ADAPTABLE NAVIGATION DEVICE

• US 20130191020A1
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Emani, Sitaram, Inabathuni, Tarun
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/468
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• 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

Abstract

The described method and system provide for adaptable GPS navigation based on road and traffic conditions. A method includes: receiving input front a user designating a destination; determining a calculated route from a starting point to the destination; and presenting turn-by-turn (TBT) directions based on the route, wherein the presenting of the TBT directions includes presenting conditions information received from an external source. The conditions information can be used during route calculation and can be updated while the user is traveling on the calculated route.

Claims

1. A method for providing navigation instructions in a computerized system including a GPS (Global Positioning System)-based navigation aid device, comprising:

receiving input from a user designating a destination;

determining a calculated route from a starting point to the destination; and

presenting turn-by-turn (TBT) directions based on the route, wherein the presenting of the. TBT directions includes presenting conditions information received from an external source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting further comprises:

determining a degree of advance notification for notifying the user of an upcoming event,

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determination of a degree of advance notification further comprises determining a classification level corresponding to the conditions information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the determination of a degree of advance notification further comprises applying a weighting function to values corresponding to the conditions information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditions information comprises at least one of information pertaining to traffic conditions and information pertaining to road conditions.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information pertaining to road conditions comprises at least one of:

information pertaining to weather, information pertaining to road construction, information pertaining to accidents, and information pertaining to roadway features.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the calculated route further comprises:

receiving, from a call center, the calculated route, wherein the calculated route is based on the conditions information received from the external source.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the conditions information received from the external source is responsive to the destination designated by the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the GPS device is integrated with a telematics unit in a vehicle,

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditions information received from the external source is updated while the user is traveling on the calculated route.

11. A GPS (Global Positioning System)-based navigation aid device for providing navigation instructions, comprising a tangible, non-transient computer-readable medium having thereon computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving input from a user designating a destination;

instructions for determining a calculated route from a starting point to the destination; and

instructions for presenting turn-by-turn (TBI) directions based on the route, wherein the presenting of the TBT directions includes presenting conditions information received from an external source.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the instructions for presenting further comprise:

instructions for determining a degree of advance notification for notifying the user of an upcoming event

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the instructions for determining a degree of advance notification further comprise:

instructions for determining a classification level corresponding to the conditions in formation.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the instructions for determining a degree of advance notification further comprise:

instructions for applying a weighting function to values corresponding to the conditions information,

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the conditions information comprises at least one of information pertaining to traffic conditions and information pertaining to road conditions.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the information pertaining to road conditions comprises at least one of information pertaining to weather, information pertaining to road construction, information pertaining to accidents, and information pertaining to roadway features.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the instructions for determining the calculated route further comprise:

instructions for receiving, from a call center, the calculated route, wherein the calculated route is based on the conditions information received from the external source.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the conditions information received from the external source is responsive to the destination designated by the user.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the device is integrated with a telematics unit in a vehicle.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the conditions information received from the external source is updated while the user is traveling on the calculated route.