NAVIGATION DEVICE & METHOD

• US 20110118972A1
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Boschker, Breght
• Granted Patent: US 9,257,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• 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: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/141 with means giving the indication of available parking spaces

Abstract

A navigation device is disclosed including a processor; and a store containing map data. In at least one embodiment, the map data includes a temporally-variable feature and the processor is arranged, in a route planning process, to determine a status of the temporally-variable feature according to temporal information.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a processor; and

a store containing map data, the map data including a temporally-variable feature, and the processor being arranged to determine, in a route planning process, a status of the temporally-variable feature according to temporal information.

2. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the temporally-variable feature of the map data is a map feature having a temporally-variable attribute or a map feature having temporally-variable validity.

3. The navigation device of claim 2, wherein the temporally-variable attribute is speed or weighting information associated with a road segment.

4. The navigation device of claim 2, wherein the temporally-variable validity indicates a period of time for which a map feature is available for consideration in the route planning process.

5. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein information associated with the temporally-variable feature indicates a period of time for which the feature is temporally-variable.

6. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the map data comprises first map data comprising map feature information and second map data comprising the temporally variable feature.

7. The navigation device of claim 1, further comprising:

a data receiving device to receive data;

wherein the second map data is received from the data receiving device and stored in the store.

8. The navigation device of claim 1, further comprising a temporal mapping module arranged to determine a status of the temporally-variable feature according to the temporal information.

9. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the map data comprises a plurality of temporally-variable features, each feature having associated temporal information indicating a period of time for which the respective feature is temporally-variable.

10. A method of determining a route from a start location to a destination location, the method comprising:

determining, by a processor, a status of one or more temporally-variable map features according to temporal information; and

determining the route from the start location to the destination location with respect to the status of the one or more temporally-variable map features.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the status of a temporally-variable feature comprises determining, according to the temporal information, a value of an attribute associated with a map feature, or whether a map feature is available for consideration in the route.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving first map data comprising information associated with the one or more temporally-variable features;

wherein the route is determined according to the first map data and second map data comprising map feature information.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining, according to the first map data and the temporal information, a status of a map feature included in the second map data.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining, according to the first map data and the temporal information, a status of a map feature additional to the second map data.

15. A system, comprising:

a server communicatively coupled to a navigation device, wherein the navigation device includes a data storage having first map data stored therein, the server being arranged to communicate second map data to the navigation device, wherein the second map data includes temporally-variable map feature information and the navigation device being arranged to receive the second map data and to determine a route according a combination of the first and second map data and temporal information.