Traffic signs recognition device and speed limit providing method thereof

1. A Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) device which acquires traffic sign information on a traffic sign positioned on a road through a camera, receives road information from a navigation terminal configured to create and display a driving path of a vehicle and outputs a speed limit of the driving path of the vehicle, comprising:

an electronic control unit configured to provide a speed limit updated from the navigation terminal, if the acquired traffic sign information does not provide speed limit information but a road attribute contained in the road information is changed or the acquired traffic sign information is indication information indicating a changing of a speed limit, based on the acquired traffic sign information acquired through the camera and the road information being received from the navigation terminal while the vehicle travels along the driving path,

wherein the electronic control unit

recognizes the speed limit of the acquired traffic sign information when the vehicle travels on an expressway, and

decides the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of a driving road, when the vehicle is traveling at a higher speed by a predetermined speed or more than the speed limit within a preset reference distance or traveling at a higher speed by a preset reference speed or more than the speed limit of the acquired traffic sign information.

2. The TSR device according to claim 1 , wherein the road attribute comprises one or more of an expressway entrance, an expressway exit, a junction (JC), an intersection, a national highway changed from an expressway, an expressway changed from a national highway and a work zone.

3. The TSR device according to claim 2 , wherein when the road attribute was changed after the vehicle passed the expressway entrance, the expressway exit or the junction, the electronic control unit decides the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of a driving road.

4. The TSR device according to claim 1 , wherein the indication information comprises one of indication information indicating an entry to an expressway, indication information indicating an exit from an expressway, indication information indicating a speed limit release, indication information indicating a restriction release, indication information indicating a work zone and indication information indicating a driving direction at an intersection.

5. The TSR device according to claim 4 , wherein when the indication information indicates the entry to expressway or the exit from the expressway, the electronic control unit decides the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of the driving road.

6. The TSR device according to claim 4 , wherein when the indication information indicates the driving direction at the intersection, the electronic control unit recognizes a first driving road corresponding to a direction of the vehicle that goes straight or turns left or right, according to a heading angle of the vehicle, and decides the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of the first driving road.

7. The TSR device according to claim 1 , wherein when the vehicle is accelerated at a maximum reference speed or more after traveling at a preset minimum reference speed or less for a preset reference time or more when the vehicle travels on an expressway, the electronic control unit determines that the vehicle passes a toll gate, and decides the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of the driving road after passing the toll gate.

8. A speed limit providing method of a Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) device which acquires traffic sign information on a traffic sign positioned on a road through a camera, receives road information from a navigation terminal configured to create and display a driving path of a vehicle and outputs a speed limit of the driving path of the vehicle, comprising:

acquiring the traffic sign information on the traffic sign positioned on the road through the camera; and

providing a speed limit updated from the navigation terminal, if the acquired traffic sign information does not provide speed limit information but a road attribute contained in the road information is changed or the acquired traffic sign information is indication information indicating a changing of a speed limit, based on the acquired traffic sign information acquired through the camera and the road information,

wherein the providing of the updated speed limit comprises recognizing the speed limit of the acquired traffic sign information acquired through the camera when the vehicle travels on an expressway, and deciding the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of a driving road, when the vehicle is traveling at a higher speed by a predetermined speed or more than the speed limit within a preset reference distance or traveling at a higher speed by a preset reference speed or more than the speed limit of the acquired traffic sign information acquired through the camera.

9. The speed limit providing method according to claim 8 , wherein the providing of the updated speed limit comprises:

determining whether the road attribute contained in the road information received from the navigation terminal indicates that a driving road was changed after the vehicle passed an expressway entrance, expressway exit or junction; and

deciding the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of the changed driving road, when the driving road was changed.

10. The speed limit providing method according to claim 8 , wherein the providing of the updated speed limit comprises:

determining whether the acquired traffic sign information is indication information indicating an entry to an expressway or an exit to an expressway; and

deciding the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of the driving road, when the acquired traffic sign information is indication information indicating the entry to the expressway or the exit to the expressway.

11. The speed limit providing method according to claim 8 , wherein the providing of the updated speed limit comprises:

determining a direction of the vehicle that goes straight or turns left or right according to a heading angle of the vehicle, when the acquired traffic sign information is indication information indicating a driving direction at an intersection; and deciding the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of a driving road corresponding to the determined direction.

12. The speed limit providing method according to claim 8 , wherein the providing of the updated speed limit comprises:

determining whether the vehicle was accelerated at a maximum reference speed or more after traveling at a preset minimum reference speed or less for a preset reference time or more, when the vehicle travels on an expressway; and

determining that the vehicle passes a toll gate, when it is determined that the vehicle was accelerated at the maximum reference speed or more after traveling at the preset minimum reference speed or less for the preset reference time or more, and deciding the speed limit updated from the navigation terminal as the speed limit of a driving road after passing the toll gate.