Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Frank J. Kozak
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Patent number: 8271195Abstract: A method for representing linear features in a location content management system is disclosed. A linear feature is represented using a sequence of routing points that define a unique path when routed on a map through those points. A routing point consists of latitude, longitude, and optional stack position. Stack position defines an upper or lower level of a double-decker bridge or road. The data representing the linear feature is stored outside of a geographic database.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2009Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Navteq B.V.Inventors: Jeffrey E. Painter, Vojislav Samsalovic
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Patent number: 8269653Abstract: A method and system for providing sponsorship information to a user of a traffic message receiver is disclosed. Sponsorship messages are sent to the traffic message receiver and include data to be stored in the memory of the receiver. The transmission of the sponsorship messages is performed as a background routine to the regular transmission of traffic messages. The sponsorship data stored in the traffic message receiver is provided to the user of the traffic message receiver based on a triggering event, such as the end-user entering a point of interest string into the user interface of his navigation system or receipt of a message that includes an activated trigger flag.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2011Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Navteq B.V.Inventor: Mark Saunders
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Patent number: 8176027Abstract: A method and system of managing computer data files are disclosed. Each computer data file on at least one data storage device is associated with at least one physical geographic location. Alternatively, the location may be an actual physical geographic location, a virtual location, a historical location, a fictional location, and so on. A function provides for searching and accessing the computer data files by location.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2005Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: NAVTEQ B.V.Inventors: Michael V. Shuman, Kurt Brooks Uhlir
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Patent number: 8134478Abstract: Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle. User reports of hazardous conditions along roads are obtained and analyzed to identify reports that pertain to the same general location along a road network. A database that represents the road network is used to confirm the user reports, identify the hazardous condition, and determine locations where precautionary action may be taken. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the user-reported hazardous condition located along the section of road. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Navteq B.V.Inventor: Robert Denaro
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Patent number: 8116598Abstract: A photograph repository system includes data storage for storing photographs in the form of digital data files and a search feature that provides for searching for photographs by location and optionally by other search criteria. In one embodiment, a photograph repository service is accessible to users over a common data network, such as the Internet. In the photograph repository service, each stored photograph is associated with a location, i.e., where the photograph was taken and/or the location of an object in the photograph. Users can search for and obtain copies of their own photographs that they had stored previously with the photograph repository service. In addition, users can search for and obtain copies of photographs that had been taken by other users and stored with the photograph repository service. The photograph repository system can also be implemented as a standalone system, a hybrid system, or a peer-to-peer system.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2010Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: NAVTEQ B.V.Inventors: George B. Filley, James Herbst, M. Salahuddin Khan, Robert Gourdine, Timothy Gibson, Jon Shutter, Frank Kozak
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Patent number: 8086071Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for identifying objects in an image dataset that occlude other objects and for transforming the image dataset to reveal the occluded objects. In some cases, occluding objects are identified by processing the image dataset to determine the relative positions of visual objects. Occluded objects are then revealed by removing the occluding objects from the image dataset or by otherwise de-emphasizing the occluding objects so that the occluded objects are seen behind it. A visual object may be removed simply because it occludes another object, because of privacy concerns, or because it is transient. When an object is removed or de-emphasized, the objects that were behind it may need to be “cleaned up” so that they show up well. To do this, information from multiple images can be processed using interpolation techniques. The image dataset can be further transformed by adding objects to the images.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: NAVTEQ North America, LLCInventors: Xin Chen, William Gale
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Patent number: 8026835Abstract: Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at the bottom of a hill. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a traffic light, stop sign or yield sign is located at the bottom of a hill. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the traffic light, stop sign or yield sign located at the bottom of a hill. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: NAVTEQ North America, LLCInventor: Robert Denaro
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Patent number: 8010284Abstract: Wireless coverage data are associated with a geographic database that contains data that represent a road network in a geographic region. The wireless coverage data indicate areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are available wirelessly, or conversely, areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are not available wirelessly. An end user obtains the wireless coverage data. The wireless coverage data are used to indicate to the end user areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are available wirelessly or areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are not available wirelessly.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2009Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: NAVTEQ North America, LLCInventor: Lawrence M. Kaplan
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Patent number: 8009061Abstract: Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a traffic light or stop sign located along a curved section of road. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a traffic light or stop sign is located along a curved section of road. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the stop sign or traffic light located along the curved section of road. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: NAVTEQ North America, LLCInventor: Robert Denaro
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Patent number: 7627426Abstract: Wireless coverage data are associated with a geographic database that contains data that represent a road network in a geographic region. The wireless coverage data indicate areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are available wirelessly, or conversely, areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are not available wirelessly. An end user obtains the wireless coverage data. The wireless coverage data are used to indicate to the end user areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are available wirelessly or areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are not available wirelessly.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2007Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: Navteq North America, L.L.C.Inventor: Lawrence M. Kaplan
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Patent number: 7305302Abstract: Wireless coverage data are associated with a geographic database that contains data that represent a road network in a geographic region. The wireless coverage data indicate areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are available wirelessly, or conversely, areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are not available wirelessly. An end user obtains the wireless coverage data. The wireless coverage data are used to indicate to the end user areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are available wirelessly or areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are not available wirelessly.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2006Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Navteq North America, LLCInventor: Lawrence M. Kaplan
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Patent number: 7274311Abstract: A method is disclosed for displaying traffic information on a display. Information that indicates traffic conditions on a portion of a road network is used to form an animation. The portion of the road network is shown on the display and the animation is shown on the portion of the road network being displayed. The animation simulates movement in a direction corresponding to the direction of vehicle travel along the portion of the road network being displayed. The speed of the simulated movement of the animation is related to the traffic conditions.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2005Date of Patent: September 25, 2007Assignee: Navteq North America, LLCInventor: John MacLeod
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Patent number: 7266560Abstract: A navigable map database, stored on a computer-readable medium and used with a navigation application program, includes data which are spatially parcelized into a plurality of parcels. Associated with each of the plurality of parcels is a first index which associates the area represented by the data in the parcel with a plurality of sub-areas formed of the area. Also associated with each of the parcels is a second index associating each of the data in the parcel with at least one of the sub-areas. Further disclosed is a method for producing a navigable map database which is parcelized into a plurality of parcels, wherein each of the plurality of parcels includes a first index which associates the area represented by the data in the parcel with a plurality of sub-areas formed of the area and a second index associating each of the data in the parcel with at least one of the sub-areas.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 1998Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Assignee: Navteq North America, LLCInventors: David S. Lampert, Richard A. Ashby, Robert Fernekes, James A. Meek, John Jaugilas
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Patent number: 7082443Abstract: A method and system for updating geographic databases used in systems that provide navigation-related features are disclosed. An original version of a geographic database is formed in which the data are organized into parcels. An updated version of the geographic database is formed that includes updated data. The updated version is organized into parcels so that the data in each parcel of the updated geographic database represent the same features that were represented in a corresponding one of the parcels of the original version. Incremental update transactions are formed that identify the differences between the parcels of data contained in the updated version of the geographic database relative to the parcels in the original version. The incremental update transactions are transmitted to the systems that provide navigation-related features where they are used to form updated parcels which are used in place of the corresponding parcels from the original version.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2002Date of Patent: July 25, 2006Assignee: Navteq North America, LLCInventor: Richard A. Ashby
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Patent number: 7079945Abstract: Wireless coverage data are associated with a geographic database that contains data that represent a road network in a geographic region. The wireless coverage data indicate areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are available wirelessly, or conversely, areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are not available wirelessly. An end user obtains the wireless coverage data. The wireless coverage data are used to indicate to the end user areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are available wirelessly or areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are not available wirelessly.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2001Date of Patent: July 18, 2006Assignee: Navteq North America, LLCInventor: Lawrence M. Kaplan
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Patent number: 7054742Abstract: A method for route calculation using real time traffic conditions is disclosed. A transmission that includes weightings indicative of traffic conditions on roads is received. Then, a solution route is calculated by forming a list of road segments. The list is formed by expanding a search tree comprised of gates. Each gate represents a physical location on a road segment and an accessible direction relative thereto. Each gate to which a weighting applies is incremented by an amount indicated in the transmission. The solution route is determined by expanding the search tree, which includes determining and evaluating successor gates.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2003Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: Navteq North America, LLCInventors: Asta Khavakh, William McDonough, Oleg Voloshin, Yaoguang Wang
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Patent number: 7051035Abstract: A data construction for storing data efficiently and a method for forming and using the data construction is disclosed. The method comprises representing a set of actual data values from an original source of data with an alternative representation. One or more parameters of a formula are determined to approximate the set of actual data values in the original source of data. For each actual data value in the original source of data, the difference between the actual data value and the value predicted therefor by the formula is determined. The difference for each actual data value is stored in a data construction on the medium along with the one or more parameters. The alternative representation preserves the information content of the actual data values from the original source of data while reducing the storage requirements for storing the information on a medium.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2002Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: NAVTEQ North America, LLCInventor: James A. Meek
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Patent number: 7031983Abstract: A system and method are disclosed that allow a navigation system that uses a geographic database to also use the data in traffic messages broadcast by a traffic broadcast system. One aspect of a present system and method includes the formation, storage, and use of location reference data records in a geographic database used by a navigation system. These location reference data records identify certain other kinds of data records that represent physical geographic features, such as data records that represent segments of roads, as being associated with certain location reference numbers. These location reference records may be included in a geographic database installed in the vehicle or may be provided to vehicles via a wireless communication link.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2002Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: Navteq North America, LLCInventors: Vijaya S. Israni, Robert Fernekes, Richard A. Ashby, David Lampert, John M. Jaugilas
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Patent number: 6990409Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for collecting data that relate addresses to map-referenced locations. A fleet of delivery trucks delivers items to locations throughout a geographic region. Each item to be delivered includes a tracking code. An electronic code reader device is used to record the tracking code of an item when the item is being delivered. A position determining device, such as a GPS unit, is used to determine a geographic position associated with the delivery of each item. Data indicating the tracking code of an item and the corresponding geographic position associated with the delivery are stored. Then, using data that indicate an address associated with each tracking code, each address is associated with a geographic position. This information is used to revise a geographic database, e.g., to relate addresses to map-referenced locations.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2004Date of Patent: January 24, 2006Assignee: Navteq North America, LLC.Inventors: M. Salahuddin Khan, Narayanan Alwar
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Patent number: 6989770Abstract: A navigation system includes a navigation-related information server and one or more customer-interface servers. Each customer-interface server receives requests for navigation-related information from end users who have end user computing platforms. The end users send their requests for navigation-related information from end user computing platforms over a data network to the customer-interface servers. In order to respond to the end users, the customer-interface servers request language and format-independent navigation-related information from the navigation-related information server. The navigation-related information server receives the requests from the customer-interface servers. To response to each request for navigation-related information, the navigation-related information server uses one or more geographic databases to formulate language- and format-independent data structures. These language- and format-independent data structures are sent to the customer-interface servers.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2001Date of Patent: January 24, 2006Assignee: Navteq North America, LLCInventor: Jeffrey E. Painter