Providing navigation information based on a navigation state

• US 20060139184A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hong, Sang-Ki
• Application Number:
  US11/293,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20060139184A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968

Abstract

A navigation system comprising a positioning system for determining a relative geographic location of an object; a controller for using location information provided by the positioning system in relation to designated destination information to determine a navigation state; and an indicator activated based on the navigation state to provide an instructional message suggesting a course of action to be taken and to provide a signal to automatically control an illumination system in conjunction with the instructional message, the illumination system visually signaling a navigation direction, wherein the illumination system is physically independent from any display unit of the navigation system.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

an input unit for receiving data about a designated destination;

a navigation unit for determining location of the navigation system in a geographic area; and

a control unit for receiving a signal from the navigation unit for determining a navigation state,

wherein the control unit generates a control signal based on the navigation state to activate an illumination system positioned on an external surface of a housing physically independent from any display unit of the navigation system, such that the activation of the illumination system provides navigation information toward the designated destination.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the navigation state provides information on negotiating a turn in order to reach the designated destination.

3. The navigation system of claim 2, wherein the illumination system comprises first and second illumination units, and wherein illumination intensity of each illumination unit is controlled based on the navigation state.

4. The navigation system of claim 3, wherein the first illumination unit is positioned on a right side of the housing and the second illumination unit is positioned on the left side of the housing.

5. The navigation system of claim 4, wherein the first illumination unit is activated when the navigation state indicates that a right turn is to be negotiated in order to reach the designated destination.

6. The navigation system of claim 4, wherein the second illumination unit is activated when the navigation state indicates that a left turn is to be negotiated in order to reach the designated destination.

7. The navigation system of claim 2, wherein the illumination system comprises at least one illumination unit, wherein color of the at least one illumination unit is controlled based on the navigation state.

8. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein the illumination unit illuminates in a first color, when the navigation state indicates that a right turn is to be negotiated in order to reach the designated destination.

9. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein the illumination unit illuminates in a second color, when the navigation state indicates that a left turn is to be negotiated in order to reach the designated destination.

10. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein the illuminating unit is a light emitting diode (LED).

11. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein the illuminating system is incorporated onto a body of a mobile communication terminal in communication with the navigation unit.

12. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein the navigation system is incorporated into a mobile communication terminal.

13. A navigation system comprising:

a positioning system for determining a relative geographic location of an object;

a controller for using location information provided by the positioning system in relation to designated destination information to determine a navigation state; and

an indicator activated based on the navigation state to provide an instructional message suggesting a course of action to be taken and to provide a signal to automatically control an illumination system in conjunction with the instructional message, the illumination system visually signaling a navigation direction,

wherein the illumination system is physically independent from any display unit of the navigation system.

14. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the illumination system comprises a first illumination unit associated with a left turn signal and a second illumination unit associated with a right turn signal.

15. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the indicator is an audio/visual mechanism for producing audio instructions and controlling a logic state of the illumination system.

16. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein first and second illumination units are first and second LEDs included in a mobile device.

17. The navigation system of claim 16, wherein the first and second illumination units are associated with first and second keys on a keypad of the mobile device.

18. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein a first color generated by the illumination system indicates a first navigation state.

19. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein a second color generated by the illumination system indicates a second navigation state.

20. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the illumination system visually signals a navigation state by controlling illumination intensity of an illumination unit.

21. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the illumination system visually signals a navigation state by controlling illumination sequence of an illumination unit.

22. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein a first illumination sequence indicates approaching a navigation state within a first threshold and a second illumination sequence indicates approaching the navigation state with a second threshold.

23. The navigation system of claim 22, wherein the navigation state is a turn state and the first and second thresholds respectively define first and second distances to a point of turning.

24. The navigation system of claim 22, wherein the navigation state is a turn state and the first and second thresholds respectively define first and second lengths of time before reaching the point of turning.