Navigation Patents (Class 701/400)
  • Patent number: 8301367
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of providing a content in real time and a navigation system for providing a content in real time which recognizes an allowance time for providing the content by considering a time, a distance, a road straightness from a current guide point to a subsequent guide point, receives the content from a predetermined content providing server in real time, and provides the content during the allowance time. A navigation system for providing a content in real time, the navigation system including: an allowance time recognition unit recognizing an existence of an allowance time for providing the content while navigating; a server connection unit connecting to a predetermined content providing server via a communication network; a content receiving unit receiving the content from the content providing server; and a content providing unit providing the received content during the allowance time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Thinkware Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Won Ik Choi
  • Patent number: 8299940
    Abstract: A road-vehicle communication system comprises roadside apparatuses, a center device, and a vehicle-mounted device mounted in a vehicle. The roadside apparatuses are each given identification information for identifying itself. The center device transmits to the vehicle the identification information about a first roadside apparatus installed on the road where the vehicle is traveling as first identification information via the first roadside apparatus and the identification information about a second roadside apparatus via which the vehicle is expected to travel to the destination as second identification information when the vehicle is traveling in the lane of the road where the first roadside apparatus is installed. The vehicle-mounted device stores the transmitted first identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
    Inventor: Yoshihito Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 8301368
    Abstract: The Electronic Kit Bag (EKB) is a computerized, portable pilot “kit bag” that accepts input data, manipulates said data, and outputs solutions. The EKB has standard and state-of-the-art computer parts and peripherals, interfaced for maximum utility. The central operating program of the device assesses the relationships of input data through logic based, three-dimensional decision-making algorithm. Data output is utilized either directly by the user, by the user through an aircraft system, or directly from the EKB to an aircraft system or autopilot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Inventor: Angela Masson
  • Patent number: 8301332
    Abstract: A method and system for fleet operations data management is provided. The system includes a data collection and distribution network configured to distribute operations data to vehicles in a fleet of vehicles and collect vehicle performance data from the vehicles in the fleet of vehicles, the distributed operations data including at least one of travel plans, navigational databases, vehicle operator business data, and passenger information, the collected aircraft performance data including at least one of vehicle body integrity parameters, FADEC performance, CNS/ATM interoperability, and air computing infrastructure characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventor: Walter Douglas Rawle
  • Publication number: 20120271497
    Abstract: A method for controlling a hybrid drive of a vehicle, the hybrid drive having an electric drive and a fuel drive. A database which has assignments between route information and first and second route criteria is provided. The route information represents routes which may be traveled by the vehicle. The first route criterion represents a preferred use of the electric drive on the particular assigned route, and the second route criterion represents a preferred use of the fuel drive on the particular assigned route. Current route information which represents a route traveled by the vehicle is received, and a current route criterion assigned to the current route information is provided from the database, and control information is also provided for using the electric drive if the current route criterion is the first route criterion or for using the fuel drive if the current route criterion is the second route criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas Kleine-Besten, Jobst Gercke
  • Patent number: 8296059
    Abstract: In navigation systems and methods thereof and, more particularly, navigation systems and methods for vehicles and, even more particularly, navigation systems and methods that reduce/minimize the incidence criminal activity during transport of cargo along a route a method is provided for determining a trip route for travel including the following steps: (i) obtaining start point data for a start point; (ii) obtaining end point data for an end point; (iii) obtaining crime risk data for at least one point along a possible trip route between said start point and said end point; (iv) determining a portion of a safe trip route between said start point and said endpoint based on said crime risk data; and, (v) communicating said portion of said safe trip route via a navigation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Volvo Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Luca Urciuoli, Jonas Tornberg
  • Patent number: 8296571
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for implementing export control for a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. In one embodiment, a GNSS receiver is used to determine the geographic position of an electronic device. It is then determined that the geographic region corresponds to an exclusion zone. In response to determining that the geographic region corresponds to the exclusion zone, accessing data from the electronic device is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Jeffery A. Hamilton, Stuart Riley
  • Patent number: 8296001
    Abstract: A marine electronic device such as a chartplotter which includes a display; a location determining component; and a processing system for receiving location data from the location determining component and for causing information to be displayed by display. The processing system causes the display to display information which assists an operator in navigating and ascertaining characteristics of bodies of water, objects on nearby shores, and other vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Darrin W. Kabel, Darren E. Hain, Brayden S. Wilbeck, Christopher B. Bilderback
  • Patent number: 8290707
    Abstract: A mobile computing device, including a main body, a processor and associated memory housed within the main body, a display screen housed within the main body and responsive to signals from the processor, an optical sensor fixed to the main body for capturing successive images and providing image signals representative of the captured images to the processor, and a navigation module associated with the processor for determining, based on the image signals, a relative movement between the main body and a reference surface and moving a pointer on the display screen based on the determined relative movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Alexei Skarine
  • Patent number: 8289188
    Abstract: An utterance type road traffic information providing device (system) provided with a roadside apparatus (100) set on a road where a vehicle travels, at a parking lot or a place adjacent to the parking lot for transmitting alarm information by wireless communication, an utterance type vehicle-mounted device (200) mounted on a vehicle for receiving the alarm information from the roadside apparatus by wireless communication and outputting the alarm information, a administration server (300) that exchanges various information with the roadside apparatus (100). The utterance type vehicle-mounted device (200) is comprised of a predetermined operation unit and a control unit. The control unit cancels a part or all of the utterance voice output of the alarm information supplied from the roadside apparatus (100) in accordance with a predetermined operation of the operation unit. An output of the same alarm information or alarm information irrelevant to its own vehicle is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
    Inventors: Masahiro Ueno, Hideyuki Nagatomo
  • Publication number: 20120259547
    Abstract: Methods of pre-processing probe trace data include examining a sequential dataset for a route of travel between two points, identifying at least one anomaly in the sequential dataset, identifying at least one datum of the sequential dataset occupying a sequential position adjacent to the identified at least one anomaly, and inserting at least one non-anomalous datum to occupy a sequential position of the identified at least one anomaly in the sequential dataset, the at least one non-anomalous datum being determined based on one of extrapolation, smoothing and interpolation of the at least one datum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventors: Clayton Richard Morlock, Shaundrea Margaret Newman Kenyon
  • Publication number: 20120259539
    Abstract: Disclosed is a navigation device capable of guiding HOV lanes more intelligibly. The device comprises a storage unit that stores installation information relating to traffic lanes that become passable when predetermined conditions are satisfied (hereinafter referred to as “conditional traffic lanes”) and a guiding unit that guides entrances to the conditional traffic lanes. The guiding unit displays entrance guide images for guiding the car in which the device is installed to the entrances to the conditional traffic lanes instead of images that have been displayed until then when the position of the car approaches the entrances to the conditional traffic lanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Publication number: 20120259542
    Abstract: A navigation system may calculate a route to a destination and output guidance information with an output device to guide a user of the navigation system along the calculated route. If it is determined that a navigation device has left the calculated route, the navigation system may prompt the user asking whether output of guidance information should be suspended. If the output of guidance information should be suspended, the navigation system may suspend the output of guidance information and calculate a new route to the destination while the output of guidance information is suspended. The navigation system may calculate an estimated arrival time at the destination based on the calculated new route and output the estimated arrival time while the output of guidance information is suspended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Daniel Hünig
  • Patent number: 8285480
    Abstract: An electronic mobile device includes a display for displaying a graphical element. A tilt sensor is configured to sense first and second tilt angles of the mobile device. A processor is coupled to the display and the tilt sensor and configured to move the graphical element relative to the display in a first direction based on the first tilt angle, and to move the graphical element relative to the display in a second direction based on the second tilt angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Kevin Howard Orr, Alexander Kornilovsky, Alexei Skarine
  • Publication number: 20120253672
    Abstract: An information display terminal allows a user to grasp rapidly and surely the direction to a destination, and can guide the user to the destination without placing a burden on the user. The information display terminal is provided at a passage, and its display screen displays a route guidance screen that guides a route to the destination. The route guidance screen displays a pseudo-action image that shows the walking motion, and a destination display information image indicating a destination name such as “Subway Ticket Gate”. The action image shows the motion of walking toward the destination, but the display position does not change. The destination display information image is displayed in front of the action image in the advancing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Takeshi HOSHINO, Youichi Horii, Tadaaki Ishikawa, Yukiko Ichige, Hiroki Sato
  • Publication number: 20120253670
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and using moving violation alerts are disclosed. A navigation device located in a vehicle determines the vehicle's present location and present speed, and generates a moving violation alert. The moving violation alert comprises at least one of time information, location information, road segment information, and sensor information. A tracking device coupled to the navigation device provides the moving violation alert on a network. The network connection is configured to transmit the moving violation alert from the navigation device to a recipient outside the vehicle. Moving violation alerts may be stored and analyzed by the recipient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Navman Wireless North America LP
    Inventor: PARESH L. NAGDA
  • Patent number: 8280627
    Abstract: Conventional map information processing apparatuses have the problem of not being able to automatically provide appropriate information according to map browse operations. The present invention provides a map information processing apparatus, comprising: a map information storage portion in which map information, which is information of a map, can be stored; an accepting portion that accepts a map browse operation, which is an operation to browse the map; an operation information sequence acquiring portion that acquires operation information, which is information of an operation corresponding to the map browse operation; a keyword acquiring portion that acquires at least one keyword from the map information using the operation information; a retrieving portion that retrieves information using the at least one keyword; and an information output portion that outputs the information retrieved by the retrieving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Micware Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Sumiya, Ryoko Hiramoto
  • Patent number: 8279085
    Abstract: An information distribution system comprises a roadside apparatus, a center apparatus, and a vehicle-mounted device. The center apparatus transmits to a predetermined area through the roadside apparatus first distribution information including a predetermined division number for identifying a road where the roadside apparatus are installed or second distribution information including speech information, a division number, and execution condition information for executing the speech information depending on the division number included in the first distribution information and that included in the second one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
    Inventor: Satoru Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 8278611
    Abstract: A kit for upgrading a non-guided shell to an airborne guided shell includes a device to couple the kit to the body of the non-guided shell. A fastener provides for fastening the resulting airborne shell to an aircraft and for detaching it there from. The kit also provides for causing the trajectory of the shell to change once detached from the aircraft according to instructions received in the kit; for determining the position of the shell; and for transferring data from the carrying platform to the guidance kit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Zalman Shlomo Shpund, David Sahar
  • Patent number: 8280629
    Abstract: A navigation device that is mounted in a movable body of the present invention includes a first storing portion that stores a first navigation data; an acquiring portion that acquires a second navigation data from an external second storing portion; a movable body location detecting portion that detects the location of the movable body; a navigation operation executing portion that executes a predetermined navigation operation based on the location of the movable body that is detected by the movable body location detecting portion, and the first navigation data; and an updating portion that updates the first navigation data with the second navigation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kinoshita, Keisuke Kondo, Toru Murayama
  • Patent number: 8275542
    Abstract: Information is acquired that indicates a current road on which a vehicle is traveling. Information is acquired that relates to a plurality of branching roads that branch off from the current road at a branching point that lies ahead in the direction of movement of the vehicle. In a situation where route guidance is not being used, a determination is made as to whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle will proceed on one of the branching roads that is of a different type from the current road, instead of on one of the branching roads that is of the same type as the current road and has an attribute that is of the same type as an attribute of the current road. If it is determined that there is a possibility that the vehicle will proceed on one of the branching roads that is of a different type, guidance is performed that informs the driver that the possibility exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhide Adachi, Akira Otabe, Tomohiro Mitsuya
  • Patent number: 8275834
    Abstract: Disclosed is a flexible, multi-modal system useful in communications among users, capable of synchronizing real world and augmented reality, wherein the system is deployed in centralized and distributed computational platforms. The system comprises a plurality of input devices designed and configured to generate signals representing speech, gestures, pointing direction, and location of a user, and transmit the same to a multi-modal interface. Some of the signals generated represent a message from the user intended for dissemination to other users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Research Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Aldunate, Gregg E Larson
  • Publication number: 20120239292
    Abstract: A method of providing augmented Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation can include detecting movement of a GPS enabled mobile device along a navigational route and displaying a photographic image on a display of the GPS enabled mobile device responsive to detecting movement of the GPS enabled mobile device along the navigational route provided by the GPS enabled mobile device. Related devices and computer program products are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Arnold Chester McQuaide, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20120239287
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product are provided for generating a pre-planned vehicle guidance path for a vehicle by transforming an initial piecewise linear path into a path that obeys a minimum vehicle turning radius constraint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Jaybridge Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua J. Pieper, Jeremy H. Brown, Matthew J. Marjanovic
  • Patent number: 8271150
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a position indicating display system for an aircraft are provided. The system includes a moving map display representative of an area being traversed by the aircraft such that a current relative position of the aircraft is maintained proximate a center of the display, a first overlay on the moving map display that is indicative of a predetermined track of travel, and a second overlay on the moving map display indicative of a distance range from a suitable alternate airport. The second overlay also displays equal time points to assist flight crews in determining closest suitable alternate airport in the event of a required diversion. Constraints regarding the intended flight route on the organized track system are available for display to the flight crew.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Patrick Wipplinger, Jens Schiefele, Thorsten Wiesemann
  • Publication number: 20120232796
    Abstract: Technology is generally described for computing paths between geographical localities. The technology can receive a request for a path between two or more geographical localities, and compute a path based at least on a popularity rating of intermediate geographical localities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Arvind Vijay Keerthi
  • Publication number: 20120232780
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to General Synchronized Vibration devices that provide haptic feedback to a user and improve the performance of existing vibratory devices. Different actuator types may be employed to provide synchronized vibration, including linear rotary actuators, rotating eccentric mass actuators including interleaved rotating mass actuators, and rocking mass actuators. A controller sends signals to one or more driver circuits to provide adjustment of vibration magnitude, frequency, and direction of the actuators. The system may apply forces onto an object, and a sensor measures a feature(s) of the object. This information is provided to a vibration device controller, which can then modify the vibration waveform to improve overall system performance. Fourier synthesis can be used to approximate arbitrarily shaped waveforms by controlling the phase and frequency of vibration actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: COACTIVE DRIVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathan Delson, John Houston, Gabe Graham
  • Publication number: 20120232781
    Abstract: An information providing apparatus makes a decision, when an information providing deciding unit decides that driving support information is to be provided, as to whether the output of the voice information about the driving support information responding to a command from the information providing deciding unit and the output of the voice information about route guidance info nation responding to a command from a route guidance unit overlap each other or not, and controls, when they overlap each other, the output of voice information by an information providing output unit in such a manner as to prevent the output of the voice information about the driving support information from overlapping with the output of the voice information about the route guidance information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Hisashi Sugawara, Masayoshi Ono, Shigeki Morita
  • Patent number: 8264504
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques that can enable a community of users to upload arbitrary images of particular locations and integrate them into a 3D model of that location in such a way that they appear as correctly aligned overlays with the model. Users can estimate rough location, orientation, and field of view, for one or more images and then add metadata such as keyword “tags” including time parameters. From the user estimates, a computer system determines the pose of the image relative to the 3D model and stores the metadata. A display system enables a community of users to freely navigate through the 3D model with visual indicators of all of the posed images, filterable via the metadata. Users also have control over a “snap-to-view” feature as they approach any of the posed images as well as a transparency feature for the degree of visibility of the overlaid image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventor: Michael Naimark
  • Patent number: 8265810
    Abstract: A method for automatically controlling the speed of a ship, in which the engine speed (nMOT) is automatically controlled by a closed-loop engine speed control system as an inner closed-loop control system, the ship's speed (vS) is automatically controlled by a closed-loop ship's speed control system as an outer closed-loop control system, and the ship's set speed (vSL) is influenced as a reference input of the closed-loop ship's speed control system as a function of an external signal source. The ship's set speed (vSL) is corrected as a function of the underwater topography (TOPO).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Hehle, Hans-Gerd Freisem, Olaf Kammertoens
  • Patent number: 8260542
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus including a geomagnetic sensor that detects a geomagnetic field of the navigation apparatus, an orientation calculation unit that calculates an orientation of the navigation apparatus based on the detected geomagnetic field, a cradle detection unit that detects that the navigation apparatus is connected to a cradle, and outputs a signal indicating that the navigation apparatus is connected to the cradle, and an operation control unit that receives the signal output from the cradle detection unit, and controls the orientation calculation unit to not detect the orientation of the navigation apparatus based on the detected geomagnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Kimishima
  • Patent number: 8259994
    Abstract: A system for pose generation consisting of a trajectory system, a pose generation system, an intersection extractor, an object identifier, a constraint generator, and a posegraph solver. The trajectory system identifies a number of trajectories based on input positional data of a bounded area. The pose generation system generates one or more poses based on the trajectories. The intersection extractor identifies one or more possible intersections in the one or more poses. The object identifier identifies an object pair for each possible intersection that represents two positional points at each possible intersection. The constraint generator computes and applies one or more intersection constraints to generate an energy value for each object pair based on their geometric relationship. The posegraph solver then minimizes a total energy value by modifying one or more poses and then generates an improved set of pose trajectories based on the modified one or more poses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Dragomir Anguelov, Christian Frueh, Sameer Agarwal
  • Patent number: 8260540
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems for efficient communication between a server and a client in an assisted navigation system. In one or more embodiments, the client, e.g., a GPS receiver, receives a set of parameters for a satellite from the server via a wireless or wired connection. The set of parameters includes a force parameter, initial condition parameters and time correction coefficients for the satellite. The receiver uses the received parameters in a numerical integration to compute the position of the satellite at a desired time. The set of parameters needed for the integration is small compared to current methods which require sending more data to the client. Thus these parameters require less communication resources to transmit. To further reduce the amount of data that needs to be transmitted, reference parameters may be subtracted from the original parameters before transmission from the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sirf Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shaowei Han, Wentao Zhang
  • Patent number: 8260550
    Abstract: A navigation system is provided for instructing an operator of a vehicle. The navigation system includes a navigation processor configured to obtain a destination location, and to generate a proposed route to the destination location. The navigation system also includes a presentation element coupled to the navigation processor, the presentation element configured to provide navigation instructions to the operator. A selection module is coupled to or incorporated into the navigation processor, and the selection module is configured to select a cartographic resolution from a plurality of different cartographic resolutions, resulting in a selected cartographic resolution. The presentation element provides navigation instructions for at least a portion of the proposed route, using the selected cartographic resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Matthew M. Highstrom, Andrew W. Gellatly, Cody R. Hansen, John P. Weiss, Bhavna Mathur
  • Patent number: 8257173
    Abstract: A method for driving an artificial intelligence (AI) character involving computing a navigational graph for a virtual environment and moving the AI character along a current path for an AI character from a current location to a current destination is disclosed. While moving the AI character along the current path the potential alternative destinations are continuously evaluated and a new destination or the current destination based upon a heuristic analysis of the alternative destinations and the current destination. The system also continuously determines whether the AI character can leave the current path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Bergelt, David Smith, Josh C Brown, Darius Julian Tam, Ian D. Yip, Vince Jewlal
  • Patent number: 8260541
    Abstract: A power supply control apparatus of a navigation system includes a power switch for a user to turn a display screen of the navigation system on or off; a navigation power switching unit to turn an internal function of the navigation system on or off by a power supply connection; a navigation information unnecessary state detecting unit to detect a navigation information unnecessary state where a user does not need navigation information; and a power supply control unit to turn the navigation power switching unit off when the navigation information unnecessary state detecting unit detects the navigation information unnecessary state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Motohiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120221237
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method of cell-based path planning for a mobile body and a computer-readable recording medium storing the method therein. The method includes receiving a configuration space including a start point and a goal point of the mobile body and position information of obstacles, determining a search order of the obstacles located in the configuration space, performing cell decomposition by repeatedly connecting a vertex of one of the obstacles to a vertex of another obstacle according to the determined search order, and performing cell decomposition by making an extended line from each of non-connected vertices in a direction of dividing vertical angle of each of the non-connected vertices into two.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Dongguk University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Jin-Woo Jung, ByungChul So
  • Publication number: 20120221238
    Abstract: A clear sign rider. The novel clear sign rider is designed for attaching a secondary sign to a frame for holding a primary sign, and includes a sheet of transparent plastic folded over to form two parallel layers adapted to receive and hold the secondary sign therebetween, and a feature formed in the plastic for attaching the plastic to the frame. In an illustrative embodiment, the clear sign rider is adapted to be inserted in and fastened to a sign rider slot attached to the frame. At least one layer of the clear sign rider includes a hole for engaging a screw that attaches the layer to the slot. In a preferred embodiment, the clear sign rider also includes a circuit for wirelessly transmitting data to nearby mobile devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventor: Gloria Shelby-Dyer
  • Publication number: 20120221247
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a device including a module (490) which is operative in a low-power state of the device (200). The module (490) is arranged to determine whether a traffic situation on a route has more than a predetermined affect on the route, and to cause the navigation device (200) to output a notification in response thereto which alerts the user of the device to the traffic situation despite the device being in the low-power state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: TOMTOM INTERNATIONAL B.V.
    Inventors: Sjoerd Aben, Michel Alders
  • Patent number: 8255152
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to vehicle navigation systems. More specifically, the disclosure relates to vehicle navigation systems that utilize fuel use and emissions criteria as a parameter to determine directions between two locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Matthew Barth, Kanok Boriboonsomsin
  • Patent number: 8255151
    Abstract: A method (500) and navigation system (100) are provided that generate a navigation route that is environmentally optimized between an origin and destination. Upon receiving an origination location and destination from a user or other source, such as a GPS satellite (104), a route determination module (302) determines multiple routes between the origination location and destination. An environmental analysis module (301) then processes each route to determine an environmental impact value. An evaluation module (303) then can selects a proposed route for presentation to the user via a presentation module (304). Alternatively, the evaluation module (303) may select two or more routes, which the presentation module (304) may present with corresponding environmental impact data such that the user may select a particular route. Additionally, a green coach module (306) may provide instructions to the user for more environmentally beneficial operation of a vehicle (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Francis Bourque, Sanjay Gupta, Mark Hansen
  • Patent number: 8255156
    Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining data about spatial objects. The data is received from a set of adaptable and programmable sensor units associated with a set of spatial objects in real time to form received data, wherein the data is generated in response to a change in a measurement or time of a sensor unit in the set of sensor units. A collection of data for spatial objects is updated with the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Donald L. Ravenscroft, Thorsten Wiesemann
  • Patent number: 8255157
    Abstract: A navigation device that can easily select information matched with user's favorite or intention from information on many stores and facilities is provided. In a car navigation device 1 for performing a route guidance of a moving object, plural symbols featured by individualities are displayed on a display panel 2, and when any one of the plural displayed symbols is selected, sightseeing information relevant to the individuality of the selected symbol is selected from the sightseeing facilities data base 31, and the selected sightseeing information is displayed on the display panel 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Harada
  • Patent number: 8254512
    Abstract: A receiving method and apparatus for increasing coherent integration length while receiving a positioning signal from transmitters such as GPS satellites. In order to compensate for frequency drifts that may occur in the positioning signal, a hypothesis is made as to the frequency drift, which is inserted into the receiving algorithm. Advantageously, the length of coherent integration can be increased at the expense of reducing the length of incoherent integration while keeping the total integration length the same, the net effect of which is an increase in signal detection sensitivity. The frequency drift hypothesis has any appropriate waveform; for example, approximately linear or exponential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Peter Gaal, Christopher Patrick
  • Publication number: 20120215437
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing location based services are provided. Embodiments may include storing locations for a plurality of users of a telecommunication environment and contact lists of associated users for the plurality of users. Embodiments may also include providing the locations of the associated users for a first user based on a request from the first user. The request may further include providing locations for associated users who are located within an area of interest. The area of interest may be defined by a particular distance from the first user or by a point of interest of the first user. The locations of the users may be determined based on the locations of communication devices of the users including an identified receiving communication device for each user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Jianxiu HAO, Guillermo ORTIZ, Fenglin YIN, Zhiying JIN
  • Patent number: 8249810
    Abstract: A method is provided of generating a plurality of diverse routes from a source to a destination in a weighted directed graph. Such a method may be used for route planning or navigation with the weighted directed graph representing a road network, but may also be used in other applications. A source routing tree is generated from the source to a first set of points of the graph, which may comprise some or all of the points. A destination routing tree is generated from some or all of the points of the graph to the destination. The trees are then combined to form the routes. For example, the sub-routes common to and transverses in the same direction by the source and destination trees may be selected. The sub routes may then be formed into the routes by extending each sub-route as necessary to the source and destination along the source and destination trees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Cotares Limited
    Inventor: Alan Henry Jones
  • Patent number: 8249800
    Abstract: A system with a capability of detecting the platform stationary status is disclosed. The first aspect is to measure three raw acceleration outputs from an apparatus of the three-axis accelerometer unit. The second aspect is to compute the mean of the latest said acceleration outputs obtained from the three-axis accelerometer unit. The third aspect is to subtract the said mean acceleration outputs from the said raw acceleration outputs obtained from the three axis accelerometer unit to find the differential acceleration components between raw and mean values. The fourth aspect is to compute the amplitude of the differential acceleration, i.e., squared total sum of the three differential acceleration components. The fifth aspect is to count the number of measurements in which the amplitude of the differential acceleration is below a certain threshold, e.g., 0.05 (m/s2) to detect the stationary status if the small amplitude lasts for a certain time length, e.g., 1 second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Takayuki Hoshizaki
  • Publication number: 20120209524
    Abstract: A route search system includes: a reception unit that receives a search request for a plurality of first routes, that are routes between all the combinations of two of a plurality of points; a search unit that, when the search request is received by the reception unit, searches the plurality of first routes based upon a search condition included in the search request; and a supply unit that transmits route information for the plurality of first routes searched by the search unit. Both a number of times the search request is received by the reception unit, and a number of times route information is transmitted by the supply unit, are smaller than a number of points in the plurality of points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mariko Okude, Tomoaki Hiruta, Masatoshi Kumagai
  • Patent number: 8242423
    Abstract: A missile has a pair of systems to provide acceleration information during flight. The primary system is a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial measurement unit (IMU) that provides accurate rate sensor output, such as providing pitch and yaw rates, at low cost, over a wide range of conditions. However MEMS IMUs are susceptible to temporary incorrect responses when subjected to shocks, such as acoustic-range shocks, for instance in the range of 10-20 kHz. The missile includes a secondary system to temporarily provide acceleration data during the periods following shocks, when the MEMS IMU does not provide valid (reliable or usable) rate sensor output, for use in estimating pseudo pitch and yaw rates. The secondary system may be an accelerometer that does not provide navigation-quality acceleration data, but does provide a sufficiently accurate response in order to maintain stable flight during the post-shock period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Chris E. Geswender, Matthew W. Cribb, Clyde R. Hanson
  • Patent number: 8244459
    Abstract: A method of stitching converging path segments to aesthetically label Y-intersections, path bifurcations or splits in roads or the like entails determining which pair of adjacent path segments subtend the largest angle. The path segments subtending the largest angle are reconstructed (stitched together) and a single instance of the label is then rendered along the reconstructed path. Although this stitching can be performed on the client device, pre-stitching server-side is even more efficient in terms of economizing over-the-air bandwidth and onboard processing resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Gordon Gregory Bowman, Eric Johnson