Apple AR navigation improves car navigation system capabilities

According to foreign media reports, on July 25, local time, the US Patent & Trademark Office (US Patent & Trademark Office) announced a patent application from Apple, which is related to an augmented reality (AR) device that can provide next-generation map navigation. The AR device can be installed on future vehicles (such as cars in the Titan project). In addition, the AR device can also be a pair of smart glasses, or it can be a next-generation iPhone placed on the dashboard of a car. Such devices must have an advanced AR camera built in to use the augmented reality map system.

(Image source: patentlyapple.com)

Today, navigation systems in cars are becoming increasingly sophisticated, providing routes to where the driver wants to go, while also taking into account traffic flow, curves, and accident data while recalculating the best path if the driver needs to turn in a different direction. Such systems, coupled with mobile applications, can assist drivers on multi-lane highways or complex intersections by providing suggestions on which lane to take. However, the information provided by such systems is often either misinterpreted, the driver's verbal instructions are not understood, or the screen displays symbols that are difficult to understand.

Apple's "Navigation using Augmented Reality" states that augmented reality devices can enhance and improve the device's ability to deliver navigation information to the user along the way. Such devices can capture a series of images (such as video clips) that are very close to what the user actually perceives. In addition, the captured images can be displayed in real time, such as on the device's screen or projected.

At the same time, such devices can also superimpose a navigation layer on the displayed image to guide the user into one or more most suitable lanes. To achieve this function, the AR device can be configured to communicate with one or more global positioning system (GPS) satellites and one or more routing servers. GPS satellites can use triangulation to provide the location of the device, and the routing server can use one or more databases to provide information between the starting and ending locations of the travel route.

Such route information includes, but is not limited to, route information (such as identification of roads along the route, road segments in a road trip, the geographic location of the roads, the location of lanes in each road, etc.), turn information (such as when turns are required along the road, etc.), lane information (such as the number and location of lanes on each road segment), and distance information (such as the distance required to be traveled on each road segment).

In some cases, such AR devices can also be configured to communicate with other positioning systems, such as WiFi-based positioning systems, cellular-based positioning systems, satellite-based positioning systems, and other global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). Using this information, the AR device can determine the number of available lanes by analyzing the video clip. The device can then correlate the video clip with the device's location, which is the location of the vehicle, and identify one or more designated lanes from one or more available lanes in the vehicle's route. In addition, the device can display a navigation layer on top of the series of images to guide the user into the correct lane.

In some cases, the navigation layer can block out areas where the vehicle is not going to drive (such as lanes, curbs, sidewalks), and leave areas where the vehicle is going to drive (such as lanes), so the user can clearly understand which lane they are in. In addition, in the unblocked areas, the navigation layer will display an indicator sign on them.

The indicator can be a single navigation arrow pointing in the direction the user should go, or it can be a series of navigation arrows. For example, if it is a vertical arrow pointing backward, it means that the user should switch to the right lane. In some cases, the indicator can be a series of diagonal arrows that flash in sequence to indicate direction and can also guide the user to perform certain tasks with a certain degree of urgency.

Additionally, in some cases, a window pops up in the navigation layer to provide the user with more information about the upcoming turn. For example, the pop-up window could be a bird's-eye view of the area the user is about to turn, giving the user a better idea of ​​what's about to happen.

Overlaying the navigation layer onto the video the user is watching helps clearly communicate navigation and lane guidance information to the user. AR devices can significantly improve navigation and lane guidance performance compared to traditional devices, which only provide symbols to guide the user along the route. Devices that use symbols for navigation require the user to have the ability to understand the meaning of the symbols in real time and immediately apply what the user perceives, which is not always easy to do.