ROUTE SHAPING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20080208445A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Caire, Jacob W., Lutz, Pascal M., Bolton, Kenneth A., Lazarus, Gregory L.
• Application Number:
  US11/763,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20080208445A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map

Abstract

Route shaping systems and methods determine a route from a current location through a shape location to a destination. An area of interest is determined for the shape location, and a highest road class for road segments through the interest area is identified. A route is calculated from a starting location through the interest area to the destination, and the route includes a selected road segment through the interest area with the highest road class.

Claims

1. A method operable with a processing system and map data indicative of a road network with road segments each having a road class, comprising:

receiving a destination and a shape location;

determining an interest area for the shape location;

determining a highest road class through the interest area;

calculating a plurality of potential routes from the starting location through the interest area to the destination, the potential routes through the interest area having the highest road class; and

selecting a route from a starting location to the destination comprising a selected road segment with the highest road class through the interest area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the interest area for the shape location relative to at least one member of a group consisting of a shape location type and a scale of the shape location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the route based on at least one user preference.

4. The navigation method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a shortest route from the potential routes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the destination and the shape location through at least one member of a group consisting of voice entry and an input screen.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the route through at least one member of a group consisting of voice generation and a screen display.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving global positioning system (GPS) signals and processing the GPS signals to determine a current location; and

outputting the route from the current location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of shape locations;

determining a corresponding interest area for each shape location;

determining a corresponding highest road class through each interest area;

calculating the plurality of potential routes from the starting location through each interest area to the destination, the potential routes through each interest area having the corresponding highest road class; and

selecting the route from the starting location to the destination comprising a plurality of selected road segments with the corresponding highest road class through each interest area.

9. A method operable with a processing system and map data indicative of a road network with road segments each having a road class, comprising:

receiving a destination and a shape location;

determining an interest area for the shape location;

determining a highest road class through the interest area; and

calculating a route from a starting location through the interest area to the destination, the route comprising a selected road segment through the interest area with the highest road class.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining the interest area for the shape location relative to at least one member of a group consisting of a shape location type and a scale of the shape location.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting the route based on at least one user preference.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving the destination and the shape location through at least one first member of a first group consisting of voice entry and an input screen and outputting the route through at least one second member of a second group consisting of voice generation and a screen display.

13. A navigation device operable with map data indicative of a road network with road segments each having a road class, comprising:

an input device for receiving a destination and a shape location; and

a processing system for determining a route from a starting location to the destination,

wherein the processing system determines an interest area for the shape location and a highest road class through the interest area;

calculates a plurality of potential routes from the starting location through the interest area to the destination, the potential routes through the interest area having the highest road class; and

selects a route from the starting location to the destination, the route including a selected road segment with the highest road class through the interest area.

14. The navigation device of claim 13, further wherein the processing system further determines the interest area for the shape location relative to at least one member of a group consisting of a shape location type and a scale of the shape location.

15. The navigation device of claim 13, wherein the processing system selects the route based on at least one user preference.

16. The navigation device of claim 13, further comprising selecting a shortest route from the potential routes.

17. The navigation device of claim 13, further comprising a location determining system for determining a current location of the navigation device.

18. The navigation device of claim 17, wherein the location determining system comprises a global positioning system receiver for receiving global positioning system (GPS) signals, the processing system processing the GPS signals to determine a current location of the navigation device.

19. The navigation device of claim 13, further comprising a memory coupled to the processing system for storing the map data.

20. A system operable map data indicative of a road network with road segments each having a road class shaping a route from a starting location to a destination, the system comprising:

an input device for receiving a destination and a shape location; and

a processing system for determining a route from the starting location to the destination,

wherein the processing system determines an interest area for the shape location and a highest road class through the interest area and calculates a route from the starting location through the interest area to the destination, the route including a selected road segment through the interest area with the highest road class.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing system further determines the interest area for the shape location relative to at least one member of a group consisting of a shape location type and a scale of the shape location.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing system selects the route based on at least one user preference.