System and method for managing navigation information

• US 20050159881A1
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Furukawa, Hideo
• Granted Patent: US 7,146,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for managing navigation information is disclosed. The system and method can send and receive navigation information. In some cases, requests for navigation information can be sent to a service provider, which then prepares an appropriate response and sends the response back to the requesting party. The service provider can communicate with an on-board unit associated with a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for managing navigation information comprising:

an On-Board Unit (OBU) associated with a motor vehicle and comprising a central unit, the central unit capable of communicating with a wireless communications network, and communicating with a user;

the OBU storing first navigation information;

a service provider including a database, wherein the database includes second navigation information; and

wherein

second navigation information includes more items of navigation information than first navigation information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU directly communicates with the wireless network using a wireless network antenna port.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU includes a local wireless antenna port configured to communicate with a wireless telephone.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU is configured to communicate with a microphone using a microphone port.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU is configured to communicate with at least one loudspeaker using an audio port.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU is configured to communicate with a display using a display port.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU is configured to receive input using an input port.

8. A system for managing navigation information comprising:

an On-Board Unit (OBU) associated with a motor vehicle and comprising a central unit, the central unit capable of communicating with a wireless communications network;

the OBU storing first navigation information;

a service provider including a database, wherein the database includes second navigation information; and

wherein

second navigation information is different than first navigation information.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the service provider communicates with an update resource that can update information associated with the service provider.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the update resource provides periodic updates at regularly scheduled times.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the update resource provides updates as requested by the service provider.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the service provider communicates with the OBU using the wireless network.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the service provider communicates with the wireless network using the internet.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the service provider communicates directly with a resource associated with the wireless network.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the service provider communicates wirelessly with the wireless network.

16. The system according to claim 8, wherein the service provider communicates with a billing system.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the billing system receives information related to a request for navigation information by the OBU and creates a bill entry reflecting the request.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the billing system prepares a bill including the bill entry for an account associated with the OBU.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein the service provider requests permission to prepare navigation information from the billing system.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the billing system grants the permission to prepare the navigation information if an account associated with the OBU is valid.