A method for navigating a user between a first position within a building and a second position, or vice versa, includes creating, by a motor vehicle, map information describing at least one partial area of the building based on vehicle environment information created at the motor vehicle that describes objects in the environment around the motor vehicle. The method further includes providing, by the motor vehicle, parking information including a park position of the motor vehicle within the building and transferring the map information and the parking information to a mobile communication device. The mobile communication device is configured to create navigation information containing at least one navigation route between the first position and the second position, based on the transferred map information and the transferred parking information. The mobile communication device is configured to navigate the user between the first position and the second position using the navigation information.

The invention provides a method for accurately predicting a road surface condition at a location within a predetermined range. To that end, the road surface conditions at the location within the predetermined range are predicted using road surface estimation decision values calculated using vehicular information, which is the information on the behavior of a vehicle W.sub.i during travel obtained by an on-board sensor mounted on the vehicle, or estimated road surface conditions estimated using the road surface estimation decision values. In doing so, the road surface condition at the location within the predetermined range is predicted based on the road surface estimation decision values calculated for the location within the predetermined range or the time-dependent changes in the estimated road surface conditions.

A lighting network (100) and methods therefore are disclosed. The lighting network (100) includes a plurality of lighting units (LU0-LU10) each including a wireless receiver (12) arranged to obtain a wireless signal from an object (30) to be tracked and a communication interface (14). The lighting network (100) also includes a control unit (20) including a communication unit (22) that is arranged to communicate with at least one of the plurality of lighting units (LU0-LU10) to obtain tracking data based upon the wireless signal. The tracking data is processed by the control unit (20) using a topology table (FIG. 1b). The topology table (FIG. 1b) is based upon the geographic locations of the plurality of lighting units and mapping data.

A lighting network (100) and methods therefore are disclosed. The lighting network (100) includes a plurality of lighting units (LU0-LU10) each including a wireless receiver (12) arranged to obtain a wireless signal from an object (30) to be tracked and a communication interface (14). The lighting network (100) also includes a control unit (20) including a communication unit (22) that is arranged to communicate with at least one of the plurality of lighting units (LU0-LU10) to obtain tracking data based upon the wireless signal. The tracking data is processed by the control unit (20) using a topology table (FIG. 1b). The topology table (FIG. 1b) is based upon the geographic locations of the plurality of lighting units and mapping data.

A method of determining if an object is allowed to board or disembark a vehicle. The method includes determining an object to be a candidate for boarding or disembarking a vehicle at a vehicle stop along a vehicle route. An assignment status is automatically assigned, via a processor, to the object representing whether the object is allowed to board or disembark the vehicle at the stop. The assignment status is based on attributes associated with the object, the street and the stop. The attributes are predetermined and stored in at least one memory storage device. The assigned assignment status is communicated to an operator. Based on the assigned assignment status, the vehicle is designated to stop for the object to board or disembark the vehicle at the stop.

A travel planning device includes: a subject vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires subject vehicle information including a scheduled travel route and a scheduled departure time of a subject vehicle; an other vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires other vehicle information including information by which it is possible to predict scheduled travel routes of a plurality of other vehicles and a scheduled passage time through each point on the scheduled travel routes; and a travel plan calculator that calculates a travel plan of the subject vehicle based on the subject vehicle information and the other vehicle information. The travel plan calculator divides the scheduled travel route of the subject vehicle into manual driving sections and following travel sections, and selects the leading vehicle of each following travel section from among the plurality of other vehicles for each following travel section.

A vehicle position guidance system includes a terminal position measurement section, a vehicle position measurement section, a calculator, and a guide. The terminal position measurement section measures a position of a terminal carried by a user. The vehicle position measurement section measures a position of a parked vehicle. The calculator obtains a route using position information related to the terminal and position information related to the parked vehicle. The guide assists the user in entering the vehicle by selectively using a first guidance and a second guidance depending on whether a distance is long or short between the terminal and the parked vehicle on the route. The first guidance provides guidance to the position of the parked vehicle using the terminal. The second guidance provides guidance to the position of the parked vehicle through a notification using a vehicle on-board device of the parked vehicle.

A vehicle position guidance system includes a terminal position measurement section, a vehicle position measurement section, a calculator, and a guide. The terminal position measurement section measures a position of a terminal carried by a user. The vehicle position measurement section measures a position of a parked vehicle. The calculator obtains a route using position information related to the terminal and position information related to the parked vehicle. The guide assists the user in entering the vehicle by selectively using a first guidance and a second guidance depending on whether a distance is long or short between the terminal and the parked vehicle on the route. The first guidance provides guidance to the position of the parked vehicle using the terminal. The second guidance provides guidance to the position of the parked vehicle through a notification using a vehicle on-board device of the parked vehicle.

Driving-evaluation-apparatus evaluating driving-status of driver driving mobile-body, includes: microprocessor and memory. The microprocessor functions as: information-acquisition-unit acquiring location/travel-speed-information of mobile-body based on GPS-signals received by driver's mobile-terminal; entry-direction-calculation-unit calculating entry-direction in which mobile-body enters determination-area based on location/travel-speed-information; entry-direction-determination-unit determining whether angle formed by entry-direction and predetermined-reference-entry-direction is predetermined-angle or smaller; state-determination-unit determining whether there is stop/deceleration-state in which travel-speed is predetermined-travel-speed or lower within time-period from time-point when mobile-body enters determination-area to time-point when mobile-body exits determination-area based on location/travel-speed-information when angle is predetermined-angle or smaller; and driving-evaluation-unit evaluating driver's driving-status in determination-area based on determination-result. The determination-area is area inside determination-circle centered on reference-point predetermined-distance before the predetermined-location and having predetermined-radius. The angle is angle formed by: straight-line along the reference-entry-direction and passing through the reference-point; and straight-line connecting plot representing location of the mobile-body before entering inside the determination-circle based on location/travel-speed-information and the reference-point.

Driving-evaluation-apparatus evaluating driving-status of driver driving mobile-body, includes: microprocessor and memory. The microprocessor functions as: information-acquisition-unit acquiring location/travel-speed-information of mobile-body based on GPS-signals received by driver's mobile-terminal; entry-direction-calculation-unit calculating entry-direction in which mobile-body enters determination-area based on location/travel-speed-information; entry-direction-determination-unit determining whether angle formed by entry-direction and predetermined-reference-entry-direction is predetermined-angle or smaller; state-determination-unit determining whether there is stop/deceleration-state in which travel-speed is predetermined-travel-speed or lower within time-period from time-point when mobile-body enters determination-area to time-point when mobile-body exits determination-area based on location/travel-speed-information when angle is predetermined-angle or smaller; and driving-evaluation-unit evaluating driver's driving-status in determination-area based on determination-result. The determination-area is area inside determination-circle centered on reference-point predetermined-distance before the predetermined-location and having predetermined-radius. The angle is angle formed by: straight-line along the reference-entry-direction and passing through the reference-point; and straight-line connecting plot representing location of the mobile-body before entering inside the determination-circle based on location/travel-speed-information and the reference-point.