Navigation device and method

• US 20090177383A1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Tertoolen, Simone Francine
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position

Abstract

This invention relates to a navigation device (200) comprising: an input interface (220, 240) configured to enable a user to select a destination; a processor (210); and a display (240) controllable by the processor; characterised in that the navigation device (200) further comprises: a store (230) for building data, said building data being representative of the shape of buildings at each of a plurality of destinations, and a destination view generation module (490) for generating, from building data stored in said store (230) for said user selected destination, a three-dimensional representation of a building at said user selected destination, said processor (210) being responsive to said destination view generation module (490) to control said display (240) to display said three-dimensional representation to said user.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

an input interface configured to enable a user to select a destination, a store for building data, said building data being representative of the shape of buildings at each of a plurality of destinations, a processor, a display controllable by the processor, and a destination view generation module for generating, from building data stored in said store for said user selected destination, a three-dimensional representation of a building at said user selected destination, said processor being responsive to said destination view generation module to control said display to display said three-dimensional representation to said user.

2. A navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said destination view generation module is configured to generate a representative view, for display, of a local environment in which said selected destination is located.

3. A navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said destination view generation module is configured to identify the location of additional buildings in the vicinity of said selected destination, to retrieve building data from said store for said additional buildings, and to generate a three dimensional representation of said additional buildings for display with the three dimensional representation of the building at said selected destination.

4. A navigation device according to claim 3, wherein said destination view generation module is configured to render the building at said selected destination in such a way that it is distinct from three dimensional representations of said additional buildings.

5. A navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said building data includes information specifying the location of an entrance for the building at said destination.

6. A navigation device according to claim 5, wherein said destination view generation module is configured to retrieve the location of said entrance from said building data, and to include a representation of said entrance in said three-dimensional representation of the building at said selected destination for display by said display.

7. A navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said destination view generation module is configured to estimate the location of an entrance for the building at said selected destination, and to include a representation of said entrance in said three-dimensional representation of the building at said selected destination by said display.

8. A navigation device according to claim 7, wherein said navigation view generation module is configured to estimate the location of said entrance by identifying a face of the building at said destination which is closest to a street identified in a postal address of said destination, and include a representation of said entrance in the identified face of the three dimensional representation of said building for display by said display.

9. A navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said destination view generation module is configured to identify any information markers in the vicinity of said selected destination.

10. A navigation device according to claim 9, wherein said destination view generation module is further operable to determine a distance between said selected destination and said identified information markers.

11. A navigation device according to claim 1, wherein:

said destination view generation module is configured to generate a representative view, for display, of a local environment in which said selected destination is located,

said destination view generation module is configured to identify any information markers in the vicinity of said selected destination;

said destination view generation module is operable to determine a distance between said selected destination and said identified information markers, and

said destination view generation module is configured to generate a representation of any identified markers within said local environment for display therewith.

12. A navigation device according to claim 11, wherein said destination view generation module is configured to generate a representation, for display within said local environment, of a pointer to any indentified markers that lie outside of said local environment and within the vicinity of said destination.

13. A navigation device according to claim 12, wherein said processor is configured to control said display to display a data panel for conveying additional information concerning one or more of any identified information markers.

14. A navigation device according to claim 13, wherein additional information displayed in said data panel includes a selectable link that, when selected by operation of the input interface, provides options to the user concerning operation of the navigation device.

15. A navigation device according to claim 14, wherein a said option comprises the option of controlling said navigation device to navigate the user to the location associated with the selected information item.

16. A navigation device according to claim 14, wherein said processor is configured to control said display to display, in said data panel, a user selectable search option that, when selected by operation of said input interface, is configured to provide the user with the option of searching for information markers of different types within the vicinity of said destination location.

17. A navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control the display to display controls, user operable by way of said input interface, for increasing or decreasing the magnification of a said three dimensional building representation displayed in said display.

18. A navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said processor is responsive to input via said input interface to rotate the three dimensional representation of said building and to control the display to display said rotated three dimensional interface.

19. A navigation device according to claim 1, comprising an antenna and a receiver for receiving data signals via said antenna, wherein said processor is configured to determine from said received data signals a current location of said navigation device, and to set said determined current position as a start position for said route generation process, and said processor is configured to implement route planning functionality to calculate a route from said start position to said selected destination.

20. A navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said user is prompted by said processor to input a current position as a start location wherein said processor is configured to implement route planning functionality to calculate a route from said start position to said selected destination.

21. A navigation device according to claim 20, wherein said processor is configured to generate a navigation map depicting a local environment surrounding said current position, and to update said navigation map as the current position changes with movement of the navigation device.

22. A method of facilitating the identification of a destination, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a store of building data, said building data being representative of the shape of buildings at each of a plurality of destinations, selecting a destination, retrieving building data, from said store, for a building at the selected destination, generating, from said retrieved building data, a three dimensional representation of the building at said selected destination, and controlling a display to display said three dimensional representation of the building at said destination.

23. Computer software comprising one or more software modules operable, when executed in an execution environment, to cause a processor to:

select a destination in response to input from a user via a user interface;

retrieve building data from a store of building data, wherein the building data stored in said store is representative of the shape of buildings at each of a plurality of destinations; and

the building data retrieved from said store relates to a building at the selected destination;

generate, from said retrieved building data, a three dimensional representation of the building at said selected destination; and

control a display to display said three dimensional representation of the building at said destination.

24. A computer readable data storage medium having computer software stored thereon, said computer software comprising one or more software modules operable, when executed in an execution environment, to cause a processor to:

select a destination in response to input from a user via a user interface;

retrieve building data from a store of building data, wherein the building data stored in said store is representative of the shape of buildings at each of a plurality of destinations; and

the building data retrieved from said store relates to a building at the selected destination;

generate, from said retrieved building data, a three dimensional representation of the building at said selected destination; and

control a display to display said three dimensional representation of the building at said destination.

25. A portable navigation device (PND) comprising:

an antenna, a receiver operatively coupled to said antenna for receiving GPS data signals from a plurality of satellites, an input interface configured to enable a user to select a destination, a store for map data and building data, said building data being representative of the shape of buildings at each of a plurality of destinations, a processor operatively coupled to said interface, said receiver and said store, said processor being configured to;

receive said GPS data signals from said receiver and to process said GPS data signals to determine a current position of said PND in a local environment,

to generate from map data retrieved from said store a navigation map of the local environment in which said PND current position is located, and

to calculate, from map data retrieved from said store, a route between said current position and said destination location;

a destination view generation module for generating, from building data stored in said store for said user selected destination, a three-dimensional representation of a building at said user selected destination, said processor being responsive to said destination view generation module to control said display to display said three-dimensional representation to said user.

a display operatively coupled to said processor, said display being controllable by said processor to display;

the navigation map and a superimposed visual representation of said route, and

the three-dimensional representation of the building at said user selected destination.