Patents by Inventor Michael Childs
Michael Childs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6898520Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for more efficient use of RAM and other resources in connection with a route calculation algorithm which quickly obtains a best or reasonable best path between two locations. The navigational aid device includes forced layer switching capabilities. The navigational aid device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The memory has cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. The plurality of thoroughfares are organized in a hierarchy of detail levels. The processor operates on a route calculation algorithm to find a path between any two of the number of locations and the route calculation algorithm dynamically forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels based on a set of criteria.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2004Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Min H. Kao, Michael Childs, Darin J. Beesley
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Publication number: 20050102101Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for calculating potential paths between source and destination locations. First and second map databases are provided that are indicative of roadway networks for geographic regions bounded by region edges and containing source and destination locations. The first and second map databases are non-adjacent, non-contiguous such that the region edges of the first map database are separate and distinct from region edges of the second map database. Potential paths are calculated through the roadway network of the first map database up to a node or segment at which each potential path intersects a region edge of the first map database, thereby defining a node/edge coordinate. A transition location is obtained in the second map database that geographically corresponds to the node/edge coordinate at which a given potential path intersected the region edge of the first map database.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2004Publication date: May 12, 2005Inventors: Darin Beesley, Michael Childs
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Publication number: 20050090976Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for estimating an impedance through a node at an intersection between roads in a roadway network. The impedance may be measured in time or distance, for example. Characteristic information describes at least one feature of the intersecting roads. One or more pieces of characteristic information may impact the impedance of traffic through an intersection and are used to estimate the impedance through the node. Examples of characteristic information are speed information, road-type, network routing level, intersection angle information, one-way, and cross traffic turn information. An impedance factor, or a cost, is assigned to each piece of characteristic information. The cost may be positive if the characteristic information adds impedance to the node, or negative if the characteristic information subtracts impedance from the node.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2004Publication date: April 28, 2005Inventors: Darin Beesley, Michael Childs
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Publication number: 20050065718Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for more efficient use of RAM and other resources in connection with a route calculation algorithm which quickly obtains a best or reasonable best path between two locations. The navigational aid device includes forced layer switching capabilities. The navigational aid device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The memory has cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. The plurality of thoroughfares are organized in a hierarchy of detail levels. The processor operates on a route calculation algorithm to find a path between any two of the number of locations and the route calculation algorithm dynamically forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels based on a set of criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2004Publication date: March 24, 2005Inventors: Min Kao, Michael Childs, Darin Beesley
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Patent number: 6856900Abstract: Devices, systems, functional data and methods are provided for an improved route generation in navigational enabled devices. The navigational device with route generation capabilities includes a processor communicating with a memory. The memory includes a current location of the device, one or more available locations, and a destination of the device. A display communicates with the processor and is capable of communicating at least a portion of a generated route for the device. In generating the route, the available locations are inspected repetitively and locations adjacent to a last selected location are inserted into a first data structure such that the first location of the first data structure is always a least cost location associated with all adjacent locations comprising the first data structure. The first location is then optionally inserted into a second data structure. The generated route includes the current location, one or more first locations, and the destination.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2003Date of Patent: February 15, 2005Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Michael Childs, Darin J. Beesley
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Patent number: 6856893Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for estimating an impedance through a node at an intersection between roads in a roadway network. The impedance may be measured in time or distance, for example. Characteristic information describes at least one feature of the intersecting roads. One or more pieces of characteristic information may impact the impedance of traffic through an intersection and are used to estimate the impedance through the node. Examples of characteristic information are speed information, road-type, network routing level, intersection angle information, one-way, and cross traffic turn information. An impedance factor, or a cost, is assigned to each piece of characteristic information. The cost may be positive if the characteristic information adds impedance to the node, or negative if the characteristic information subtracts impedance from the node.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2003Date of Patent: February 15, 2005Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Darin J. Beesley, Michael Childs
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Patent number: 6856899Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for an improved navigational route planning device which provides more understandable, accurate and timely route calculation capabilities. The navigational aid device with route calculation capabilities includes a processor connected to a memory. The memory includes cartographic data and a desired destination, the cartographic data including data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types. A display is connected to the processor and is capable of displaying the cartographic data. The device is adapted to calculate a route to navigate to the desired destination. And, the device is adapted to adjust a starting point for the route calculation to an appropriate location such that the device is on the route at a time when the route calculation is completed. The device processes travel along the route, recognizes when the device has deviated from the route, and calculates a new route to navigate to the desired destination.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2003Date of Patent: February 15, 2005Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Jay Dee Krull, Michael Childs, Scott M. Burgett, Thomas H. Walters
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Patent number: 6847890Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided to account for insignificant route segments to enhance a route guidance experience. An electronic navigational aid device is provided according to one aspect. The device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The processor and memory are adapted to cooperate to provide route guidance that accounts for insignificant route segments. According to various embodiments, insignificant route segments are accounted for by nullifying and/or modifying route guidance maneuvers associated with the insignificant route segments. Other aspects are provided herein.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Michael Childs, Darin J. Beesley
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Patent number: 6839624Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided to compress data, and in particular to code and decode data. One aspect of the present subject matter is a data structure. The data structure includes a field representing a decoding structure to decode canonical Huffman encoded data, and a field representing a symbol table. The decoding structure includes a field representing an accelerator table to provide a 2N-deep direct-index lookup to provide high-frequency symbols for high-frequency data and to provide bracketing indices for low-frequency data. The decoding structure also includes a field for a binary search table to provide a low-frequency symbol index using a binary search bounded by the bracketing indices provided by the accelerator table. The symbol table is adapted to provide a symbol associated with the low-frequency index.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2003Date of Patent: January 4, 2005Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Darin J. Beesley, Stephen C. Robinson, Michael Childs, Chunyen Liu
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Publication number: 20040215391Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for more efficient use of RAM and other resources in connection with a route calculation algorithm which quickly obtains a best or reasonable best path between two locations. The navigational aid device includes forced layer switching capabilities. The navigational aid device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The memory has cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. The plurality of thoroughfares are organized in a hierarchy of detail levels. The processor operates on a route calculation algorithm to find a path between any two of the number of locations and the route calculation algorithm dynamically forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels based on a set of criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2004Publication date: October 28, 2004Applicant: GARMIN LTD., a Cayman Islands corporationInventors: Min H. Kao, Michael Childs, Darin J. Beesley
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Patent number: 6775612Abstract: A GPS enabled personal digital assistant (PDA) is provided. A housing of the PDA includes a processor and a memory operably coupled to the processor. The memory has provided thereto cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. A display is operably coupled to the processor, the display viewable at a front face of the housing. And, a GPS patch antenna is operably coupled to the processor and is located above the display within the housing to receive GPS signals.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2003Date of Patent: August 10, 2004Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Min H. Kao, Michael Childs, Darin J. Beesley
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Publication number: 20040153239Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for an improved navigational route planning device which provides more understandable, accurate and timely route calculation capabilities. The navigational aid device with route calculation capabilities includes a processor connected to a memory. The memory includes cartographic data and a desired destination, the cartographic data including data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types. A display is connected to the processor and is capable of displaying the cartographic data. The device is adapted to calculate a route to navigate to the desired destination. And, the device is adapted to adjust a starting point for the route calculation to an appropriate location such that the device is on the route at a time when the route calculation is completed. The device processes travel along the route, recognizes when the device has deviated from the route, and calculates a new route to navigate to the desired destination.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2004Publication date: August 5, 2004Applicant: GARMIN LTD., a Cayman Islands CorporationInventors: Jay Dee Krull, Michael Childs, Scott M. Burgett, Thomas H. Walters
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Publication number: 20040143533Abstract: There is provided computerised apparatus and a method of converting a financial portfolio strategy into a set of tactics.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2003Publication date: July 22, 2004Inventors: Christopher William Preist, Michael Child, Marco Casassa Mont
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Patent number: 6708112Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for calculating potential paths through a roadway network defined at least partially by separate, but adjacent data maps. First and second data maps are provided that are indicative of roadway networks for different geographic regions bounded by region edges, at least one of which is common to both geographic regions. The data maps are adjacent, and one data map contains the first location while the other data map contains a roadway segment over which the potential paths may travel. Potential paths are planned from the first location through the first data map. When a current potential path intersects an edge of the first data map, the intersection is identified by coordinate data. A transition point is located in an adjacent data map based on the location where the current potential path intersects the edge of the firs data map. The calculation method and apparatus continue from the transition point through the second data map toward the second location.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2003Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Garmin LtdInventors: Darin J. Beesley, Michael Childs
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Publication number: 20040049338Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for estimating an impedance through a node at an intersection between roads in a roadway network. The impedance may be measured in time or distance, for example. Characteristic information describes at least one feature of the intersecting roads. One or more pieces of characteristic information may impact the impedance of traffic through an intersection and are used to estimate the impedance through the node. Examples of characteristic information are speed information, road-type, network routing level, intersection angle information, one-way, and cross traffic turn information. An impedance factor, or a cost, is assigned to each piece of characteristic information. The cost may be positive if the characteristic information adds impedance to the node, or negative if the characteristic information subtracts impedance from the node.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2003Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: Darin J. Beesley, Michael Childs
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Patent number: 6704645Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for estimating an impedance through a node at an intersection between roads in a roadway network. The impedance may be measured in time or distance, for example. Characteristic information describes at least one feature of the intersecting roads. One or more pieces of characteristic information may impact the impedance of traffic through an intersection and are used to estimate the impedance through the node. Examples of characteristic information are speed information, road-type, network routing level, intersection angle information, one-way, and cross traffic turn information. An impedance factor, or a cost, is assigned to each piece of characteristic information. The cost may be positive if the characteristic information adds impedance to the node, or negative if the characteristic information subtracts impedance from the node.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2001Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Darin J. Beesley, Michael Childs
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Patent number: 6687615Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for an improved navigational route planning device which provides more understandable, accurate and timely route calculation capabilities. The navigational aid device with route calculation capabilities includes a processor connected to a memory. The memory includes cartographic data and a desired destination, the cartographic data including data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types. A display is connected to the processor and is capable of displaying the cartographic data. The device is adapted to process the device's location and travel along a planned route. And, the device is adapted to dynamically calculate a new route to the desired destination with a preference for avoiding a particular portion of a thoroughfare or one or more different thoroughfares in a previous route.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Jay Dee Krull, Michael Childs, Shane R. Runquist
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Patent number: 6675093Abstract: Devices, systems, functional data and methods are provided for an improved route generation in navigational enabled devices. In generating the route, the available locations are inspected repetitively and locations adjacent to a last selected location are inserted into a first data structure such that the first location of the first data structure is always a least cost location associated with all adjacent locations comprising the first data structure. The first location is then optionally inserted into a second data structure. The generated route includes the current location, one or more first locations, and the destination.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Michael Childs, Darin J. Beesley
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Patent number: 6650996Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided to compress data, and in particular to code and decode data. One aspect of the present subject matter is a data structure. The data structure includes a field representing a decoding structure to decode canonical Huffman encoded data, and a field representing a symbol table. The decoding structure includes a field representing an accelerator table to provide a 2N-deep direct-index lookup to provide high-frequency symbols for high-frequency data and to provide bracketing indices for low-frequency data. The decoding structure also includes a field for a binary search table to provide a low-frequency symbol index using a binary search bounded by the bracketing indices provided by the accelerator table. The symbol table is adapted to provide a symbol associated with the low-frequency index.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Darin J. Beesley, Stephen C. Robinson, Michael Childs, Chunyen Liu
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Patent number: 6647337Abstract: A name of a thoroughfare is identified from at least one name for the thoroughfare in reference to a set of criteria. In one example, the set of criteria includes whether or not the thoroughfare is an interstate, whether or not a name is shielded, has a suffix, and/or has an identified prefix. Interstate thoroughfares are often identified by a shielded name of the interstate thoroughfare, and non-interstate thoroughfares are often identified by a non-shielded name of the non-interstate thoroughfare. The identified name includes a name which is most recognized or well-known for navigating.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Michael Childs, Shane R. Runquist