PRESENTATION OF NAVIGATION INSTRUCTIONS USING VARIABLE LEVELS OF DETAIL

• US 20100324816A1
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: HANSEN, CODY R., HIGHSTROM, MATTHEW M., WEISS, JOHN P., MATHUR, BHAVNA, GELLATLY, ANDREW W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• 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

Abstract

A navigation system is provided for instructing an operator of a vehicle. The navigation system includes a navigation processor configured to obtain a destination location, and to generate a proposed route to the destination location. The navigation system also includes a presentation element coupled to the navigation processor, the presentation element configured to provide navigation instructions to the operator. A selection module is coupled to or incorporated into the navigation processor, and the selection module is configured to select a cartographic resolution from a plurality of different cartographic resolutions, resulting in a selected cartographic resolution. The presentation element provides navigation instructions for at least a portion of the proposed route, using the selected cartographic resolution.

Claims

1. A navigation method for instructing an operator of a vehicle with a navigation system, the method comprising:

obtaining a destination location;

generating a proposed route to the destination location;

providing first navigation instructions for the proposed route, using a first cartographic resolution; and

thereafter, providing second navigation instructions for the proposed route, using a second cartographic resolution that is different than the first cartographic resolution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of providing first navigation instructions is performed for a first segment of the proposed route; and

the step of providing second navigation instructions is performed for a second segment of the proposed route.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first cartographic resolution or the second cartographic resolution corresponds to a higher amount of roadway detail; and

the other one of the first cartographic resolution or the second cartographic resolution corresponds to a lower amount of roadway detail.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first cartographic resolution or the second cartographic resolution corresponds to a higher amount of geographic detail; and

the other one of the first cartographic resolution or the second cartographic resolution corresponds to a lower amount of geographic detail.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving geographic position data for a designated location; and

determining a distance metric value that is indicative of proximity between the vehicle and the familiar location;

wherein

the step of providing first navigation instructions is performed when the distance metric value exceeds a threshold value; and

the step of providing second navigation instructions is performed when the distance metric value does not exceed the threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring driving trends of the vehicle;

automatically selecting the first cartographic resolution or the second cartographic resolution as a function of monitored driving trends, resulting in a selected cartographic resolution; and

providing navigation instructions in accordance with the selected cartographic resolution.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring user interaction with the navigation system;

automatically selecting the first cartographic resolution or the second cartographic resolution as a function of monitored user interaction, resulting in a selected cartographic resolution; and

providing navigation instructions in accordance with the selected cartographic resolution.

8. A navigation method for instructing an operator of a vehicle with a navigation system, the method comprising:

monitoring driving trends of the vehicle to obtain monitored driving trends;

automatically changing an operating characteristic of the navigation system as a function of the monitored driving trends, resulting in an automatically selected operating characteristic; and

providing navigation instructions in accordance with the automatically selected operating characteristic.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising monitoring user interaction with the navigation system, wherein the step of automatically changing the operating characteristic comprises automatically changing the operating characteristic as a function of the monitored driving trends and monitored user interaction.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the operating characteristic is associated with a roadway resolution utilized by the navigation system for providing navigation instructions, and wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining a destination location;

generating a proposed route to the destination location; and

providing navigation instructions for the proposed route, using one of a plurality of different roadway resolutions.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of monitoring driving trends comprises determining how often the vehicle travels on monitored roadways.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of monitoring driving trends comprises determining an amount of time the vehicle spends in geographic areas.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of monitoring driving trends comprises determining whether the vehicle is traveling on relatively low traffic roadways or relatively high traffic roadways.

14. A navigation system for instructing an operator of a vehicle, the navigation system comprising:

a navigation processor configured to obtain a destination location, and to generate a proposed route to the destination location;

a presentation element coupled to the navigation processor, the presentation element configured to provide navigation instructions to the operator; and

a selection module coupled to or incorporated into the navigation processor, and configured to select a cartographic resolution from a plurality of different cartographic resolutions, resulting in a selected cartographic resolution;

wherein;

the presentation element provides navigation instructions for at least a portion of the proposed route, using the selected cartographic resolution.

15. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein:

the presentation element comprises a display element; and

the display element is configured to display graphical representations of the navigation instructions in accordance with the selected cartographic resolution.

16. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein:

the presentation element comprises an audio transducer; and

the audio transducer is configured to generate audible representations of the navigation instructions in accordance with the selected cartographic resolution.

17. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of different cartographic resolutions correspond to different amounts of roadway detail.

18. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of different cartographic resolutions correspond to different amounts of geographic detail.

19. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein the selection module is configured to monitor driving trends of the vehicle, and to automatically select the cartographic resolution as a function of monitored driving trends.

20. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein the selection module is configured to monitor interaction with the navigation system by the operator of the vehicle, and to automatically select the cartographic resolution as a function of monitored interaction.