MULTI-SCREEN VEHICLE SYSTEM

• US 20120072109A1
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Waite, Stephen P., Moilanen, Marcus A., Ross, James P., Schoenfish, Brian G., Brockman, James E., Wilson, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,140,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/431
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

A navigation system integrated into a materials transport vehicle for use by an operator, the system including a plurality of display devices each having a screen; a location determining component operable to determine the current location of the materials transport vehicle; a memory operable to store one or more modules, the memory including vehicle operator transport preferences comprising time periods available for operating the materials transport vehicle and materials transport requirements comprising a materials transport destination; and a processor operable to execute the one or more modules to determine a transport schedule for use by the materials transport vehicle operator, the transport schedule based on the materials transport requirements and the vehicle operator transport preferences, determine a transport route from the current location to the materials transport destination using the transport schedule, and present the transport route on one of the display devices.

Claims

1. A navigation system integrated into a materials transport vehicle for use by an operator, the system comprising:

a plurality of display devices each having a screen;

a location determining component operable to determine the current location of the materials transport vehicle;

a memory operable to store one or more modules, the memory including vehicle operator transport preferences comprising time periods available for operating the materials transport vehicle and materials transport requirements comprising a materials transport destination; and

a processor operable to execute the one or more modules to;

determine a transport schedule for use by the materials transport vehicle operator, the transport schedule based on the materials transport requirements and the vehicle operator transport preferences,

determine a transport route from the current location to the materials transport destination using the transport schedule, and

present the transport route on one of the display devices.

2. The navigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle operator transport preferences include preferred points of interest and transport scheduling criteria.

3. The navigation system as recited in claim 2, wherein the preferred points of interest are one of vehicle refueling locations, weigh points, or rest areas.

4. The navigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one display device comprises a touch screen.

5. The navigation system as described in claim 4, wherein the processor is operable to detect an input associated with the vehicle operator transport preferences.

6. The navigation system as described in claim 5, wherein the processor is operable receive a signal from the touch screen that indicates an input associated with the vehicle operator transport preferences.

7. The navigation system as described in claim 1, wherein the materials transport requirements further comprise a materials transport deadline.

8. The navigation system as described in claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to execute one or more modules to determine a transport route with an arrival time no later than the materials transport deadline.

9. The navigation system as described in claim 1, wherein the vehicle operator transport preferences further comprise suitability criteria, the suitability criteria comprising one of anticipated profit and proximity to the transport route, and the materials transport requirements further comprise transport financial information.

10. The navigation system as described in claim 9, wherein the processor is operable to execute one or more modules to identify available materials that do not satisfy the suitability criteria.

11. The navigation system as described in claim 10, wherein the available materials that do not satisfy the suitability criteria are presented with the transport route on one of the display devices.

12. A navigation system integrated into a materials transport vehicle for use by an operator, the system comprising:

a plurality of display devices each having a screen;

a location determining component operable to determine the current location of the materials transport vehicle;

a memory operable to store one or more modules, the memory including vehicle operator transport preferences comprising time periods available for operating the materials transport vehicle, regulatory information, a driving history of the vehicle operator, and materials transport requirements comprising a materials transport destination; and

a processor operable to execute the one or more modules to;

determine a transport schedule for use by the materials transport vehicle operator, the transport schedule based on the materials transport requirements, the regulatory information, the driving history of the vehicle operator, and the vehicle operator transport preferences,

determine a transport route from the current location to the materials transport destination using the transport schedule, and

present the transport route on one of the display devices.

13. The navigation system as recited in claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to execute one or more modules to present a transport schedule on one of the display devices.

14. The navigation system as recited in claim 13, wherein the transport schedule identifies suggested time periods for the vehicle operator to operate the vehicle.

15. The navigation system as recited in claim 12, wherein the regulatory information corresponds to one or more geographic regions.

16. The navigation system as recited in claim 15, wherein the processor is operable to execute one or more modules to determine the applicable regulatory information for various points along the transport route.

17. The navigation system as recited in claim 12, wherein the regulatory information comprises a maximum period of time during which the vehicle operator may operate the vehicle.

18. The navigation system as recited in claim 12, wherein the regulatory information comprises stops at weigh points where the truck must be weighed.

19. A navigation system for a materials transport vehicle, the navigation system comprising:

a plurality of display devices integrated into an A-panel and B-panel of the materials transport vehicle, the display devices each having a screen with a diagonal length of at least 10 inches, wherein at least one display device comprises a touch screen;

a location determining component operable to determine the current location of the materials transport vehicle;

a memory operable to store one or more modules, the memory including vehicle operator transport preferences; and

a processor operable to execute the one or more modules to;

detect an input associated with the vehicle operator transport preferences,

determine a transport schedule and a transport route, and

present the transport route on one of the display devices.

20. A method of determining a transport schedule and a transport route for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the current location of the materials transport vehicle,

receiving materials transport requirements and vehicle operator transport preferences from a memory,

determining a transport schedule based on the materials transport requirements and the vehicle operator transport preferences,

determining a transport route from the current location to a materials transport destination using the transport schedule, and

presenting the transport route on one of the display devices.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of communicating the transport schedule and operator data to a remote computing device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the materials transport requirements and vehicle operator transport were received from a remote computing device.