Server-based navigation system and method of operating same

• US 20030229444A1
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Saavedra, Rafael A., Solomon, Jeffrey, Bullock, James Blake, Luffman, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 6,691,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3655 Timing of guidance instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096822 where the segments of the route are transmitted to the vehicle at different locations and times
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

A navigation system (20) having a service center (24) and a navigation unit (22) and a method of transmitting data to reduce the complexity of the navigation unit (22) and minimize the transmitted data. The navigation unit (22) transmits (202) a current location (or starting point (102)) and a desired destination (or destination point (104)). The service center (24) receives (204) the starting point and the destination point and selects (206) a route (100) between the two points. The service center (24) then generates (210, 212, 214) and transmits (216) data associated with a plurality of points on the selected route (100). These points may include items such as preparation points (140, 142, 144, 146), warning points (130, 132, 134, 136), instruction points (120, 122, 124, 126) and confirmation points (150, 152, 154, 156, 160, 162, 164, 166). The navigation unit (22) receives the data associated with points and uses the data to prepare, warn, instruct and confirm that the user of the navigation unit (22) is correctly traversing to the desired destination point (104).

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a navigation unit that is capable of transmitting a current location and a desired destination from a user; and

a service center that is capable of receiving the current location and the desired destination and selecting a route between the current location and the desired destination, the service center being further capable of generating and transmitting data associated with a plurality of points on the selected route;

wherein the data associated with the plurality of points is capable of being received by the navigation unit and used by the navigation unit to warn, instruct, and confirm that the user of the navigation unit is correctly traversing to the desired destination.

2. The navigation system in claim 1, wherein the plurality of points includes at least a set of warning points, a set of instruction points, and a set of confirmation points.

3. The navigation system in claim 2, wherein the data associated with each point includes a set of coordinates reflecting the location of the point.

4. The navigation system in claim 3, wherein the data associated with each warning point and instruction point further includes at least one token number that represents a message to be outputted to the user of the navigation unit when the navigation unit falls within a predetermined radius of the set of coordinates associated with the warning and instruction point.

5. The navigation system of claim 3, wherein the navigation unit has a memory that stores a plurality of pre-recorded messages, the pre-recorded messages capable of being accessed and outputted to the user of the navigation unit when the navigation unit falls within a predetermined radius of the set of coordinates for at least one of the warning and instruction points.

6. The navigation system in claim 2, wherein the set of confirmation points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an upcoming maneuver on the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the upcoming maneuver on the route.

7. The navigation system in claim 6, wherein the service center generates and transmits data to the navigation unit associated with the first confirmation point and the second confirmation point, the navigation unit having a microcomputer to process the data associated with the first and second confirmation points in order to confirm that the navigation unit has successfully completed the maneuver.

8. The navigation system in claim 2, wherein the set of confirmation points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an intersection where there is an opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the intersection where there is the opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route.

9. The navigation system in claim 8, wherein the service center generates and transmits data to the navigation unit associated with the first confirmation point and the second confirmation point, the navigation unit having a microcomputer to process the data associated with the first and second confirmation points in order to confirm that the navigation unit has not left the route.

10. The navigation system in claim 1, wherein the data associated with the plurality of points further includes the identification of the type of point, the type of point being from a group consisting of at least a warning point, an instruction point, a confirmation point, and a destination point.

11. The navigation system in claim 1, wherein the navigation unit has a memory, the data associated with the plurality of points capable of being stored in the memory according to a series of records, each record corresponding to one of the plurality of points.

12. A method in a navigation system of sending data from a service center to a navigation unit, the method comprising the steps of:

sending data associated with a first set of points along a selected route, the first set of points reflecting warnings of upcoming maneuvers along the selected route;

sending data associated with a second set of points along the selected route, the second set of points reflecting instructions of upcoming maneuvers along the selected route; and

sending data associated with a third set of points along the selected route, the third set of points reflecting confirmations of maneuvers along the selected route.

13. The method in claim 12, further comprising the step of sending data associated with a fourth set of points along the selected route, the fourth set of points reflecting preparations of maneuvers along the selected route.

14. The method in claim 12, further comprising the step of sending data associated with a destination point, the data associated with the destination point including at least an identification of the type of point and a set of coordinates reflecting the location of the destination point.

15. The method in claim 12, wherein the data associated with the first, second, and third sets of points includes a set of coordinates reflecting the location of each point.

16. The method in claim 15, wherein the data associated with the first and second sets of points further includes at least one token number that represents a message to be outputted to a user of the navigation unit when the navigation unit falls within a predetermined radius of the set of coordinates for a particular point of the first or second set of points.

17. The method in claim 12, wherein the third set of points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an upcoming maneuver on the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the upcoming maneuver on the route.

18. The method in claim 12, wherein the third set of points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an intersection where there is an opportunity for a user of the navigation unit to leave the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the intersection where there is the opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route.

19. A method in a navigation system, the system having a service center and a navigation unit, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a starting point and a destination point to the service center;

selecting in the service center a route for the navigation unit based on the starting point and the destination point;

generating data in the service center associated with a first set of points on the route that correspond to warnings of maneuvers along the route;

generating data in the service center associated with a second set of points on the route that correspond to instructions of maneuvers along the route;

generating data in the service center associated with a third set of points on the route that correspond to confirmations of maneuvers along the route; and

sending the data associated with the first, second and third sets of points from the service center to the navigation unit.

20. The method in claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

generating data in the service center associated with a fourth set of points on the route that correspond to preparations of maneuvers along the route; and

sending the data associated with the fourth set of points from the service center to the navigation unit.

21. The method in claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

generating data in the service center associated with the destination point; and

sending the data associated with the destination point from the service center to the navigation unit.

22. The method in claim 19, wherein the data associated with the first, second, and third sets of points includes a set of coordinates reflecting the location of each point.

23. The method in claim 22, wherein the data associated with the first and second sets of points further includes at least one token number that represents a message to be outputted to a user of the navigation unit when the navigation unit falls within a predetermined radius of the set of coordinates for a particular point of the first or second set of points.

24. The method in claim 19, wherein the third set of points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an upcoming maneuver on the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the upcoming maneuver on the route.

25. The method in claim 19, wherein the third set of points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an intersection where there is an opportunity for a user of the navigation unit to leave the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the intersection where there is the opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route.

26. A method in a service center of a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a starting point and a destination point from a navigation unit;

selecting a route for the navigation unit based on the starting point and the destination point;

generating data associated with a first set of points on the route that correspond to warnings of maneuvers along the route;

generating data associated with a second set of points on the route that correspond to instructions of maneuvers along the route;

generating data associated with a third set of points that correspond to confirmations of maneuvers along the route; and

sending the data associated with the first, second and third sets of points to the navigation unit.

27. The method in claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

generating data associated with a fourth set of points on the route that correspond to preparations of maneuvers along the route; and

sending the data associated with the fourth set of points to the navigation unit.

28. The method in claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

generating data associated with the destination point; and

sending the data associated with the destination point to the navigation unit.

29. The method in claim 26, wherein the data associated with the first, second, and third sets of points includes a set of coordinates reflecting the location of each point.

30. The method in claim 29, wherein the data associated with the first and second sets of points further includes at least one token number that represents a message to be outputted to a user of the navigation unit when the navigation unit falls within a predetermined radius of the set of coordinates for a particular point of the first or second set of points.

31. The method in claim 26, wherein the third set of points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an upcoming maneuver on the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the upcoming maneuver on the route.

32. The method in claim 26, wherein the third set of points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an intersection where there is an opportunity for a user of the navigation unit to leave the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the intersection where there is the opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route.

33. A navigation unit for use in a navigation system, the navigation unit comprising:

a wireless communication device for transmitting a starting point and a destination point to a service center and for receiving data from the service center that is associated with a plurality of points, the plurality of points including a set of warning points, a set of instruction points, and a set of confirmation points;

a first memory for storing the data associated with the plurality of points;

a second memory for storing messages;

an output for presenting messages stored in the second memory;

a microcomputer for processing the data associated with the plurality of points; and

a global positioning system module for determining a current location of the navigation unit;

wherein the data associated the plurality of points includes a set of coordinates reflecting the location of each point, the microcomputer capable of comparing the current location of the navigation unit with each set of coordinates for the points.

34. The navigation unit in claim 33, wherein the first memory is configured to store the data associated with the plurality of point in a series of records, each record corresponding to one of the plurality of points.

35. The navigation unit in claim 33, wherein the data associated with the plurality of points further includes an identification of the type of point.

36. The navigation unit in claim 33, wherein the second memory is configured to store messages according to a plurality of token numbers, the token numbers used by the microcomputer to access the messages in the second memory when the current location of the navigation unit falls within a predetermined radius of the set of coordinates for a particular point.

37. The navigation unit in claim 33, wherein the output is an audio speaker in a vehicle.

38. The navigation unit in claim 33, wherein the data associated with the set of warning points and instruction points further includes at least one token number that represents a message that is accessed from the second memory and provided to the output when the current location of the navigation unit falls within a predetermined radius of the set of coordinates for a particular point of the warning or instruction points.

39. The navigation unit in claim 33, wherein the set of confirmation points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on a route to the destination point before an upcoming maneuver on the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the upcoming maneuver on the route.

40. The navigation unit in claim 33, wherein the set of confirmation points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on a route to the destination point before an intersection where there is an opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the intersection where there is the opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route.

41. A navigation system comprising:

a navigation unit that is capable of transmitting a current location and a desired destination from a user; and

a service center that is capable of receiving the current location and the desired destination and selecting a route between the current location and the desired destination, the service center being further capable of generating and transmitting data associated with a set of confirmation points on the selected route;

wherein the set of confirmation points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an upcoming maneuver on the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the upcoming maneuver on the route.

42. A navigation system comprising:

a navigation unit that is capable of transmitting a current location and a desired destination from a user; and

a service center that is capable of receiving the current location and the desired destination and selecting a route between the current location and the desired destination, the service center being further capable of generating and transmitting data associated with a set of confirmation points on the selected route;

wherein the set of confirmation points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an intersection where there is an opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the intersection where there is the opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route.

43. A method in a navigation system of sending data from a service center to a navigation unit, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a starting point and a destination point to the service center;

selecting in the service center a route for the navigation unit based on the starting point and the destination point;

generating data in the service center associated with a set of confirmation points along the selected route; and

sending to the navigation unit the data associated with the set of confirmation points along the selected route;

wherein the set of confirmation points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an upcoming maneuver on the selected route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the upcoming maneuver on the selected route.

44. The method in claim 43, wherein the data associated with the set of confirmation points includes a set of coordinates reflecting a location of each point.

45. The method in claim 44 further comprising the set of:

determining in the navigation unit whether the navigation unit has reached the location of the second confirmation point within a predetermined time limit after reaching the location of the first confirmation point.

46. The method in claim 44 further comprising the set of:

determining in the navigation unit whether the navigation unit has reached the location of the second confirmation point within a predetermined measured distance traveled after reaching location of the first confirmation point.

47. The method in claim 43, wherein the set of confirmation points further includes a third confirmation point and a fourth confirmation point, the third confirmation point positioned on the route before an intersection where there is an opportunity for a user of the navigation unit to leave the route, the fourth confirmation point positioned on the route after the intersection where there is the opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route.

48. A method in a navigation system of sending data from a service center to a navigation unit, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a starting point and a destination point to the service center;

selecting in the service center a route for the navigation unit based on the starting point and the destination point;

generating data in the service center associated with a set of confirmation points along the selected route; and

sending to the navigation unit the data associated with the set of confirmation points along the selected route;

wherein the set of confirmation points includes a first confirmation point and a second confirmation point, the first confirmation point positioned on the route before an intersection where there is an opportunity for a user of the navigation unit to leave the route, the second confirmation point positioned on the route after the intersection where there is the opportunity for the user of the navigation unit to leave the route.

49. The method in claim 48, wherein the data associated with the set of confirmation points includes a set of coordinates reflecting a location of each point.

50. The method in claim 49 further comprising the set of:

determining in the navigation unit whether the navigation unit has reached the location of the second confirmation point within a predetermined time limit after reaching the location of the first confirmation point.

51. The method in claim 49 further comprising the set of:

determining in the navigation unit whether the navigation unit has reached the location of the second confirmation point within a predetermined measured distance traveled after reaching the location of the first confirmation point.

52. A navigation system comprising:

a navigation unit that is capable of transmitting a current location and a desired destination from a user; and

a service center that is capable of receiving the current location and the desired destination and selecting a route between the current location and the desired destination, the service center being further capable of generating and transmitting data associated with a plurality of instruction points on the selected route;

wherein the data associated with each instruction point includes a set of coordinates reflecting a location of the point and a message to be outputted to a user of the navigation unit when the navigation unit falls within a predetermined radius of the set of coordinates for the point.

53. A method in a navigation system of sending data from a service center to a navigation unit, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a starting point and a destination point from the navigation unit to the service center;

selecting in the service center a route for the navigation unit based on the starting point and the destination point;

generating data in the service center associated with a plurality of instruction points along the selected route; and

sending to the navigation unit the data associated with the plurality of instruction points along the selected route;

wherein the data associated with each instruction point includes a set of coordinates reflecting a location of the point and a message to be outputted to a user of the navigation unit when the navigation unit falls within a predetermined radius of the set of coordinates for the point.