Method of Determining Mode of Transportation in a Personal Navigation Device

• US 20110106423A1
• Filed: 11/01/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Morley, Simon Dean
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport

Abstract

To provide useful information to a user of a personal navigation device (PND) related to their current mode of transportation the PND receives a plurality of satellite navigation signals, utilizes the plurality of satellite navigation signals to determine position of the PND, determines a plurality of data based on the plurality of satellite navigation signals, utilizing the plurality of data as inputs to a statistical model to determine the mode of transportation, determines the information corresponding to the mode of transportation, and displays the information corresponding to the mode of transportation.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing a personal navigation device (PND) to display information corresponding to a mode of transportation, the method comprising:

the PND receiving a plurality of satellite navigation signals;

the PND utilizing the plurality of satellite navigation signals to determine position of the PND;

the PND determining a plurality of data based on the plurality of satellite navigation signals;

utilizing the plurality of data as inputs to a statistical model to determine the mode of transportation;

the PND determining the information corresponding to the mode of transportation; and

the PND displaying the information corresponding to the mode of transportation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the PND determining the plurality of data based on the plurality of satellite navigation signals comprises:

the PND determining bearing or speed of the PND based on the plurality of satellite navigation signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the PND determining the plurality of data based on the plurality of satellite navigation signals comprises:

the PND detecting loss of satellite navigation signal reception.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the PND determining the plurality of data based on the plurality of satellite navigation signals comprises:

the PND detecting recovery of satellite navigation signal reception.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the PND generating a transit station flag when the PND determines that the position is within a threshold distance of a transit station, wherein the transit station flag is data of the plurality of data;

wherein the PND determining the plurality of data based on the plurality of satellite navigation signals comprises;

the PND detecting loss of satellite navigation signal reception.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein utilizing the plurality of data as the inputs to the statistical model to determine the mode of transportation is utilizing the transit station flag and the loss of satellite navigation signal reception as the inputs to the statistical model to determine the mode of transportation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the PND to determine the plurality of inputs comprises:

the PND determining a current time of day.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the plurality of data as the inputs to the statistical model to determine the mode of transportation comprises:

the PND comparing the plurality of inputs with a map comprising a waypoint corresponding to the mode of transportation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the plurality of data as the inputs to the statistical model to determine the mode of transportation comprises:

the PND comparing the plurality of inputs with a schedule corresponding to the mode of transportation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the plurality of data as the inputs to the statistical model to determine the mode of transportation comprises:

the PND determining a set route of the mode of transportation according to the inputs.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode of transportation is a train, a bus, or a subway.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode of transportation is a ferry.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode of transportation is an airplane.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the PND displaying a request for confirmation regarding the mode of transportation.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the PND displaying a schedule corresponding to the mode of transportation when the mode of transportation is confirmed.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the PND updating the statistical model when confirmation is received.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the PND updating the statistical model when negative confirmation is received.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the PND displaying a map of a current station corresponding to the mode of transportation when confirmation is received.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the PND displaying a map of an upcoming station corresponding to the mode of transportation when confirmation is received.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the PND detecting loss of GPRS signal reception.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the PND detecting recovery of GPRS signal reception.