Land navigation system

• US 20070010941A1
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cobra Electronics Corp. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Electronics Corp. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Marsh, David
• Application Number:
  US11/176,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20070010941A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn

Abstract

A navigation unit and system for land navigation particularly useful for vehicle travel. The navigation unit includes a routing program and programs to be used in conjunction with the routing programs. The programs used in conjunction with the routing program process current traffic information for segments of mapping information. The programs provide for a dynamic road speed sensitivity computation which allows the display of current speeds for various segments of mapping information which can be used to display a selected route with a parameter, such as estimated time for the trip, for the route computed based on current travel information. The unit also can contain a program for allowing the user to set an alert value for a parameter, and the program will alert the user when the current route satisfies the alert requirements, and computes one or more alternate routes that the user can select and display.

Claims

1. A navigation unit comprising:

a memory device containing a database of map information;

a communication unit;

a user input device;

an output device;

a processing unit having

(a) program code to receive inputs from

(i) said communication unit of information from which the speed, distance traveled and direction of travel can be computed, and information from which traffic information along a selected route can be inputted,

(ii) said user input device of information related to user preferences and user selections concerning, starting point, and destination;

(b) program code for determining a primary route based on user inputs and map data from said map database;

(c) program code for determining current location and time of travel along the selected route;

(d) program code for sending an alert to said output device when it is determined that the difference between the current value of the parameter varies from the base line value of the parameter taken together with the alert value in a manner that indicates an alert output should be outputted, and

(e) program code to calculate at least two additional routes to the selected destination.

2. A navigation unit of claim 1 further comprising:

(f) program code to display one or more alternative routes.

3. A navigation system comprising

a processor programmed to calculate

(a) a route from a starting point to a destination;

(b) a baseline value for a parameter of travel;

(c) the current position of along said route and a current actual parameter value to the current position;

(d) calculate a current value of a parameter for said route based upon current actual parameter value and current traffic information;

(e) whether the difference between said current value of the parameter varies from the base line value of said parameter taken together with the alert value for said parameter in a manner that indicates an alert output should be outputted; and

(f) one or more alternate routes from the current position when the current parameter indicates an alert.

4. A navigation system of claim 3 wherein said parameter is time.

5. A navigation system of claim 3 wherein said parameter is average speed.

6. A navigation system of claim 3 wherein said processor performs the calculation of current estimate upon input of current traffic information.

7. A navigation system comprising:

a processor programmed to calculate (a) a route from a starting point to a destination, (b) a baseline time of travel for traveling said route, (c) the current position of along said route and current actual time of travel along said route, (d) a current estimated time for said route based upon actual time of travel and current traffic information, (e) whether the current estimated time of travel is equal to or greater than the sum of the baseline time and the alert value, (f) one or more alternate routes from the current location to said destination if said current estimated time of travel is equal to or greater than the sum or the baseline time and the alert value.

8. A computer program for use with a navigation program capable of calculating a route from a starting point to a destination, an estimated time of travel, the current location along the route and the actual values for parameters from the starting point to the current location, comprising:

(a) means to compute a current value of the parameter based on current traffic information for travel from the starting point to the current location, and an estimate of the remaining travel time from the current location to the destination; and

(b) means to determine whether the difference between the current value of the parameter varies from the base line value of the parameter taken together with the alert value in a manner that indicates an alert output should be outputted.

9. A computer program for use with a navigation program capable of calculating a route from a starting point to a destination, an estimated time of travel, the current location along the route and the actual values for parameters from the starting point to the current location, and a baseline parameter for said route comprising:

(a) means to compute a current estimated value of the parameter based on actual parameter date for travel from the starting point to the current location, and an estimate of the remaining travel time from the current location to the destination; and

(b) means to determine whether the current estimated value of the parameter is equal to or greater than the baseline estimated value of the parameter and the alert value for the parameter.

10. A computer program for use with a navigation program capable of calculating a route from a starting point to a destination, an estimated time of travel, the current location along the route and the actual values for parameters from the starting point to the current location, and a baseline parameter for said route comprising means for applying current speed and calculated speed to said route.

11. A navigation unit comprising:

a memory device containing a database of map information;

a communication unit;

a user input device;

an output device;

a processing unit having

(a) program code to receive inputs from

(i) said communication unit of information from which the speed, distance traveled, current location, time of travel and direction of travel can be computed; and

information from which traffic information along a selected route can be inputted,

(ii) said user input device of information related to user preferences and user selections including, an alert value of a parameter, starting point, and destination;

(b) program code for determining a primary route and a baseline value of a parameter;

(c) program code for determining time of travel along the primary route;

(d) program code for sending an alert to said output device when it is determined that the difference between the current value of the parameter varies from the base line value of the parameter taken together with the alert value in a manner that indicates an alert should be outputted; and

(e) program code to calculate at least two additional routes to the selected destination.

12. A navigation unit of claim 11 further comprising:

(f) program code to display one or more alternative routes.

13. A navigation unit of claim 12 further comprising:

(g) program code to generate an output comparing said primary route with said one or more alternative routes.

14. A navigation unit of claim 11 wherein said parameter is average speed.

15. A navigation unit of claim 11 wherein said parameter is time.

16. A navigation unit of claim 11 wherein said user input information includes base line values for speed.

17. A navigation unit of claim 11 further comprising program code to store one or more primary routes for later recall by the user.

18. A computer program comprising:

means to receive inputs of current traffic information including current speeds and incidents;

means to model current traffic information;

means to calculate a calculated road speed;

means to determine a speed distribution in an area;

means to assign indicators for predetermined ranges of said speed distribution; and

means to repeat the process.

19. A method of providing alternative navigation information to a user comprising:

(a) providing a database of map information, said database including sufficient data to calculate a primary route from a starting point to an end point, and to determine an estimated value of a parameter of travel over said primary route;

(b) providing input of current traffic information along said primary route;

(c) providing input of user values of an alert value for said parameter;

(d) calculating the current estimate value of a parameter of travel over said primary route based upon current traffic information; and

(e) providing an alert to the user when said current estimate value of a parameter of travel together with the alert value indicates that an alert should be provided.

20. A method of claim 19 further comprising:

calculating one or more alternate routes to the said point from the current position based upon current traffic information.