Personal GPS navigation device

• US 20090171561A1
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Geelen, Pieter
• Granted Patent: US 8,027,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing

Abstract

A navigation device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the navigation device includes a storage device to store map information; a processor to determine a route of travel based upon a current position of the navigation device and an input or selected destination position; and a display to display the current position on the map information corresponding to the determined route of travel, the display displaying zoomed-in display of the map information upon the processor determining that a decision point is within a threshold distance of the current position of the navigation device.

Claims

1. A navigation device, comprising:

a storage device to store map information;

a processor to determine a route of travel based upon a current position of the navigation device and an input or selected destination position; and

a display to display the current position on the map information corresponding to the determined route of travel, the display displaying zoomed-in display of the map information upon the processor determining that a decision point is within a threshold distance of the current position of the navigation device.

2. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the decision point is at least one of an upcoming turn, roundabout, intersection and merge along the travel route.

3. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the zoomed-in display of the map information progressively increases as the current position of the navigation device approaches the decision point.

4. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the zoomed-in display of the map information progressively increases as threshold distances between the current position of the navigation device and the decision point are reached.

5. The navigation device of claim 2, wherein the zoomed-in display of the map information progressively increases as the current position of the navigation device approaches the decision point.

6. The navigation device of claim 2, wherein the zoomed-in display of the map information progressively increases as threshold distances between the current position of the navigation device and the decision point are reached.

7. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the display returns to a normal display of the current position on the map information corresponding to the determined route of travel, upon the current position of the navigation device reaching the decision point.

8. The navigation device of claim 2, wherein the display returns to a normal display of the current position on the map information corresponding to the determined route of travel, upon the current position of the navigation device reaching the decision point.

9. A method, comprising:

storing map information in a storage device of a navigation device;

determining a route of travel based upon a current position of the navigation device and an input or selected destination position; and

displaying, on a display of the navigation device, the current position on the map information corresponding to the determined route of travel, the displaying including a zoomed-in display of the map information upon determining that a decision point is within a threshold distance of the current position of the navigation device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the decision point is at least one of an upcoming turn, roundabout, intersection and merge along the travel route.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the zoomed-in display of the map information progressively increases as the current position of the navigation device approaches the decision point.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the zoomed-in display of the map information progressively increases as threshold distances between the current position of the navigation device and the decision point are reached.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the zoomed-in display of the map information progressively increases as the current position of the navigation device approaches the decision point.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the zoomed-in display of the map information progressively increases as threshold distances between the current position of the navigation device and the decision point are reached.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the displaying returns to a normal display of the current position on the map information corresponding to the determined route of travel, upon the current position of the navigation device reaching the decision point.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the displaying returns to a normal display of the current position on the map information corresponding to the determined route of travel, upon the current position of the navigation device reaching the decision point.