Method and system to control vehicle turn indicators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9487129-B2
Application number	US-201414478119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2014
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

Methods, systems and program products are provided for obtaining navigation data indicative of a present position of a vehicle and assessing lane restriction information in connection with a road lane corresponding to a present position of the vehicle as designated by the navigation data. The methods, systems and program products also activate a turn indicator of the vehicle based on the lane information and the navigation data. The methods, systems and program products collect navigation data indicative of a present position of a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
obtaining navigation data indicative of a present position of a vehicle;
assessing lane restriction information stored in memory, using one or more processors, in connection with a road lane corresponding to a present position of the vehicle as designated by the navigation data;
assessing historic driving data indicating a past route, the historic driving data stored in memory; and
activating a turn indicator of the vehicle, using the one or more processors, based on the historic driving data, lane restriction information and the navigation data, wherein the activating operation comprises automatically generating a turn indicator command using the one or more processors.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating operation supplies the turn indicator command to an onboard diagnostics system of the vehicle to direct the vehicle to automatically turn on a turn signal that represents the turn indicator.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the vehicle is located in a “turn only” lane based on the lane restriction information and the navigation data, the turn indicator command being generated automatically in connection with the determining.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the vehicle is within a threshold distance from an upcoming turn based on the navigation data, the turn indicator command being generated automatically in connection with the determining.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the vehicle is located in a “turn optional” lane based on the lane restriction information; determining that the vehicle is approaching a candidate turn intersection based on the navigation data and based on the historic driving data that includes past routes.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
tracking a position of the vehicle along a route to a destination location based on the navigation data, the route including turn intersections,
the activating operation activates the turn indicator as the navigation data indicates that the vehicle approaches the turn intersections along the route.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a destination location and calculating a route between a present position of the vehicle and the destination location.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the vehicle is in a correct turn lane based on the navigation data; and notifying a driver that the vehicle is in a wrong lane when the vehicle is not in the correct turn lane.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the historic driving data indicating the past route, the turn indicator being activated automatically in connection with the historic driving data indicating that the past route includes turning at a candidate turn intersection that the vehicle approaches.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activating including activating the turn indicator based on the present position of the vehicle relative to the past route within the historic driving data.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the assessing of line restriction information comprises accessing the lane restriction information, using the one or more processors, in connection with a road lane corresponding to a present position of the vehicle as designated by the navigation data.

12. A system, comprising:
a processor;
an input that collects navigation data indicative of a present position of a vehicle;
a local storage storing program instructions accessible by the processor;
wherein, responsive to execution of the program instructions, the processor:
assesses lane restriction information in connection with a present position of the vehicle as designated by the navigation data;
assessing historic driving data indicating a past route; and
activates a turn indicator of the vehicle based on the historic driving data, lane restriction information and the navigation data.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a data interface configured to be coupled to an onboard diagnostics system of the vehicle, the processor generates automatically a turn indicator command to activate the turn indicator, the data interface supplying the turn indicator command to the onboard diagnostics system of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a GPS module to track the present position of the vehicle and generate the navigation data based thereon.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a transceiver configured to wirelessly convey the turn indicator command over a wireless interface to an onboard diagnostics system of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the local storage further stores map information including road related data including the lane restriction information indicating turn restrictions.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor automatically generates a turn indicator command when the navigation data indicates that the vehicle is in the road lane for which the lane restriction information indicates a turn.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor updates the historic driving data based on at least one of a commuter route, a school route and an afterschool activity route, the processor automatically activating the turn indicator based on the lane restriction information and the historic driving data.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the local storage stores the historic driving data including the past route taken by the vehicle, and wherein the processor activates the turn indicator based on the present position of the vehicle relative to the past route.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors assesses the lane restriction information in connection with a road lane corresponding to a present position of the vehicle as designated by the navigation data.

21. A computer program product comprising a non-signal computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable code to perform:
obtaining navigation data indicative of a present position of a vehicle;
assessing lane restriction information in connection with a present position of the vehicle as designated by the navigation data;
assessing historic driving data indicating a past route; and
activating a turn indicator of the vehicle based on the historic driving data, lane restriction information and the navigation data.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 , the code further comprising generating automatically a turn indicator command and supplying the turn indicator command to an onboard diagnostics system of the vehicle to direct the vehicle to automatically turn on a turn signal that represents the turn indicator.

23. The computer program product of claim 21 , the code further comprising determining when the vehicle is located in a “turn only” lane based on the lane restriction information and the navigation data, the turn indicator being activated automatically in connection with the determining.

24. The computer program product of claim 21 , the code further comprising assessing the lane restriction information in connection with a road lane corresponding to a present position of the vehicle as designated by the navigation data.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Peterson Nathan J
• Rose Amy Leigh
• Crowe John Scott
• Young Bryan L

Classifications

• B60Q1/34 Primary

  for indicating change of drive direction (B60Q1/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01C21/3658 Primary

  Lane guidance · CPC title

• B60Q1/346

  with automatic actuation · CPC title

• B60Q2900/30

  Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions · CPC title