The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 22, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 30, 1996
Akihiko Takei, Wako, JP;
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An automatic steering control apparatus automatically steers a motor vehicle to run along a predetermined running path having path markers. The path markers are detected with a marker sensor on the motor vehicle, and positional relationships between a present position of the motor vehicle and the running path are successively determined based on a detected output signal from the marker sensor. Positions of the motor vehicle on map data stored on the motor vehicle are successively determined based on the positional relationships and the map data. Curvature information of portions of the running path on the map data is attained through communications with a travel information providing facility disposed outside of the motor vehicle, and curvature information of the running path ahead of the recognized present position of the motor vehicle is acquired based on the curvature information attained through communications with the travel information providing facility. Alternatively, curvature information of the running path ahead of the recognized present position of the motor vehicle may be acquired from the map data. A steering control quantity for the motor vehicle is determined based on at least the acquired curvature information, a present speed of the motor vehicle, and a present positional relationship between the motor vehicle and the running path.