Abstract: Systems, devices, features, and/or methods for determining a location of a mobile device are disclosed. A method may include (a) receiving, into a mobile device, a common RF signal on a common carrier frequency, wherein the common RF signal includes a respective RF signal output by each of three or more transmitters on a common time basis in a round-robin manner, and wherein each of the three or more transmitters is positioned at a known location, (b) capturing data representing the common RF signal, (c) based on the captured data, discriminating between each respective RF signal that forms the received common RF signal, (d) determining a relative phase shift of each respective RF signal, and (e) determining the location of the mobile device based on the determined relative phase shifts and the known locations of the three or more transmitters.

Abstract: A technique of detecting a speed detection of a vehicle using a geographic database (200, 322, 326, 508, 510) of a navigation system (300, 502) has been provided, which obtains a current position of the vehicle (404) and at least one predefined characteristic (418) relating to the current position of the vehicle from the geographic database, sets (420(1)) a sensitivity level to detect a speed detection of the vehicle based, at least in part, on the at least one predefined characteristic.

Abstract: Systems, devices, applications, and methods for generating an open area map are disclosed. For example, a software application is configured to run on a computing platform of an end user. The end user generates an image of a layout of a walkable area. The software application performs a method of generating an open area map based on the image. The method includes applying an array of uniformly spaced objects on the image. A routable map is generated as a function of the array. The routable map is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the layout.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for comparing the performance of a participant in an event that includes movement along a course to another performance. The performance by the participant is monitored. Using a geographic database that represents the area in which the course is located, the participant's performance is compared to another performance. Then, the participant is provided with information comparing the performances.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing personalized traffic reports. A personalized traffic report is a relatively short, audio-visual presentation that includes an audio narrative by an announcer describing the traffic conditions along a user's selected route, synchronized with a video presentation that includes maps with animations showing the traffic conditions and a visual representation of the announcer. A traffic data services provider determines traffic conditions that pertain to a user's identified particular route, i.e. from an origin to a destination. Then, the traffic data services provider forms an audio-video file that includes an audio narrative in the voice of an announcer that describes the traffic conditions along the user's route, along with a visual map representation of the user's route, a graphical indication of the traffic conditions along the route, and a visual representation of the announcer.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing guidance to a destination with a computing system that uses geographic data indexed by affinity relationships. A user specifies a municipality of relatively greater importance that is located nearby the desired actual destination. The computing system provides guidance to the user to follow a route to the specified municipality. While the user is following the route to the specified municipality, additional routes are calculated to each of a plurality of roads that cross into an affinity domain associated with the specified municipality. Before the user reaches the point at which any of the additional routes diverge from the route to the specified municipality, input is obtained from the user, one or more times as needed, specifying either another municipality progressively closer to the desired actual destination or the actual desired destination. Guidance is provided to the user to follow the routes to the closer municipalities or the desired actual destination.

Abstract: Systems and methods associated with an open area map are disclosed. For example, one method comprises obtaining an image of a layout. The layout represents a real-world area in which a person moves about. A grid is applied on the image. The grid includes tiles that fill in a ground area of the image. A routable map is generated as a function of the grid. The routable map is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the layout.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for collecting geographic data during game play. A game scenario includes an activity for the game player to perform. The game player may be given an incentive within the context of the game for performing the activity. The incentive may be of non-monetary, monetary or in-game value. Performing the activity within the context of the game directly or indirectly results in the generation of data that is collected and used for the purpose of updating, adding to or supplementing a geographic database.

Abstract: A camera includes a feature that associates meaningful information with a photograph to indicate where the photograph was taken. The camera includes equipment that determines a physical position associated with an image. An application uses geographic data to determine a municipality, or other administrative or governmental area, in which the physical position is located and associates data indicating the municipality, or other administrative or governmental area, with the image.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for facilitating development of computer games that depict or represent actual geographic locales or imaginary locales as part of the play scenarios of the games. A computer game factory system includes inventories of map data products, road models, 3D models, game shells, and game engines. Configuration parameters identify which components to select from the inventories to produce games for various different computer platforms. The selected components are combined with a geographic data API and geographic data tools to produce computer games.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for facilitating development of computer games that depict or represent actual, real world geographic areas as part of the play scenarios of the games. A source database contains data that represent geographic features in a region including roads in the region. The data in the source database includes attributes suitable for use for providing navigation-related functions. In addition to providing data from the source database for navigation-related functions, data from the source database are also provided for computer game development. An application programming interface, as well as other tools for handling geographic data, is provided for accessing and processing of the geographic data.

Abstract: A method of operating a navigation system includes obtaining a destination location and identifying a parking facility proximate said destination location. The method further includes transmitting a parking message including a determined parking availability. The determined parking availability is based on historic parking availability information and real time parking availability data. The parking message may include an identification code of said parking facility.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for facilitating development of scenes for entertainment features, such as motion pictures or television shows, that depict or represent actual, real world (or imaginary) geographic areas. A source database contains data that represent geographic features in a region including roads in the region. The data in the source database includes attributes suitable for use for providing navigation-related functions. In addition to providing data from the source database for navigation-related functions, data from the source database are also provided for facilitating development of scenes for entertainment features that depict or represent actual, real world (or imaginary) geographic areas. An application programming interface, as well as other tools for handling geographic data, is provided for accessing and processing of the geographic data.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for comparing the performance of a participant in an event that includes movement along a course to another performance. The performance by the participant is monitored. Using a geographic database that represents the area in which the course is located, the participant's performance is compared to another performance. Then, the participant is provided with information comparing the performances.

Abstract: A computer game depicts or represents actual or imaginary geographic locales as part of the play scenarios of the games. The computer game uses a map database that contains data that represent geographic features, such as roads, in a locale. A game engine program presents a game play scenario to a user via a user interface of the game. An application programming interface program accepts requests for data from the game engine program, accesses data from the map database, and provides the data in a suitable format to the game engine program for use in presenting the game scenario to the user.

Abstract: A method of operating a navigation system includes obtaining a destination location and identifying a parking facility proximate said destination location. The method further includes providing historic parking availability information for the identified parking facility. The historic parking availability information is based on past parking availability at the identified parking facility. The method may also calculate a route from an origin to the parking facility and provide guidance for following the route. Additionally, the method obtains a reservation for parking at the parking facility.

Abstract: An affinity relationship index and a method for using it are disclosed. The affinity relationship index captures, for any given place name, an affinity to one or more potentially more important place names. Each such more important place subtends an affinity domain within which other places are deemed to lie. The index carries this on hierarchically and has the effect of creating a relatively meaningful and minimized structure that can be rapidly searched for a user's intended destination. An application uses these affinity domains to determine the instructions necessary to embark upon a guided journey rather than determining all instructions needed to complete the journey.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for displaying video on a computing device for navigation and other purposes. A map database developer collects video data. The video data is collected by traveling along roads in a geographic area and storing the video data along with data indicating the positions at which the video data had been captured. This captured video data is then used in navigation systems and other devices that provide navigation, routing, video games, or other features. An application forms a video that shows a turn at an intersection from a first road onto a second road. The application adds video that depicts travel away from the intersection along the second road to video that depicts travel into the intersection along the first road to form a composite video that shows a turn at the intersection from the first road onto the second road. The composite video is then presented to a user on a display.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for collecting geographic data during game play. A game scenario includes an activity for the game player to perform. The game player may be given an incentive within the context of the game for performing the activity. The incentive may be of non-monetary, monetary or in-game value. Performing the activity within the context of the game directly or indirectly results in the generation of data that is collected and used for the purpose of updating, adding to or supplementing a geographic database.

Abstract: A method of operating a navigation system includes obtaining a destination location and identifying a parking facility proximate said destination location. The method further includes providing historic parking availability information for the identified parking facility. The historic parking availability information is based on past parking availability at the identified parking facility. The method may also calculate a route from an origin to the parking facility and provide guidance for following the route. Additionally, the method obtains a reservation for parking at the parking facility.