NAVIGATOR DATABASE SEARCH METHODS

• US 20080275875A1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZAMA Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Ian Cummings
• Inventors: Cummings, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/6
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

Methods and associated apparatus allow a vehicle navigator to more efficiently search for locations in a database. According to one such method, a map is divided into tiles, and locations are associated within each tile with the tile the user is in. When queried by a user for a location, the system checks the tile currently occupied by the user to determine if it contains any of the desired locations. The system then checks the tile(s) adjacent to the currently occupied tile to determine if it contains any of the desired locations. The system then checks the tile(s) adjacent to b) to determine if it contains any of the desired locations, and the process is repeated, as necessary, until all tiles adjacent to tiles that have been checked are themselves checked that are to determine if locations matching the query are present. The position of the location(s) can then be communicated to the user. Alternative methods and system-level aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A navigator database search method, comprising the steps of:

dividing a map into tiles;

associating locations within each tile with the tile they are in; and

, when queried by a user for a location;

a) checking the tile currently occupied by the user to determine if it contains any of the desired locations,

b) checking the tile(s) adjacent to the currently occupied tile to determine if it contains any of the desired locations,

c) checking the tile(s) adjacent to b) to determine if it contains any of the desired locations, and

d) repeating the process, as necessary, until all tiles adjacent to tiles that have been checked are themselves checked that are to determine if locations matching the query are present; and

communication the position of the location(s) to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the case of a unique location, the search ends when the desired location has been found.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the case of a class of locations, the search ends when the number of matching locations found meets or exceeds a predetermined number.

4. A method of providing guidance with a wireless client-server navigation system, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a mobile client, criteria associated with a desired location;

transmitting data representative of the criteria to a central server;

searching a database at the server for locations matching the criteria;

transmitting data associated with found locations matching the criteria from the central server to the mobile client, including map data of a vicinity proximate to the found locations;

presenting at the mobile client representations of the found locations and associated data;

selecting one of the found locations at the mobile client; and

providing guidance to the mobile client in the form of a moving map display showing the location of the mobile client, the location of the selected location, and guidance for traveling to the selected location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location of the mobile client is updated on a real-time basis.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the data associated with the found locations includes contact information.

7. The method of claim 4, further including the step of presenting representations of additional distance or travel time required to add a found location to the user'"'"'s current route.

8. The method of claim 4, further including the step of amending a route to include the selected location.

9. A method of providing guidance with a navigation system, comprising the steps of:

partitioning a map into a plurality of geographic regions;

associating a set of locations to one or more of the regions;

receiving data representative of criteria for locations;

checking the regions for locations matching the criteria, and adding any matches to a list of found locations until the number of locations found equals or exceeds a predetermined number; and

checking the regions in the following order;

a) an original region,

b) regions adjacent to the original region, and

c) regions that have not been checked and that are adjacent to regions that have been checked;

presenting representations of found locations to a user;

receiving a selection from the user for one of the found locations; and

providing guidance to the selected location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein in a distance limit is specified and the search for matching locations is halted once the regions considered meet or exceed the distance limit from the starting location.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the criteria include one or more business categories, business names, or names of persons.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

multiple partitioning of the map are made, dividing the map into larger or smaller regions depending on the partitioning.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein, if the search of a region under a given partitioning identifies more than a designated number of matches, a different partitioning with smaller regions is then used.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein, if the search of a region under a given paritioning finds fewer than a designated number of matches, a different partitioning with larger regions is then used.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein additional information is associated with the locations and presented after a search.

16. A wireless client-server navigation system, comprising:

mobile unit including;

a wireless transmitter for transmitting data representative of a criteria for selection of a location, data representing a route, and a request for data representative of a location,

a receiver for receiving the data representative of the location and associated data, and

a user interface for presenting representations of locations representations of additional time or distance to be added to a route if locations are added to said route; and

a central server including;

an input for receiving data describing map-related features in the form of line segments interconnecting points having coordinates,

a receiver for receiving the data, route, and request from the mobile unit,

a processor for searching a database of locations according to said criteria and computing additional distance and time if locations are added to said route; and

a transmitter for transmitting data representative of locations matching said criteria and associated data and data representative of additional distance and time to the mobile unit.

17. A wireless client-server navigation system, comprising:

a mobile unit including;

a wireless transmitter for transmitting data representative of a criteria for selection of a location, data representing a route, and a request for data representative of a location,

a receiver for receiving the data representative of the location and associated data, and

a user interface for presenting representations of locations and representative of a route; and

a central server including;

an input for receiving data describing map-related features in the form of line segments interconnecting points having coordinates,

a receiver for receiving the data, route, and request from the mobile unit,

a processor for searching a database of locations according to said criteria and amending said route to include one or more locations matching said criteria; and

a transmitter for transmitting data representative of locations matching said criteria and associated data and data representative of a amended route.

18. A navigation system, comprising:

an input for receiving data describing map-related features in the form of line segments interconnecting points having coordinates,

an input for receiving criteria,

an output for presenting representations of locations routes, and associated information; and

a processor for portioning a map into geographic regions, associating locations in a database with said regions, searching a database for locations matching criteria with the database considering in turn sets of locations associated with a starting region, then regions adjacent to the starting regions, then continuing to consider regions adjacent to regions already considered.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor halts its search for locations matching criteria once all regions within a designated distance limit from the staring region have been considered.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor makes multiple partitionings of the map into larger or smaller regions depending on the partitioning;

and

where the processor, when it finds more than a designated number of matches to its search for locations matching criteria, uses a different partitioning with smaller regions.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the processor makes multiple partitionings of the map into larger or smaller regions depending on the partitioning; and

when it finds fewer than a designated number of matches to its search for locations matching criteria, the processor uses a different partitioning with larger regions.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein additional information is associated with the locations and presented after a search.

20. The system of claim 187 wherein the criteria include one or more business categories, business names, or names of persons.

24. A wireless client-server navigation system, comprising:

a mobile unit including;

a wireless transmitter for transmitting data representative of a criteria for selection of a location, and a request for data representative of a location,

a receiver for receiving the data representative of the location, and

a user interface for presenting representations of locations; and

a central server including;

an input for receiving data describing map-related features in the form of line segments interconnecting points having coordinates,

a receiver for receiving criteria and request from the mobile unit,

a processor for portioning a map into geographic regions, associating locations in a database with said regions, searching a database for locations matching criteria with the database considering in turn sets of locations associated with a starting region, then regions adjacent to the starting regions, then continuing to consider regions adjacent to regions already considered; and

a transmitter for transmitting data representative of locations matching said criteria.