Abstract:
A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an information display screen viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle. At least one camera is mounted at the vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle and is operable to capture image data. The information display screen is operable to display video images derived from image data captured by the at least one camera and the information display screen is operable to display other information. A capacitive touch sensor is actuatable by the driver of the vehicle, and the information display screen is operable to display at least the other information responsive to actuation by the driver of the vehicle of the capacitive touch sensor.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/187,888, filed Aug. 7, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,355,853, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/639,887, filed Dec. 15, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,412,328, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/407,395, filed Apr. 4, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,151,997, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/561,023, filed Apr. 28, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,308, which claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/131,593, filed on Apr. 29, 1999, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to a method of navigating and, in particular, to a method of navigating in a vehicle. More particularly, the invention is directed to a vehicle-based navigation system with smart map filtering, portable unit home-base registration, and multiple navigation system preferential use. 
         [0003]    Position locators, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, signal triangulation receivers, compass-based systems, and inertial navigation systems, and the like, have become common in electronic devices, in general, and are particularly used in vehicles. The popularity of such systems is driven by consumer demand, low-cost electronics, and federal legislation which dictates that certain devices, such as cellular telephones, have position-locating capabilities. Position-locating technology is frequently used with mapping programs which provide map data, and the like, to aid in the determination of location and direction. Other related data, such as restaurants, shopping centers, street names, and scenic sites, often accompanies the map data. In addition to cellular telephones and vehicle-based installations, position locators may be included with other portable devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). 
         [0004]    The widespread use of devices having position locators has caused certain redundancies to occur. For example, a consumer may have a position locator in his/her cellular telephone, PDA, or the like, and a position locator as a part of a vehicle-based navigation system. Indeed, it is expected that, in the future, vehicles will include a port which holds a portable device, such as a cellular telephone or a PDA, when the vehicle is in use and the portable device is removed when the occupant leaves the vehicle. 
         [0005]    Map data from a map database is useful with a position locator in order to aid in the determination of location and/or direction. It is common to reside the map database, in whole or in part, in a vehicle-based storage device. For example, the map database could be provided on a CD ROM device which is useful with a CD reader included with the vehicle-based navigation system. Alternatively, a portion of a database could be downloaded to a local memory such as a flashcard at the beginning of a journey for use with that journey. All such devices require physical manipulation of a data storage media in order to transfer the map database to the vehicle. Such manual manipulation could be eliminated by residing the map database externally of the vehicle and transferring map data and related data to the vehicle on a real-time basis, such as over a communication link, which may be in the form of an RF communication channel. The problem with such systems is that the extent of the data transfer requirements would overwhelm the bandwidth capabilities of commercially available communication links. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a smart map filtering method according to the invention; 
           [0007]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are diagrams of a portable unit with home-base registration; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of a multiple navigation system with preferential use; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a diagram of a geographic area in which data is provided in relationship to the direction of vehicle travel; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of a dynamic train crossing control system; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of a control system for a hybrid vehicle in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0012]    Referring now specifically to the drawings, and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein,  FIG. 1  describes a method of navigating that utilizes an adaptive system  10  utilizing smart map filtering that includes a vehicle-based navigation system  13  and a communication link  14 , preferably a wireless link such as via radio frequency (RF) or microwave telecommunication, between vehicle  12  and a map database  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, map database  16  is located remote from vehicle  12 . Vehicle  12  is a road transportation vehicle such as an automobile, bus, truck or van. Communication link  14 , which is a two-way link, includes communication of map data from database  16  to vehicle  12 , as illustrated at  14   a,  and communication of information such as speed information from vehicle  12  to database  16 , as represented by  14   b.  Various information can be communicated from vehicle  12  to database  16  and from database  16  to vehicle  12 . Such information can include identification of the driver or vehicle (for example, that the vehicle is part of a particular rental fleet or that the driver is a subscriber to the remote service provider of database  16 ), authorization for the driver or vehicle to access database  16 , payment by the driver/vehicle to access or transact with database  16 , information on the language/dialect understood by the driver and desired communication from database  16  to vehicle  12 , credit information, and the like. Such information communicated from vehicle  12  to remote database  16  can include the geographic location of the vehicle, its velocity and heading while traveling on a road, its altitude above sea level, its inclination, and the type of vehicle and its equipment level so that the data sent from database  16  to vehicle  12  is appropriate for the level/model of equipment/display in the vehicle. Such information communicated from vehicle  12  to remote database  16  can also include a request/preference by the driver for a particular level of map detail/area display/detail density and the like. Map data transferred from database  16  to vehicle  12 , such as at  14   a , preferably has a particular resolution determined, most preferably, by driver preference and/or by driver authorization and/or by driver experience and/or by driver payment and/or by equipment/display capability in the vehicle and/or by vehicle velocity and/or by vehicle location and/or by vehicle heading and/or by vehicle type or model. Map data resolution establishes the capability of distinguishing individual features of the map segment. In particular, higher resolution map data includes more details, such as individual city streets and landmarks; whereas, coarser resolution map data may include fewer details, such as only thoroughfares, interstate highways, and exit information. The skilled artisan would understand that there is a wide range of information that could be encompassed within the definition of map data resolution. Map data may include related data, such as restaurants, shopping centers, street names, and the like. The display of map data to the driver is thus adaptive to the particular driving condition at the moment of display, and the resolution of the data displayed is a dynamic function of vehicle and personal parameters. Thus, the resolution and/or detail of information displayed to and/or presented to (such as audibly) the driver located within the interior cabin of the vehicle can dynamically adapt in accordance with a vehicle parameter of the vehicle, such as vehicle speed or location or model or equipment type or heading/direction of travel or vehicle authorization, or in accordance with a personal parameter of a person such as of an occupant of the vehicle such as of the driver and/or of a passenger (such as driver/occupant identity, driver/occupant preference for a particular level of information resolution and/or detail such as might be manually input or such as might be stored in a memory in the vehicle, driver authorization, driver credit, driver national identity, driver linguistic, and the like), and in accordance with a driving condition at a particular time and/or at a particular location. 
         [0013]    In operation, vehicle-based navigation system  13  conveys speed data, and/or other information as described above, to map database  16 . Map database  16  loads map data at a resolution that, preferably, varies inversely with vehicle speed. In particular, if a vehicle is traveling at a relatively high speed, such as along a highway (such as a rural highway), map database  16  would download information along that highway at a relatively coarse resolution. For example, the map data may include exits off of the highway, but not include details of the local streets. It is possible to superimpose related data, such as restaurant information, along each of the exits of the expressway. When vehicle  12  approaches a city or residential area, the location of the vehicle is identified by vehicle-based navigation system  13  (that, for example, can be in-vehicle GPS system that includes a GPS antenna), this is transmitted to the remote database, the vehicle&#39;s proximity to an urban center/area is recognized by remote database  16  and, therefore, the proximity of the vehicle to a city/residential zone automatically causes map database  16  to download map data at a finer resolution. Thus, a dynamic map resolution function is provided to the system. Such dynamic map resolution function can be responsive to a variety of vehicle conditions and/or driver preferences/authorizations. These include vehicle location (for example, traveling on a rural highway or on a city/residential highway, whether slowing down to approach an exit on a highway or upon exiting a highway, whether speeding up upon entering a highway via an entry ramp, whether slowing down or speeding up upon entering or exiting a residential area, and the like). Therefore, for example, the map database may download map data of local streets in an area, for example, a three mile radius around the vehicle, when the vehicle is traveling at a relatively slow speed commensurate with city driving or when the vehicle is stopped. This is based upon a recognition that both the rate of vehicle travel and the detail required vary as a function of vehicle speed, and/or other factors as described above. When, for example, vehicle  12  approaches a city or residential area and slows down, system  10 , recognizing the geographic location of the vehicle and recognizing its proximity to a city or residential area, and recognizing that the vehicle has slowed down (system  10  can deduce this by interpretation of GPS data from the vehicle and/or for a speed sensor transducer in the vehicle that provides a signal and/or data to system  10  indicative of the speed of vehicle  12 ), can cause the download of data from map database  16 , and its display to the driver in the vehicle cabin, to be of a finer resolution so as to display map details such as more side streets, intersections, buildings, etc., than when the vehicle had been traveling faster. Likewise, when system  10  recognizes that vehicle  12  is approaching a desired highway ingress or exit ramp, a finer map resolution than previously can be displayed. 
         [0014]    By varying the resolution of data with a vehicle parameter of the vehicle, such as vehicle speed or location or model or equipment type or heading/direction of travel or vehicle authorization, or by varying the resolution of data with a personal parameter of a person such as of an occupant of the vehicle such as of the driver and/or of a passenger (such as driver identity, driver/occupant preference for a particular level of map resolution such as might be manually input or such as might be stored in a memory in the vehicle, driver authorization, driver credit, driver national identity, driver linguistic, and the like), the information displayed to the driver can dynamically adapt to best suit the driver&#39;s needs at a particular moment and/or for a particular driving condition. Also, the capability of the data bandwidth over communication link  14  may remain substantially constant. The faster the vehicle travels, the larger the circle of geographic area in which data is provided and the less the data density becomes. In order to increase the available information to the user, it may be desirable to make the information coverage area biased in the direction of travel of the vehicle. For example, information coverage area may be configured, presented or deformed into a forward-facing shape, such as a cone K, with the majority of the data area in the direction of vehicle travel ( FIG. 4 ). This provides more data forward of the vehicle, where the information will likely be useful while providing some data in the area in which the vehicle has already traveled, if desired. 
         [0015]    The resolution of map data presented by system  10  to the driver can also provide an indication or a warning to the driver that a decision point or desired destination is being approached. For example, if a driver is traveling in a vehicle along a highway and is within a predetermined distance (such as 3 miles) from the desired final destination (or required turn), the map resolution displayed by system  10  can then automatically adjust to a higher resolution in order both to alert the driver of the imminence of a decision point and to provide the necessary map information to guide the driver. Alternatively, if the driver does not need to make any turns, maneuvers, or the like, a coarser map resolution can be provided. Also, since cruise control is usually selected only when traveling above a slow speed and when turns and the like are not anticipated, selection of cruise control of the vehicle speed (by the driver or automatically by an adaptive cruise control system), as conventionally known in the art, can optionally set the resolution of map detail displayed to the driver from the in-vehicle navigational system to a lower resolution (coarser detail) and disengagement of the cruise control by the driver can cause the resolution of the display of map detail to the driver from the in-vehicle navigational system to change to a higher resolution (finer detail) than when cruise control was engaged. 
         [0016]    Also, and optionally, other vehicle functions can dynamically adapt under control of a system such as system  10  of  FIG. 1 . For example, a dynamic vehicle function can be provided for a hybrid-powered vehicle (that is equipped with both electric power and non-electric power such as internal combustion power for propulsion). When the in-vehicle navigational system  13  detects that the vehicle  12  is approaching an urban area or is leaving a highway to enter a residential area, the propulsion of the vehicle can be changed from internal combustion drive  18   a  to electric drive  18   b  ( FIG. 6 ). Also, should an adaptive system such as system  10  estimate that the distance to the desired target destination will exceed the electric power capacity of the electric drive system  18   b  of the hybrid vehicle  12 , then the drive can be automatically shifted to non-electric drive  18   a.  Similarly, should the vehicle be equipped with a 2/4-wheel drive system such as an all-wheel drive as known in the art, a system such as system  10  can determine to shift from 4-wheel drive to 2-wheel drive dependent on inputs to system  10  from sensors in the vehicle of vehicle speed, direction, traction, loading, inclination and from GPS-derived information as to vehicle location, heading, the type of road being traveled on, altitude, and the like, as well as other vehicle parameters and personal parameters such as the type of vehicle, experience of the driver, etc. Similarly, the traction of a vehicle and/or the suspension of the vehicle can be dynamically adapted dependent on a vehicle parameter and/or a personal parameter to suit a particular driving condition/location. Thus, for example, and referring to  FIG. 1 , should vehicle  12  be driving on a road during a snow/ice condition, then database  16 , knowing the geographic location of vehicle  12  by wireless communication from vehicle  12  to database  16  of the vehicle&#39;s instantaneous location as determined by in-vehicle navigational system  13 , and database  16  knowing the local weather conditions at that location (or, alternately, database  16  linking to a data source to provide this local weather information) and recognizing that local icing conditions exist, database  16  can communicate back via wireless communication (via an RF link or a microwave link or a radio link) control data to vehicle  12  to set a parameter of the vehicle, such as traction, suspension, tire pressure, or the like, to a condition that best suits driving at that location and experiencing that particular weather condition. 
         [0017]    Further, and optionally, database  16  of system  10  can be loaded/programmed with specific driving instructions that then guide/direct the driver to desired destinations. Thus, should a driver frequently make a particular journey, or have found a particularly preferred route, then this can be stored in database  16  for retrieval and use by that driver whenever desired. Also, should a driver require directions to a particular remote location such as a hotel in a remote location from, for example, the driver&#39;s home, then that hotel can communicate the desired directions/route to database  16 , and the driver can then access these when making the journey from his/her home to that hotel. Thus, a preprogrammed direction function is provided to system  10 . 
         [0018]    The present invention further includes a dynamic traffic control function wherein the geographic position and heading of a plurality of vehicles is dynamically provided to a traffic control center, and based on the information provided by wireless communication by, preferably, many hundreds to thousands of vehicles to the traffic control center regarding traffic location and individual vehicle direction/travel intent, then traffic control elements such as traffic lights, speed limits, traffic signs, and the like, can be set dynamically in accordance with dynamic traffic conditions in a locality. Thus, for example, data from such as system  10  of  FIG. 1  could be wirelessly communicated to a traffic control center, and vehicle  12 , in turn, could receive data back from the traffic control center (via wireless communication) updating on local traffic conditions and/or causing database  16  to display in vehicle  12  the least traffic-congested route to the destination desired by the driver/in the local area of the vehicle. 
         [0019]    Also, emergency vehicles such as police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, and the like, can communicate via wireless communication to a vehicle such as vehicle  12  causing an alert (such as an audible alert or a visual alert such as an icon or display) being set off within the vehicle cabin alerting the driver to make way for the emergency vehicle. Also, the location of the emergency site can be communicated to database  16 , and any route displayed therefrom in the vehicle cabin can be adjusted to guide the driver of vehicle  12  away from the location of the emergency event, if in his/her line of intended travel. Thus, vehicle  12  is guided away from the emergency event, thus avoiding potential traffic congestion for vehicle  12 , and potential traffic impediment for the emergency vehicle seeking to reach the emergency event. 
         [0020]    Also, database  16  such as in system  10  can automatically alert the driver when approaching a train crossing, and so help prevent train-vehicle collisions. Further, most if not all locomotives are equipped with a GPS system and they are in wireless communication with a train system control center. This present invention includes a dynamic train crossing control system which, upon identifying that a train is approaching a particular train rail/road crossing that crosses a particular road, communicates the imminent approach to (or crossing of) that particular road/rail track crossing by a train (by wireless telecommunication) to database  16  (or alternately, directly to vehicle  12  such as via an ONSTAR® link to that vehicle) which, in turn, alerts the driver of the train crossing event should system  10  determine that vehicle  12  is on a route that will intersect with that train as it crosses that particular train crossing. By a display and/or alarm in vehicle  12  being alerted by system  10  (such as by sounding an audible alert or providing a visual alert such as a warning display in vehicle  12 , such as at interior mirror assembly  19 ) of the train rail/road crossing event that will imminently occur or that is actually occurring in the path of vehicle  12 , the driver of vehicle  12  can take appropriate action to avoid any collision. Should the driver of vehicle  12  fail to take heed of the train approaching the crossing in the path of vehicle  12 , then this can be communicated back to the train (by wireless communication), providing a potential opportunity for the train driver to take action to avoid a train-vehicle collision. 
         [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates a dynamic train crossing control system  50  of the present invention. Train  54  (that is equipped with a navigational system  56 , preferably a GPS system, that can identify the location, direction and/or speed of train  54 ) is traveling in direction  76  towards rail/road crossing  52  on rail track  62 . Vehicle  58  (that is equipped with a navigational system  60 , preferably a GPS system, that can identify the location, direction and/or speed of vehicle  58 ) is traveling in direction  78 , also towards rail/road crossing  52 . As train  54  approaches crossing  52 , a train locator signal  66  (derived from navigational system  56  that functions as a position locator for the train) is wirelessly transmitted to a train control center  68 . Train control center  68 , in turn, transmits an alert signal  70  to telematic center  72  (that, for example, is an ONSTAR® service provider or a Web site or a computer site, or an intelligent highway control center or a traffic control center), preferably by wireless transmission. As vehicle  58  approaches crossing  52 , a vehicle locator signal  79  (derived from navigational system  60  that functions as a position locator for the vehicle) is wirelessly transmitted to telematic center  72 . Telematic center  72 , knowing of the imminent arrival of train  54  at crossing  52 , transmits by wireless communication a train approach signal  74  to vehicle  58  in order to alert the driver of the vehicle that a train is approaching the rail/road crossing ahead. A signal device, such as an audible alarm or a visual display/icon, is activated in the vehicle to alert the driver to the situation. Also, telematic center  72 , optionally, can transmit a signal  80  to train control center  68  alerting it to the imminent approach of vehicle  58  to crossing  52 . A signal  76  is thereupon transmitted from train control center  68  to train  54  to alert the train driver of the approach of a vehicle to the crossing ahead. 
         [0022]    Variations on this system are possible, while still remaining within the scope of the present invention. For example, train  54  can transmit data directly to telematic center  72  and/or receive data directly from telematic center  72 . Also, optionally, vehicle  58  can transmit data to train control center  68  and/or receive data directly from train control center  68 . Further, the system illustrated in  FIG. 5  can be utilized to control traffic approach to any form of intersection besides a rail/road intersection. For example, a road traffic control system can utilize the concepts described above to dynamically control operation of traffic lights at an intersection, or to operate a drawbridge. Also, a telematic service, such as ONSTAR®, can receive either directly from a train, or as a feed from a train control center such as AMTRAC operate, the location of a train as it travels on a track, and the telematic service can then provide a train crossing alert as an extra feature to the features currently conventionally provided to drivers linked in their vehicles to the remote telematic service. Given the frequent occurrence of train/vehicle collisions, addition of this novel feature will assist road safety, and enhance the value of telematic services such as ONSTAR® and RESCU™. 
         [0023]    Thus, it is seen that map data is provided which is useful to the vehicle operator for the particular operating environment of the vehicle and/or the particular driver needs or preferences or the level of authorization allowed/payment made. As will be apparent to the skilled artisan, other parameters, besides vehicle speed, could be utilized. For example, the manual input could be provided to allow the driver to select the resolution of data desired. Other selection techniques may suggest themselves to the skilled artisan. 
         [0024]    In another vehicle-based navigation system  20  ( FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b ), a vehicle  22  includes a navigation system  24 , such as a GPS. A portable device  26  is removably coupled with vehicle  22  through a communication port  28 . Coupling of portable device  26  with vehicle  22  is preferably by radio-frequency link, infra-red link, radio link or satellite link, or any combination thereof. Portable device  26  additionally includes a position locator  30  which establishes the position of portable device  26 . For example portable device  26  may comprise a cellular hand-held mobile phone that is equipped with a position locator circuit/feature that identifies the geographical location from which a phone call or communication link is being made using that cellular phone. When portable device  26  is removed from port  28 , such as when the occupant leaves vehicle  22 , an optional communication link  32  provides data exchanged between portable unit  26  in vehicle  22  in a manner which will be described below. Examples of docking techniques and dockable accessories and of portable devices are disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 09/449,121 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,172, patent application Ser. No. 60/199,676, filed Apr. 21, 2000, and patent application Ser. No. 09/466,010 filed Dec. 17, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,975, the disclosures of which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0025]    In operation, while portable unit  26  is engaged with port  28 , such as during operation of the vehicle, the position of vehicle  22  may be stored (such as in an electronic digital memory) within portable unit  26  when portable unit  26  is disconnected from port  28 . Thereafter, the location of vehicle  22  is retained in portable unit  26  as a “home-base.” This allows the user to always be able to locate his/her vehicle when away from the vehicle. Thus, the present invention includes providing a vehicle location identifier function that allows the driver find the location of the vehicle when it is parked, and when the driver is returning to the parked vehicle. This function is especially useful in congested areas, such as urban areas, parking lots, and the like. If portable unit  26  is coupled with vehicle  22  through a communication link  32  (such as a wireless communication such as telematic links such as are described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/449,121 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,172, and patent application Ser. No. 09/466,010 filed Dec. 17, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,975, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), then vehicle-based navigation system  24  can communicate map data over communication link  32  to portable unit  26 . Communication link  32  could be a radio-link, such as that provided by a cellular telephone, such as the radio-link feature supplied by the Nextel system. In this manner, portable unit  26  can receive high resolution information, such as map data from vehicle  22 , and such received information can be displayed to the holder of the portable unit via a display device or via voice generation. 
         [0026]    If combined with navigation system  10 , navigation system  20  may operate as follows. When vehicle  22  becomes stopped, map data downloaded from map database  16  will typically be of a fine resolution in the area immediately surrounding vehicle  22 , such as, for example, a three mile radius around the vehicle. This data may then be communicated to portable unit  26  through port  28 . Therefore, as the user removes portable unit  26  from port  28  and travels from the vehicle, the user will have fine resolution map data in an area typically within walking distance of vehicle  22 . Should, however, the user get on a mass transit mode of transportation, the user may travel outside of the range of map data loaded in portable unit  26 . When the user exits the mass transit, new high resolution map data can be downloaded to vehicle  22  over communication link  14   a  from map database  16  and over communication link  32  to portable unit  26 . Alternatively, if the map database resides in vehicle  22 , then the fine resolution data could be communicated from the vehicle-based database over communication channel  32  to portable unit  26 . Navigation system  20  facilitates communication between portable unit  26  and vehicle  22  in a manner which minimizes bandwidth requirements, thereby enhancing battery life of the portable device. In addition, the communication between the vehicle and the portable device can be used for additional features, such as monitoring the security of the vehicle while parked. For example, portable device  26  can include an audible and/or visible alarm that that alerts if the vehicle security system has been activated. The user of portable device  26 , typically the intended driver of the parked vehicle, can then choose to either remotely deactivate the vehicle alarm by wireless communication back to the parked vehicle, or can choose to take an action in response to the security alert broadcast wirelessly from the parked vehicle to the mobile portable device  26  (which can be a personal digital assistant, a portable computer, a laptop computer, a palm computer, a notebook computer, a pager, a cellular phone, or the like), such as contacting a security service or the police. Such portable devices preferably incorporate digital computing technology. Optionally, the user of the portable device can choose to broadcast wirelessly back to the parked vehicle a disable code that disables operation of the vehicle, and so help obviate theft. In addition to map database information, navigation system  20  can download related data to portable unit  26  over communication channel  32 , such as scenic site information, restaurant information, shopping information, street names, and the like. 
         [0027]    It is common for vehicle navigation system  24  to be a GPS  24 . Such vehicle-based GPS navigation system is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,552, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, and commonly assigned provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/187,960 filed Mar. 9, 2000, and provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/192,721 filed Mar. 27, 2000, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. It is also common for portable units, such as unit  26 , to utilize signal triangulation position location system technology which is especially used in cellular telephones. In certain situations, such as in urban areas among buildings, parking structures, and the like, GPS navigation systems may lose a continuous signal. Under other circumstances, navigation system  30  in portable unit  26  may lose signal. Accordingly, and referring to  FIG. 3 , a multiple position locator vehicular navigation system  40  having preferential use includes a first position locator  42  and a second position locator  44 . First position locator  42  may be a vehicle-based navigation system, such as a GPS-based system  24 . Second position locator  44  may be a different type of navigation system, such as navigation system  30  with portable device  26 . A control  46  compares the outputs of position locators  42 ,  44  and determines which position locator is producing the best output. The best output may be a continuous output, a higher accuracy output, or some other quantitative parameter. Control  46  combines the outputs giving preference to the position locator  42 ,  44  providing the highest quality output. In this manner, with portable unit  26  connected with port  28 , vehicle navigation system  20  is less likely to lose navigational signals because the conditions under which navigation system  24  may lose a continuous signal should be different than the conditions under which navigation system  30  loses signal. While navigation system  40  may best be utilized with different types of position-locating devices, it may also be utilized when both position-locating devices utilize the same sensing technology, such as a GPS or the like. 
         [0028]    In a further aspect of this present invention, the display of information in a road transportation vehicle, such as map and/or directional data presented to the driver and/or other vehicle cabin occupants, by a display device within the vehicle cabin (preferably a display device such as a video screen located at, on or within the interior rearview mirror assembly such as described in provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/186,520 filed Mar. 1, 2000) includes a dynamic zoom function. Conventionally, many commercially available navigation systems show a standard view (such as a local area with streets, cross-streets and the like) with, often, additional control means (such as manual input controls or voice-activated controls) to zoom in or zoom out of a particular level of detail. Often the level of detail provided, and the options thereto, are inadequate or inappropriate for navigation, and can serve as a distraction to the driver. The dynamic map resolution of the present invention provides an automatic, hands-free dynamic zoom capability to the GPS display (or any other display) in the vehicle cabin. In accordance with the present invention, the distraction of the driver is alleviated by providing a dynamic resolution function whereby the resolution of mapping information (or any other type of information being displayed to an occupant of the vehicle such as the driver) is automatically adjusted in accordance with a vehicle parameter and/or a personal parameter applicable at a particular moment/driving condition/driving location so that the information provided is dynamically adjusted to meet the needs of a particular driving task. The data presentation being dynamic, the type of information, such as the level of map information, is varied throughout the total drive. 
         [0029]    Also, the map database, such as map base  16  shown in  FIG. 1 , and which is accessed by wireless communication from a vehicle, such as vehicle  12  of  FIG. 1 , can be of various types. For example, it can be part of a telematic service provided by or accessed via a vehicular wireless communication system such as ONSTAR® from General Motors of Detroit, Mich., or RESCU™ from Ford Motor Company of Detroit, Mich. The map database may be a site on the World-Wide Web, accessed from the vehicle via two-way telecommunication with (and linkage to) the INTERNET, such a by telematic access from the vehicle to a map direction Web site such as is at www.mapquest.com. Optionally, the map database can be stored on a dedicated computer, such as a company computer or a personal computer, and with telematic access thereto being provided to and from the vehicle. 
         [0030]    Preferably, display of data within the vehicle cabin received from a remote provider such as map database  16  of  FIG. 1  is at/on/within or local to the interior rearview mirror assembly such as interior rearview mirror assembly  19  shown in  FIG. 1 . For example, and referring to  FIG. 2   a , a mirror-mounted display  25  (such as disclosed in provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/187,960 filed Mar. 9, 2000) can be located at the interior mirror assembly  29  of vehicle  22 . Suitable displays are disclosed in application Ser. No. 09/466,010 filed Dec. 17, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,975, and in application Ser. No. 09/396,179 filed Sep. 14, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,377, Ser. No. 09/382,720 filed Aug. 25, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,003, Ser. No. 09/449,121 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,172, Ser. No. 09/433,467 filed Nov. 4, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,613, Ser. No. 09/448,700 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,925, in commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 09/449,121 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,172, provisional application Ser. No. 60/187,960 filed Mar. 9, 2000, and provisional application Ser. No. 60/192,721, filed Mar. 27, 2000, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0031]    Also, the interior mirror assembly can include various accessories or functions such as in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,959,367 and 6,000,823, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. The in-vehicle components such as in system  10  of  FIG. 1  can be linked by wired connection or by wireless connection such as IR wireless communication or RF communication [such as using the BLUETOOTH protocol such as is available from Motorola of Schaumberg, Ill.], and as disclosed in provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/187,960 filed Mar. 9, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Preferably, linkage of the in-vehicle components of system  10  is at least partially, and preferably substantially, via linkage to a vehicle bus system or network such as a CAN or LIN system such as disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/196,577, filed Mar. 31, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0032]    Optionally, rearview mirror assembly  19  includes at least one map/reading/courtesy light, most preferably comprising a non-incandescent lamp such as a light-emitting diode (LED) array (most preferably, each such array comprising at least one, and more preferably a plurality of at least two, white light-emitting diodes such as are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/249,979 titled “Lighting Device for Motor Vehicles” by Peter Furst and Harald Buchalla, filed Feb. 1999, and assigned to Donnelly Hohe GMBH &amp; CO, KG, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,590, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein). Suitable white light-emitting diodes are available from Nichia America Corp. of Mountville, Pa.under the trade designation Nichia NSPW500BS, 5.6 C. P. White. Preferably, such mirror-mounted map lights comprise a removable combined flashlight/map light that uses at least one white light-emitting LED light source, more preferably at least two white light-emitting LED light sources, and most preferably at least three white light-emitting LED light sources as the lamp for illumination purposes, and such as is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/449,121 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,172, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Other non-incandescent light sources can be used for mirror-mounted lights (both interior rearview mirror assembly-mounted illuminators and exterior sideview mirror assembly-mounted illuminators). For example, fluorescent light sources such as cold-cathode fluorescent lamps can be used. 
         [0033]    Alternately, luminescent light sources such as comprising an inorganic electroluminescent light source or, preferably, an organic electroluminescent light source can be used in map/reading/courtesy lighting in automotive rearview mirror assemblies and in security lighting/ground illumination and signal lighting in exterior sideview mirror assemblies. Also, a laser light source, or a multiple-laser light source can be used for illumination from automotive mirror assemblies, such as for map, reading and/or courtesy lighting at, in or on an interior rearview mirror assembly or for security lighting/ground illumination lighting from, or signal lighting from, an exterior sideview mirror assembly. Laser lighting can also be used to provide illumination for vehicle-mounted cameras, such as back-up cameras or forward-facing cameras or interior cabin monitoring cameras such as baby monitoring cameras such as are disclosed in provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/186,520, filed Mar. 1, 2000, application Ser. No. 09/466,010 filed Dec. 17, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,975, and application Ser. No. 09/396,179 filed Sep. 14, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,377, Ser. No. 09/382,720 filed Aug. 25, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,003, Ser. No. 09/449,121 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,172, Ser. No. 09/433,467 filed Nov. 4, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,613, and Ser. No. 09/448,700 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,925, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0034]    For night vision purposes (such as with forward-facing cameras or when viewing a child at night in a darkened vehicle cabin or trapped in a darkened vehicle trunk compartment), use of near-infrared light-emitting sources, and in particular near-IR emitting LEDs and lasers, is desirable in order to provide illumination for a night-viewing camera while avoiding glaring with visible light, as disclosed in commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 08/952,026 filed Nov. 19, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,620, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Where multiple laser sources are used, the light output of lasers emitting light of different non-white colors (for example, three blue emitting lasers and three amber lasers) can be combined to illuminate with metameric white light such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,579 to Turnbull et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,483 to Schoniger et al., the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Such laser automotive lighting, and preferably white-light laser lighting, can be used in a variety of automotive lighting applications besides mirror-mounted lighting, such as laser-lighted automotive vanity mirrors, dome lights, parking lights, CHMSL lights, reversing lights, running board lights, side marker lights, turn signal lights, brake lights, fog lights, taillights, rail lamps, headlights, spotlights, ashtray lights, trunk compartment lights, storage compartment lights, console lights, and the like. Also, optionally and preferably, a light pipe and/or optical elements such as lenses, diffusers and reflectors can be used in conjunction with a laser light source, preferably a white-light producing laser source, in order to distribute/project light within or out from the vehicle, and/or to expand or direct/project the laser-generated light beam. Most preferably, at least one diffractive optical element is used in conjunction with an automotive laser light source. 
         [0035]    Vehicle  12  as shown in  FIG. 1  preferably includes a voice acquisition system, a voice recognition system and/or a voice generation system, such as are described in application Ser. No. 09/466,010 filed Dec. 17, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,975, and application Ser. No. 09/396,179 filed Sep. 14, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,377, Ser. No. 09/382,720 filed Aug. 25, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,003, Ser. No. 09/449,121 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,172, Ser. No. 09/433,467 filed Nov. 4, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,613, Ser. No. 09/448,700 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,925, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Preferably, mirror  19  includes a digital sound processing system comprising multiple microphones and a digital signal processor. Most preferably, vehicle  12  is also equipped with a vehicular language translation system. Such a language translation system is capable of receiving data intended for display or play back in a particular language (for example, English), and converting this data to a different language (for example, German), and displaying and/or audibly voice generating that data in that different language. Thus, for example, a German-speaking tourist renting a vehicle in Chicago, USA could have the data from a map database (or any other source of information/data) translated from English to German by that tourist activating the German translation function of the language translation system in the vehicle. Preferably, the language translation system in the vehicle includes a wireless telecommunication link to a translation service remote from the vehicle. Preferably, at least the microphone of the language translation system is mounted at, on, within or local to the interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. Most preferably, the voice acquisition for the vehicular language translation system is located at the interior mirror assembly, such as is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/466,010 filed Dec. 17, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,975, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Thus, most preferably, the vehicle-based input to such a system and/or other in-vehicle components useful in the present invention are located at, within or on the interior rearview mirror assembly (which may be of the prismatic-type or of the electro-optic type, preferably an electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly). Preferred modes of data input to an interior mirror assembly (useful with any of the systems of the present invention) are disclosed in commonly assigned applications Ser. No. 60/192,721, filed Mar. 27, 2000, and Ser. No. 09/448,700 filed Nov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,925, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0036]    Optionally, and such as described in U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/192,721, filed Mar. 27, 2000, incorporated above, a user input may comprise a touch sensitive element, such as a capacitive type or a resistive type or an inductive type such as are known in the touch panel arts, such disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,798,370; 4,198,539; 4,661,655; 4,731,508; 4,822,957; and 5,045,644. Also, the touch inputs do not necessarily require physical contact between the driver&#39;s finger and the touch sensitive element. Close approach of the driver&#39;s finger to the touch sensitive surface may suffice to achieve a touch input. This can thus be by non-contacting input or by contacting input by a variety of means such as thermal or pyro detection, capacitive or inductive detection, resistive sensing, electromagnetic disturbance sensing or the like. Optionally, a reading of the fingerprint of the person touching the mirror reflector can be taken to verify identity of the person and so authorize particular actions in response (such as turning on the engine, conducting a remote banking transaction, identifying a person for the purpose of setting vehicle accessories such as seat position, mirror position, climate control, audio system controls, ride system, and the like to the particular setting preferred by that individual person such as is common in vehicle memory systems). 
         [0037]    The touch sensitive element can comprise a transparent conductive coating or stack of coatings, such as of indium tin oxide, tin oxide, doped tin oxide, doped zinc oxide, or any other transparent conductor coating or stack known in the touch screen arts, and can be part of a 4-wire system or a 5-wire system as such are known in the touch screen art, or can be a capacitive-type touch screen. 
         [0038]    The reflective element of the interior rearview mirror may include a touch sensitive portion on its front surface. Thus, for example, the driver can reach up and touch one of “TELEMATICS,” “BABY VIEW,” “REVERSE AID,” “STOCK QUOTES,” “PAY TOLL,” “SAFETY WARNING,” “COMP/TEMP DATA,” “SERVICE” in order to activate and/or inquire of a particular function or item. Using prompts displayed to the driver by the display element, the driver can use touch inputs to move between items or page between menu pages. 
         [0039]    Also, the present invention includes an adaptive vehicular telecommunication system that includes providing a position locator and remote data source (and with the remote data source such as a map database provided from a site external to the vehicle and in wireless communication with the vehicle), determining at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter, and transferring data from the remote data source to the vehicle at a resolution that is a function of at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter. Also, the present invention includes an adaptive vehicular telecommunication system that includes providing a position locator and remote data source (and with the remote data source such as a map database provided from a site external to the vehicle and in wireless communication with the vehicle), determining at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter, transferring data from the remote data source to the vehicle, and displaying that transferred data within that vehicle at a resolution that is a function of at least one of a vehicle parameter and a personal parameter. The adaptive vehicular telecommunication system of the present invention displays data within the vehicle such as, most preferably, at an interior mirror assembly-mounted display; or at a display mounted at, on, within or proximate to the instrument panel of the vehicle or mounted at a roof portion of the vehicle such as a header console; or as a heads-up display, preferably a heads-up video display viewable by looking forward through the front windshield of the vehicle. The adaptive vehicular telecommunication system of the present invention displays the data within the vehicle with a display characteristic (such as display resolution, display detail, display brightness, and the like) that is a function of at least a navigational characteristic of the vehicle (such as the geographic location of the vehicle or the directional heading of the vehicle or the altitude of the vehicle) as determined by an in-vehicle navigation system (preferably a GPS system). 
         [0040]    Preferably, the adaptive vehicular telecommunication system of the present invention displays the data within the vehicle with a display characteristic (such as display resolution, display detail, display brightness, and the like) that is a function of at least a navigational characteristic of the vehicle (such as the geographic location of the vehicle or the directional heading of the vehicle or the altitude of the vehicle) as determined by an in-vehicle navigation system (preferably a GPS system), and includes a two-way wireless telecommunication link to a data source (such as an ONSTAR® telematic service or a Web site or an external computer or a traffic control center or a train system control center or a PDA or a cellular phone or a security or child monitoring camera-based video monitoring system such as in a home, office or factory) that is remote, distant from and external to the vehicle, and with that remote data source at least partially providing the data displayed in the vehicle (or presented in the vehicle such as by audible voice generation) by wireless communication from the data source. The in-vehicle display of data by the adaptive vehicular telecommunication system of the present invention is dynamically responsive to a vehicle parameter and/or to a personal parameter. 
         [0041]    Thus, it is seen that the present application discloses many useful methods and systems for vehicle-based navigation systems and for adaptive vehicular telecommunication systems. Such methods and systems are useful individually or in combination as will be apparent to the skilled artisan. 
         [0042]    Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.