Mobile navigation system
First Claim
1. A method for providing an optimal route using real-time information for a navigation system comprising a client and a server, said server coupled to a computer network, said method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a wireless connection between the client and the server;
transmitting start and end route designations from the client to the server;
accessing real-time information by the server;
calculating the optimal route by the server, based on the real-time information and said start and end route designations;
formatting the optimal route into a natural language description;
downloading said natural language description to the client;
reconstructing the optimal route by the client using a local mapping database; and
displaying said optimal route on a display system coupled to the client.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A client navigation system establishes a wireless connection to a navigation server on a computer network. The client requests a route by uploading start and stop specifications. The server calculates an optimal route based on real-time data available on the network. A generic natural language description is used to specify the optimal route downloaded to the client. The natural language description is independent from the local mapping database software on the client and includes a plain text description for each link using pre-defined generic terms. The client interprets the route, interfaces with the local mapping database and reconstructs the optimal route using a mapping reconstruction algorithm. The route is displayed on the client navigation system using whatever mapping database is present. An enhanced user-interface data-entry feature is provided that anticipates data being entered by users to minimize the data-entry process. The current time zone is derived from the current GPS position and is used to set the clock on the navigation system in the client. Maps are automatically scrolled on a display screen so that a representation of the automobile is always pointing to the right or to the left to allow for additional look-ahead space on certain display systems. A telephone coupled with the navigation system automatically displays the current local time for a called party upon dialing out. The dialed number is used to query a local database for providing local time information.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for providing an optimal route using real-time information for a navigation system comprising a client and a server, said server coupled to a computer network, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection between the client and the server;
transmitting start and end route designations from the client to the server;
accessing real-time information by the server;
calculating the optimal route by the server, based on the real-time information and said start and end route designations;
formatting the optimal route into a natural language description;
downloading said natural language description to the client;
reconstructing the optimal route by the client using a local mapping database; and
displaying said optimal route on a display system coupled to the client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A mobile navigation system comprising:
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a navigation computer;
a wireless transceiver coupled to said navigation computer for connecting with a navigation server, said navigation server for calculating optimal routes based on real-time information, said optimal routes being formatted using a natural language description;
a mapping database coupled to said navigation computer for reconstructing said optimal route from said natural language description; and
a display screen coupled to said navigation computer for displaying said optimal route using said mapping database. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for displaying a local time with respect to a called party, comprising the steps of:
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parsing a dialed-out telephone number to extract location data comprising at least one of;
a country code;
a city code;
an area code; and
an exchange code;
querrying a database to determine a time zone corresponding with said location data;
obtaining the current GMT time;
converting said current GMT time to a local time in accordance with said associated time zone; and
displaying said local time.
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22. A method for determining a current time zone for a navigation system having a GPS receiver comprising the steps of:
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storing a digital representation of time zone division lines;
obtaining a position from the GPS; and
comparing said position with said digital representation to determine the current time zone. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method for displaying a representation of an automobile'"'"'s bearing and position superimposed on a map for a navigation system, said method comprising the steps of:
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displaying the representation of the automobile to always point to the right; and
continuously scrolling the map relative to said representation.
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26. A method for displaying a representation of an automobile'"'"'s bearing and position superimposed on a map for a navigation system, said method comprising the steps of:
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displaying the representation of the automobile to always point to the left; and
continuously scrolling the map relative to said representation.
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27. A method for entering data into a mobile navigation system using a keypad data entry field comprising the steps of:
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comparing data entered into the keypad data entry field with a database of allowable entries;
determining a set of conforming data items associated with said entered data;
applying a criterion to said set of conforming data items to determine an anticipated data item; and
displaying said anticipated data item in the keypad data entry field. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification