Route Determination And Display On Map Patents (Class 340/995.19)
  • Patent number: 8275543
    Abstract: A method of controlling a navigation apparatus, and which includes displaying map information on a touch screen display unit of the navigation apparatus, receiving at least a first touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a first position on the display unit and a second touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a second position on the display unit while the first position is continuously touched, calculating, via a controller, a traveling route including the touched first and second positions, and displaying the calculated traveling route on the displayed map information to inform a driver of a vehicle including the navigation apparatus about the calculated traveling route including the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jung-Sub Sim
  • Patent number: 8265867
    Abstract: A route search system includes a map data storing means 2 storing a roadmap data containing, as the attribute of a road, whether the road is a road located within a flat-rate pay area where a fixed fare is charged on a mobile unit regardless of the number of times the mobile unit enters the area if the entries are made within a fixed time period; a flat-rate pay area transit recording means 4b, when the current position detected by a position detecting means 1 comes to a road in the flat-rate pay area represented by the attribute of the roadmap data stored in the map data storing means, storing that the mobile unit has transited the flat-rate pay area; an input means 3 inputting whether to permit transit across the flat-rate pay area; and a route calculating means 4a, when it is inputted by the input means that the transit thereof is not permitted, if the flat-rate pay area transit recording means stores that the mobile unit has transited the flat-rate pay area, calculating the optimum route to the destinatio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hidekazu Arita, Makoto Ohi
  • Publication number: 20120223845
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a detection device for detecting a route actually traveled by the motor vehicle and the actual position of the motor vehicle on the route, a storage device with route-specific traffic sign information, and a control device with a display for outputting route-specific traffic sign information. The route-specific traffic sign information includes first information relating to at least one traffic sign ahead of the actual position of the motor vehicle on the route and second information representing a measure for the distance between the traffic signal ahead and the actual position of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventor: Toralf Schumann
  • Patent number: 8255146
    Abstract: A traffic management system (31) is described that combines wireless tracking of motorists (32) with scheduling of time slots for travel on roadways (33) during peak hours. Rewards are given to motorists (32) who travel during allotted time slots thus improving the effectiveness of the system over time. Motorists are tracked using their cellular device to check if a reward can be given or not, based on travel undertaken in the allotted time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Inventors: Sudharshan Srinivasan, Jai Kumar, Kothandraman Ramchandran
  • Patent number: 8234059
    Abstract: A navigation device 100 having a function to modify a route comprises an operational object detecting part 11 configured to detect a point or a section on the route as an operational object, a fixed point setting part 12 configured to set as fixed points two points on the route sandwiching the operational object therebetween, an operational object displacement detecting part 13 configured to detect a displacement of the operational object, a path changing part 14 configured to change a path of the route depending on the displacement of the operational object while elongating or contracting a line connecting the operational object and the fixed point, and a route re-searching part 15 configured to re-search and display an alternate route continuously depending on the changing path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Sugiyama, Minako Fujishiro
  • Patent number: 8232898
    Abstract: A system and method for wirelessly exchanging information concerning the location of E85 gas stations between E85 vehicles. The method includes transmitting messages from an E85 gas station that identifies the location of the E85 gas station, the time of the transmission and the price of the E85 gas, and receiving the messages by E85 vehicles that pass within a certain distance of the E85 gas station. The method also includes identifying that two E85 vehicles pass close to each other, where the vehicles periodically broadcast an E85 beacon identifying them as E85 vehicles. When two E85 vehicles are identified, the vehicles exchange information concerning a list of the E85 gas stations that they have stored from messages received from E85 gas stations and/or other E85 vehicles. The two vehicles update their lists to include those E85 gas stations that one vehicle may have that the other does not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Fan Bai, Donald K. Grimm, Anthony G. Lobaza, Jeremy Bos, Michael J. Quinn
  • Patent number: 8224562
    Abstract: A method for the automatic, computer-assisted determination of a route travelable by motor vehicles from a starting point to a destination point based on digitalized map data, wherein a computer acquires a starting point and destination point and determines the route based on possible road segments in such a way that the automatically generated route has a high recreational value. To this end, it is proposed that the computer determining the route preferably incorporate those road segments into the route that exhibit a high number of curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Würzburg GmbH
    Inventor: Jochen Katzer
  • Patent number: 8224565
    Abstract: A method for automatically creating POI by identifying geographic information on a screen of a portable navigation device is disclosed. A first geographic information is retrieved from an information page shown in the screen of the portable navigation device and recognized by comparing with the first geographic information with a geographic information of landmarks stored in a map database of the portable navigation device. It is determined whether the first geographic information is in the map database. If the geographic information is in the map database, a first GPS coordinate corresponding to the first geographic information is obtained and stored as a first POI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Mitac International Corp.
    Inventor: Chien-Yang Chang
  • Patent number: 8219314
    Abstract: Location information transmission apparatus for exchanging information about the on-road location on a digital map, characterized in that apparatus at an information provider comprises a location information converter for converting transmit on-road location information to road shape data including the on-road location consisting of a string of coordinates representing the road shape of a road section having a length that depends on the situation and relative data indicating the on-road location in the road section, and that apparatus at a party receiving the on-road location information comprises a shape matching section for performing shape matching by using the road shape data, identifying the road section on a digital map and identifying the on-road location in the road section by using the relative data. This makes it possible to correctly exchange information about the location on a digital map without defining node numbers or link numbers on a road network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Adachi, Satoko Miyama
  • Patent number: 8214142
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems and methods that find the quickest route between two locations on a graph with multi-edge constraints in a time and space efficient manner. In some embodiments, Dijkstra's algorithm is split into separate universes when a) a multiple-edge constraint is reached, and b) along each edge of a multi-edge constraint. In some embodiments, the split is performed for the purpose of finding the quickest (i.e. lowest weighted) route to the intersection(s) at the end of the constraints. These universes, in some embodiments, are merged or discarded when the intersection at the end of the constraint is found. Using these systems and methods, in some embodiments, the shortest path between two locations of a multi-edge constrained road network can be efficiently determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Telogis, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl David James Cerecke, David John Mitchell, Ralph James Mason
  • Patent number: 8209119
    Abstract: A route reporting method, system, and a recording medium using the same are provided. The present method detects a touch and draws a path according to a moving trajectory of the touch. When the touch is finished, a dialog block is displayed to insert route mark information in the drawn path. The aforesaid steps are repeated to draw a plurality of paths. When an end signal is received, those paths are assembled to form a complete route map, which is provided for users to search for routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Lee Chu, Chun-Yao Hou, Celine Weichun Lin
  • Patent number: 8204681
    Abstract: A navigation device provides route guidance only by voice guidance even if route guidance by a display screen is impossible. A navigation device displays on a display device a navigation screen including a map about a current position. The display device can enter a no-display state. In the navigation device, regardless of the state of the navigation screen, a route guidance method is performed. More particularly, in the display state, a guidance route is determined by a normal mode and route guidance is performed by both voice and display. In the no-display state, a guidance route including fewer movement methods is determined and route guidance is made only by voice guidance. Thus, in the no-display state where the navigation screen is not displayed, a guidance route is determined so as to enable route guidance only by voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Chihiro Hirose
  • Patent number: 8204680
    Abstract: A computer implemented method of operating a navigation system to provide road curvature is provided. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of spline control points representing a two-dimensional geometry of a portion a road segment and obtaining data indicating a road grade of the portion of the road segment. The spline control points and data indicating road grade are obtained from a geographic database associated with the navigation system. The method further comprises projecting the spline control points onto a slope provided by the road grade to obtain a representation of a restored true road curvature of the portion of the road segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: NAVTEQ B.V.
    Inventor: Ole Henry Dorum
  • Patent number: 8200432
    Abstract: First and second route guidance systems provided with country or region-specific map data or route search network data are linked. If the departure place and the destination are in different areas, a first route guidance system (A) extracts a candidate connection which is the border between the different areas to transmit it to a second route guidance system (B). The first and second route guidance systems search the optimum route from the departure place to the candidate connection and the optimum candidate route from the candidate connection to the destination, respectively and provide the required time and link data to their respective route guidance systems. The first or second route guidance system determines a recommended route with the smallest total of the required time out of candidate routes connected at the candidate connection and provides the recommended route data including the link data from the first route guidance system (A) to a terminal (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Navitime Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Uyama
  • Patent number: 8200416
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a displaying a moving map display for an aircraft is provided. The method includes determining a route of intended travel of the aircraft on the moving map display, determining a rank of relative importance of a plurality of aeronautical symbols displayed on the moving map display based on the determined route of intended travel, and de-emphasizing at least one navigation symbol with the moving map display based on the at least one navigation symbol determined rank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Sven D. Aspen
  • Patent number: 8200433
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a Synthetic Vision System (SVS) view combined with information from navigation charts. The operator of a vehicle is not required to mentally combine separate SVS view and navigation charts, increasing situational awareness and decreasing complexity. A synthetic terrain representation is generated, combined with navigation chart information, and displayed. Additionally, the combination may include an indicator indicating the intended path of the current planned course. The combination may be generated with less detailed navigation chart information when further away or more detailed navigation chart information when close, displaying more detail as landmarks are approached. The combination may include indicators representing one or more navigation aids based on information in the navigation charts. The combination may include text based on navigation chart information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan E. Siniff, Jason D. Marmur
  • Patent number: 8195390
    Abstract: A navigation device (1) including an input device for inputting operator commands and/or location data, particularly starting points and/or destinations, a road network database, a route calculating unit for calculating a planned route with consideration of the location data and the road network database, wherein the route leads from the starting point to the destination, a signal receiving unit for receiving position signals, particularly GPS-signals, a position determining unit that determines the current position based on the position signals, and at least one optical display device, has an editable image database, in which image data files (7) provided for being displayed on the display device can be managed in a user-defined fashion and method of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Würzburg GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Schliermann
  • Patent number: 8193950
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for receiving navigational data via a wireless messaging service on a navigation system. The system and method provide a way to send requests for destination information via the wireless messaging service and capture navigational data from the responsive message received, such as addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses, and then utilize that data for navigational routing, generation of telephone calls, emailing and the like, from the vehicle's navigation system. A wireless device can be paired with the navigation system over a Bluetooth communication link, wherein the navigation system periodically polls the wireless device for newly received messages. In one embodiment, the NAVI displays icons on a map that correspond to the extracted addresses from the messages received in relation to the vehicle's current location. The icons can be shown in a plurality of visual formats to distinguish previously viewed locations from newly received ones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eric Shigeru Ohki
  • Patent number: 8193951
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for receiving navigational data via a wireless messaging service on a navigation system. The system and method provide a way to send requests for destination information via the wireless messaging service and capture navigational data from the responsive message received, such as addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses, and then utilize that data for navigational routing, generation of telephone calls, emailing and the like, from the vehicle's navigation system. A wireless device can be paired with the navigation system over a Bluetooth communication link, wherein the navigation system periodically polls the wireless device for newly received messages. In one embodiment, the NAVI displays icons on a map that correspond to the extracted addresses from the messages received in relation to the vehicle's current location. The icons can be shown in a plurality of visual formats to distinguish previously viewed locations from newly received ones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eric Shigeru Ohki
  • Patent number: 8190361
    Abstract: A navigation device is provided. The device includes a driving state tracker for tracking a mobile driving state using a current mobile position and RGI (Route Guidance Information) data including driving information on multi-routes from the current mobile position to a destination, and outputting deviation information and the current mobile position when a mobile object is deviated from a route; and a re-routing unit for searching partial routes from a mobile deviation position to each of the multi-routes using the deviation information, the current mobile position and the driving information on the multi-routes, and re-routing a route to the destination using each of the partial routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Chul-Hwan Lee, Woo-Chan Chung
  • Patent number: 8190358
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes a route searching unit 130 for, when including a road where a car pool lane is also provided in a recommended route at a time of searching for a route from a current position determined by a current position determining means to a destination inputted by an input unit on the basis of map data acquired by a map data acquiring means, calculating a distance to be traveled according to the number of lanes which are crossed at the time of an entry to the car pool lane and at the time of an exit from the car pool lane, and then determining the recommended route in such a way that the recommended route uses an entrance and an exit of the car pool lane each of which is located at a location dependent upon the calculated distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Machino
  • Patent number: 8185306
    Abstract: The invention purposes to provide a position information transmission method for accurately transmitting a position and a shape on a digital map with a small amount of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Shinya Adachi
  • Patent number: 8179287
    Abstract: A route information supply system comprises a reception module which receives information on a current position and a destination from a terminal device by communication, a map data storage module storing at least detailed map data and summary map data, a traffic information storage module which stores traffic information, a route search module which searches for a guidance route based on the current position and the destination, a map information generation module which generates map information on an area containing the searched route by use of the map data storage module, and an output module which outputs the generated map information to the terminal device. When an event satisfying a prescribed condition regarding the traffic information exists in the area, the map information generation module generates map information on an area in the vicinity of a point where the event has occurred by use of the detailed map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Kato, Shigeru Matsuo, Mariko Okude, Yukihiro Kawamata, Yoshitaka Atarashi
  • Patent number: 8175795
    Abstract: An apparatus calculates a coefficient b that reflects a road slope condition of each section based on an altitude difference of both ends of each section stored in a memory, and identifies a carbon dioxide discharge amount that changes in proportion to the distance of each section by multiplying a distance D of each section by the coefficient b and another coefficient Ec. Further, the apparatus identifies a discharge amount that changes in proportion to a travel time of each section by multiplying a travel time T of each section and yet another coefficient a, and identifies a discharge amount based on an index that changes in proportion to the number of stops in each section by multiplying an index AEE by the coefficient Ec and still yet another coefficient c for performing a carbon-conscious routing between a start place and a destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Narita, Akira Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 8165801
    Abstract: A wireless communication device transmits first text messaging to a navigation computer system. The first text messaging indicates an identity, initial location, and destination location for the wireless communication device. The navigation computer system processes the first text messaging to determine navigation instructions from the initial location to the destination location and to initiate a voice call to the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device processes a caller number for the voice call to answer the call in speaker-phone mode and to transfer second text messaging to the navigation computer system. The second text messaging indicates current locations of the wireless communication device. The navigation computer system processes the second text messaging to transfer the navigation instructions over the voice call based on the current locations of the wireless communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kosol Jintaseranee, Soshant Bali
  • Patent number: 8160765
    Abstract: A control system controls a pair of vehicles in coordination to traverse a respective pair of trajectories. The control system is configured to specify a plurality of successive waypoints, a safe stopping interval and an intermediate interval greater than the safe stopping interval, and exchange waypoints between vehicles. The system controls each vehicle in coordination with the other, senses a rate of exchange of waypoint data between the vehicles, and determines the safe stopping interval. The control system updates positions with additional waypoints as the respective vehicles pass by waypoints of the forecasted trajectory, determines the length of the forecasted trajectory remaining and compares it with the intermediate interval and the safe stopping interval. The system generates a warning signal if distance is less than the intermediate interval, and if the distance is less than the safe stopping interval, stops within the safe stopping interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Riccardo Morselli, John Posselius
  • Patent number: 8159363
    Abstract: In a handheld electronic device, a motor is controlled to adjust, according to input received at a user-input element of the device, an angle of rotation of a camera module about a rotation axis of the camera module. The camera module is partially embedded in a housing of the device. An image sensor is embedded in the camera module and senses an image in a field of view that is centered around a line of sight. The line of sight is perpendicular to the rotation axis. An orientation of the housing relative to a direction of gravity is sensed, and the motor is controlled to rotate the camera module and hence the line of sight about the rotation axis to achieve a particular angle between the line of sight and the direction of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Jae Ryee Song
  • Patent number: 8155872
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for providing physical routes to target locations. The techniques include obtaining at least one target location from at least one user; determining at least one physical route to said at least one target location; and displaying said at least one determined physical route through a sequence of at least one sign display, wherein each sign display are configured to display a plurality of physical routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederik C. Kjeldsen, Anthony Levas, Gopal S. Pingali, Claudio S. Pinhanez, Mark E. Podlaseck, Piyawadee Sukavitiya
  • Patent number: 8140258
    Abstract: A wayfinding device is provided for giving directions to a desired destination within a building having a plurality of wayfinding beacons configured to transmit data using an ultrasound signal. The ultrasound signal can include a plurality of bursts, wherein a sequence of predefined time intervals between consecutive bursts within the plurality of bursts uniquely identifies each wayfinding beacon. The wayfinding device is separate from the wayfinding beacons and includes a wayfinding beacon recognition component configured to identify a wayfinding beacon when the device receives the data through the ultrasound signal from a wayfinding beacon. The device is further programmed to provide directions to a user of the device in a direction toward the desired destination in response to identifying a wayfinding beacon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Dempsey
  • Patent number: 8140254
    Abstract: In a road map data generation apparatus, existing primary road map data is subjected to a deletion process according to a deletion rule to delete a portion of the data. Thus, reduced road map data is generated for a storage medium such as a memory card having a data volume smaller than the primary road map data. A navigation apparatus using the reduced road map data stored in the memory card records a restoration rule pairing with the deletion rule. Based on the restoration rule, the reduced road map data can be restored to the primary road map data. Thus, the deletion rule can decrease the data volume of the primary data to thereby generate the reduced data, whereas the restoration rule can restore the reduced data to the primary data in the navigation apparatus. This helps prevent worsening of the quality of the road map data and lowering of the user's satisfaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shigehiro Mutoh, Toshio Nomura
  • Patent number: 8134481
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for receiving navigational data via a wireless messaging service on a navigation system. The system and method provide a way to send requests for destination information via the wireless messaging service and capture navigational data from the responsive message received, such as addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses, and then utilize that data for navigational routing, generation of telephone calls, emailing and the like, from the vehicle's navigation system. The system and method further sends location-related reply messages and preset reply messages to an originator of a received message. A wireless device can be paired with the navigation system over a Bluetooth® communication link, wherein the navigation system periodically polls the wireless device for newly received messages. In one embodiment, the NAVI displays icons on a map that correspond to the extracted addresses from the messages received in relation to the vehicle's current location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eric Shigeru Ohki
  • Patent number: 8135539
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for displaying a map for a route in a ground-based vehicle. The map includes a variable road network map showing finer detail for geographic features near the route and less detail for geographic features farther from the route. The map is displayed based on the travel direction of the ground-based vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: America Online, Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Nesbitt
  • Patent number: 8131675
    Abstract: There is disclosed a map data delivering system for providing consistent road network information from supplement map information and map update information. The map data delivering system includes a navigation terminal and a map distribution server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyohiro Obara, Akinori Asahara, Kishiko Maruyama, Hideki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8131461
    Abstract: Navigation methods and systems are provided. First, an electronic device generates a route planning result according to at least a destination, and performs a navigation process according to the route planning result. It is determined whether at least one navigation condition has occurred. When the navigation condition has occurred, a position schematic diagram is displayed, wherein the position schematic diagram comprises the destination and a current position of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Mitac International Corp.
    Inventor: Hui-Ching Chuang
  • Patent number: 8131460
    Abstract: A GPS navigation code device has GPS features and easy address retrieval means built in, enabling a driver to retrieve and request directions to an address without taking his eyes off the road. The user pre-programs the GPS navigation code device with a plurality of addressees or points of interest and assigns unique navigation codes for each as keyboard entry and speech, all stored in local database within the GPS in three linked databases. While driving, the user presses a special address search mode key and inputs the unique navigation code by keyboard or speech pattern, views displayed address and accepts the same. When an unknown navigation code is entered the GPS accesses a remote database through the Internet to recover the associated company name and uses Internet based map service to locate closest list of specified business providing directions by map and speech on a turn-by-turn basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: Gary Severson
  • Patent number: 8126641
    Abstract: A route planning system comprises a receiver component that receives a request for directions between two points. A route generator component outputs directions between the two points, the directions include a contingency such that an alternate route is provided, a selected route between the two points is dependent upon a user perception at a geographic location that corresponds to the contingency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Eric J. Horvitz
  • Patent number: 8126644
    Abstract: A PC of a travel support system displays running video of a predetermined route, and if a predetermined intersection is set as a warning point by a user, sends warning point setting information to a server. If the server acquires the warning point setting information from the PC, the server updates a user DB. A navigational device sends travel route related information of a travel route set by the user to the server. The server sends detailed guidance information of the warning point included in the traveling route set in the navigational device to the navigational device. Upon arrival at the warning point, the navigational device notifies detailed guidance, and upon arrival at an existing guidance point, the navigational device notifies existing guidance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Increment P Corporation
    Inventor: Kouji Amano
  • Patent number: 8116973
    Abstract: A vehicle has a plurality of traveling modes. A display device for the vehicle comprises: a display unit displaying map information; and a control unit causing the display unit to display recognizably, at a portion of roads in the map information, traveling modes that correspond to the roads. Preferably, the control unit sets a destination in response to an instruction received from an operator, searches for a traveling route extending from a starting point to the destination, divides the traveling route into segments, and associates one of the traveling modes with each of the segments. More preferably, the control unit causes the display unit to display the plurality of candidate traveling routes, each with the traveling mode overlaid thereon, and selects in response to an instruction of the operator one traveling route planned to be taken among the plurality of candidate traveling routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaya Soma, Toshiaki Niwa, Kazuya Kato
  • Patent number: 8116974
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for conducting searches and generating routes to selected points of interest using a wireless client-server (WCS) navigator. A method includes the step of requesting, at a mobile unit, information about one or more locations meeting certain criteria. Locations meeting the criteria are displayed on the display screen at the location of the user and, if a location is selected, a route to include the selected location is automatically generated. Guidance regarding how to travel to the selected location may also be provided. If the user is already en route to a destination when a route to a selected location is requested, the navigator may generate a route that includes both the original destination and the selected new location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventor: Ian Cummings
  • Patent number: 8102281
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for receiving navigational data via a wireless messaging service on a navigation system. The system and method provide a way to send requests for destination information via the wireless messaging service and capture navigational data from the responsive message received, such as addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses, and then utilize that data for navigational routing, generation of telephone calls, emailing and the like, from the vehicle's navigation system. A wireless device can be paired with the navigation system over a Bluetooth® communication link, wherein the navigation system periodically polls the wireless device for newly received messages. In one embodiment, the NAVI displays icons on a map that correspond to the extracted addresses from the messages received in relation to the vehicle's current location. The icons can be shown in a plurality of visual formats to distinguish previously viewed locations from newly received ones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eric Shigeru Ohki
  • Patent number: 8099233
    Abstract: A map display controller displays a three-dimensional map image on a display screen of a display device, and superimposes a route wall standing from a route and along the route in the three dimensional map image on the display device. This reduces a difficulty in confirming the route behind structures such as a building in the three-dimensional map image displayed on the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Nagako Matsuno, Kei Nagiyama
  • Patent number: 8089375
    Abstract: A head-up display system includes an aircraft, a predicted flight path generation component that calculates a predicted flight path over a period of time, and a graphic generation component configured to generate a graphical display and project it onto a combiner configured to combine the graphical display with a visual exterior view. A synthetic vision system includes an aircraft, a predicted flight path generation component that receives one or more state parameters and calculates a predicted flight path over a period of time, and a synthetic terrain generation component configured to generate a synthetic view which is displayed on a display. The graphical display and/or the synthetic view includes a three-dimensional depiction of the predicted flight path over the period of time generated utilizing one or more three-dimensional transforms, one or more graphical images based on flight data, and a three-dimensional graphical depiction of a flight plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Kirschen A. Seah
  • Patent number: 8086404
    Abstract: The present invention provides an on-vehicle navigation system in which a user can perform predetermined driving using a special lane such as a carpool lane appropriately and without anxiety where advancing from a normal lane in a predetermined advancing authorized section and exiting to the normal lane in a predetermined exiting authorized section are authorized. The system includes a remaining number notifying section for notifying the user of the remaining number of at least one of an exiting authorized section for exiting from a special lane to the normal lane and an advancing authorized section for advancing to the special lane from a normal lane, between a vehicle position detected by a vehicle position calculation section and an interchange point or an exit of a plural-lane road including the special lane and the normal lane which exists on a recommended route, in performing route guidance of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Michinao Asano
  • Patent number: 8068982
    Abstract: An on-vehicle navigation system reliably performs guidance of a necessary exiting authorized section while avoiding the guidance of a needless exiting authorized section on a plural-lane road having a normal lane and a special lane where advancing from the normal lane in a predetermined advancing authorized section and exiting to the normal lane in a predetermined exiting authorized section are authorized. After discriminating whether the vehicle is driving in the special lane of the plural-lane road based on whether a characteristic object has been detected by a characteristic object detecting section, the guidance of an exiting authorized section is avoided in the case where the vehicle deviated from a recommended route including a special lane, and the guidance of an exiting authorized section is performed in the case where the vehicle deviated from a recommended route not including a special lane and drives in a special lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Takayuki Takada
  • Patent number: 8068981
    Abstract: Described herein is an off-board navigation system for vehicles, comprising at least one operating center and at least one on-board navigation unit installed on board a vehicle, in which the operating center is provided with monitoring means configured for detecting events that modify the road conditions of stretches of road forming part of a road network, and processing means designed to determine, following upon detection of an event, whether said event has occurred on a stretch of road forming part of a route supplied to a user and, in this case, to request an alternative route and determine a point of no return (PNR) that is set along the route supplied to a user and beyond which the vehicle is no longer able to avoid the event and a point of influence (AR), in which the practicability of the route starts to be affected by the onset of the event and beyond which the user is still in time to request and receive an alternative route that will enable him to avoid the event in the case where the point of no r
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Carlo Liberto, Francesco Lilli
  • Patent number: 8060298
    Abstract: The automatic generation of multiple sets of directions for navigating geographically to a specific destination without specification of an origin. Based on the destination, candidate roads or other transportation conduits are selected for analysis. Candidate meta-departure points are analyzed and selected along the roads based on distribution about the destination, cardinal directions relative to the destination, road metadata, distance to the destination, driving time, and other factors. The number of departure points generated to represent routes to the destination from the several logical cardinal directions is minimized. The generated departure points also represent routes that a majority of people would likely take to the destination. Additionally, the generated departure points originate from places that users are likely to be familiar with and can get to without additional guidance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Cheung, Jeffrey D Couckuyt, Markus Jansen
  • Patent number: 8055443
    Abstract: Traffic information, including flow information and incident information, obtained through a traffic management system for providing and facilitating the exchange of traffic information between a remote location and a vehicle may be used in route calculation by a navigation device. The navigation device may recalculate a route based on anticipated user error. Alternatively, the navigation device may recalculate a route using received traffic information triggered by the receipt of a traffic information update, or triggered by the passage of an amount of time. The broadcast rate of traffic information updates may vary temporally (providing more frequent updates during peak commute times) or geographically (providing more frequent updates to metropolitan areas with increased traffic information needs). If route calculation is triggered by an elapsed amount of time, the amount of time may vary to be shorter during peak commute times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Uyeki, Kazuya Tamura, Eric Shigeru Ohki, Maja Kurciska
  • Patent number: 8046169
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a location of a device. For each of a plurality of locations of a device, a set of positional data is determined from signals received from a plurality of satellites. The positional data is filtered and compared with data from a road network database. This comparison may be a function of a distance from at least one point defined by a set of the filtered positional data to a road in the road network database and an angle between a line representing a best fit for plural points defined by corresponding plural sets of the filtered positional data to a line defined by a road in the road network database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Andrew, LLC
    Inventors: Selcuk Mazlum, John Carlson, Martin Alles, George Maher
  • Patent number: 8046166
    Abstract: Traffic information, including traffic flow information and traffic incident information, obtained through a traffic management system for providing and facilitating the exchange of traffic information between a remote location and a vehicle may be presented to a user on a user display in the vehicle. The traffic information may be presented to the user in several circumstances, either as cued by the user, or automatically presented by the traffic management system. The user display may also automatically display traffic flow and traffic incident information for the direction that the user is traveling or along a route calculated by the navigation device. Further, a window displaying information about an upcoming traffic incident such as distance to the incident and incident details may automatically appear in the user display. Alternately, the user may select a roadway, freeway, or area for which traffic information is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cesar Cabral, Maja Kurciska, Eric Shigeru Ohki, Kazuya Tamura, Robert Uyeki, Hiromitsu Yuhara
  • Patent number: 8032296
    Abstract: An approach is provided for providing a first-person perspective video mapping service. Information corresponding to a geographic area is received from a subscriber of the mapping service over a network. One or more first-person perspective videos of at least a portion of the geographic area are retrieved based on the information. A first-person perspective video map is generated using the retrieved first-person perspective video(s) and is transmitted to the subscriber over the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Vittorio Bucchieri