# US 9,517,718 B2 · Automatic activation of turn signals in a vehicle

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- Number: US 9,517,718 B2
- Document ID: US9517718B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/053,183
- Filed: 2016-02-25
- Published: 2016-06-16
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2011-11-22
- Assignees: SER Patent Holdings, LLC
- Applicants: Sara Elyse Raubvogel
- Inventors: Sara Elyse Raubvogel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517718B2

## CPC

- B60Q 1/346: {with automatic actuation}
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60Q 1/40: having {mechanical, electric or electronic} automatic return to inoperative position
- G01C 21/34: Route searching; Route guidance
- G01C 21/3626: {Details of the output of route guidance instructions (traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968)}
- G01C 21/3697: {Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level (G01C21/3679 takes precedence)}
- G01S 19/13: Receivers
- G01S 19/42: Determining position
- B60R 16/0315: {using multiplexing techniques (multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J)}
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

According to various embodiments, turn signals are automatically activated in response to signals received from a navigation system, based on the navigation instructions generated by the navigation system. The navigation system of a vehicle (either built into the vehicle or provided as a stand-alone unit) is communicatively coupled with or otherwise integrated with the turn signals of the vehicle. When the navigation system instructs the driver to perform a maneuver (such as making a turn), it can also cause the appropriate turn signal to be automatically activated at the appropriate time and/or distance in advance of the maneuver. When the navigation system detects that the maneuver has been made, or that the driver has ignored the system's instructions, the turn signal can be automatically deactivated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for automatically activating a turn signal in a vehicle operated by a human driver, comprising:
in a navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver, receiving a destination;
in the navigation device, determining a current location of the vehicle;
in the navigation device, determining a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle;
in the navigation device, generating an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location;
on an output device, and in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, outputting the generated instruction to the human driver; and
in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, performing the step of:
automatically sending a signal from the navigation device to a turn signal controller to cause the turn signal of the vehicle to be automatically activated, wherein the automatically activated turn signal indicates the maneuver specified by the instruction output to the human driver.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the location specified for the maneuver comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: an intersection; an interchange; an entrance ramp; and an exit ramp; and
the maneuver comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
a turn; an exit; an entrance; and a lane change.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining a current location of the vehicle comprises determining a current location using a global positioning system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation device comprises a built-in component of the vehicle and is communicatively coupled to a turn signal controller of the vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation device comprises a stand-alone device configured to enable transmission of a signal to the vehicle to cause a turn signal to be activated.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation device is a stand-alone device configured to enable transmission of a signal to a turn signal controller of the vehicle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein automatically sending a signal from the navigation device to a turn signal controller to cause a turn signal of the vehicle to be activated comprises sending a signal by a wireless transmission medium.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, subsequent to automatically sending a signal from the navigation device to a turn signal controller to cause a turn signal of the vehicle to be activated, and responsive to driver input to cancel the turn signal, sending a signal to the turn signal controller to cause the turn signal to be deactivated.

### Claim 9

A method for automatically reminding a human driver to manually activate a turn signal in a vehicle operated by the human driver, comprising:
in a navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver, receiving a destination;
in the navigation device, determining a current location of the vehicle;
in the navigation device, determining a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle;
in the navigation device, generating an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location;
on an output device, in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, outputting the generated instruction to the human driver; and
on the output device, in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, performing the step of:
automatically outputting a reminder to the human driver to manually activate the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising, subsequent to outputting the reminder, if the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, automatically sending a signal from the navigation device to a turn signal controller to cause a turn signal of the vehicle to be activated, the turn signal indicating the maneuver specified by the instruction.

### Claim 11

A system for automatically activating a turn signal in a vehicle operated by a human driver, comprising:
an input device, configured to receive input specifying a destination for the vehicle operated by the human driver;
a geographical position determination device, configured to determine a current location of the vehicle;
a processor, communicatively coupled to the input device and to the geographical position determination device, configured to:
determine a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle; and
generate an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location;
an output device, communicatively coupled to the processor, configured to output the generated instruction to the human driver in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location; and
a signal transmission device, communicatively coupled to the processor, configured to, in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, perform the step of:
automatically sending a signal to a turn signal controller to cause the turn signal of the vehicle to be automatically activated, wherein the automatically activated turn signal indicates the maneuver specified by the instruction output to the human driver.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein:
the location specified for the maneuver comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: an intersection; an interchange; an entrance ramp; and an exit ramp; and
the maneuver comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
a turn; an exit; an entrance; and a lane change.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the geographical position determination device comprises a global positioning system (GPS) device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the input device, the geographical position determination device, the processor, the output device, and the signal transmission device comprise built-in components of the vehicle, and wherein the signal transmission device is communicatively coupled to a turn signal controller of the vehicle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the input device, the geographical position determination device, the processor, the output device, and the signal transmission device comprise components of a stand-alone navigation device configured to enable transmission of a signal to the vehicle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the input device, the geographical position determination device, the processor, the output device, and the signal transmission device comprise components of a stand-alone navigation device configured to enable transmission of a signal to a turn signal controller of the vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the signal transmission device automatically sends the signal from the navigation device to the turn signal controller by a wireless transmission medium.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein, responsive to the input device receiving driver input to cancel the turn signal, the signal transmission device sends a signal to the turn signal controller to cause the turn signal to be deactivated.

### Claim 19

A system for automatically reminding a human driver to manually activate a turn signal in a vehicle operated by the human driver, comprising:
an input device, configured to receive input specifying a destination for the vehicle operated by the human driver;
a geographical position determination device, configured to determine a current location of the vehicle;
a processor, communicatively coupled to the input device and to the geographical position determination device, configured to:
determine a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle; and
generate an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location;
an output device, communicatively coupled to the processor, configured to:
output the generated instruction to the human driver in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location; and
in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, perform the step of:
automatically outputting a reminder to the human driver to manually activate the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, further comprising a signal transmission device, communicatively coupled to the processor, configured to, in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, perform the step of:
subsequent to outputting the reminder, if the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, automatically sending a signal to a turn signal controller to cause a turn signal of the vehicle to be activated, the turn signal indicating the maneuver specified by the instruction.

### Claim 21

A non-transitory computer program product for automatically actin eating a turn signal in a vehicle operated by a human driver, the non-transitory computer program product comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed on a processor of a navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver, perform the steps of:
receiving a destination;
determining a current location of the vehicle;
determining a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle;
generating an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location;
in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, causing an output device to output the generated instruction; and
in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, performing the step of:
causing a signal to be automatically sent from the navigation device to a turn signal controller to cause the turn signal of the vehicle to be automatically activated, wherein the automatically activated turn signal indicates the maneuver specified by the instruction output to the human driver.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The non-transitory computer program product of claim 21, wherein:
the location specified for the maneuver comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: an intersection; an interchange; an entrance ramp; and an exit ramp; and
the maneuver comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
a turn; an exit; an entrance; and a lane change.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The non-transitory computer program product of claim 21, wherein determining a current location of the vehicle comprises determining a current location using a global positioning system.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The non-transitory computer program product of claim 21, wherein causing a signal to be automatically sent to a turn signal controller comprises causing the signal to be sent by a wireless transmission medium.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The non-transitory computer program product of claim 21, wherein the step of causing a signal to be automatically sent to a turn signal controller is performed in response to a determination that a driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The non-transitory computer program product of claim 21, further comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed on the processor of the navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver, perform the step of, responsive to driver input to cancel the turn signal, causing a signal to be sent to the turn signal controller to cause the turn signal to be deactivated.

### Claim 27

A non-transitory computer program product for automatically reminding a human driver to manually activate a turn signal in a vehicle operated by the human driver, the non-transitory computer program product comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed on a processor of a navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver, perform the steps of:
receiving a destination;
determining a current location of the vehicle;
determining a route to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle;
generating an instruction for following the determined route, the instruction specifying a maneuver to be performed by the human driver at a specified location;
in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, causing an output device to output the generated instruction; and
in advance of the vehicle reaching the specified location, and in advance of the specified maneuver being performed by the human driver, performing the step of:
causing the output device to automatically output a reminder to the human driver to manually activate the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The non-transitory computer program product of claim 27, further comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed on the processor of the navigation device operating in the vehicle operated by the human driver, perform the step of, subsequent to outputting the reminder, if the human driver of the vehicle has not manually activated the turn signal to indicate the specified maneuver, causing a signal to be automatically sent from the navigation device to a turn signal controller to cause the turn signal of the vehicle to be automatically activated, wherein the automatically activated turn signal indicates the maneuver specified by the instruction output to the human driver.