Navigation apparatus and mapping system using personal contacts
First Claim
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1. A navigation apparatus comprising:
- a route guidance information generator, operable on a computing device, configured to receive a plurality of personal contacts from a personal contacts database in the memory of a remote device, the personal contacts database storing a plurality of contact identifiers, corresponding location information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, and corresponding contact information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, the contact information comprising at least one of a phone number and an e-mail address, each one of the personal contacts received from the personal contacts database comprising one or more of;
the corresponding identifier for the one of the personal contacts; and
the corresponding location information for the one of the personal contacts,the route guidance information generator being further configured to generate and store, in a computer memory of the computing device, route guidance information for each one of the plurality of personal contacts to be used for route guidance for routes that traverse near each personal contact, andthe route guidance information generator being further configured to generate route guidance information based on route guidance criteria, the route guidance information comprising at least one of the plurality of personal contacts, the route guidance information generator being configured to select the at least one of the plurality of contacts based on at least one rating for suitability for route guidance associated with the at least one of the plurality of contacts, the at least one rating having been input by a user or users of the navigation apparatus and stored in a database in association with the at least one of the plurality of contacts.
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Abstract
A navigation apparatus and method which uses personal contact-based route guidance. A route guidance generator receives information about personal contacts including a location, a description and a rating value for route guidance and generates route guidance suitable for navigation applications. The personal contacts based guidance can be combined with normal street and maneuver based guidance.
69 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A navigation apparatus comprising:
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a route guidance information generator, operable on a computing device, configured to receive a plurality of personal contacts from a personal contacts database in the memory of a remote device, the personal contacts database storing a plurality of contact identifiers, corresponding location information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, and corresponding contact information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, the contact information comprising at least one of a phone number and an e-mail address, each one of the personal contacts received from the personal contacts database comprising one or more of; the corresponding identifier for the one of the personal contacts; and the corresponding location information for the one of the personal contacts, the route guidance information generator being further configured to generate and store, in a computer memory of the computing device, route guidance information for each one of the plurality of personal contacts to be used for route guidance for routes that traverse near each personal contact, and the route guidance information generator being further configured to generate route guidance information based on route guidance criteria, the route guidance information comprising at least one of the plurality of personal contacts, the route guidance information generator being configured to select the at least one of the plurality of contacts based on at least one rating for suitability for route guidance associated with the at least one of the plurality of contacts, the at least one rating having been input by a user or users of the navigation apparatus and stored in a database in association with the at least one of the plurality of contacts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a computer processor, a plurality of personal contacts from a personal contacts database in the memory of a remote device, the personal contacts database storing a plurality of contact identifiers, corresponding location information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, and corresponding contact information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, the contact information comprising at least one of a phone number and an e-mail address, each one of the personal contacts received from the personal contacts database comprising; the corresponding identifier for the one of the personal contacts; and the location information for the one of the personal contacts; and generating a map, on a display device, including an indication corresponding to the location information of one of the personal contacts, the indication indicating a location of the one of the personal contacts within the bounds of the map, the generating comprising selecting the one of the personal contacts based on a rating for suitability for route guidance associated with the one of the personal contacts for route guidance, the rating being stored in association with the one of the personal contacts. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method to enhance a landmark navigation database comprising:
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receiving, from a personal contacts database in the memory of a remote device, the personal contacts database storing a plurality of contact identifiers, corresponding location information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, and corresponding contact information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, the contact information comprising at least one of a phone number and an e-mail address, each one of the personal contacts comprising one or more of; the corresponding identifier for the one of the personal contacts; and the location information for each one of the personal contacts; generating route guidance information by parsing, using a computing device, the received personal contacts in order to conform to the format of a landmark navigation database, the route guidance information comprising an indication corresponding to the location information of one of the personal contacts, the indication indicating a location of the one of the personal contacts within a boundary of a map, the generating the route guidance information comprising selecting the one of the personal contacts based on a rating for suitability for route guidance associated with the one of the personal contacts, the rating being stored in association with the one of the personal contacts; and storing the parsed personal contacts within a computer memory as part of the landmark navigation database. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification