Method for transferring destination guidance elements, vehicle navigation device and control center

• US 20040107045A1
• Filed: 01/14/2004
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kynast, Andreas, Friedrichs, Arne, Skwarek, Volker
• Granted Patent: US 7,155,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for transferring at least one navigation element from a vehicle navigation unit to a master station. The present invention also relates to a vehicle navigation unit, as well as a master station.

The vehicle navigation unit is a vehicle navigation unit which does not have a database sufficient for a route calculation, having an input device via which a user is able to input navigation element data concerning at least one navigation element, the vehicle navigation unit having communications devices, or cooperating with separate communications devices, to exchange data with a master station in which routes are calculated.

According to the present invention it is provided that the vehicle navigation unit has means using which the user may select at least one navigation element database entry, of a plurality of navigation element database entries, which are transmitted by the master station as response to the navigation element data transmitted to the master station, when the master station is not able uniquely to assign a plurality of navigation element database entries to at least one navigation element.

Claims

1. A method for transferring at least one navigation element, especially a road name and/or a place name, from a vehicle navigation unit to a master station, having the following steps:

a) entering navigation element data which relate to at least one navigation element, into the vehicle navigation unit,

b) transmitting entered navigation element data to a master station via an online connection between the vehicle navigation unit and the master station,

c) comparing the transmitted navigation element data to navigation element database entries available in the master station, and differentiating between at least the following cases;

Case 1;

a navigation element database entry may be uniquely assigned to the transmitted navigation element data, with respect to each navigation element that is included,

Case 2;

a plurality of navigation element database entries is not able to be uniquely assigned to the transmitted navigation element data, at least with respect to one navigation element,

Case 3;

no navigation element database entry is able to be assigned to the transmitted navigation element data, at least with respect to one navigation element,

 

in case 2, the master station transmitting at least some of the plurality of the navigation element database entries, that are not uniquely assignable, via an online connection to the vehicle navigation unit, wherein an additional selection point is offered to the user in Case 2 which may be selected by the user if none of the plurality of navigation element database entries, that were transmitted and are not uniquely assignable, is applicable.

2. The method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the plurality of the navigation element database entries that are not uniquely assignable, which are transmitted to the vehicle navigation unit in Case 2, are offered to a user, by the vehicle navigation unit, for selection, and a navigation element database entry selected by the user is transmitted to the master station by the vehicle navigation unit via an online connection.

3. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein, the selection undertaken by the user of the additional selection point is communicated to the master station via an online connection;

and the master station subsequently proceeds according to Case 3.

4. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein in Case 1, each uniquely assignable navigation element database entry is entered into file by the master station for further processing.

5. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein, in Case 3, the master station transmits a message to the vehicle navigation unit via an online connection, which signals to the user that no navigation element database entry is able to be assigned to at least one navigation element.

6. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the user, in Case 3, is offered that an online connection to an operator shall be set up.

7. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one navigation element includes a place name.

8. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one navigation element includes a road name.

9. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the entered navigation data concern a plurality of navigation elements of a route starting point and/or a route destination point.

10. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein it is executed several times, one after another, for different navigation elements.

11. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein it is used for transferring one or a plurality of the following navigation elements:

Starting location, starting road, section of the starting road, destination location, destination road, section of the destination road.

12. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the data exchange between the vehicle navigation unit and the master station is executed via a mobile radio network.

13. A vehicle navigation unit which is designed for participation in the method as recited in one of the preceding claims.

14. A master station, particularly a communications server, which is designed for participation in the method as recited in one of the preceding claims.

15. A vehicle navigation unit, especially for carrying out the method as recited in one of claims 1 through 13, which does not have a database sufficient for making a route calculation, having an input device via which a user may enter navigation element data concerning at least one navigation element, the vehicle navigation unit having communications devices or cooperating with separate communications devices to exchange data with a master station in which routes are calculated, and having means for selection, using which the user may select at least one navigation element database entry, of a plurality of navigation element database entries, which are transmitted by the master station as response to the navigation element data transmitted to the master station, when the master station is not able uniquely to assign a plurality of navigation element database entries to a navigation element, wherein, using the selection means, an additional selection point is offered which may be selected by the user if none of the plurality of navigation element database entries, that were transmitted and are not uniquely assignable, is applicable.

16. A vehicle navigation unit as recited in claim 15, wherein it transmits the at least one navigation element database entry selected by the user to the master station, using the communications devices.

17. The vehicle navigation unit as recited in one of claims 15 through 16, wherein at least one navigation element includes a place name.

18. The vehicle navigation unit as recited in one of claims 15 through 17, wherein at least one navigation element includes a road name.

19. The vehicle navigation unit as recited in one of claims 15 through 18, wherein the entered navigation element data concern a plurality of navigation elements of a route starting point and/or a route destination point.

20. The vehicle navigation unit as recited in one of claims 15 through 19, wherein the communications devices are constituted by a radio terminal.

21. A master station, especially for carrying out the method as recited in one of claims 1 through 13, in which navigation element database entries are available, the master station having communications devices or cooperating with separate communications devices, to exchange data with vehicle navigation units;

and it being designed to receive navigation element data transmitted via the communications devices by a vehicle navigation unit;

it having means for comparing received navigation element data to navigation element database entries, and, in this context, to distinguish between at least the following cases;

Case 1;

a navigation element database entry may be uniquely assigned to the transmitted navigation element data, with respect to each navigation element that is included,

Case 2;

a plurality of navigation element database entries is not able to be uniquely assigned to the transmitted navigation element data, at least with respect to one navigation element,

Case 3;

no navigation element database entry is able to be assigned to the transmitted navigation element data, at least with respect to one navigation element,

 

and transmitting, in case 2, at least some of the plurality of the navigation element database entries, that are not uniquely assignable, via the communications devices to the vehicle navigation unit, wherein it offers the user, in Case 2, an additional selection point which may be selected by the user, if none of the plurality of navigation element database entries, that were transmitted and are not uniquely assignable, is applicable.

22. The master station as recited in claim 21, wherein it is designed to receive navigation element database entries selected by a user from the plurality of the navigation element database entries via the communications devices, and to process further these navigation element database entries selected by the user.

23. The master station as recited in one of claims 21 through 22, wherein it is designed to process further the navigation element database entries that are uniquely assignable, in Case 1.

24. The master station as recited in one of claims 21 through 23, wherein it is designed, in Case 3, to transmit a message to the vehicle navigation unit via the communications devices which signals to the user that no navigation element database entry is able to be assigned to at least one navigation element.

25. The master station as recited in one of claims 21 through 24, wherein it is designed, in Case 3, to transmit a message to the vehicle navigation unit via the communications devices, which offers to the user that an online connection to an operator shall be established.

26. The master station as recited in one of claims 21 through 25, wherein at least one navigation element includes a place name.

27. The master station as recited in one of claims 21 through 26, wherein at least one navigation element includes a road name.

28. The master station as recited in one of claims 21 through 27, wherein the entered navigation data concern a plurality of navigation elements of a route starting point and/or a route destination point.

29. The master station as recited in one of claims 21 through 28, wherein the communications devices are designed to communicate with mobile radio terminals.