for a first vehicle, comprising:
determining whether a current routing mode is a towing route mode; accessing a map database comprising restriction information regarding a towing vehicle, if it is determined that the current routing mode is the towing route mode; and providing route information including the restriction information regarding a towing vehicle, if it is determined that the current routing mode is the towing route mode.

2 . The method of route guidance of claim 1 ,
wherein determining whether a current routing mode is a towing route mode is automatically executed.

3 . The method of route guidance of claim 2 ,
wherein determining whether a current routing mode is a towing route mode is automatically executed by recognition of a second vehicle based on signals from one or more sensors of the first vehicle.

4 . The method of route guidance of claim 2 ,
wherein determining whether a current routing mode is a towing route mode is automatically executed by receiving a towing drive mode of the first vehicle.

5 . The method of route guidance of claim 1 , further comprising:
allowing a user to manually select a towing route mode.

6 . The method of route guidance of claim 5 ,
wherein allowing a user to manually select a towing route mode is executed when a route search function is activated.

7 . The method of route guidance of claim 1 ,
wherein accessing the map database comprising restriction information regarding a towing vehicle, if it is determined that the current routing mode is the towing route mode, comprises:
searching a route to a destination considering that the current routing mode is the towing route mode; and
wherein providing route information including the restriction information regarding a towing vehicle if it is determined that the current routing mode is the towing route mode comprises:
guiding the route to the destination in the towing route mode.

8 . The method of route guidance of claim 7 ,
wherein searching the route to the destination considering that the current routing mode is the towing route mode comprises:
applying speed limits of a towing vehicle for links in candidate routes; and
estimating times of arrival for the candidate routes based on the applied speed limits.

9 . The method of route guidance of claim 7 ,
wherein searching the route to the destination considering that the current routing mode is the towing route mode comprises:
applying dimension limits of a towing vehicle for links in candidate routes respectively; and
excluding the route from the candidate routes when the dimension of a combination of the first vehicle and second vehicle exceeds a smallest dimension limit in the route.

10 . The method of route guidance of claim 1 ,
wherein providing route information considering that the current routing mode is the towing route mode further comprises:
reading a speed limit and a dimension limit of next link if it is determined that the current routing mode is the towing route mode; and
alerting a user if at least one of a current vehicle speed or the dimension of a combination of the first vehicle and second vehicle exceeds the limits of next link.

11 . A system of route guidance for a first vehicle, comprising:
a processor; one or more sensors configured to sense vehicle related information; and memory comprising map database; wherein the processor is configured to switch a current routing mode to a towing route mode, to access the map database comprising restriction information regarding a towing vehicle, and to provide route information including the restriction information regarding a towing vehicle if the current routing mode is the towing route mode.

12 . The system of route guidance of claim 11 ,
wherein the processor is configured to automatically determine whether a current routing mode is a towing route mode.

13 . The system of route guidance of claim 12 ,
wherein the processor is configured to automatically determine whether the current routing mode is the towing route mode by recognition of a second vehicle based on signals from the one or more sensors.

14 . The system of route guidance of claim 12 , further comprising:
a vehicle interface configured to receive towing mode information from the first vehicle, wherein the processor is configured to automatically determine that the current routing mode is the towing route mode if the vehicle interface receives a towing drive mode of the first vehicle from the first vehicle.

15 . The system of route guidance of claim 11 , further comprising:
a display controller directly or indirectly coupled to a screen; wherein the display controller is configured to display a towing route mode selection menu on the screen that allows a user to manually select a towing route mode.

16 . The system of route guidance of claim 15 ,
wherein the display controller is configured to display the towing route mode selection menu on the screen when a route search function is activated.

17 . The system of route guidance of claim 11 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to search a route to a destination considering that the current routing mode is the towing route mode, and to guide the route to the destination in the towing route mode.

18 . The system of route guidance of claim 17 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to apply speed limits of a towing vehicle for links in candidate routes, and to estimate times of arrival for the candidate routes based on the applied speed limits.

19 . The system of route guidance of claim 17 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to apply dimension limits of a towing vehicle for links in candidate routes respectively, and to exclude the route from the candidate routes when the dimension of a combination of the first vehicle and second vehicle exceeds a smallest dimension limit in the route.

20 . The system of route guidance of claim 11 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to read a speed limit and a dimension limit of next link if it is determined that the current routing mode is the towing route mode; and to alert a user if at least one of a current vehicle speed or the dimension of a combination of the first vehicle and second vehicle exceeds the limits of next link.

Assignees

• Alpine Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ohba Tetsu

Classifications

• G01C21/3461

  Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types or segments such as motorways, toll roads or ferries · CPC title

• G01C21/3697 Primary

  Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level (G01C21/3679 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D13/06

  for backing a normally drawn trailer · CPC title

• G01C21/34 Primary

  Route searching; Route guidance · CPC title