Manipulation Of Map Display Or Data Patents (Class 340/995.14)
  • Patent number: 8831883
    Abstract: A method is provided for outputting navigation instructions in a motor vehicle having a navigation system and a head-up display. Graphical navigation instructions are output in at least three instruction categories which differ substantially in terms of the graphical level of detail of the particular navigation instruction, the instruction category being selected based on the distance between the motor vehicle and an action point for the navigation maneuver. Navigation instructions in the category for short distances include a perspective lane-exact representation of a map section relevant to the navigation maneuver in the head-up display, a first driving line which is proposed by the navigation system is depicted in the map section in a lane-exact manner by way of a first graphical line object and an alternative second driving line is also depicted in a lane-exact manner by way of a second graphical line object differing from the first line object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marc Breisinger, Josef Schumann, Robertus Mariet
  • Patent number: 8825370
    Abstract: A trip planner is provided for creating, modifying, categorizing, and sharing online trip plans. A trip plan includes a list of items such as hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions selected from a travel guide or provided by a user. An item can have a street address for positioning the item on a map, an image and description of the item, and other metadata assigned by the user, such as tags and notes. The trip planner can generate an itinerary listing the items, and a corresponding map showing the locations of the items. A trip plan can be shared with other users, who can locate the trip plan by searching for the tags or other metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Jianing Hu, Pasha Sadri
  • Patent number: 8797187
    Abstract: A system and method for estimating street parking availability for a user is disclosed. The system comprises a communication module and a parking probability generator. The communication module receives data describing a set of traces for a group of vehicles associated with a group of users. The parking probability generator assigns the set of traces to one or more street segments based at least in part on street segment data describing the one or more street segments. The parking probability generator generates one or more parking probabilities for the one or more street segments based at least in part on one or more user densities in the one or more street segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Dustin Harber, Matthew Kresse, Vinuth Rai
  • Patent number: 8793065
    Abstract: Oftentimes individuals have a number of objectives to complete while traveling in a vehicle. The objectives can be arranged automatically and an associated route can be produced such that the objectives can be completed in an effective manner. Data related to the objectives can be collected such as a traffic pattern on paths near a location the objective is to take place. Locations for the objectives to be completed can be determined automatically as well as provided by user. Analysis of the collected data can take place and based on a result of the analysis, an efficient route is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lewis Seltzer, Neil W. Black, Jeffrey D. Couckuyt, Ivan J. Tashev, John C. Krumm, Ruston Panabaker
  • Patent number: 8793039
    Abstract: A flight information system may include a plan vertical situation display. The plan vertical situation display may display a vertical view of a flight path of an aircraft. The plan vertical situation display may display at least one path symbol showing at least one of a current path of the aircraft, a modified but not executed route of the aircraft, and an inactive route of the aircraft. The at least one path symbol may be adapted to display each of the current path of the aircraft, the modified but not executed route of the aircraft, and the inactive route of the aircraft. The plan vertical situation display may further display at least one terrain symbol showing a vertical terrain in the flight path along the at least one path symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jason L. Hammack, Peter D. Gunn, Michael J. Tucker, Sherwin S. Chen, John Wiedemann
  • Patent number: 8793038
    Abstract: A method and system for providing flight plan (i.e., route) previews is disclosed. A graphical representation of a route is provided on a display for a user to preview prior to committing the route to a flight management system. Furthermore, a textual description of the route may also be displayed. The textual description may provide additional information that may further assist the user making the selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan C. Schultz, Colin D. Reed
  • Patent number: 8788140
    Abstract: An information providing system (SYS), which provides information with a vehicle to assist driving the vehicle via a road-to-vehicle communication, comprises an information providing center (R) which has version-controlled first static information (R20) and transmits service information including version information of matching static information, the service information being generated by using the first static information (R20); and an on-vehicle device (V) which has version-controlled second static information (V20) corresponding to the first static information (R20), implements a drive assist service by using the second static information (V20) and service information received from the information providing center (R), and determines content of the drive assist service to be implemented, based on version information included in the service information and version information of the second static information (V20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeo Hamada
  • Patent number: 8781734
    Abstract: The invention provides a map display device and map display method that enhance the information density of displayed road names while maintaining legibility of a map image. First, the map drawing unit draws, to an image storage unit, a map image of roads and so forth in a desired scale, by using the background layer of a first hierarchy corresponding to the desired scale. Second, the map drawing unit draws place names and facility names by using the character layer of the first hierarchy to superimpose them on the map image. Third, the map drawing unit extracts the road names that do not overlap with the map characters of the place names and facility names on the map image by using the character layer of the first hierarchy, and superimposes them on the map image at the normal character size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Noboru Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8781730
    Abstract: Techniques are described that may be implemented in a mobile electronic device providing navigation functionality to facilitate selection of a route to a destination from multiple route options. In one or more implementations, route selection information is displayed on a display of the mobile electronic device to facilitate selection of a route to a destination. The route selection information describes one or more routes to the destination and includes one or more metrics, associated with each route, that identify a characteristic of the route (e.g., a difficulty rating, topography, total climb distance, number of turns, and so on). A map may then be displayed on the display to furnish navigation information for the selected route to facilitate navigation to the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: David J. Downey, Choy Wai Lee, Kenneth A. Carlson
  • Patent number: 8781742
    Abstract: A sketch can be received. The sketch can include one or more sketched graphical elements and one or more sketched representations of text. Pattern matching of the one or more sketched graphical elements and the one or more sketched representations of text with a map region can be automatically performed. A map of the map region can be automatically generated and displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Brian Albrecht
  • Patent number: 8762045
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a navigation frame, a navigation apparatus, and a recording medium are provided. In the method, a navigation frame is displayed on a screen of a device in a form of a three-dimensional picture. When an event is received, the angle of view of the navigation frame is adjusted to make the size of the navigation frame reduce and a window corresponding to the event is displayed in an area of the screen that is emptied due to the reduction of the navigation frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventor: Yu-Cheng Lee
  • Patent number: 8762059
    Abstract: A mobile application on a mobile device communicates with a head-unit of a navigation system. The mobile application may retrieve data such as map data, user input data, and other data and communicate the updates to the head unit. By retrieving map data through the mobile application, the head unit may be updated much easier than systems of the prior art. The data may be retrieved through cellular networks, Wi-Fi networks, or other networks which accessible to a user and compatible with the mobile device. Updates may be stored in the mobile device and automatically uploaded to the navigation system head unit when the user is in the vicinity of the head unit. The mobile application may establish a logical connection with one or more head units. The logical connection bounds the mobile application to the head unit and allows for data sharing and synchronization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: NNG KFT.
    Inventor: Peter Balogh
  • Patent number: 8762053
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying points-of-interest. In one aspect, a method includes determining a location of a mobile device, and automatically identifying a point-of-interest (POI) located within a predetermined distance of the location. The method also includes providing, on a user interface of the mobile device, a rating control for allowing the user to rate the identified POI, and receiving the rating for the identified POI from the user, using the rating control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: April R. Lehman
  • Patent number: 8762046
    Abstract: A method and system for creating geometry for ADAS are described. Link chains, which are a sequence of segments, are created. The link chains are used to create 2D splines. The link chains, the 2D splines, and height data are used to create 3D splines. The 3D splines and possibly the 2D splines are converted to Bezier curves, which can be used to create a 2D polyline. ADAS applications can use the Bezier curves and the 2D polylines to provide ADAS functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Navteq B.V.
    Inventors: Ole Henry Dorum, James D. Lynch, Marianna Gnedin
  • Patent number: 8749405
    Abstract: An object of the invention is also a navigation system having an input device for the input of an input scale value, having a display device for displaying road map information according to a selected display scale value and having a processor device, wherein the number of enterable input scale values is larger than the number of the selectable display scale values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Knebel, Liza Hassel, Frank Wolf
  • Patent number: 8742955
    Abstract: In step ST11 of FIG. 5, a map image is displayed. In step ST12, moving-route marks are added to the map image. In step ST13, image-pickup-position marks are added to the map image. In step ST14, a current position mark is added to the map image. In step ST15, a predetermined range is determined based on an image-pickup position. Furthermore, predetermined ranges are determined based on a moving route and a current position. In step ST16, the number of types of landmark sign to be included in the map image is reduced in ranges other than the predetermined ranges. Since landmark signs which are positioned far from the image-pickup position, the moving route, and the current position and which are not important for a user are not added to the map image, map display is performed while display of the landmark signs is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masanao Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 8731813
    Abstract: The preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to an improved mapping and navigational system. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a system for defining and assigning geographical boundaries to points of interests on a graphical map, where the geographical boundaries preferably correlate to spatially defined boundaries of the respective points of interests. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the points of interest, along with the respective defined geographical boundaries, can be transferred from a personal computing device to a telecommunication device, such as a portable communication device, so as to be used for mapping purposes and to set off proximity alerts when the portable communication device, equipped with a GPS unit, enters or exits the geographical boundary of a particular point of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Sheha, Angie Sheha
  • Patent number: 8731825
    Abstract: A trajectory display device includes: a display element; a current position detector; a memory for storing the current position successively; and a position determination unit for determining a plurality of certain actual distance trajectory points and a plurality of direction change points based on position data stored in the memory. The certain actual distance trajectory points are arranged at every actual distance defined by a scale of a map. The moving body changes a moving direction at each direction change point. The display element displays the trajectory including the certain actual distance trajectory points and the direction change points, which is overlapped over the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mikiya Nakano, Kenji Tsuji, Kiyohiko Sawada, Mitsuhisa Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8717354
    Abstract: The present invention relates to annotating images. In an embodiment, the present invention enables users to create annotations corresponding to three-dimensional objects while viewing two-dimensional images. In one embodiment, this is achieved by projecting a selecting object onto a three-dimensional model created from a plurality of two-dimensional images. The selecting object is input by a user while viewing a first image corresponding to a portion of the three-dimensional model. A location corresponding to the projection on the three-dimensional model is determined, and content entered by the user while viewing the first image is associated with the location. The content is stored together with the location information to form an annotation. The annotation can be retrieved and displayed together with other images corresponding to the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jiajun Zhu, Daniel Filip, Luc Vincent
  • Patent number: 8712445
    Abstract: Displaying a map on a wireless communications device includes steps of obtaining map data for rendering the map to be displayed on the wireless communications device, determining a rotation that, when applied to the map, will orient a selected path in a selected direction, such as a current direction of travel, generating a corrected rotation by applying a spherical correction factor, e.g. based on a current location, and rendering the map on a display of the wireless communications device by applying the corrected rotation. The spherical correction factor corrects for map distortions that occur at high latitudes for paths that are neither purely north-south or east-west. When such a path is rotated to face upward to show direction of travel, the path needs to be straightened by applying the spherical correction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, David Paul Yach
  • Patent number: 8712627
    Abstract: A vehicle biodiesel fuel diagnostic method may include determining a biodiesel fuel concentration of fuel added to a vehicle fuel tank during a fueling event at a fueling location and determining the fueling location. The biodiesel fuel concentration and fueling location may be transmitted to an information system where the concentration and location are stored in a database. The method may further include indicating an abnormal biodiesel fuel condition in the database when the biodiesel fuel concentration is outside of a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jill M. Cummings, Mike M. McDonald, William C. Albertson
  • Patent number: 8706401
    Abstract: A navigational aid device is provided that includes a GPS module, a processor, and memory. The device is configured to automatically determine a route to a destination and to account for, in its determination of a route, a plurality of modes of public, private, or both public and private transportation. Some of these configurations may also be configured to recommend a mode or modes of transportation to take to get to a destination, and/or accept user preferences in recommending a route or the mode or modes of transportation to take to get to the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventor: Choy Wai Lee
  • Patent number: 8704853
    Abstract: A computing device includes a memory configured to store images and associated timing data. The computing device also includes a processor configured to execute instructions to perform a method that includes producing a graphical path on a digital map that represents positions associated with the images. The positions are estimated from the timing data associated with the images. The method also includes modifying the graphical path based upon data that represents user provided adjustments to the estimated positions of the images. The method also includes presenting the modified path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Cherna, Nikhil Bhatt, Alexander David Wallace
  • Patent number: 8694603
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for rendering geographic information system (GIS) data. A server component responding to a request for GIS data for a given area combines contiguous elements that share the same dynamic characteristics. For example, a map server may combine the polylines of contiguous road segments sharing the same current speed/congestion conditions. Doing so may greatly reduce the number of individual polylines that are sent to a client for rendering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis H. Brobst, James P. Cantwell, Magda M. Mourad
  • Patent number: 8688369
    Abstract: Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a blind intersection along a section of road. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a blind intersection is located along a section of road. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the blind intersection located along the section of road. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action. When the vehicle is at such a location, a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system as the vehicle is approaching a blind intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Navteq B.V.
    Inventor: Robert Denaro
  • Patent number: 8681176
    Abstract: A map server generates vector descriptors and corresponding style identifiers for rendering a map image. Each vector descriptor indicates a geometry of a respective map element in accordance with a vector graphics format, and each style identifier identifies a style according to which the corresponding map element is rendered. The map server then causes map data including the vector descriptors and the style identifiers to be transmitted to the client device via a communication network. When the map server receives a request for style data for modifying a map image at the client device, the map server generates a description of visual characteristics for one or more styles identified by the style identifiers included in the map data previously provided to the client device and causes the description of visual characteristics to be transmitted to the client device for applying to the vector descriptors at the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Maurer, Sean Egan, Brian Cornell
  • Patent number: 8670922
    Abstract: When a user specifies a road that he/she wants to pass through, a guiding route generation device generates a guiding route that passes through the specified road up to a destination. A guiding route (37) generated based on waypoints specified is stored in a storage device (15) of the guiding route generation device. A display device (11) displays the guiding route (37) along with roads in the periphery. The guiding route generation device specifies a certain road as the specified pass-through road from among the roads displayed along with the guiding route (37), and further, finds and determines whether there are crossings and the number of the crossings between the specified pass-through road and the guiding route (37).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
    Inventors: Masaki Kaneda, Masahiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 8670885
    Abstract: A vehicle display may convey vehicle trip information and vehicle range information graphically to assist drivers in qualitatively visualizing and determining whether they can successfully make it to their destination before an on-board energy source is depleted. A trip gauge may include indicators corresponding to the relative locations of the vehicle, the destination, and a projected zero charge location associated with the vehicle's range or distance to empty value. The positions of the indicators relative to one another may indicate whether the excess energy is available for the vehicle to reach the destination or whether the energy available is insufficient. A battery gauge may also convey information associated with the vehicle range. Portions of the trip gauge and the battery gauge, as well as one or more of the associated indicators, may assigned various color values for display based upon energy consumption, vehicle range, and target distance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dale Gilman, Paul Aldighieri, David L. Watson, Angela L. Watson, Craig Sandvig, Leslie Bodnar, Jeffrey Allen Greenberg
  • Patent number: 8666652
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for displaying analytic geography data in a zero-footprint client environment. Data indicative of a geographic focus area is received via a first user interface region that displays a geographical map from a geographical information system that is executable on a first server, the geographical information system configured to capture, store, analyze, and manage data and associated attributes that are spatially referenced to earth. Data indicative of a selected analytic routine is received via a second user interface region that displays a plurality of candidate analytic routines. The selected routine and data indicated by the selected analytic routine are accessed from a second server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: SAS Institute Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Lee Short
  • Patent number: 8630800
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving a travel query, where the travel query comprises a starting location, a destination location, and a specified transit time; and using the starting location, destination location, and the specified transit time to provide a travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location within the specified transit time, wherein the travel route includes one or more points of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Emmet J. Connolly, Marty R. Gardner, Rani S. Manoharan
  • Patent number: 8618952
    Abstract: A method of identifying an intersection for a collision warning system is disclosed. The method includes steps of selecting an identified intersection where a driver intends to turn from a set of potential intersections. The collision warning system is then controlled according to the identified intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 8620574
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for calculating a quantity for a route segment extending between two points on a digital map, the points corresponding to two geographical locations, the quantity representing a distance between the two geographical locations or an estimated time for travelling between the two geographical locations, the method comprising; determining a base quantity for the route segment, determining a first parameter corresponding to a first condition between the two geographical locations, determining a second parameter corresponding to a second condition between the two geographical locations, determining an additional quantity based on the first parameter and the second parameter such that the influence of the second parameter on the size of the additional quantity depends on the first parameter, calculating a modified quantity for the route segment based on the base quantity and the additional quantity, and generating a signal based on the modified quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
    Inventor: Stefan Nils Olof Carlsson
  • Patent number: 8615359
    Abstract: A terminus buffer area (e.g., an end-of-route buffer area) is provided in a map navigation tool to allow suppression of off-route feedback (e.g., audio or visual warnings or alerts) in some circumstances, such as when a mobile computing device (e.g., a smart phone) that implements the tool enters the buffer area. The map navigation tool can output off-route feedback when the user strays from a route, but also can suppress the off-route feedback when the user is within the buffer area. In addition to suppression of off-route feedback, a map navigation tool also can disable off-route feedback when a user crosses an arrival threshold and enters an arrival area, such that the tool does not output off-route feedback regardless of the user's location or movements once the user has entered the arrival area. The arrival area can be within an end-of-route buffer area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mudassir Alam, Aarti Bharathan, Juan Pablo Candelas Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 8612147
    Abstract: Computerized methods and system of shortening representations of geographical coordinates (Latitude, Longitude) by replacing the leading significant latitude and longitude digits in a given locality with an optional and often user friendly context hint. The locality context can be indicated either explicitly by a human factors appropriate name, or implicitly by the center of a map or current location of the client computerized device. The invention also discloses a reverse method to recover these eliminated digits by using the approximate center of locality and proximity to provide the missing context information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventor: Anup Som
  • Patent number: 8610550
    Abstract: An in-vehicle device for displaying a plurality of screen data generated by a mobile terminal device on one display is provided. A registering unit is configured to register partial area information in which disposition information indicating disposition of each of a plurality of partial areas which are disposed on a display area of the display are associated with priority information indicating priority of each of the partial areas. A adjusting unit is configured to adjust the display area by allocating one of the screen data to one of the partial areas based on the priority information included in the partial area information when receiving a request to display the one of the screen data on the display. A display control unit is configured to display the one of the screen data allocated to the one of the partial areas on the display based on the disposition information included in the partial area information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Masayuki Hagiwara, Satoshi Ohta
  • Patent number: 8606457
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for automatically adjusting the output of presentation content based upon vehicle conditions. The method determines whether one of a plurality of vehicle conditions exists, such as conditions related to vehicle speed, rate of change in vehicle speed, rate of change in vehicle direction, vehicle emergencies, cellular phone or headphone activation, radar detector activation, noise level decibels above a certain value, etc. The method determines an output format based on the determined vehicle conditions. The method outputs at least a portion of the presentation content based on the determined output format. The determined output format includes display format information, such as text font or icon size information or map detail. The presentation content can also include audio content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Promind Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gilad Odinak, Hakan Kostepen
  • Patent number: 8606494
    Abstract: A map generation apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a classification unit, a tentative map generation unit and a map generation unit. The acquisition unit acquires information which is a target of an analysis process. The classification unit classifies the acquired information into a plurality of types. The tentative map generation unit selects the types provided by the classifying one by one as a type in question to generate tentative map information of the information belonging to the type in question, based on (i) the information belonging to the type in question and (ii) representative information that represents at least one type other than the type in question. The map generation unit generates a map image based on the tentative map information generated for the respective types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Takeda, Hitoshi Ikeda, Motofumi Fukui
  • Patent number: 8599013
    Abstract: The present system and methods provides for distribution of weather and other environmental information to remote users within a wireless transmitter coverage area. The system and method assigns meteorological data to a plurality of cells, each corresponding to a communication range of a wireless transmitter. The data is then distributed by the appropriate wireless transmitter to all users within its coverage area. The system and method does not distribute information to a particular user based upon a known communication address, user profile, or identification, but rather is directed to any user falling within the communications range of the wireless transmitter. By indiscriminate distribution of reportable events, the system provides timely, site-specific information without requiring the location of the remote units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Baron Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert O. Baron, Sr.
  • Patent number: 8600654
    Abstract: A route guidance device is provided with a two-dimensional road network for a route search, a three-dimensional road network for a route guidance, and guiding line shape data. The guiding line shape data is three-dimensional guidance display data for guiding an operator to go straight through, or to make a right turn, left turn, etc. at intersections in accordance with a passage mode, or to switch lanes before entering an intersection. A link node of the two-dimensional road network is associated with the guiding line shape data through the three-dimensional road network. The route search uses the two-dimensional road network, and the route guidance uses the guiding line shape data associated with the link node acquired by the route search. The present invention can realize an instinctively understandable route guidance that follows a passage mode without increasing a load of a route search.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: GEO Technical Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyonari Kishikawa, Eiji Teshima, Masatoshi Aramaki, Hideyuki Shimozuru, Masaya Ada, Tatsuji Kimura, Satomi Baba, Kouhei Tou, Toru Irie
  • Patent number: 8594928
    Abstract: Provided is a device, method and program enabling high-speed map matching while maintaining a precision of an analysis based on a map matching result even when event data is transmitted from numerous vehicles. A grid is obtained by the division of a region in which a road network exists into a latitude direction and a longitude direction by equal spaces based on data stored in the road data storage unit. A grid ID is unitarily assigned to each set of grids whose sets of arcs which are roads are common and arc passing the grid. An event grid matching unit correlates event data collected from a vehicle and a grid. When the number of pieces of event data correlated with the grid is large, a data selecting unit selects a part of the data. An event road matching unit correlates the selected event data and a road in the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Kida, Kenichiro Fujiyama
  • Patent number: 8589069
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying points-of-interest. In one aspect, a method includes determining a location of a mobile device, and automatically identifying a point-of-interest (POI) located within a predetermined distance of the location. The method also includes providing, on a user interface of the mobile device, a rating control for allowing the user to rate the identified POI, and receiving the rating for the identified POI from the user, using the rating control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: April R. Lehman
  • Patent number: 8583365
    Abstract: A route guide method includes collecting state information of respective points of interest (POIs) and storing the collected state information in a state information database, extracting state information of one or more candidate POIs with reference to the state information database according to a request for the state information of the one or more candidate POIs, and applying the extracted state information of the candidate POIs to routes to the respective POIs to guide a user along the routes to the respective candidate POIs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: In Sung Jang, Moonsoo Lee, Kyoung Hwan An, Kyoung-Wook Min, Ju Wan Kim
  • Patent number: 8577598
    Abstract: A method for presenting a route includes receiving a starting point and a destination point and computing a route that includes a route segment between the two points. The method further includes determining, based on a user's travel history, whether the route segment is an unfamiliar segment, and identifying, based on the user's travel history, a road that is familiar to the user. The method includes providing, in a format that distinguishes the familiar road from the computed route, the computed route and the familiar road relative to the unfamiliar segment for presentation of the familiar road within a scaled range of the unfamiliar segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Scenera Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Mona Singh
  • Patent number: 8566031
    Abstract: Provided is a map matching device, method and program. The map matching device may comprise a road grid dividing unit and a grid road combining unit. The road grid dividing unit is for deriving a grid obtained by the division of a region where a road network exists in a latitude direction and a longitude direction by equal spaces and correlating the grid and an arc crossing the grid. The grid road combining unit is for assigning a common arc ID to a plurality of grids which are adjacent to each other and whose sets of arcs correlated are coincident and assigning an arc ID to a grid whose set of arcs correlated is different from a set of arcs of any of adjacent grids to generate information indicative of a relationship among a range of a grid, a grid ID and an arc passing the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Kida, Kenichiro Fujiyama
  • Patent number: 8560226
    Abstract: Provided is a technology of a navigation device which is capable of identifying an intersection or the like based on designation of an incomplete name of a street in which an input of a first keyword and an input of a second keyword are received, and a connection point of a first street having a street name which includes at least in part the first keyword and a second street having a street name which includes at least in part the second keyword is identified, to thereby save the user, who is not always familiar with the geography of a search target area, from the inconvenience of inputting a complete name of the first street, based on which the second street is retrieved and selected and an intersection point of the first street and the second street is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Clarion Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Watarai, Chiharu Hirai
  • Patent number: 8552889
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing a route for an aircraft or managing a map of an airport. The map is displayed on a display device. A movement of a number of fingers with respect to a number of aeronautical objects on the map is detected. The route for the aircraft is changed or information generated by an operation based on the number of aeronautical objects on the map is displayed in response to detecting the movement of the number of fingers with respect to the number of aeronautical objects on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Andre Lutz, Cindy Dorfmann, Jason W. Clark
  • Patent number: 8543439
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media provide for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf. According to embodiments, a method for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf is provided. According to the method, an indication of the given turf is received. Optimal turfs from where to reallocate technicians to the given turf are determined from a plurality of turfs. Visual cues for identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Ingman, Robert Cole, Richard Miller
  • Patent number: 8543323
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for generating a street map that includes a position identifier that identifies a location on the street map. The method and system may also generate and display a plurality of images representative of the location of the position identifier. A user may interact with a position identifier or one of several scroll icons to view images of other locations on the street map and/or to obtain driving directions between two locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan A. Gold, Timothy Caro-Bruce, Huy T. Ha, John Alan Hjelmstad, Christopher Aaron Volkert
  • Patent number: 8537162
    Abstract: In a vehicular navigation apparatus, when map data of a unit area is updated, it is determined whether a border node contained in an adjoining unit area which adjoins the updated unit area is separated from an opponent border node contained in the updated unit area. The positions of the border node and the opponent border node are moved to target points so as to accord with each other, thereby reducing a possibility to worsen an appearance of a map as a result of the update of the unit area of the map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshio Nomura
  • Patent number: RE44549
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for displaying a driving location of a moving object which controls a Red, Green, Blue (RGB) ratio by corresponding to a property of a road where the moving object travels, differently renders a moving object symbol according to the controlled RGB ratio, and thereby may identify a driving status of the moving object more accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Thinkware Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Deuk Yeong Seong