TRAVEL GUIDE AND SCHEDULE-BASED ROUTING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20080059061A1
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Lee, Choy Wai
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries

Abstract

A navigational aid device is provided that includes a GPS module, a processor, and memory. The device is configured to automatically determine a route to a destination and to account for, in its determination of a route, a plurality of modes of public, private, or both public and private transportation. Some of these configurations may also be configured to recommend a mode or modes of transportation to take to get to a destination, and/or accept user preferences in recommending a route or the mode or modes of transportation to take to get to the destination.

Claims

1. A method for providing routing, said method comprising:

receiving a destination; and

calculating a route to the destination accounting for a plurality of modes transportation.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of recommending to a user more than one mode of transportation.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the modes of transportation includes at least two modes selected from the group consisting of bus, train, boat, plane, subway, walking, bicycle, and automobile.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of recognizing which mode of transportation a user is using and applying restrictions according to that mode.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculated route includes off-road segments in addition to on-road segments.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of switching a display mode when a user switches between modes of transportation.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting a mode of transportation in accordance with a location on the route, a speed of travel, docking a device in a mount, or any combination thereof.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring a user'"'"'s progress along the route and recommending an alternative route according to the progress.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculated route is calculated according to a criteria selected from the group consisting of a specific travel time, passing by a specific site, traveling through a scenic area, passing near the most points of interest, a specific arrival time, and combinations thereof.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of utilizing schedule information as a proxy for GPS updates, when such schedule information is available and when GPS signals are unavailable.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising the steps of turning a GPS receiver off to save battery power while GPS signals are unavailable and automatically turning the GPS receiver back on when a user switched to a mode of transportation from which GPS signals are likely to be available.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculated route includes both private and public modes of transportation.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a location based on schedule information for the modes of transportation.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a user'"'"'s current location based on information other than GPS derived location information.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein a display color depends upon whether the current location is derived from received GPS signals.

16. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of informing a user when the user is not on schedule.

17. A method for providing routing to a destination, said method comprising:

receiving a destination as input to a navigational aid device having a GPS module, a processor, and memory; and

calculating at least one route to the destination considering a plurality of modes of transportation, including public and private modes of transportation modes.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising receiving user preferences, and determining available modes of transportation according to user preferences.

19. A method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising updating a GPS derived location while traveling utilizing schedule information for public transportation modes as a proxy for GPS updates.

20. A method for providing routing, said method comprising:

receiving a destination through an input of a navigation device;

determining a current location using a GPS receiver within the device;

receiving user preferences defining selected ones of a plurality of modes of transportation, wherein the plurality of modes of transportation includes public and private modes of transportation;

receiving user criteria selected from the group consisting of a specific travel time, passing by a specific site, traveling through a scenic area, passing near the most points of interest, a specific arrival time, and combinations thereof;

calculating, on a processor of the device, at least one route to the destination considering the user preferences and criteria, wherein the calculated route includes at least one off-road segment, at least one on-road segment, at least one public mode of transportation segments, and at least one private mode of transportation;

providing directions, on a display of the device, for following each segment of the route; and

monitoring progress along the route using the GPS receiver when GPS signals are available and schedule information when GPS signals are unavailable.