Abstract: A method of providing advertisements to mobile devices located in a geographic region is disclosed. Current weather condition information and data representing an advertisement are obtained. A size of an advertisement area for the advertisement based on the current weather information is determined. The size of the advertisement area is decreased during a poor weather condition. A position of a first mobile device is obtained and if the position of the first mobile device is located in the advertisement area, the advertisement is provided to the first mobile device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a curve along a downhill road segment. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a curve is located along a downhill road segment. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate such a location. 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 such a location, at which a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for providing geographic information. The system includes a base unit that receives a request from a mobile unit and provides a response to the mobile unit. The request includes a point of interest category and a traveling distance or traveling time parameter. The base unit identifies a point of interest that matches the point of interest category and satisfies the traveling distance or traveling time parameter. The response from the base unit to the mobile unit provides the identified point of interest.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of operating a navigation system to provide geographic location information is provided. The method comprises receiving a query text string representing a query for a geographic location from a user and obtaining data records that represent a plurality of candidate geographic locations. The method computes a text matching score that indicates how much of the query text string matches a record text string of the candidate geographic location and applies a usage pattern weight to the text matching score to obtain an overall score value for the candidate geographic location. The candidate geographic locations are ranked based on the overall score values.

Abstract: A method of collecting data for a geographic database for use with a navigation system is disclosed. A feature visible from a road segment is identified. A guidance feature point object is defined at a location at the road segment where the identified feature is most visibly prominent. Additionally, an importance rating and a preferred name for the identified feature are determined. Data representing the guidance feature point object, importance rating and the preferred name are stored in the geographic database on a computer readable medium.

Abstract: Systems, devices, features, and/or methods for determining a location of a mobile device are disclosed. A method may include (a) receiving, into a mobile device, a common RF signal on a common carrier frequency, wherein the common RF signal includes a respective RF signal output by each of three or more transmitters on a common time basis in a round-robin manner, and wherein each of the three or more transmitters is positioned at a known location, (b) capturing data representing the common RF signal, (c) based on the captured data, discriminating between each respective RF signal that forms the received common RF signal, (d) determining a relative phase shift of each respective RF signal, and (e) determining the location of the mobile device based on the determined relative phase shifts and the known locations of the three or more transmitters.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of compressing a plurality of TPEG format traffic messages is provided. The method forms a template containing the data values of fields of a message management container, an event container and a location container and forms a global data set representing a base time of the traffic messages and data indicating the geographic region. The method creates compressed TPEG traffic messages comprising a template identification indicating the template and data values of the fields of the message management container, the event container and the location container not included in the template or global data set.

Abstract: A method of providing geographic information for a navigation system comprises obtaining a request for a geographic region and accessing geographic data corresponding to the geographic region from a geographic database. The method also comprises providing a plurality of first map images generated from the geographic data. Each of the first map images represents a unique portion of the geographic region. When the first map images are displayed together, they provide a first map depicting the geographic region.

Abstract: A technique of detecting a speed detection of a vehicle using a geographic database (200, 322, 326, 508, 510) of a navigation system (300, 502) has been provided, which obtains a current position of the vehicle (404) and at least one predefined characteristic (418) relating to the current position of the vehicle from the geographic database, sets (420(1)) a sensitivity level to detect a speed detection of the vehicle based, at least in part, on the at least one predefined characteristic.

Abstract: Systems, devices, applications, and methods for generating an open area map are disclosed. For example, a software application is configured to run on a computing platform of an end user. The end user generates an image of a layout of a walkable area. The software application performs a method of generating an open area map based on the image. The method includes applying an array of uniformly spaced objects on the image. A routable map is generated as a function of the array. The routable map is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the layout.

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.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for comparing the performance of a participant in an event that includes movement along a course to another performance. The performance by the participant is monitored. Using a geographic database that represents the area in which the course is located, the participant's performance is compared to another performance. Then, the participant is provided with information comparing the performances.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method for operating a navigation system computes a pedestrian route for travel by a pedestrian. A request for the pedestrian route between a first location inside a building and a second location inside the building is obtained. A geographic database associated with the navigation system is accessed for data representing a plurality of pedestrian paths. A solution pedestrian route from the origin to the destination comprising a series of connected pedestrian paths between the first location and the second location is determined. A guidance message that identifies a feature visible from at least one of the pedestrian paths is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle. 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing guidance to a destination with a computing system that uses geographic data indexed by affinity relationships. A user specifies a municipality of relatively greater importance that is located nearby the desired actual destination. The computing system provides guidance to the user to follow a route to the specified municipality. While the user is following the route to the specified municipality, additional routes are calculated to each of a plurality of roads that cross into an affinity domain associated with the specified municipality. Before the user reaches the point at which any of the additional routes diverge from the route to the specified municipality, input is obtained from the user, one or more times as needed, specifying either another municipality progressively closer to the desired actual destination or the actual desired destination. Guidance is provided to the user to follow the routes to the closer municipalities or the desired actual destination.