METHOD OF IDENTIFYING A TEMPORARILY LOCATED ROAD FEATURE, NAVIGATION APPARATUS, SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING A TEMPORARILY LOCATED ROAD FEATURE, AND REMOTE DATA PROCESSING SERVER APPARATUS

• US 20120245838A1
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: Tomtom Belgium NV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Van Doorselaer, Bart
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/408
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/40 Hidden part removal
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

A method of identifying a temporarily located road feature that engenders vehicular speed behaviour change comprises a navigation apparatus monitoring speed thereof or a parameter associated therewith. The method also comprises the navigation apparatus generating a message in response to detection of a profile associated with speed of the navigation apparatus and that corresponds to a predetermined speed change profile associated with the presence of the temporarily located road feature.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a location determining unit for determining a location of the apparatus; and

one or more processors configured to monitor a speed of the apparatus, or a parameter associated therewith;

wherein, when in use, the apparatus is arranged to;

detect the location of a temporarily-located road feature by detection of a speed profile of the apparatus corresponding to a predetermined speed change profile;

generate a message comprising data indicative of the location at which the speed profile was detected;

prompt a user of the device for a confirmatory input in response to the detection; and

upon receipt of the confirmatory input, generate confirmatory data.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the predetermined speed change profile is substantially U-shaped.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the predetermined speed change profile comprises a first portion corresponding to a reduction in speed.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the predetermined speed change profile comprises a second portion corresponding to maintaining speed substantially below or substantially equal to a speed limit.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the maintenance of the speed is for a minimum predetermined duration.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the predetermined speed change profile comprises a third portion corresponding to an increase in speed.

29. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the maintenance of the second portion follows the first portion.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein the third portion follows the second portion.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the prompt for confirmatory input comprises one of;

a telephone call to the user, a text message or a prompt via the user interface of the navigation apparatus.

32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 23, configured to receive the confirmatory input via a hardware or software button on the navigation apparatus, or via voice input.

33. An apparatus as claimed in claim 23, further configured to transmit the message to a remote processing device.

34. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein the message further comprises the confirmatory data.

35. A method of identifying a temporarily located road feature that engenders vehicular speed behaviour change, the method comprising:

providing a navigation apparatus comprising;

a location determining unit for determining a location of the apparatus; and

one ore more processors configured to monitor a speed of the apparatus, or a parameter associated therewith;

detecting the location of a temporarily-located road feature by detection of a speed profile of the apparatus corresponding to a predetermined speed change profile

generating a message comprising data indicative of the location at which the speed profile was detected;

prompting a user of the device for a confirmatory input in response to the detection; and

upon receipt of the confirmatory input, generating confirmatory data.

36. A computer program element, embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising computer program code for making a computer execute the method as claimed in claim 35.