Abstract: A method for operating a navigation system computes a pedestrian route for travel by a pedestrian. A request to calculate the pedestrian route from an origin to a destination and a walking preference for the pedestrian route identifying a feature of the pedestrian route are obtained. A geographic database associated with the navigation system is accessed for data representing at least one pedestrian path. The data representing the pedestrian path includes lighting level attribute information for the pedestrian path. A valid solution pedestrian route from the origin to the destination comprising a series of connected pedestrian paths that support the walking preference is determined.

Abstract: A method and system for providing sponsorship information to a user of a traffic message receiver is disclosed. Sponsorship messages are sent to the traffic message receiver and include data to be stored in the memory of the receiver. The transmission of the sponsorship messages is performed as a background routine to the regular transmission of traffic messages. The sponsorship data stored in the traffic message receiver is provided to the user of the traffic message receiver based on a triggering event, such as the end-user entering a point of interest string into the user interface of his navigation system or receipt of a message that includes an activated trigger flag.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a driving condition alert to vehicle drivers and others are disclosed. The alert is provided based on road location and attribute data; real-time, historic, and forecast traffic data; real-time, historic, and forecast weather data; and/or scheduled and unscheduled event data. The alert may include information indicating the reason for the alert provided. In addition, the alert may include a relative scale of hazard (e.g., a scale of 1-10 with 1 representing no hazard and 10 representing the highest hazardous condition). As a result of receiving the alert, the driver may adjust their route or driving behavior.

Abstract: An improved method and system for specifying physical locations when using applications run on navigation systems or other computer platforms that provide navigation- or map-related functions. When requesting a navigation- or map-related function from such an application, a user specifies a physical location using a keyword instead of specifying the physical location conventionally, such as by street address. A keyword database relates keywords to physical locations. The application uses the keyword database, or a copy thereof, to find data indicating the physical location associated with the keyword specified by the user. Preferably, physical locations are defined in the keyword database in terms of data in a corresponding geographic database. The application then performs the requested navigation- or map-related function using the data indicating the physical location associated with the keyword. The keyword database is built using input from users.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of creating a virtual traffic network includes inputting map data representing a road system, inputting flow data related to traffic flow on the road system and integrating the map data and the flow data to produce a virtual traffic network representing traffic conditions on the road system.

Abstract: A method and system for providing sponsorship information to a user of a traffic message receiver is disclosed. Sponsorship messages are sent to the traffic message receiver and include data to be stored in the memory of the receiver. The transmission of the sponsorship messages is performed as a background routine to the regular transmission of traffic messages. The sponsorship data stored in the traffic message receiver is provided to the user of the traffic message receiver based on a triggering event, such as the end-user entering a point of interest string into the user interface of his navigation system or receipt of a message that includes an activated trigger flag.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for developing traffic messages. The method obtains traffic data indicating collected traffic speeds at various locations on a road network. Traffic messages are developed from the traffic data. The method obtains ground truth data indicating ground truth speeds at a subset of the locations on the road network. The ground truth speed represents average speed of vehicles at one of the locations. For those locations for which ground truth speed has been obtained, the method computes a traffic quality value comparing the collected traffic speed to the ground truth speed for the location. The traffic messages and traffic quality data representative of the traffic quality values are transmitted.

Abstract: A method and system for providing sponsorship information to a user of a traffic message receiver is disclosed. Sponsorship messages are sent to the traffic message receiver and include data to be stored in the memory of the receiver. The transmission of the sponsorship messages is performed as a background routine to the regular transmission of traffic messages. The sponsorship data stored in the traffic message receiver is provided to the user of the traffic message receiver based on a triggering event, such as the end-user entering a point of interest string into the user interface of his navigation system or receipt of a message that includes an activated trigger flag.

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 determines a route between an origin and a destination and provides a photographic image showing a geographic area through which the route passes. The photographic image is obtained from a geographic database, and the photographic image shows the geographic area from a land-based viewpoint. The method overlays a route highlight on the photographic image identifying a path to be traveled. The route highlight extends along the path for a distance visible in the photographic image.

Abstract: A method of facilitating delivery of advertising to users of mobile computing platforms is disclosed. A geographic database contains data entities that represent geographic features, such as roads, located in a geographic region. Advertising zones are defined within the geographic region. Associated with at least some of the data entities that represent geographic features are data that indicate in which of the advertising zones the represented geographic feature is located. Advertisers are allowed to associate advertising messages with the advertising zones. Users of mobile computing platforms are provided with geographically-related services that use the geographic database. As a user of a mobile computing platform travels in the geographic region, the location of the mobile computing platform is determined. The user of the mobile computing platform is provided with the advertising message associated with the advertising zone in which the mobile computing platform is determined to be located.

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: Cartographic data is represented using polynomial splines. To improve representation accuracy and reduce storage requirements, a database storing data points (shape points and nodes) is converted into a database of spline control points. The spline control points are computed by fitting a polynomial spline to the geographic features using a least squares approximation. The control points associated with each geographic feature are stored in a computer-usable database. The geographic features can be displayed by computing the spline functions using the stored control points.

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: A system and method for providing geographic data to end users' computing platforms. A server maintains downloadable geographic data that are organized into pre-computed parcels that correspond to pre-determined sub-areas into which the entire geographic region serviced by the server is divided. The server responds to requests from the end users' computing platforms for navigation services and data by sending selected pre-computed parcels of geographic data to the end users' computing platforms. The end users' computing platforms store the pre-computed parcels received from the server in a cache memory. The end users' computing platforms use the data in the pre-computed parcels to provide navigation-related features locally.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for representing locations in a geographic database in a manner that facilitates navigation and routing. A core map database includes data that represents public roads in a geographic region. Each of a plurality of location map databases includes data that represent facilities, such as businesses, stores, offices, or other places, that are physically located away from the public network and access to which requires travel on paths away from the public road network. Each of the facilities represented in the location map databases is assigned a location reference code that is associated with data from which a path connecting the facility and the public road network can be determined.

Abstract: A method and system for transitioning between views in a traffic report are disclosed. The transition involves having the elements of both the 2D map and the 3D virtual world spatially located in the same virtual world. The transition involves moving from one part of the virtual world to another part of the virtual world while fading out the elements that are specific to the first type of graphic and showing elements that are specific to the second type of graphic. The view can be seamlessly transitioned between the 2D map view and the 3D world view, or between two different 3D world views.

Abstract: A method and system for adding traffic gadgets to a traffic report is disclosed. A traffic gadget is a dynamic object defined by a relatively small code module that is separate from the main traffic report application code. A programmer develops the traffic gadget's visual functionality and specifies the type of data that the traffic gadget can receive. An artist configures the visible appearance of the traffic gadget for a specific end-user application. The end-user may then select a traffic gadget and add the selected traffic gadget to a visual traffic report. The user may also select data to control the functionality of the traffic gadget during the traffic report.

Abstract: A method and system for providing sponsorship information to a user of a traffic message receiver is disclosed. Sponsorship messages are sent to the traffic message receiver and include data to be stored in the memory of the receiver. The transmission of the sponsorship messages is performed as a background routine to the regular transmission of traffic messages. The sponsorship data stored in the traffic message receiver is provided to the user of the traffic message receiver based on a triggering event, such as the end-user entering a point of interest string into the user interface of his navigation system or receipt of a message that includes an activated trigger flag.

Abstract: A data representation for an address is disclosed. The address is represented by two links. The first link is an addressed link and the second link is a routing link. The addressed link is the link associated with the address. The routing link is the link associated with a travel-to location for the address. The address may also be represented by two points. The first point is a display point and the second point is a routing point. The display point is used for displaying an address location on a map display. The routing point is used for routing a user of a navigation device to the appropriate point on a road network or pedestrian pathway for the address location.