TomTom patent reveals camera-based GPS unit

We're not entirely sure what TomTom has up its sleeve here, but the European Patent Office has peeled back a few details on one of the company's endeavors, revealing a patent application that describes a GPS unit bolstered by live video feeds. As you can see, the system would superimpose directions on top of actual images of your surroundings, which could go a long way to preventing some of the GPS-related incidents we've seen over the years. From the looks of it, however, the system would only make use of a camera in your own vehicle, not ones sprawled across the countryside, reducing the potential benefits somewhat but likely making it much closer to reality.

[Via Pocketinfo.nl]

[Jon @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:48AM]

It is has human recognition and collision detection built-in as well this will be useful.

[Jon @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:49AM]

Damn. I meant "if it has..."

[foxdude0486 @ Jul 3rd 2007 12:59PM]

GPS with human detection: "Run over neighbor's dog at the intersection of.... Turn right at Street St. to avoid cop seeing you flee the scene..."

[Big @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:58AM]

if its possible to do this, it should be possible to log into a car's video system to see what it is looking at.

WORLD's SCARIEST POLICE CHASE GPS EDITION.

[Jagannath A @ Jul 3rd 2007 12:01PM]

instead of this... just project the arrow on to the fking windscreen.. that wud be awsome... i guess u ppl get wat i mean...

[Homeboy @ Jul 3rd 2007 12:06PM]

Woohoo!! now it will be easier to drive than ever, just like when I play Forza on xbox. Instead of following the road you just follow the suggested line which even show you when to brake.

[NHAnimator @ Jul 3rd 2007 12:07PM]

So let me get this right. I will now be taking my eyes off the road to see a tiny picture of... the road?

My Garmin really can't improve a whole lot more without actually becoming a hazardous distraction.

[Gil @ Jul 3rd 2007 12:39PM]

At first but after a while we'll be able to have HUDs instead.

[Pender @ Jul 3rd 2007 12:19PM]

Sweet! Now I won't have to look at the road at all!

[joe @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:06PM]

Cool!! But I'll wait for the iNav me thinks :)

[NHAnimator @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:38PM]

(Crap. iNav.com is taken.)

[XSportSeeker @ Jul 3rd 2007 2:57PM]

Augmented Reality? Nice.
But like some comments already pointed out... this will only be REALLY nice when we can get those on the windscreen.
No need for fancy stuff... just some arrows flashing around would be enough.
Waiting paciently for flexible transparent OLED technology to get to the market...

[beowulf @ Jul 3rd 2007 3:21PM]

Gil,

GM has offered a HUD system since 2002.
http://www.reviewsonline.com/auto/02GMTECH.htm

If only for safety reasons, it would be a lot better to show the directions on the windshield instead a small Tomtom monitor. And it would look a lot cooler.

[Ludovic Privat @ Jul 3rd 2007 3:29PM]

Dear Mr Melanson,
just to mention the original source of this story is my article on www.gpsbusinessnews.com published on June 28.
http://www.gpsbusinessnews.com/index.php?action=article&numero=240
the source you mention Pocketinfo.nl has just copied my article released in the premium part of our website. Not only this information was copied but not even correctly transcripted!
As of today the registration to www.gpsbusinessnews.com is free so I invite you to subscribe to get premium journalistic content about the GPS market.
Best regards,
Ludovic Privat
Editor
GPS Business News

[triyo @ Jul 3rd 2007 5:28PM]

finally something i can use

[eckomania @ Jul 3rd 2007 6:02PM]

This actually might be the first patents toward automated drivng using a combintion of GPS and video. There was a facinating NOVA special on about a robotically driven cars and the car that won was develped by Stanford. It was driven by a sysem that used both GPS and video feeds to navigate. The conclusion was that this was one of the best systems for driving a car without a human driver.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/darpa/

[Murc @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:53PM]

that looks pretty cool actually.

[ksi @ Jul 17th 2007 10:32PM]

I think it will be fantastic and helpful...,and I aready submitted
very similar concept of this to korean & US patent office Feb. 04 but
rejected(Submit num. for Korea 10-2004-0009748 and Title is "Car
navigation device using forward real video and control method
therefor"). To right now, I don't know why my patent was rejected. If
someone wants to know further, let me know, pl. thanks...:-)

[DogMaster @ Dec 12th 2008 6:25PM]

It would be even better if it could recognize a narrow road or a river so it can tell you not to go down it.