Navigation tags

• US 20060271274A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Saarikivi, Ilari
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for navigating within a navigation area (2), wherein a plurality of navigation tags (1) have been mounted at predetermined positions within the navigation area (2). To solve the object of the invention to provide a method and system for accurate and flexible navigating in various types of navigation scenarios, the method comprises the steps of: determining a sequence of navigation tags (1), which are associated with a desired route within the navigation area (2), based on the positions of the navigation tags (7) and on topographic information (8) on the navigation area (2); and navigating the route by passing navigation tags (1) of the sequence of navigation tags, whereby passing of a navigation tag is acknowledged (12, 13). The invention further relates to a system and a computer program product for navigating within a navigation area (2).

Claims

1. A method for navigating within a navigation area (2), wherein a plurality of navigation tags (1) have been mounted at predetermined positions within the navigation area (2), said method comprising the steps of:

determining (11) a sequence of navigation tags (1), which are associated with a desired route within the navigation area (2), based on the positions (18) of the navigation tags (1) and on topographic information (19) on the navigation area (2); and

navigating said route by passing navigation tags (1) of said sequence of navigation tags,

whereby passing of a navigation tag (1) is acknowledged (12, 13);

wherein said positions (18) are stored in a host unit (17), wherein said host unit (17) further stores topographic information (19) on the navigation area (2), wherein said stored positions (18) and topographic information (19) are transferred to (9, 10, 20, 21) and stored in (7, 8) a mobile navigation unit (6), and wherein said sequence of navigation tags (1) is determined (11) by said mobile navigation unit (6) based on said stored positions (7, 8) and said topographic information (8).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that said transfer of the stored positions (18) and topographic information (19) is performed by means of a wired link (9, 10, 20, 21) between host unit (17) and mobile navigation unit (6) or by means of a wireless link (9, 10, 20, 21).

6. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that said mobile navigation unit (6) is capable of indicating (16) information on the navigation tag (1) that should be passed next.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterised in that said information on the navigation tag that should be passed next comprises the direction and/or distance to the next navigation tag (1), and/or an identifier of the next navigation tag (1).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterised in that said identifier is a colour and/or a number and/or a symbol.

9. The method according to claim 6, characterised in that said information on the navigation tag that should be passed next is indicated optically (16) and/or acoustically and/or haptically.

10. The method according to claim 6, characterised in that said acknowledgement of the passing of a navigation tag is performed automatically (13) or manually (12) and updates said indication (16) of the information on the navigation tag (1) that should be passed next.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterised in that said automatic acknowledgement is based on a wireless link between mobile navigation unit (6) and navigation tag (1), such as a radio (15) or optic link.

12. The method according to claim 10, characterised in that said manual acknowledgement is based on a wired connection between mobile navigation unit and navigation tag, or by interaction (12) between the user of the mobile navigation unit and the mobile navigation unit (6).

13. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the navigation tag (1) itself is capable of storing information and that said information is transferred to said mobile navigation unit when the navigation tag is passed.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterised in that such information comprises the position of the navigation tag (1) and/or information on the location within the navigation area (2) where the navigation tag (1) is mounted.

15. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the position of the navigation tags (1) are determined by means of a terrestrial or satellite-based positioning system (3) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or by maps and/or plans of the navigation area (4).

16. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the mobile navigation unit (6) is integrated into or compatible to a mobile device such as a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant or a GPS receiver.

17. The method according to claim 2, characterised in that the mobile navigation unit (6) is integrated into or compatible to a mobile phone associated with a mobile radio system, that the core network of the mobile radio system can gain access to said host system (17), and that said stored positions (18) and topographic information (19) is transferred to the mobile navigation unit (6) via the air interface of the mobile radio system.

34. A computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of a digital computer, comprising software code portions for performing the steps of claim 1 when said product is run on a computer.

3. A method for navigating within a navigation area (2), wherein a plurality of navigation tags (1) has been mounted at predetermined positions within the navigation area (2), said method comprising the steps of:

determining (22) a sequence of navigation tags (1), which are associated with a desired route within the navigation area (2), based on the positions (18) of the navigation tags (1) and on topographic information (19) on the navigation area (2); and

navigating said route by passing navigation tags (1) of said sequence of navigation tags, whereby passing of a navigation tag (1) is acknowledged (12);

wherein said positions (18) are stored in a host unit (17), wherein said host unit (17) further stores topographic information (19) on the navigation area (2), wherein said sequence of navigation tags (1) is determined (22) by said host unit (17) based on said stored positions (18) and said topographic information (19), and wherein said sequence of navigation tags (1) is transferred (24, 25) to a mobile navigation unit (6) from the host unit (17).

4. The method according to claim 3, characterised in that said sequence of navigation tags (1) is transferred (24, 25) to said mobile navigation unit (6) from said host unit (17) at once, or in parts, whereby transfer of each part of said sequence of navigation tags (1) is initiated by said acknowledgement (12, 13) of the passing of a navigation tag (1).

5. The method according to claim 4, characterised in that said transfer of the sequence of navigation tags is performed by means of a wired link (24, 25) between host unit (17) and mobile navigation unit (6) or by means of a wireless link (24, 25).

18. The method according to to claim 5, characterised in that the mobile navigation unit (6) is integrated into or compatible to a mobile phone associated with a mobile radio system, that the core network of the mobile radio system can gain access to said host system (17), and that said sequence of navigation tags is transferred to the mobile navigation unit via the air interface of the mobile radio system.

19. A method for navigation within a navigation area (2), wherein a plurality of navigation tags (1) has been mounted at predetermined positions within the navigation area (2), said method comprising the steps of:

determining (11, 22) a sequence of navigation tags (1), which are associated with a desired route within the navigation area (2), based on the positions (7, 18) of the navigation tags (1) and on topographic information (8, 19) on the navigation area; and

navigating said route by passing navigation tags (1) of said sequence of navigation tags, whereby passing of a navigation tag (1) is manually acknowledged (12).

20. A system for navigating in a navigation area, wherein a plurality of navigation tags (1) has been mounted at predetermined positions within said navigation area (2), said system comprising:

means for determining a sequence of navigation tags (11, 22), which are associated with a desired route within the navigation area (2), based on said positions (18) of the navigation tags (1) and on topographic information (19) on the navigation area (2); and

means for acknowledging (12, 13) the passing of a navigation tag (1), when said route is navigated by passing navigation tags (1) of said sequence of navigation tags (1);

wherein said positions (18) are stored in a host unit (17), wherein said host unit (17) further comprises a storage unit with topographic information (19) on the navigation area (2),

wherein said host unit (17) and a mobile navigation unit (6) comprise means (9, 10, 20, 21) for transferring said stored positions (18) and topographic information (19) from the host unit (17) to the mobile navigation unit (6), wherein said mobile navigation unit (6) further comprises means (7, 8) for storing said positions (18) and topographic information (19), and wherein said mobile navigation unit (6) further comprises means (11) for determining the sequence of navigation tags (1) based on said stored positions (7) and said stored topographic information (8).

21. The system according to claim 20, characterised in said means (9, 10, 20, 21) for transferring said stored positions (18) and topographic information (19) are capable of establishing a wired link between host unit (17) and mobile navigation unit (6) or a wireless link.

22. A system for navigating in a navigation area, wherein a plurality of navigation tags (1) has been mounted at predetermined positions within said navigation area (2), said system comprising:

means for determining a sequence of navigation tags (11, 22), which are associated with a desired route within the navigation area (2), based on said positions (18) of the navigation tags (1) and on topographic information (19) on the navigation area (2); and

means for acknowledging (12, 13) the passing of a navigation tag (1), when said route is navigated by passing navigation tags (1) of said sequence of navigation tags (1);

wherein said positions are stored in a storage unit (18) that is comprised in a host unit (17), wherein said host unit (17) further comprises a storage unit with topographic information (19) on the navigation area (2), wherein said host unit (17) further comprises means (22) for determining the sequence of navigation tags (1) based on the contents of both storage units (18, 19), and wherein said host unit (17) and said mobile navigation unit (6) comprise means (24, 25) for transferring said sequence of navigation tags (1) from the host unit (17) to the mobile navigation unit (6).

23. The system according to claim 22, characterised in that said means (24, 25) for transferring said sequence of navigation tags (1) are capable of establishing a wired link between host unit (17) and mobile navigation unit (6) or a wireless link.

24. The system according to claim 22, characterised in that said mobile navigation unit (6) comprises means (16) for indicating information on the navigation tag (1) that should be passed next.

25. The system according to claim 24, characterised in that said means for indicating information on the navigation tag that should be passed next comprises optic (16) and/or acoustic and/or haptic means.

26. The system according to claim 24, characterised in that means are provided for automatic (13) or manual acknowledgement (12) of the passing of a navigation tag (1), and that means are provided to update said indication (16) of the information on the navigation tag (1) that should be passed next.

27. The system according to claim 26, characterised in that said automatic acknowledgement is based on a wireless link between mobile navigation unit (6) and navigation tag (1), such as a radio (15) or optic link.

28. The system according to claim 26, characterised in that said manual acknowledgement is based on a wired connection between mobile navigation unit (6) and navigation tag (1), or on means (12) enabling an interaction between the user of the mobile navigation unit (6) and the mobile navigation unit (6).

29. The system according to claim 22, characterised in that the navigation tag (1) itself comprises means for storing information, and that both navigation tag (1) and mobile navigation unit (6) comprise means for transferring said information from the navigation tag (1) to the mobile navigation unit (6) when the navigation tag (1) is passed.

30. The system according to claim 22, characterised in that the mobile navigation unit (6) is integrated into a mobile device such as a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant or a GPS receiver.

31. The system according to claim 22, characterised in that the mobile navigation unit (6) is integrated into or compatible to a mobile phone associated with a mobile radio system, that the core network of the mobile radio system can gain access to said host system (17), and that said stored positions (18) and topographic information (19) are transferred to the mobile navigation unit (6) via the air interface of the mobile radio system.

32. The system according to claim 23, characterised in that the mobile navigation unit (6) is integrated into or compatible to a mobile phone associated with a mobile radio system, that the core network of the mobile radio system can gain access to said host system (17), and that said sequence of navigation tags (1) is transferred to the mobile navigation unit (6) via the air interface of the mobile radio system.

33. A system for navigating in a navigation area, wherein a plurality of navigation tags (1) has been mounted at predetermined positions within said navigation area (2), said system comprising:

means for determining a sequence of navigation tags (11, 22), which are associated with a desired route within the navigation area (2), based on said positions (18) of the navigation tags (1) and on topographic information (19) on the navigation area (2); and

means for manually acknowledging (12) the passing of a navigation tag (1), when said route is navigated by passing navigation tags (1) of said sequence of navigation tags (1).