Abstract: This invention concerns a method of determining a route using map data comprising a plurality of navigable paths, the map data divided into a plurality of regions. The method comprises using at least one processing apparatus to: receive an origin and a destination on the map data and a travel time, determine a route from the origin to the destination using the map data and minimum cost data that identifies minimum cost paths between regions of the map data. The minimum cost data identifies more than one minimum cost path between a pair of the regions if different minimum cost paths exist between the pair of regions at different times and determining a route comprises identifying from the minimum cost paths for the pair of regions comprising the origin and destination, the minimum cost path having a lowest cost at the travel time.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method of determining a route using map data comprising a plurality of navigable paths, the map data divided into a plurality of regions. The method comprises using at least one processing apparatus to: receive an origin and a destination on the map data and a selection of one of a plurality of cost functions and determine a route from the origin to the destination using the map data and minimum cost data that identifies minimum cost paths between regions of the map data. The minimum cost data identifies more than one minimum cost path between a pair of the regions if different minimum cost paths exist between the pair of regions for different cost functions and determining a route comprises identifying from the minimum cost paths for the pair of regions comprising the origin and destination, the minimum cost path having a lowest cost for the selected cost function.

Abstract: A method of creating map data including search acceleration data arranged to increase the speed at which a route can be planned across an electronic map comprising a plurality of navigable segments, each navigable segment representing a segment of a navigable route in the area covered by the map, wherein the method comprises: a) reducing the number of navigable segments to be considered in the creation of the search acceleration data by removing navigable segments to form a core network of navigable segments; b) dividing the electronic map into a set of hierarchical regions such that the or each navigable segment is categorized into at least one region in each level of the hierarchy; c) using a time varying function associated with at least some, and generally each, navigable segment of the core network to determine whether that navigable segment is part of minimum cost route to at least one of the regions and recording this determination in the search acceleration data.

Abstract: A computerized method of generating a route 1000 from an origin position F1 to a destination position 706 across an electronic map 700 comprising a plurality of vectors representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the electronic map 700, the method comprising: (1) obtaining delay data indicating delays on vectors within the area covered by the electronic map 700; (2) calculating a first portion 1002 of a route from origin position toward the destination position 706 using a first routing method up to a predetermined threshold 1006 from the origin position F1, such that the first routing method uses the delay data so that the first portion 1002 of the route takes into account delays; and (3) calculating a second portion 1004 of the route beyond the predetermined threshold 1006 to the destination position 706 using a second routing method to further calculate the route to the destination position 1006.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method of determining a route using map data comprising a plurality of navigable paths, the map data divided into a plurality of regions. The method comprises using at least one processing apparatus to: receive an origin and a destination on the map data and a travel time, determine a route from the origin to the destination using the map data and minimum cost data that identifies minimum cost paths between regions of the map data. The minimum cost data identifies more than one minimum cost path between a pair of the regions if different minimum cost paths exist between the pair of regions at different times and determining a route comprises identifying from the minimum cost paths for the pair of regions comprising the origin and destination, the minimum cost path having a lowest cost at the travel time.

Abstract: A method of creating map data including search acceleration data arranged to increase the speed at which a route can be planned across an electronic map comprising a plurality of navigable segments, each navigable segment representing a segment of a navigable route in the area covered by the map, wherein the method comprises: a) reducing the number of navigable segments to be considered in the creation of the search acceleration data by removing navigable segments to form a core network of navigable segments; b) dividing the electronic map into a set of hierarchical regions such that the or each navigable segment is categorized into at least one region in each level of the hierarchy; c) using a time varying function associated with at least some, and generally each, navigable segment of the core network to determine whether that navigable segment is part of minimum cost route to at least one of the regions and recording this determination in the search acceleration data.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method of determining a route using map data comprising a plurality of navigable paths, the map data divided into a plurality of regions. The method comprises using at least one processing apparatus to: receive an origin and a destination on the map data and a travel time, determine a route from the origin to the destination using the map data and minimum cost data that identifies minimum cost paths between regions of the map data. The minimum cost data identifies more than one minimum cost path between a pair of the regions if different minimum cost paths exist between the pair of regions at different times and determining a route comprises identifying from the minimum cost paths for the pair of regions comprising the origin and destination, the minimum cost path having a lowest cost at the travel time.

Abstract: A method of creating map data, including search acceleration data arranged to increase the speed at which a route can be planned across an electronic map, which comprises a plurality of navigable segments, representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map, wherein the method comprises: a) processing the navigable segments in order to generate the search acceleration data for at least some of, and generally each of, the navigable segments of the electronic map indicating whether that navigable segment is part of a minimum cost route; and b) processing the generated search acceleration data in order to compress that data wherein the compression includes computing the correlation of pairs of bits in the search acceleration data and coalescing correlated bits.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method of determining a route using map data comprising a plurality of navigable paths, the map data divided into a plurality of regions. The method comprises using at least one processing apparatus to: receive an origin and a destination on the map data and a selection of one of a plurality of cost functions and determine a route from the origin to the destination using the map data and minimum cost data that identifies minimum cost paths between regions of the map data. The minimum cost data identifies more than one minimum cost path between a pair of the regions if different minimum cost paths exist between the pair of regions for different cost functions and determining a route comprises identifying from the minimum cost paths for the pair of regions comprising the origin and destination, the minimum cost path having a lowest cost for the selected cost function.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method of determining a route using map data comprising a plurality of navigable paths, the map data divided into a plurality of regions. The method comprises using at least one processing apparatus to: receive an origin and a destination on the map data and a selection of one of a plurality of cost functions and determine a route from the origin to the destination using the map data and minimum cost data that identifies minimum cost paths between regions of the map data. The minimum cost data identifies more than one minimum cost path between a pair of the regions if different minimum cost paths exist between the pair of regions for different cost functions and determining a route comprises identifying from the minimum cost paths for the pair of regions comprising the origin and destination, the minimum cost path having a lowest cost for the selected cost function.

Abstract: A method of creating map data including search acceleration data arranged to increase the speed at which a route can be planned across an electronic map comprising a plurality of navigable segments, each navigable segment representing a segment of a navigable route in the area covered by the map.

Abstract: A method of creating map data, including search acceleration data arranged to increase the speed at which a route can be planned across an electronic map, which comprises a plurality of navigable segments, representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map, wherein the method comprises: a) processing the navigable segments in order to generate the search acceleration data for at least some of, and generally each of, the navigable segments of the electronic map indicating whether that navigable segment is part of a minimum cost route; and b) processing the generated search acceleration data in order to compress that data wherein the compression includes computing the correlation of pairs of bits in the search acceleration data and coalescing correlated bits.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method of determining a route using map data comprising a plurality of navigable paths, the map data divided into a plurality of regions. The method comprises using at least one processing apparatus to: receive an origin and a destination on the map data and a selection of one of a plurality of cost functions and determine a route from the origin to the destination using the map data and minimum cost data that identifies minimum cost paths between regions of the map data. The minimum cost data identifies more than one minimum cost path between a pair of the regions if different minimum cost paths exist between the pair of regions for different cost functions and determining a route comprises identifying from the minimum cost paths for the pair of regions comprising the origin and destination, the minimum cost path having a lowest cost for the selected cost function.

Abstract: A method of creating map data including search acceleration data arranged to increase the speed at which a route can be planned across an electronic map comprising a plurality of navigable segments, each navigable segment representing a segment of a navigable route in the area covered by the map.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method of determining a route using map data comprising a plurality of navigable paths, the map data divided into a plurality of regions. The method comprises using at least one processing apparatus to: receive an origin and a destination on the map data and a travel time, determine a route from the origin to the destination using the map data and minimum cost data that identifies minimum cost paths between regions of the map data. The minimum cost data identifies more than one minimum cost path between a pair of the regions if different minimum cost paths exist between the pair of regions at different times and determining a route comprises identifying from the minimum cost paths for the pair of regions comprising the origin and destination, the minimum cost path having a lowest cost at the travel time.