System and method for distributed navigation service

• US 20020165666A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Axel Fuchs, James Blake Bullock, Jeffrey Kohley, Mark Mcnulty, Robert A. Gee, Stanislaus Gonsalves
• Inventors: McNulty, Mark, Gee, Robert A., Kohley, Jeffrey, Gonsalves, Stanislaus, Fuchs, Axel, Bullock, James Blake
• Granted Patent: US 6,567,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00

Abstract

A distributed navigation system and method for providing driving instructions to a user. The system includes a service center having a navigation server and associated workstations. The service center stores driving instructions in a continuously updated map database. In response to a user request the instructions are transmitted by way of a wireless network to a client device residing in the user vehicle. The instructions are assembled into sequential stepwise driving directions and stored in a storage device in the client device. Commands from the user trigger playback of the driving instructions in a stepwise fashion.

Claims

1. A method of operating a navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

determining an initial position of the vehicle;

initiating a request for service, the request including transmission of the initial position of the vehicle;

establishing a voice connection, the voice connection providing transmission of a desired position of the vehicle;

calculating a route for the vehicle from the initial position to the desired position;

transmitting the calculated route to the vehicle in a media format adapted to be provided in a stepwise sequential fashion in response to commands.

2. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one of playing and displaying the calculated route in the stepwise sequential fashion takes place in response to the commands.

3. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 2 wherein the commands are verbal commands from an occupant of the vehicle.

4. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 2 wherein the commands are generated by actuating buttons.

5. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 2 wherein the commands are generated by a positioning device.

6. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 1 wherein the request includes the identification of the vehicle.

7. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 6 wherein the request including the identification of the vehicle is used to validate that the vehicle is a current subscriber for the navigation system.

8. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 1 wherein the media format includes audio information.

9. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 1 wherein the media format includes textual information.

10. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 1 wherein the media format includes geographic properties.

11. The method of operating the navigation system of claim 1 wherein a service record is created when the transmittal of the route is complete.

13. The navigation system of claim 12 further comprising:

formatting means for formatting the calculated route into a format adapted to be provided in a stepwise sequential fashion;

transmitting means for transmitting the formatted calculated route to the vehicle;

receiving means for receiving the formatted calculated route in the vehicle;

storage means for storing the formatted calculated route;

command and control means for controlling playback of the stored formatted calculated route;

decoding means for decoding the formatted calculated route into at least one of voice, textual, and graphic data;

output means responsive to the command and control means for outputting the decoded data; and

at least one of display and playback means for displaying and playing the output from the output means in the stepwise sequential fashion.

14. The navigation system of claim 12 wherein the data stored in the storage means of the client device is adapted to be output in a stepwise manner in response to commands from the command and control means.

15. The navigation system of claim 12 wherein the route calculation means and the formatting means are included in a service center, the service center further comprising a navigation server and associated workstations, the navigation server including a computer storage device having map information and a database for storing user information, the workstations being connected to the navigation server to provide access to the map information and user information, and the service center including communication means for communicating data and voice information to and from the vehicle.

12. A navigation system for a vehicle for providing navigational instructions to a user comprising:

positioning determining means for determining an initial position of the vehicle;

initiating means for initiating a request for service, the request including transmission of the initial position of the vehicle;

establishing means for establishing a voice call, said voice call including providing a desired position of the vehicle;

route calculation means for calculating a route for the vehicle from the initial position to the desired position; and

transmitting means for transmitting the formatted calculated route to the vehicle in a media format adapted to be provided in stepwise fashion in response to commands.

16. Computer usable media storing a program in a navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

computer readable program code that receives navigating instructions in at least one of an audio, a textual and a graphic media, formats the instructions into discreet steps; and

computer readable program code that receives and stores the formatted instructions and outputs the instructions to an associated output device in a stepwise fashion in response to commands.