System and method of indentifying portions of roads

• US 20090088971A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dash Navigation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Tzamaloukas, Assimakis, Currie, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3819 Road shape data, e.g. outline of a route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

A system and method splices into, or replaces routes identified based on road geometry with routes taken by the same user or other users to create alternate routes that may be selected by a user to display, for example, on a map or for which driving directions can be displayed. Communication of routes traveled by different devices may be received from a server or from another device. A naming convention for road segments and ordered paths of road segments is described.

Claims

1. A method of identifying at least one road segment, comprising:

a. identifying a road corresponding to the road segment;

b. determining a type of the road identified based on one selected from the group comprising a length of the road and a potential length of the road;

c. assigning a road identifier to the road that is unique to a plurality of other roads having the type determined, the length of the identifier responsive to the type of the road determined; and

d. assigning at least one segment identifier to a plurality of portions of the road, the segment identifier having a length that is responsive to the type of the road determined.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising repeating steps a-d for each of a plurality of roads having at least two different types.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the combined length of the road identifier and the segment identifier is the same for the plurality of types of roads, at least one type in the plurality having a length of road identifier that differs from at least one other type in the plurality.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a plurality of segment identifiers corresponding to at least some segments at one of the ends of a portion of a road traveled in a route comprising several roads, and not providing at least one segment identifier not at one of the ends of a portion of the road traveled in the route.