USAGE MODE DETERMINATION OF NAVIGATION SYSTEM

• US 20110202754A1
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: PANDE, Tarkesh, WATERS, Deric W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/10 using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• 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

A navigation system determines its usage mode. In some embodiments, a method comprises determining a usage mode of a navigation system based on at least one of an acceleration indicator, a speed indicator, and a magnet sensor. The usage mode is at least one of a pedestrian mode, a vehicular mode, an aerial mode, a train mode, and a marine mode. The method further comprises configuring a navigation subsystem based on the usage mode.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a usage mode of a navigation system based on at least one of an acceleration indicator, a speed indicator, and a magnet sensor, wherein said usage mode is at least one of a pedestrian mode, a vehicular mode, an aerial mode, a train mode, and a marine mode; and

configuring a navigation subsystem based on said usage mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the usage mode comprises determining that the navigation system is docked based on the magnet sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the usage mode also comprises determining that the navigation system is docked based on an externally received signal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the usage mode is also based on map data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the usage mode comprises determining a profile based on the acceleration indicator.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the usage mode is based on a magnitude of the acceleration indicator.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the usage mode is also based on an altimeter indicator.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the usage mode is also based on a wireless signal from another device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the navigation subsystem comprises configuring a filter.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the navigation subsystem comprises at least one of enabling and disabling an integrity measurement process of the navigation system.

11. A navigation system, comprising:

control logic; and

a first sensor coupled to said control logic, said sensor being at least one of a speed sensor and acceleration sensor;

wherein said control logic determines a usage mode of said navigation system based on a signal from said first sensor, said usage mode is at least one of a pedestrian mode, a vehicular mode, an aerial mode, and a marine mode.

12. The navigation system of claim 11 wherein said control logic determines the usage mode also based on a magnet.

13. The navigation system of claim 11 wherein said control logic determines the usage mode also based on map data.

14. The navigation system of claim 11 wherein said control logic determines the usage mode by determining a profile of the signal from the acceleration sensor.

15. The navigation system of claim 11 further comprising an altimeter sensor and said control logic determines the usage mode also based on an altimeter signal from said altimeter sensor.

16. The navigation system of claim 11 wherein said control logic determines the usage mode also based on a received wireless signal.

17. The navigation system of claim 11 further comprising a filter and wherein said control logic configures the filter based on the usage mode.

18. The navigation system of claim 11 wherein said control logic selectively enables and disables an integrity measurement process based on said usage mode.

19. A navigation system, comprising:

control logic; and

a first sensor coupled to said control logic;

wherein said control logic determines a usage mode of said navigation system based on a signal from said first sensor which senses a characteristic of the physical motion of the navigation system.

20. The navigation system of claim 19 wherein said at least one characteristic comprises at least one of acceleration and speed.