Having Audio Or Visual Route Guidance Patents (Class 701/428)
  • Patent number: 8880338
    Abstract: A mobile phone includes: a first housing having a first display part; a second housing having a second display part; acquisition section for obtaining image data and position information associated with the image data; position information acquisition section for obtaining current position information concerning a current position; a guide information acquisition section for generating a guide map showing a route from the current position to a spot that is indicated by the position information associated with the image data, based on the position information associated with the image data and the current position information; and a display control section for controlling display contents in the first display part and the second display part. The display control section causes the first display part to display the guide map and causes the second display part to display an image based on the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Akiko Inami, Masaki Kanbe
  • Publication number: 20140324332
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided. The method includes obtaining, at an electronic apparatus, one or more candidates based at least in part on a first input associated with a plurality of geographical locations, selecting a destination from the one or more candidates based at least in part on a second input, receiving a map image corresponding to a location of the electronic apparatus and the destination, from an external device, and providing, based at least in part on the map image, a navigation service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventor: Dae Hee CHO
  • Patent number: 8874370
    Abstract: A device that can operate according to a menu. A first aspect describes an array of preview frames were each preview frame can represent a program such as a video program or an intranet site. A selection window within the array allows selecting different preview frames. Another aspect describes use of this sliding array system within a GPS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Harris Technology LLC
    Inventor: Scott C. Harris
  • Patent number: 8874364
    Abstract: In a navigation system, e.g., for a motor vehicle, for determining the route from a location of the navigation system to a destination point, the navigation system includes a display device for displaying the route in a map display or a map-type display, and/or a direction indication that corresponds to the route, and it is possible to simultaneously display a canonically oriented graphic or image of a prominent route point with the aid of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Brian Lathrop, Brian Michael Finn, Jackie Chang
  • Publication number: 20140316695
    Abstract: Driving directions are presented where a maneuver in the driving directions includes a road symbol and an action symbol. A road symbol identifies the road involved in the particular maneuver, and an action symbol identifies an action to be performed to execute the particular maneuver. In one example, a road symbol, an action symbol and narrative text may be presented in displayed or printed driving directions. In another example, a road symbol and an action symbol may be used to describe a maneuver presented by an on-board or mobile navigation system when the vehicle in which the navigation system is present approaches the point at which the maneuver is to be taken. The road symbol and the action symbol may be presented with, or without, narrative driving directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Marshall B. MATTHEWS, G. Duane Gearhart, Michael David Schmitz
  • Patent number: 8862391
    Abstract: Provided is an electric bus and an electric bus battery exchange system. The electric bus according to the present invention includes: a battery exchange hole disposed on top of the electric bus for exchanging a discharged battery for a charged battery; a front camera unit taking front images in the process of entering the battery exchange station for battery exchange; a communication unit for receiving position information of the battery exchange unit from the battery exchange station; a route output unit outputting a predicted driving route for reaching a swapping point below the battery exchange unit based on the front images taken by the front camera unit and the position information of the battery exchange unit; and a display unit displaying the predicted driving route outputted by the route output unit, superimposed on the front images taken by the front camera unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignees: Kookmin University Industry Academy Cooperation Foundation, Industry-University Cooperation Foundation of Korea Aerospace University
    Inventors: Jun Seok Park, Won-Kyu Kim, Won-Jae Jung
  • Patent number: 8862389
    Abstract: Display systems, methods, and programs generate and display an arrow object superimposed on an actual image of a road ahead of a vehicle. The systems, methods, and programs access information about a lane change route for guiding the vehicle when changing from a travel lane to a recommended lane. The systems, methods, and programs generate and display a travel lane part of the arrow object, a crossing part of the arrow object, and a recommended lane part of the arrow object, each as a superimposed image on the recommended lane. As remaining distance from a current position of the vehicle to the junction becomes smaller, a distance of a directional component along the travel lane for at least one of the travel lane part, the crossing part, and the recommended lane part is shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ken Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8862387
    Abstract: In some implementations, a mobile device can be configured to provide navigation instructions to a user of the mobile device. The navigation instructions can be graphical, textual or audio instructions. The presentation of the navigation instructions can be dynamically adjusted based the importance of individual instructions and/or environmental conditions. For example, each navigation instruction can be associated with an importance value indicating how important the instruction is. The volume of important audio instructions can be adjusted (e.g., increased) to compensate for ambient noise so that a user will be more likely to hear the navigation instruction. The timing and/or repetition of the presentation of important instructions can be adjusted based on weather conditions, traffic conditions, or road conditions and/or road features so that a user will be less likely to miss an important navigation instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anil K. Kandangath, Xiaoyuan Tu
  • Patent number: 8855925
    Abstract: The described method and system provide for adaptable GPS navigation based on road and traffic conditions. A method includes: receiving input front a user designating a destination; determining a calculated route from a starting point to the destination; and presenting turn-by-turn (TBT) directions based on the route, wherein the presenting of the TBT directions includes presenting conditions information received from an external source. The conditions information can be used during route calculation and can be updated while the user is traveling on the calculated route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sitaram Emani, Tarun Inabathuni
  • Patent number: 8855901
    Abstract: In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes obtaining travel information that indicates travel patterns for a mobile computing device that is associated with a user; identifying a current context for the mobile computing device and the user; identifying one or more destination locations that the user has at least a threshold likelihood of travelling to with the mobile computing device based on the current context and the obtained travel information; generating a prediction that one or more events have at least a threshold probability of occurring along one or more of a plurality of routes for travelling to the identified one or more destination locations; selecting a particular route from the plurality of routes to recommend to the user based on the current context and the prediction of the one or more events; and providing route information that identifies the selected particular route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Adam L. Leader, Andrew Kirmse
  • Patent number: 8843308
    Abstract: A system for displaying a map, the system including: a map database maintaining map data associated with a route; a map data identification unit identifying map data corresponding to a driving route of a vehicle from the map database; an information receiving unit receiving weather information associated with a current seasonal weather from a background service server in real time; a background data generation unit generating background data according to an actual environment based on the received weather information; and a route guidance unit guiding a route by associating the map data with the generated background data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Thinkware Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Sang Hun Chang
  • Publication number: 20140278064
    Abstract: An apparatus or web server for assisting a user in selecting a route based on tracked popularity of routes traveled by other users and a desired user activity. The apparatus may include a memory for receiving and storing route data for routes previously traveled by a plurality of users and a processing device coupled with the memory for receiving desired route characteristic information from the user, including a desired activity type, such as running or cycling. The processing device may compare the desired route characteristics information with the route data, suggest at least one of the stored routes to the user based on the comparison, and visually indicate with a color-coded heat map a popularity of the routes suggested based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Wai C. Lee, Claudette D. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8836721
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a method that includes providing a first image from a server system to a client computing device for display and providing a second image from the server system to the client computing device for display. The method also includes providing instructions from the server system to the client computing device for displaying a window over the first image that displays a portion of the second image within the window, where the portion of the second image displayed within the window corresponds to a position of the window over the first image, and where the portions of the second image include one or more rectangular shapes to approximate a curved shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Marcin Kazimierz Wichary, Kristopher Hom
  • Patent number: 8838381
    Abstract: Described is a system for conveying the spatial location of an object with respect to a user's current location utilizing a video rendering following an automatically generated path from the user's location to the location of the object of interest initiated from the user's current perspective. The system comprises a display device; a virtual three-dimensional model of the user's environment; a visualization creation module; a route planner; and a video rendering following an automatically generated path from the user's location to the location of the object of interest utilizing the visualization creation module, wherein the video rendering displayed on the display device is from a first-person view. Also described is a method of utilizing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Daily, Ronald Azuma
  • Patent number: 8831876
    Abstract: Disclosed is technology for providing guidance in a manner that facilitates travel along a guidance route when there is a road which has a carpool lane. A navigation device (100) is provided with: a current-location calculation means for calculating the current location of a moving body; a recommended route search means for searching for a recommended route to a destination; a guidance-point setting means for setting a guidance point in the recommended route; and a guidance information notification means for notifying predetermined guidance information when a moving body reaches a set guidance point. When predetermined conditions are fulfilled, the guidance-point setting means sets in a road which has a carpool lane a guidance point for notifying information for guidance from said road to a branch road, before the guidance point that would be set in a road that does not have a carpool lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Arata Hayashi, Naoki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8831873
    Abstract: Provided is a navigation technique for aiding a user to develop a plan for traveling around a plurality of destinations. The navigation device causes a display unit to display a first display area and a second display area. The first display area displays icon information for specifying a facility and positional information thereof. The second display area displays a time line of a predetermined period. When the user disposes a plurality of pieces of icon information on the time line, the navigation device retrieves a route for traveling around the disposed facilities in order. As to icon information of a facility at which the user cannot arrive at the time corresponding to a position where the icon information is disposed, the navigation device indicates that the icon information is inappropriate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignees: Clarion Co., Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shotaro Tamayama, Takaaki Ishii, Kyoko Okoshi, Tomohiro Harada
  • Publication number: 20140249747
    Abstract: Aspects relate to automatically providing updated route and predicted travel time to allow a user to travel a shortest route between a first point and a second point. A route can be planned based on a multitude of route segments, wherein historical data related to speed is known for each of the route segments. Further, the historical data is categorized based on temporal aspects, such as time of day, day of week, as well as other aspects, such as known events that can have an influence on the speed at which each route segment can be traveled. As the user moves along the route, the planned route, as well as an anticipated travel time, are almost continually updated to provide the most up-to-date and accurate data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
    Inventors: Mario Kosseifi, Brandon Hilliard, Sheldon Meredith, Mark Austin
  • Patent number: 8825372
    Abstract: A navigation system includes: a map information acquiring unit 31 for acquiring map information; an HOV lane decision unit 38 for deciding whether an HOV lane is included in a road represented by the map information acquired by the map information acquiring unit 31 or not; a road number processing unit 43 for performing, when the HOV lane decision unit 38 decides that the HOV lane is included, processing of adding information representing the HOV lane to a road number of the road including the HOV lane; and a display processing unit 44 or a voice information unit 46 for causing the road number passing through the processing by the road number processing unit 43 to be displayed on the guide map or output in voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kumi Nishibashi, Takashi Irie
  • Patent number: 8825384
    Abstract: A navigation system may display a map element represented by a spline including a plurality of vertices. Label coordinate values derived from coordinate values of the plurality of vertices may be retrieved from a database. A label assigned to the map element may be displayed based on the stored label coordinate values. The assigned label may be adapted to the geometric form of at least a portion of the map element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten-Christian Spindler, Martin Fischer, Alexey Pryakhin, Vladimir Ivanov, Simon Schütz
  • Patent number: 8825404
    Abstract: A method can include, for a predetermined route, automatically processing a first set of machine instructions to create a visual travel guide for the predetermined route, the visual travel guide comprising a second set of machine instructions adapted to cause an information device to render: an identification of a destination of the predetermined route; a plurality of videos, each video corresponding to a road intersection located approximately on the predetermined route, each video adapted to substantially reproduce a view of a driver of an automobile approaching the road intersection; a plurality of textual descriptions associated with the plurality of videos; at least one of an identification of an origin of the predetermined route and an identification of an approach to the destination; and an advertisement associated with at least a portion of the predetermined route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventor: Virginia Mays
  • Patent number: 8825385
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention is an information terminal device includes a widget management unit for managing execution of a widget being a monofunctional program for performing display on the display part of a display device. The widget management unit includes a policy determination unit for determining the operation policy, including operation restriction and priority, concerning a display state at the display device in the widget, and a reliability determining unit for determining the reliability representing the reliability of the widget in the widget. When the state of the movement calculated by a navigation unit becomes a preset state, the widget management unit regulates the display state of the widget according to the operation restriction and the reliability, and performs display, while preferentially displaying guidance state and positional information calculated by the navigation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Iguchi, Tatsuaki Osafune, Takatoshi Kato, Kazutomo Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Mano, Hiroki Uchiyama
  • Publication number: 20140244159
    Abstract: A navigation system comprises a processor, a geographic database and a guidance application executable on the processor. The guidance application obtains data from the geographic database and obtains a photographic image. The guidance application overlays an advertisement route highlight on said photographic image. The advertisement route highlight graphically illustrates a path corresponding to a route and a direction of travel for the route. The advertisement route highlight includes a series of advertisement decals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Navteq North America, LLC
    Inventors: Adil M. Musabji, Jason Borak, James D. Lynch, Narayanan Alwar, Jon D. Shutter
  • Patent number: 8798919
    Abstract: A driving characteristics detector includes: a driving information obtaining element for obtaining driving information, which relates to a driving condition of a vehicle; and a driving characteristics determining element for determining driving characteristics of a driver of the vehicle based on the driving information. The driving information includes vehicle speed relating information, which relates to at least one of a vehicle speed, acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle. A driving unit section is defined as a section from the vehicle starts to go until the vehicle stops. The driving characteristics determining element determines the driving characteristics based on the vehicle speed relating information in each driving unit section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Yano, Masayuki Narita, Hiroki Ukai
  • Patent number: 8788232
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that acquires estimated altitude data corresponding to a position based on detection information detected by a sensor at or near the position, and corrects altitude data associated with the position based on the estimated altitude data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Suzuno
  • Publication number: 20140200803
    Abstract: A guidance system includes an SNS server that distributes guidance information, e.g., to a smartphone. The SNS server includes a post information DB, a map DB, and a guidance information DB. Pieces of post information and selected guidance information are transmitted to the smartphone via a communication unit. The smartphone displays the pieces of post information, and includes a setting unit that sets, as a destination, a location contained in a piece of post information among the displayed pieces of post information, and a guidance unit that provides, by using the guidance information, guidance on a guidance route to the destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: ALPINE ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Kosuke Kinoshita, Kenji Shida
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20140195147
    Abstract: A non-scaled, linearly compressed pictographic mapping system is provided for the visual display of information in a navigational aid. Unlike today's road maps which use a point-arc-polygon paradigm, the new mapping uses a non-scaled, linearly-compressed pictographic design that shows roads as linear pictograms. The display has a columnar layout, whereby the descriptive elements are grouped together by type, and displayed one above the other in columns. The maps may also contain icons representing points of interest arranged in a cloud fashion. In this manner, the mapping paradigm also serves to increase traveler safety, provide navigation assistance during address-less trips, create valuable advertising space and new promotional opportunities, and dramatically increases the travelers' communications and entertainment options.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Calabrese Holdings L.L.C.
    Inventor: Adrian Gluck
  • Patent number: 8762051
    Abstract: A method and system of navigating a vehicle is provided. The method includes activating a navigational system that provides guidance to a destination point of interest (“POI”). The method also includes providing a database that stores at least one familiar POI and a plurality of standard POIs. The standard POIs represent stock locations. The method includes receiving a signal indicating a current geographical position of the vehicle. The method also includes determining if the current geographical position of the vehicle requires a maneuver within a specified distance. The method also includes selecting a plurality of proximate POIs. The proximate POIs are a portion of the standard POIs located within a proximate distance to a location where the maneuver will occur. The method includes comparing the familiar POI with the proximate POIs. The method includes determining if the familiar POI matches one of the proximate POIs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Cody R. Hansen
  • Patent number: 8756004
    Abstract: An identification tag navigation system and a method thereof are provided according to the invention. The system comprises at least an identification tag and a mobile apparatus. The method comprises steps of receiving a destination reading command, accessing a destination information of the identification tag, receiving a plurality of reference signals and computing a current position data according to the plurality of reference signals, computing and generating a navigation route data according to the destination position data and the current position data, and generating an instruction data according to the navigation route data and the current position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Feng-Jian Chou
  • Patent number: 8751156
    Abstract: A navigation system comprises a processor, a geographic database and a guidance application executable on the processor. The guidance application obtains data from the geographic database and obtains a photographic image. The guidance application overlays an advertisement route highlight on said photographic image. The advertisement route highlight graphically illustrates a path corresponding to a route and a direction of travel for the route. The advertisement route highlight includes a series of advertisement decals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: HERE North America LLC
    Inventors: Adil M. Musabji, Jason Borak, James D. Lynch, Narayanan Alwar, Jon D. Shutter
  • Patent number: 8744757
    Abstract: In a system and method for updating a real-time map, operating environment information of a terminal device, which is basic information for update condition determination, is collected, an update condition of a terminal device, which includes one or more of a state of travel, a travel speed, and a network state, is checked by comparing the collected operating environment information with preset criteria, and map data, which is stored in the terminal device, in a combination of one or more of level, tile, and layer units corresponding to the checked update condition, is partially updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: SK Planet Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yun Seok Choi, Eun Bok Lee
  • Patent number: 8731817
    Abstract: A user proceeds from one location to another location inside of a building by traveling in a sequence of several hops in response to different visual cues. A portable handheld device may provide the visual cues to the user. The user reaches the destination through the sequence of hops using the portable handheld device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventors: Aaron E. Ballew, Aleksander Kuzmanovic, Shiva Srivastava, Chung Chieh Lee, Nikolay A. Valtchanov
  • Patent number: 8731820
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for entering an address for a navigation system allows a user to easily and quickly select a key indicating the next character of the address. At the start of operation, the navigation system shows a full alpha-numeric keyboard. Once the next candidate characters are narrowed down to a certain degree, the navigation system shows a simplified keyboard with a limited number of keys on the monitor screen and highlights the next candidate characters on the simplified keyboard. The navigation system displays both the simplified keyboard and a street name list on the same screen. Since the keys of the limited number are arranged within a small space such as in the three-by-three manner, the user can easily point a cursor or other pointing device to the desired key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenny Chen, Mike Iao, Hikaru Wako, Andrew De Silva
  • Patent number: 8725341
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus guides a user to an appropriate terminal in an airport, for example, even when a schedule of an intended flight is changed. The above advantage is achieved by acquiring flight information of the intended flight from a flight information list that is delivered from an information distribution center and by determining, as a guidance destination, a terminal of the intended flight or a suitable airport facility after change of the flight schedule. The suitable guidance destination is determined not only by the changed flight schedule but also by a user purpose to go to the airport and an estimated arrival time of the user to the airport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8718930
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that detects a current location of the information processing apparatus; obtains a direction of a destination from the detected current location as a target direction; detects a facial orientation of a user wearing a headphone unit connected to the information processing apparatus via a wired or wireless connection in relation to a reference orientation based on outputs of a geomagnetic sensor and an acceleration sensor connected to the headphone unit; obtains a relative target angle based on a difference between the target direction and the user's facial orientation; and generates sound to be output by the headphone unit based on the obtained relative target angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Tachibana, Takashi Shiina, Tetsuya Naruse, Yuichi Shirai, Chikashi Yajima, Susumu Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 8718911
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for presenting a taxi route for an aircraft at an airport. The method, for example, includes, but is not limited to receiving, by a processor, the taxi route, translating, by the processor, the taxi route into a graphical representation, displaying, on an aircraft display, a map of the airport and the graphical representation, and displaying, a location of a hold short instruction on the aircraft display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Tom McGuffin
  • Patent number: 8712685
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a position detecting unit detecting a position, an explanation information storage unit storing explanation position information and explanation information, a generation unit extracting the explanation information corresponding to a first explanation position from the explanation information storage unit and generating the extracted explanation information with a sound when the first explanation position is detected within a first distance from the detected position, and a group determining unit determining whether or not the first explanation position belongs to the same group as a second explanation position when the second explanation position is detected within the first distance from the detected position after the generation unit starts the generating of the explanation information corresponding to the first explanation position with a sound, wherein the generation unit continues to reproduce the explanation information with a sound when both explanation pos
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hattori, Kimitake Hasuike, Reina Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20140114565
    Abstract: According to some examples, vehicles may be guided along a path including multiple waypoints and stop points that are sequentially submitted to a routing application. Instructions associated with the waypoints and stop points may be presented on a display to assist in guiding the vehicle along the path. According to other examples, people boarding and/or getting off the vehicle may be tracked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Adnan Aziz, Amir Faizi, Howard Lossing
  • Patent number: 8706411
    Abstract: A method and a system for dispatching vehicle are provided. The method for dispatching vehicle includes the following steps: A. obtaining the vehicle information, which includes vehicle numbers, vehicle states and relative positions; B. placing the vehicle icons corresponding to the vehicle numbers in the corresponding positions on the virtual line schedule map according to the vehicle states and the relative positions; C. displaying the virtual line schedule map refreshed via step B. The system for dispatching vehicle includes vehicle information obtaining unit, vehicle states judging and processing unit, displaying unit and dispatching unit. The system realize the visual vehicle dispatching method by utilizing the virtual line schedule map, so as to implement vehicle monitoring and dispatching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: ChinaGPS Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen)
    Inventors: Jie Zhu, Jialiang Chu, Xiang He, Chuan Liang, Youwen Zhang
  • Patent number: 8706399
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for triggering events based on user location with respect to zones of influence is described. One or more zones of influence each having a plurality of points of geolocational data are defined. One or more user events are associated with each of the zones of influence. A location of a wireless device is identified based on geolocational data obtained by the wireless device. The geolocational data of the wireless device is compared with the geolocational data for one or more of the zones of influence. The user events associated with one such zone of influence are triggered when the geolocational data of the wireless device correlates with at least one of the points of geolocational data for that zone of influence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy A. Irish, Elias Alvord
  • Publication number: 20140107915
    Abstract: A method of providing navigation guidance information to a user of a portable electronic device includes uploading a track file to a server, the track file containing a plurality of waypoints that form a track, adding a plurality of navigation points to the plurality of waypoints to produce a modified track file, the plurality of navigation points providing navigation guidance to the user of the portable electronic device, and the plurality of navigation points containing data for creating a graphical depiction of intersections associated with the turn-by-turn navigation guidance. The method further includes downloading the modified track file to the portable electronic device, and providing bi-directional turn-by-turn navigation guidance to the user of the portable electronic device when the user reaches each of the plurality of navigation points as the user follows the path indicated by the modified track file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventor: Shan-Chih Yang
  • Publication number: 20140107917
    Abstract: A navigation device includes an icon display unit for displaying icons representing predetermined display objects located on a predetermined road ahead of the current location in an elongated display area of a display unit in a linear fashion along a length direction of the display area preferentially in order of proximity to the current location and a predefined distance display unit for displaying an image indicating the predefined distance from the current location in the display area when the icons are displayed. The icon display unit stationarily displays the icons representing display objects located farther than the predefined distance from the current location and movably displays an icon representing a display object located within the predefined distance so that the icon moves towards the current location in accordance with the movement of the current location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: ALPINE ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Akira Kazawa, Satoru Kono, Mitsunori Koyatsu, Masahiro Kida
  • Patent number: 8700304
    Abstract: A system and method is provided of determining geographic positions. In one aspect, a user points the device at first and second positions on the surface of a geographic object. Based on the position of the device, the orientation of the device, and information identifying the geographic position of the surface of the object, a processor determines and displays the distance between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Jiajun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8694246
    Abstract: Embodiment methods and systems enable personal navigation devices to warn drivers during turn-by-turn navigation directions when they are approaching a difficult turn. Personal navigation devices may report to a server when a turn is missed during turn-by-turn directions, including identifying the turn and situation information. The server may aggregate missed turn reports from many personal navigation devices to generate a difficult turn database. Personal navigation devices may access the difficult turn database when generating turn-by-turn directions to identify turns requiring enhanced directions. The difficult turn database may be stored on personal navigation devices, and/or may be maintained on the server. Personal navigation devices may be configured to recognize when turns are intentionally missed, and only report missed turns when they determined that the turn was missed unintentionally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Devender A. Yamakawa, Babak Forutanpour, Daniel S. Baker
  • Patent number: 8682575
    Abstract: A method of operating a navigation system in a vehicle may entail invoking an off-road mode of the navigation system; displaying a first off-road terrain on a navigation system display; displaying a first present location of the vehicle on the display, inputting a first user-input off-road destination into the navigation system; inputting a first user-input off-road waypoint into the navigation system; displaying straight line trajectories between the start point, the first user-input off-road waypoint and the destination on a display of the navigation system and displaying a first real-time path of on-screen breadcrumbs as the vehicle travels off-road in current or real-time; shifting on the display, each user-entered off-road waypoint to a closest on-screen breadcrumb of the first real-time path; shifting on the display, the user-entered destination to the closest on-screen breadcrumb; and storing the first real-time path in a memory of a navigation control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Naohiro Sakashita
  • Patent number: 8676499
    Abstract: Movement guidance systems, devices, methods, and programs set a guidance branch point on a guidance route. The systems, devices, methods, and programs acquire a position and a shape of the guidance branch point and a prior branch point, and determine whether the prior branch point is adjacent based on the acquired information. The prior branch point is adjacent when the prior branch point exists within a first predetermined distance from the guidance branch point and is connected with a road in a same direction as the guidance branch point. When it is determined that the prior branch point is adjacent, the systems, devices, methods, and programs complete verbal guidance for the guidance branch point at a timing at which the movable body is located at a guidance end point that is located a second predetermined distance before the prior branch point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Tomita, Masashi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8670936
    Abstract: A method and device for displaying road segments are provided. The method uses a map data base storing information on a road network in a road vector data format. Additional parameter values are stored for a subset of road segments. Information on a direction vector and the parameter value for a road segment are retrieved. Based on the parameter value, it is determined whether the road segment exhibits a variation in shape as a function of position along its direction vector. A graphical representation of the road segment is generated based on the retrieved parameter value and the direction vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Marek Strassenburg-Kleciak
  • Patent number: 8670931
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method of guiding a traveler, comprising the activities of: obtaining a route from a first approach to a destination; selecting a sequential set of way points along said route, said sequential set of way points chosen to assist a traveler in following said route; capturing a visual image of each way point from said sequential set of way points to form a set of visual images; arranging said set of visual images into a static viewable sequential order; and in response to a user's selection of said first approach from a predetermined set of approaches to said destination, providing said set of visual images to said user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Inventor: Michael F. Mays
  • Patent number: 8670937
    Abstract: A computer performs a path search from a departure point to a destination point and a path search from the destination point to the departure point while changing a target from a road type at a level other than the highest level to a road type at a higher level, according to a first grouping of a plurality of road types, and performs a path search for the road type at the highest level in a first process. Next, the computer performs similar path searches in an area to be searched based on a result of the first process, according to a second grouping in which a greater number of road types is classified as the highest level in a second process. Then, the computer generates path information according to a result of the second process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Akio Shinagawa, Kyohei Tamai
  • Patent number: 8666655
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a navigation device. The navigation device is arranged to dynamically generate multi-dimensional (multidimensional) video signals based on location and directional information of the navigation device by processing at least one source video signal. The navigation device is further arranged to superimpose navigation directions and/or environment information about surrounding objects onto the generated multidimensional video feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Inventor: Aleksandr Shtukater