Abstract: A portable electronic device is disclosed comprising data processing means and a data repository containing: data records representative of locations relevant to or within a digital map; and data representative of an index associating words contained in the data records with the records in which those words appear. The device further comprises means for, in relation to a received search query including a search string, processing the search string to provide one or more search words; querying the index to identify data records containing the or each search word; and generating a rank for each of the one or more identified data records indicative of the relevance of each identified data record to the search query.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for generating navigation instructions for display on a display device of a portable navigation device, comprising: means for accessing a repository storing digital map data pertaining to a navigable network along which the navigation device can travel; means for generating, for display on the display device, a three-dimensional perspective view of a model representative of the map data as though from a camera positioned at an elevation and pitch angle behind a current position of the portable navigation device, that is updated to follow the device as it travels along a planned route through the navigable network; and means for generating, in response to detecting that the current position of the navigation device is closer than a predetermined distance to a decision point in the planned route, a fast forward preview of the upcoming decision point by advancing the position of the camera for the three-dimensional perspective view along the planned route at a speed faster than the rate of

Abstract: A device is disclosed for generating navigation instructions for display on a display device of a portable navigation device, comprising: means for accessing a repository storing digital map data pertaining to a navigable network along which the navigation device can travel; means for generating, for display on the display device, a three-dimensional perspective view of a model representative of the map data as though from a camera positioned at an elevation and pitch angle behind a current position of the portable navigation device, that is updated to follow the device as it travels along a planned route through the navigable network; and means for generating, in response to detecting that the current position of the navigation device is closer than a predetermined distance to a decision point in the planned route, a fast forward preview of the upcoming decision point by advancing the position of the camera for the three-dimensional perspective view along the planned route at a speed faster than the rate of

Abstract: A portable electronic device is disclosed comprising: data processing means; data repository containing data representative of a digital map; and display means. The device further comprises means for, in relation to data representative of a plurality locations relevant to the digital map, providing, on a representation of the digital map displayed on the display, for each of the locations, one of a plurality of different graphical user interface (GUI) elements characterised by different prominence levels to indicate the locations, wherein the prominence level of the GUI element used for each location is dependent on the level of detail at which the digital map is displayed and a deemed relevance of that location to a user query.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is disclosed comprising: data processing means; data repository containing data records representative of locations relevant to or within a digital map; and display means. The device further comprises means for monitoring a free text search string as it is input by a user of the device; querying the data repository for matching records and generating suggestions selectable by a user to adjust the search, based on the search string as it is input; displaying at least some of any matching records and suggestions on the display; and, in response to receipt of user input indicating a selection of a matching suggestion, adjusting the search accordingly.

Abstract: A method of operating a controller of a vehicle human machine interface (HMI) is disclosed, comprising: providing first output control signals configured to cause a vehicular head up display (HUD) to present first content to a vehicle operator; and providing second output control signals configured to cause a vehicular digital cluster display (DCD) to present second content to the vehicle operator, different to the first content. The method can further comprise the receiving input control signals from a touch sensitive steering wheel, for interacting with the information presented on the HUD and/or DUD. A related apparatus, vehicular HMI and computer software, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for generating navigation instructions for display on a display device of a portable navigation device, comprising: means for accessing a repository storing digital map data pertaining to a navigable network along which the navigation device can travel, the digital map data including data pertaining to available lanes of the navigable network; means for generating, for display on the display device, a three-dimensional perspective view of a model representative of the map data as though from a camera positioned at an elevation and pitch angle behind a current position of the portable navigation device, that is updated to follow the device as it travels along a planned route, wherein the three-dimensional perspective view shows the available lanes of the navigable network, and wherein the planned route to be followed is shown in the view as a line, the line showing the route to be followed as passing along a determined current lane in which the device is travelling; and means for adapting

Abstract: A portable electronic device is disclosed comprising: data processing means; data repository containing data representative of a digital map; and display means. The device further comprises means for, in relation to data representative of a plurality locations relevant to the digital map, providing, on a representation of the digital map displayed on the display, for each of the locations, one of a plurality of different graphical user interface (GUI) elements characterised by different prominence levels to indicate the locations, wherein the prominence level of the GUI element used for each location is dependent on the level of detail at which the digital map is displayed and a deemed relevance of that location to a user query.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is disclosed comprising: data processing means; data repository containing data representative of a digital map; and display means. The device further comprises means for, in relation to data representative of a plurality locations relevant to the digital map, providing, on a representation of the digital map displayed on the display, for each of the locations, one of a plurality of different graphical user interface (GUI) elements characterized by different prominence levels to indicate the locations, wherein the prominence level of the GUI element used for each location is dependent on the level of detail at which the digital map is displayed and a deemed relevance of that location to a user query.

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 operating a controller of a vehicle human machine interface (HMI) is disclosed, comprising: providing first output control signals configured to cause a vehicular head up display (HUD) to present first content to a vehicle operator; and providing second output control signals configured to cause a vehicular digital cluster display (DCD) to present second content to the vehicle operator, different to the first content. The method can further comprise the receiving input control signals from a touch sensitive steering wheel, for interacting with the information presented on the HUD and/or DUD. A related apparatus, vehicular HMI and computer software, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for generating navigation instructions for display on a display device of a portable navigation device, comprising: means for accessing a repository storing digital map data pertaining to a navigable network along which the navigation device can travel; means for generating, for display on the display device, a three-dimensional perspective view of a model representative of the map data as though from a camera positioned at an elevation and pitch angle behind a current position of the portable navigation device, that is updated to follow the device as it travels along a planned route through the navigable network; and means for generating, in response to detecting that the current position of the navigation device is closer than a predetermined distance to a decision point in the planned route, a fast forward preview of the upcoming decision point by advancing the position of the camera for the three-dimensional perspective view along the planned route at a speed faster than the rate of

Abstract: A device is disclosed for generating navigation instructions for display on a display device of a portable navigation device, comprising: means for accessing a repository storing digital map data pertaining to a navigable network along which the navigation device can travel, the digital map data including data pertaining to available lanes of the navigable network; means for generating, for display on the display device, a three-dimensional perspective view of a model representative of the map data as though from a camera positioned at an elevation and pitch angle behind a current position of the portable navigation device, that is updated to follow the device as it travels along a planned route, wherein the three-dimensional perspective view shows the available lanes of the navigable network, and wherein the planned route to be followed is shown in the view as a line, the line showing the route to be followed as passing along a determined current lane in which the device is travelling; and means for adapting

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 portable electronic device is disclosed comprising: data processing means; data repository containing data records representative of locations relevant to or within a digital map; and display means. The device further comprises means for monitoring a free text search string as it is input by a user of the device; querying the data repository for matching records and generating suggestions selectable by a user to adjust the search, based on the search string as it is input; displaying at least some of any matching records and suggestions on the display; and, in response to receipt of user input indicating a selection of a matching suggestion, adjusting the search accordingly.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is disclosed comprising: data processing means; data repository containing data representative of a digital map; and display means. The device further comprises means for, in relation to data representative of a plurality locations relevant to the digital map, providing, on a representation of the digital map displayed on the display, for each of the locations, one of a plurality of different graphical user interface (GUI) elements characterised by different prominence levels to indicate the locations, wherein the prominence level of the GUI element used for each location is dependent on the level of detail at which the digital map is displayed and a deemed relevance of that location to a user query.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is disclosed comprising data processing means and a data repository containing: data records representative of locations relevant to or within a digital map; and data representative of an index associating words contained in the data records with the records in which those words appear. The device further comprises means for, in relation to a received search query including a search string, processing the search string to provide one or more search words; querying the index to identify data records containing the or each search word; and generating a rank for each of the one or more identified data records indicative of the relevance of each identified data record to the search query.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus is disclosed including a location determination unit and a processing resource arranged to support, when in use, a user interface. In at least one embodiment, the processing resource is operably coupled to the location determination unit in order to obtain location information therefrom. The processing resource is arranged to analyze the location information and the user interface is arranged to generate a message offering assistance in relation to finding a parking facility in response to the processing resource determining that a location information characteristic associated with the location information is in accordance with a predetermined criterion.

Abstract: This invention relates to a navigation device (200) comprising: an input interface (220, 240) configured to enable a user to select a destination; a processor (210); and a display (240) controllable by the processor; characterized in that the navigation device (200) further comprises: a store (230) for building data, said building data being representative of the shape of buildings at each of a plurality of destinations, and a destination view generation module (490) for generating, from building data stored in said store (230) for said user selected destination, a three-dimensional representation of a building at said user selected destination, said processor (210) being responsive to said destination view generation module (490) to control said display (240) to display said three-dimensional representation to said user.