Abstract:
A computer-implemented method for road identification includes receiving a request at a vehicle computing system for a crossroad identification. The method also includes determining, via the vehicle computing system, a crossroad along a route-being-traveled corresponding to the request. The method further includes outputting, from the vehicle computing system to an output, the determined crossroad responsive to the request.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    GPS devices are becoming more prevalent in a variety of modes. Many vehicles come equipped with onboard navigation systems or onboard navigation capability. Typically, these systems will either display a route to be traveled, along with a series of directions, or they will audibly recite directions as a driver is en route to a destination. 
         [0002]    Portable GPS devices and even some cellular phones or other wireless devices may also be used to provide directions, again, providing the directions in a visual or audible manner. 
         [0003]    Typically, when interacting with these devices, a user will input a destination location. Using the present GPS coordinates of the vehicle, a routing engine will determine a route to the destination location, according to one or more predefined parameters (e.g., without limitation, fastest route, avoiding highways, avoiding toll roads, avoiding dirt roads, etc.). 
         [0004]    In the most common manner of operation, the devices instruct the user when to turn (left, right, bear left, bear right, sharp left, sharp right, etc.). The warnings on when to turn are usually given some distance ahead of the turn, and may be repeated a number of times until the turn is to be made. 
         [0005]    In many of these systems, however, little attention is given to, for example, crossroads along a route that are not taken as part of the route. For example, as a user approaches a particular turn along an audibly (but not visually) provided route, the user will typically only be given the instruction for when the turn occurs. In the audible-only systems, the user will not typically receive any data regarding roads along the route on which the user is not presently traveling or onto which the user is being instructed to turn. 
         [0006]    Even with visual-based systems, cross-road names may not be displayed, and the user is provided with little, if any, information regarding cross-roads, unless the user inadvertently turns on to one of those roads (thus making the road part of the “new” route). 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In a first illustrative embodiment, a computer-implemented method for road identification includes receiving a request at a vehicle computing system for a crossroad identification. The method also includes determining, via the vehicle computing system, a crossroad along a route-being-traveled corresponding to the request. Finally the method includes outputting, from the vehicle computing system to an output, the determined crossroad responsive to the request. 
         [0008]    In a second illustrative embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes determining, via a vehicle computing system (VCS), a classification of road on which a vehicle is traveling. The illustrative method also includes setting a crossroad identification level in the VCS based at least in part on the determined road classification. The method further includes receiving, at the VCS, a request for crossroad identification. 
         [0009]    The illustrative method also includes determining, via the VCS, a crossroad corresponding to the request and the set crossroad identification level. Finally the method includes outputting, from the VCS to an output, the determined crossroad. 
         [0010]    In a third illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes receiving programmed logic circuitry to receive a request at a vehicle computing system for a crossroad identification. The apparatus also includes determining programmed logic circuitry to determine, via the vehicle computing system, a crossroad along a route-being-traveled corresponding to the request. Finally, this apparatus includes outputting programmed logic circuitry to output, from the vehicle computing system to an output, the determined crossroad responsive to the request. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example block topology for a vehicle based computing system; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows an illustrative example of processing a user request for crossroad identification; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows an illustrative example of automatic provision of crossroad information for at least one category of road; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows an illustrative example of a system for dynamically presenting a level of crossroad information based on at least one predetermined condition. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example block topology for a vehicle based computing system  1  (VCS) for a vehicle  31 . An example of such a vehicle-based computing system  1  is the SYNC system manufactured by THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. A vehicle enabled with a vehicle-based computing system may contain a visual front end interface  4  located in the vehicle. The user may also be able to interact with the interface if it is provided, for example, with a touch sensitive screen. In another illustrative embodiment, the interaction occurs through, button presses, audible speech and speech synthesis. 
         [0016]    In the illustrative embodiment  1  shown in  FIG. 1 , a processor  3  controls at least some portion of the operation of the vehicle-based computing system. Provided within the vehicle, the processor allows onboard processing of commands and routines. Further, the processor is connected to both non-persistent  5  and persistent storage  7 . In this illustrative embodiment, the non-persistent storage is random access memory (RAM) and the persistent storage is a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. 
         [0017]    The processor is also provided with a number of different inputs allowing the user to interface with the processor. In this illustrative embodiment, a microphone  29 , an auxiliary input  25  (for input  33 ), a USB input  23 , a GPS input  24  and a BLUETOOTH input  15  are all provided. An input selector  51  is also provided, to allow a user to swap between various inputs. Input to both the microphone and the auxiliary connector is converted from analog to digital by a converter  27  before being passed to the processor. 
         [0018]    Outputs to the system can include, but are not limited to, a visual display  4  and a speaker  13  or stereo system output. The speaker is connected to an amplifier  11  and receives its signal from the processor  3  through a digital-to-analog converter  9 . Output can also be made to a remote BLUETOOTH device such as PND  54  or a USB device such as vehicle navigation device  60  along the bi-directional data streams shown at  19  and  21  respectively. 
         [0019]    In one illustrative embodiment, the system  1  uses the BLUETOOTH transceiver  15  to communicate  17  with a user&#39;s nomadic device  53  (e.g., cell phone, smart phone, PDA, or any other device having wireless remote network connectivity). The nomadic device can then be used to communicate  59  with a network  61  outside the vehicle  31  through, for example, communication  55  with a cellular tower  57 . In some embodiments, tower  57  may be a WiFi access point. 
         [0020]    Exemplary communication between the nomadic device and the BLUETOOTH transceiver is represented by signal  14 . 
         [0021]    Pairing a nomadic device  53  and the BLUETOOTH transceiver  15  can be instructed through a button  52  or similar input. Accordingly, the CPU is instructed that the onboard BLUETOOTH transceiver will be paired with a BLUETOOTH transceiver in a nomadic device. 
         [0022]    Data may be communicated between CPU  3  and network  61  utilizing, for example, a data-plan, data over voice, or DTMF tones associated with nomadic device  53 . Alternatively, it may be desirable to include an onboard modem  63  having antenna  18  in order to communicate  16  data between CPU  3  and network  61  over the voice band. The nomadic device  53  can then be used to communicate  59  with a network  61  outside the vehicle  31  through, for example, communication  55  with a cellular tower  57 . In some embodiments, the modem  63  may establish communication  20  with the tower  57  for communicating with network  61 . As a non-limiting example, modem  63  may be a USB cellular modem and communication  20  may be cellular communication. 
         [0023]    In one illustrative embodiment, the processor is provided with an operating system including an API to communicate with modem application software. The modem application software may access an embedded module or firmware on the BLUETOOTH transceiver to complete wireless communication with a remote BLUETOOTH transceiver (such as that found in a nomadic device). 
         [0024]    In another embodiment, nomadic device  53  includes a modem for voice band or broadband data communication. In the data-over-voice embodiment, a technique known as frequency division multiplexing may be implemented when the owner of the nomadic device can talk over the device while data is being transferred. At other times, when the owner is not using the device, the data transfer can use the whole bandwidth (300 Hz to 3.4 kHz in one example). 
         [0025]    If the user has a data-plan associated with the nomadic device, it is possible that the data-plan allows for broad-band transmission and the system could use a much wider bandwidth (speeding up data transfer). In still another embodiment, nomadic device  53  is replaced with a cellular communication device (not shown) that is installed to vehicle  31 . In yet another embodiment, the ND  53  may be a wireless local area network (LAN) device capable of communication over, for example (and without limitation), an 802.11g network (i.e., WiFi) or a WiMax network. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, incoming data can be passed through the nomadic device via a data-over-voice or data-plan, through the onboard BLUETOOTH transceiver and into the vehicle&#39;s internal processor  3 . In the case of certain temporary data, for example, the data can be stored on the HDD or other storage media  7  until such time as the data is no longer needed. 
         [0027]    Additional sources that may interface with the vehicle include a personal navigation device  54 , having, for example, a USB connection  56  and/or an antenna  58 ; or a vehicle navigation device  60 , having a USB  62  or other connection, an onboard GPS device  24 , or remote navigation system (not shown) having connectivity to network  61 . 
         [0028]    Further, the CPU could be in communication with a variety of other auxiliary devices  65 . These devices can be connected through a wireless  67  or wired  69  connection. Also, or alternatively, the CPU could be connected to a vehicle based wireless router  73 , using for example a WiFi  71  transceiver. This could allow the CPU to connect to remote networks in range of the local router  73 . Auxiliary device  65  may include, but are not limited to, personal media players, wireless health devices, portable computers, and the like. 
         [0029]    In a first illustrative embodiment, shown in  FIG. 2 , a vehicle navigation (or computing) system receives a request for identification of a crossroad along a route-being-traveled  201 . Although not necessary, the user may identify the request as a “next” crossroad request  203  or a “previous” crossroad request (e.g., without limitation, the crossroad most recently passed)  205 . 
         [0030]    In this illustrative embodiment, if no identification of “next” or “previous” is provided, then the system will assume that the user is requesting information regarding the next upcoming crossroad along the route  207 . 
         [0031]    Once it is determined for which crossroad the user is requesting information, a vehicle navigation system (or computing system, or off-board remote routing system, etc) may examine a pre-stored map to determine the requested crossroad information  209 . 
         [0032]    In this illustrative embodiment, the system provides the identification in two instances. First, in response to the query, regardless of the user&#39;s present location, the system identifies the requested crossroad  211  (in this embodiment the crossroad is identified upon request, although it is possible that identification to the user may be delayed until a later point). This identification can be done audibly or visually (assuming the system has display capability). Additionally, in this illustrative embodiment, if the request is for an upcoming crossroad  213 , then if (or once) the user is within a predetermined distance from the crossroad  215 , the identification will be repeated (or fixedly displayed)  217 . Once the user has passed the crossroad  219 , the identification ceases  221 . 
         [0033]    The repeating of the identification may be in the form of one or more audible prompts provided at some series of intervals, it may be an audible prompt provided once (for the second time), or it may be a persistent display on a visual map on a vehicle navigation display. Of course, such a secondary display/vocalization may also be omitted if desired. 
         [0034]    In one illustrative embodiment, if a visual display is available for use by the vehicle computing system, a requested crossroad name may be displayed in a highlighted or otherwise enhanced manner. Alternatively, the crossroad name may be displayed in a pop-up window, or otherwise distinguished from the general map data being displayed. Of course, the road name may also be displayed in conjunction with the road on the displayed map, such as being displayed along-side the road (or having an identifier from the road name pointing or connecting to the road). 
         [0035]    Finally, in this illustrative embodiment, once the road has been passed by the driver, the display is removed/ended  219  (or an enhanced display is rendered ordinary). This may aid the driver in keeping track of a present location on a map, especially if the level of the view is zoomed out to an extent where the vehicle position may not be readily apparent (due, for example, to the icon representing the vehicle remaining large whilst the display of streets past which the vehicle is traveling has been reduced and become somewhat crowded). 
         [0036]    In yet another illustrative example, discussed with more detail with respect to  FIG. 3 , a “level” of crossroad is set or otherwise determined to be the identification level. In such an embodiment, a request for an upcoming crossroad may (based on a dynamic or user-initiated setting) ignore certain roads and identify, for example, the next “major” (or other selected road level) crossroad. Similarly, in this scenario, the last “major” crossroad would be identified if a “previous” request was initiated. 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  shows an illustrative example of automatic provision of crossroad information for at least one category of road. In this illustrative embodiment, it is assumed that a system of road categorization is accessible by a determination engine (located, for example, without limitation, in a vehicle computing system, a remote server, etc.). For example, one common system of classification uses five categories for roads, based on the speed limits of the roads. Roads in a certain speed range fall into a particular classification. While not failproof, such a system will typically serve to distinguish major roads from smaller local streets, since speed limits tend to typically be slower on local streets. Other classification systems may also be applied, as desired. 
         [0038]    For example, in another illustrative embodiment, intersection classification may be available. Either using a ranking system as described above, classifications such as “traffic signal”, “traffic sign”, etc. or some other suitable system, a determination engine may be able to distinguish intersection types. 
         [0039]    Based on some determined system of classification, a user can set (or a system can dynamically select, as discussed with regards to  FIG. 4 ) a level of detail. For example, a user may only wish to know major crossroads in a given area. If a user is traveling, for example, in a car filled with distractions, such as noisy children, the user may not be able to focus on the navigation system during the trip. Thus, it may be useful, especially when traveling in an area that is somewhat known, to know when a major crossroad prior to a turn is reached. 
         [0040]    In this example, based on a user-request or a predefined setting (such as, but not limited to, “identify all crossroads of X type”), a user may be notified just prior to and/or just after crossing a crossroad of X type along a route. This may make it easier for a user to be aware that a turn is upcoming, without necessitating that the user focus solely on the navigation system. This may also be useful, for example, in hectic traffic, when weather conditions are somewhat obscuring the visibility along a route, when traveling at night, etc. 
         [0041]    Sometimes, a user will receive verbal instructions from a person at the destination as well e.g.—“we&#39;re the second right after Telegraph road”, and it may be useful to know when Telegraph road is reached so that the user can prepare to make a turn. The user may find this more useful than instructions from the GPS such as “turn right in three hundred meters”, especially if there are a densely packed network of small and/or poorly marked side streets following a major intersection. 
         [0042]    This information could similarly be useful if the destination is on the road on which the user is traveling, and the user knows that the destination is “just past Telegraph road on the right” for example. Thus, when Telegraph road is approached/reached/passed, the user can begin scanning the right-hand side of the road for a destination. Such information may be especially useful if the destination is in a strip mall or the like, where the GPS may only have an approximate, and not a precise, location available. 
         [0043]    In the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , a user presets a condition for crossroad notification  301 . As previously noted, this could be a road classification (or type), an intersection/traffic control feature notification (e.g., “name all crossroads having lights”, or the road type could be classified based on traffic control feature), or any other suitable variation between roads. Additionally or alternatively, the user could request that all crossroads be named/displayed. 
         [0044]    Once the road type has been set, a determination process (located onboard the vehicle or remotely) examines each crossroad  303 . If the crossroad qualifies for reporting  305 , then the system will display and/or announce the crossroad  307  in accordance with the available features and/or system settings. 
         [0045]    If a destination has been reached  309 , then the process ends. Similarly, if the user disables the feature  311 , then the process ends  313 . Otherwise, a next crossroad is examined as it is approached  303 . 
         [0046]    In this manner, the system can automatically report some types or all crossroads without requiring a user prompt. This is just one manner in which the process may be implemented. 
         [0047]    Next crossroads may be examined by the system at any distance from the crossroad, although the system may not elect to report the next crossroad until the user is within a certain distance of the crossroad (e.g., without limitation, a projected visible distance). Similarly, display/output of a particular crossroad may be ceased after the crossroad has been passed. 
         [0048]      FIG. 4  shows an illustrative example of a system for dynamically presenting a level of crossroad information based on at least one predetermined condition. 
         [0049]    In this illustrative embodiment, either automatic or per-request crossroad reporting may be enabled  401 . In this embodiment, the system has been instructed to filter crossroads based on dynamic conditions  403 . In one example, the filter is based at least in part on the road type on which the user is traveling. 
         [0050]    In this illustrative example, if the user is traveling on, for example, a highway, then it may be the case that only exit roads are announced/displayed (ignoring overpasses without exits). If the user exits the highway and passes into a suburban area, then the announcement/display may pass down to a surface street level (or at least a slower class of road than was previously announced/displayed). 
         [0051]    Whether the reporting is automatic or by request, the “next” or “previous” road that is reported is determined, in this illustrative example, by the classification filter. 
         [0052]    Once the filter has been enabled  403 , a decision process examines the type of road on which the user is presently traveling  405  and sets a level of output based on that road&#39;s classification  407 . Then, the process examines a next crossroad (or previous, if so requested) and determines if the next crossroad qualifies for output  409 . If the next crossroad does not qualify, the system checks to see if any crossroads remain between a present location and a final destination (assuming that further crossroads are to be output)  411 . If no crossroads remain, the process exits  413 . If crossroads remain, the process returns to examining a next crossroad  409 . 
         [0053]    If a crossroad qualifies for reporting, then the crossroad is output at an appropriate time  415  in a manner consistent with available features and/or vehicle settings. As with the previous cases, this can be a visual or audible output, and the system may cease/remove the output one the crossroad has been passed. 
         [0054]    In yet a further illustrative embodiment, a user may request notification when a specific crossroad is being approached. The requested crossroad can then be visually or audibly highlighted as the user approaches (or passes) the requested crossroad. 
         [0055]    Although the invention has been described in terms of illustrative embodiments, these are intended to provide examples and not to limit the scope of the invention.