Method and system for a real-time distributed navigation system

• US 20010056327A1
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Televigation Inc.
• Original Assignee: Televigation Inc.
• Inventors: Jin, HaiPing
• Granted Patent: US 6,401,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA

Abstract

An Interactive Real-Time Distributed Navigation system is disclosed. In the present invention a user'"'"'s location is determined by generating a position signal at the user'"'"'s location. Through wireless communication between the user and distributed navigation servers, the user is presented with a list of candidate locations. The user'"'"'s choice from the candidate list are then used by the navigation servers to obtain an accurate measurement of the user'"'"'s location. Having established a user'"'"'s location, the system proceeds to provide navigational prompts to the user to reach a final destination.

Claims

1. A method for determining a user'"'"'s location comprising the steps of:

generating a position signal;

determining a first approximation of the user'"'"'s location using said position signal;

querying a database of location information based upon said first approximation;

generating a first set of candidates corresponding to locations in close proximity to the first approximation of a user'"'"'s location;

the user perceiving a vicinity of the user;

the user selecting at least one preferred candidate from among the first set of locations according to a predetermined criteria;

determining a second approximation of a user'"'"'s location based upon said at least one preferred location, wherein said second approximation is more accurate than said first approximation.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said predetermined criteria is said preferred location being closest to the user.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said predetermined criteria is said preferred location being in front of the user.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said step of generating a position signal uses a satellite based system.

5. The method of

claim 4

, wherein said satellite based system is a global positioning system.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said step of generating a position signal uses a ground based system.

7. The method of

claim 6

, wherein said satellite based system is a cellular system.

8. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the steps are distributed among a client and a server.

9. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said step of generating a position signal uses a wireless client.

10. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said step of generating a first set of candidates further involves the step of ranking the first set of candidates locations based upon a second criteria.

23. The method of

claim 1

1, wherein said navigational prompts are provided audibly.

11. A method for providing navigational prompts to a user comprising the steps of:

inputting a destination;

generating a position signal;

determining a first approximation of a user'"'"'s location using said position signal;

querying a database of location information based upon said first approximation;

generating a first set of candidates corresponding to locations in close proximity to the first approximation of a user'"'"'s location;

the user perceiving a vicinity of the user;

the user selecting at least one preferred candidate from among the first set of locations according to a first predetermined criteria;

determining a second approximation of a user'"'"'s location based upon said preferred location, wherein said second approximation is more accurate than said first approximation;

determining a path from the second approximation to the destination according to a second predetermined criteria;

providing prompts to the user describing said path.

12. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said first predetermined criteria is said preferred location being closest to the user.

13. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said first predetermined criteria is said preferred location being in front of the user.

14. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said step of generating a position signal uses a satellite based system.

15. The method of

claim 14

, wherein said satellite based system is a global positioning system.

16. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said step of generating a position signal uses a ground based system.

17. The method of

claim 16

, wherein said satellite based system is a cellular system.

18. The method of

claim 11

, wherein the steps are distributed among a client and a server.

19. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said step of generating a position signal uses a wireless client.

20. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said step of generating a first set of candidates further involves the step of ranking the first set of candidates locations based upon a second criteria.

21. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said navigational prompts are descriptive relative to a reference location.

22. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said navigational prompts are relative to a user'"'"'s direction.

24. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said navigational prompts are provided graphically.

25. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said first predetermined criteria is candidates surrounding the user.

26. The method of

claim 11

, wherein said steps of inputting a destination is performed audibly, the user selecting at least one preferred candidate from among the first set of locations according to a first predetermined criteria, or providing prompts to the user describing said path are performed audibly.