System and method for marking a region of a road map displayed by a vehicle navigation system

• US 20080147318A1
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Steins, Wilfried, Koch, Uwe, Tava, Marcello, Biechele, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers

Abstract

In the case of a system for marking a region within an image of a road map detail displayed on a vehicle video screen, a location of the region can first be selected by a control element. The region, which represents one of several administrative levels, can be constantly fixed by means of an enter function. The administrative level and thereby the size of the region can be changed by a rotating movement of the control element which can be rotated about a longitudinal axis.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A system for marking a region of a road map displayed on a vehicle display, the system comprising:

a control element rotatable about its longitudinal axis;

wherein a location for the region to be marked on the vehicle display is selected via the control element, the region being fixed by way of an enter function; and

wherein the region corresponds to one of a plurality of administrative levels, each having a defined size on the road map; and

wherein the administrative level and correspondingly the size of the region is changeable via the rotational movement of the control element.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the control element is operatively configured to provide an axial movement along the longitudinal axis, the enter function being triggerable via the axial movement of the control element.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the rotational movement of the control element includes lock-in positions, wherein the administrative level is changeable in steps corresponding to the lock-in positions.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the rotational movement of the control element includes lock-in positions, wherein the administrative level is changeable in steps corresponding to the lock-in positions.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the control element is movable transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis, and wherein via the transverse movement of the control element, an adjacent region is markable, the adjacent region being determined via a direction of the transverse movement of the control element.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control element is movable transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis, and wherein via the transverse movement of the control element, an adjacent region is markable, the adjacent region being determined via a direction of the transverse movement of the control element.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the control element is movable transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis, and wherein via the transverse movement of the control element, an adjacent region is markable, the adjacent region being determined via a direction of the transverse movement of the control element.

14. The system according to claim 7, wherein via the enter function, the system provides the marked region to an assigned navigation system of the vehicle, wherein the navigation system provides a navigation route that avoids the marked region.

15. The system according to claim 8, wherein via the enter function, the system provides the marked region to an assigned navigation system of the vehicle, wherein the navigation system provides a navigation route that avoids the marked region.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein via the enter function, the system provides the marked region to an assigned navigation system of the vehicle, wherein the navigation system provides a navigation route that avoids the marked region.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein via the enter function, the system provides the marked region to an assigned navigation system of the vehicle, wherein the navigation system provides a navigation route that avoids the marked region.

18. The system according to claim 7, wherein via the enter function, a driving route for exiting the marked region is one of provided and selected when a current location of the vehicle is within the marked region.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein via the enter function, a driving route for exiting the marked region is one of provided and selected when a current location of the vehicle is within the marked region.

20. A method of operating a vehicle navigation system having a display and a control element, the control element being rotatable about a longitudinal axis and movable axially along the longitudinal axis, the method comprising the acts of,

displaying a road map on the display;

selecting a region of the displayed road map using the control element, wherein the selected region corresponds with one of a plurality of administrative levels associated with the displayed road map; and

changing an administrative level and size of the selected region via rotational movement of the control element.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the act of generating a driving route via the navigation system which avoids the selected region.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the act of utilizing a transverse movement of the control element relative to the longitudinal axis to select an adjacent region on the display.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein when the navigation system determines the vehicle to be within the selected region, generating a driving route for exiting the selected region.