Intelligent modular navigation information capability

• US 20050015199A1
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IP3 2017, Series 200 of Allied Security Trust I (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: Thales North America Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Lokshin, Anatole, Panov, Yuriy A., Portnov, Sergey V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• 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 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA

Abstract

A navigation system for providing navigation information to a user responsive to user commands includes (1) a user device for issuing user commands and displaying a user interface to the user and (2) a navigation device for connecting to the user device and receiving user commands from the user device and transmitting navigation information to the user device. The information received from the user device includes updated map information, traffic information, news information, weather information, event-related information, business-related information, and user-specified information. The navigation device performs route following based on commands received from the user device and transmits routing instructions to the user device. The navigation device and user device are separately operable by a user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing navigation information to a user device responsive to commands received from the user device comprising:

a navigation device adapted for connecting to the user device and receiving commands from the user device and transmitting navigation information to the user device.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the navigation device is adapted for receiving information from the user device and receiving navigation signals from a navigation aid server.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the information received from the user device includes at least one of updated map information, traffic information, news information, weather information, event-related information, business-related information, and user-specified information.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the navigation device combines the navigation information and the information from the user device and communicates the combined information to the user device.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the navigation device is a GPS receiver.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the navigation device performs map matching and transmits matched maps to the user device.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the navigation device is adapted to perform route following based on commands received from the user device and to transmit routing instructions to the user device.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the navigation device includes a user interface adapted for interaction with a user to receive user commands and transmit navigation information to the user.

9. A navigation system for providing navigation information to a user responsive to user commands comprising:

a user device for issuing user commands and displaying a user interface to the user;

a navigation device adapted for connecting to the user device and receiving user commands from the user device and transmitting navigation information to the user device.

10. The navigation system of claim 9 wherein the user device user interface includes a display and an input device.

11. The navigation system of claim 10 wherein the input device includes at least one of a keypad, a keyboard, a cursor control, a pointing device, and sound-controlled input.

12. The navigation system of claim 9 wherein the navigation device is adapted for receiving information from the user device.

13. The navigation system of claim 9 wherein the information received from the user device includes at least one of updated map information, traffic information, news information, weather information, event-related information, business-related information, and user-specified information.

14. The navigation system of claim 9 wherein the navigation device is a GPS receiver.

15. The navigation system of claim 9 wherein the navigation device is adapted to perform route following based on commands received from the user device and transmit routing instructions to the user device.

16. The navigation system of claim 15 wherein the navigation device is adapted to update routing instructions as a function of additional information received from the user device.

17. A method of using a navigation system including a user device and a navigation device adapted for connecting to the user device comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection between the navigation device and the user device;

manipulating the user device to command the navigation device to provide navigation information using the established connection;

receiving navigation signals at the navigation device for determining the navigation system position; and

responsive to commands from the user device, transmitting navigation information from the navigation device to the user device using the established connection.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the user device includes at least one of a telephone and a personal digital assistant.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:

receiving information signals including information at the user device and transmitting the user device received information to the navigation device using the established connection; and

combining the user device received information with the navigation information at the navigation device to produce updated navigation information.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the user device received information includes at least one of updated map information, traffic information, news information, weather information, event-related information, business-related information, and user-specified information.