METHOD OF PLANNING A ROUTE TO A DESTINATION
First Claim
1. A method of planning a route to a destination, comprising the steps:
- (a) using a map database that defines roads in terms of route segments and includes a fixed, pre-defined, time-independent cost associated with each different route segment in the map database;
(b) using software that enables a route to be planned to a destination and that calculates an estimated cost of reaching that destination using one or more route segments;
wherein using the software involves planning a route by automatically using a combination of (i) time-dependent costs for one or more of the route segments in the route, such that a cost is applied to traversing a particular route segment that is appropriate for the specific time when it is planned to be traversed and (ii) the fixed, pre-defined, time-independent costs, for those route segments in the route that are not defined by the time-dependent costs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention combines the geographical coverage possible with fixed, pre-defined route segment costs (e.g. the legal speed limit) with, wherever possible, richer time dependent costs. A user of, for example, a portable navigation device, can therefore continue route planning as before to virtually any destination in a country covered by the stored map database, but wherever possible, can also use traffic data with time-dependent costs, so that the effect of congestion with any time predictability can be accurately taken into account as an automatic, background process. It leaves the user to simply carry on driving, following the guidance offered by the navigation device, without needing to be concerned about congestion that exists now, and whether it will impact his journey.
196 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method of planning a route to a destination, comprising the steps:
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(a) using a map database that defines roads in terms of route segments and includes a fixed, pre-defined, time-independent cost associated with each different route segment in the map database;
(b) using software that enables a route to be planned to a destination and that calculates an estimated cost of reaching that destination using one or more route segments;
wherein using the software involves planning a route by automatically using a combination of (i) time-dependent costs for one or more of the route segments in the route, such that a cost is applied to traversing a particular route segment that is appropriate for the specific time when it is planned to be traversed and (ii) the fixed, pre-defined, time-independent costs, for those route segments in the route that are not defined by the time-dependent costs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 54, 55, 56)
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32. A navigation device programmed with:
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(a) a map database that defines roads in terms of route segments and includes a fixed, pre-defined time-independent cost associated with each different route segment in the map database; and
(b) software that enables a route to be planned to a destination and that calculates an estimated cost of reaching that destination using one or more route segments;
wherein the device can plan a route by automatically using a combination of (i) time-dependent costs for one or more of the route segments in the route, such that a cost is applied to traversing a particular route segment that is appropriate for the specific time when it is planned to be traversed and (ii) the fixed, pre-defined, time-independent costs, for those route segments in the route that are not defined by the time-dependent costs. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification