Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus

• US 5,220,507 A
• Filed: 10/08/1992
• Issued: 06/15/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirson, Allan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US07/958,533
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/444, 364/449, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 73/178 R
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles

Abstract

Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus (10) includes a computer (11) for calculating at least first and second navigation routes (1, 2, or 3) between start (72) and destination (73) locations. Both routes are preferably visible to the vehicle operator at the same time along with route criteria such as route travel mileage and/or route estimated travel time. The vehicle operator then selects which of the displayed routes is to be used for providing him with route guidance information to the desired destination. The route display format may be a graphic map display (70) with routes displayed in different colors on a color CRT display (18). The second navigation route is calculated after calculating the first route, preferably by excluding some road path segments (1D) which were included in the first calculated route. Preferably the criterion to be used for alternate route calculation is determined prior to calculation of the first route. Preferably a vehicle operator has a choice of routes which may be used for route guidance to a destination without requiring vehicle operator input after the calculation of the first route to specify how to arrive at a second route.

Claims

1. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus comprising:

means for calculating and storing a first desired navigation route for a vehicle, via fixed road path segments, between a start location and a desired destination location, said first route calculating and storing means determining at least one of the travel mileage of and the estimated time for said first route;

means for calculating and storing at least a second desired navigation route, different from said first route, between said start and destination locations and determining at least one of the travel mileage of and estimated time for said second route;

display means coupled o said first and second route calculating and storing means for visually displaying to the vehicle operator in a predetermined display format at least each of said first and second routes along with at least one of the travel mileages and estimated times for each of the displayed routes, each of said displayed first and second routes being visible at the same time;

means for said vehicle operator selecting any one of said displayed first and second routes; and

means for selecting the display format in which said display means will visually display each of said first and second routes, said first and second routes being displayable in a text format in which each route is identified by text which identifies major road segments, rather than providing a graphic map path display between visually displayed start and destination locations, and a graphic display format in which a graphic map path is visually displayed between visual displays of the start and destination locations.

2. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus comprising:

means for calculating a first desired navigation route for a vehicle, via fixed road path segments, between a start location and a desired destination location, said first route calculating means determining at least one of the travel mileage of and the estimated time for said first route;

means for calculating at least a second desired navigation route, different from said first route, for said vehicle between said start and destination locations by excluding from said second route, in accordance with a predetermined exclusion criterion determined prior to calculation of said first route, some road path segments included in said first route, said second route calculation means determining at least one of the travel mileage of and the estimated time for said second route, said criterion determining how calculation of said second route is to differ from calculation of said first route, said predetermined exclusion criterion established by said second route calculation means including means for identifying said road path segments which form said first calculated route and selecting some road path segments from said identified first route road path segments for exclusion and means for excluding said selected first route road path segments from inclusion in said second route when calculating said second route;

display means for visually displaying to the vehicle operator in a predetermined display format each of said first and second routes along with at least one of the travel mileages of and estimated times for each of the displayed routes;

means for said vehicle operator selecting any one of said displayed first and second routes;

means for providing route guidance information to said vehicle operator in accordance with said selected route; and

means for storing road segment data which defines each of said first and second calculated routes until at least selection of a route for route guidance by said vehicle operator.

3. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said visual display of each of said first and second routes along with at lest one of the travel mileages of and estimated times for the displayed routes are visible at the same time.

4. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said display means visually displays both of said travel mileages of and estimated times for each of the displayed routes.

5. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said display means displays each of said displayed first and second routes in a different color.

6. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus according to claim 2 which includes means for selecting the display format in which said display means will visually display each of said first and second routes, said first and second routes being displayable in a text format in which a route is identified by text which identifies major road segment, rather than providing a graphic map path display between visual start and destination locations, and a graphic display format in which a graphic path is visually displayed between visual displays of the start and destination locations.

7. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus according to claim 2 which includes means for storing data defining both said first and second calculated routes until at least said vehicle operator selects one of said displayed routes for route guidance.

8. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus according to claim 2 which includes means for said vehicle operator selecting said first route prior to the display of said second route.

9. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said display means visually displays said calculated first route and then displays both said first and second calculated routes.

10. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus comprising:

means for calculating a first desired navigation route for a vehicle, via fixed road path segments, between a start location and a desired destination location;

means for calculating, after calculating said first route, at least a second desired navigation route, different from said first route, for said vehicle between said start and destination location sin accordance with a predetermined exclusion criterion determined prior to the calculation of said first route, said exclusion criterion determining how calculation of said second route is to differ from calculation of said first route, said predetermined exclusion criterion established by said second route calculation means including means for identifying said road path segments which form said first calculated route and selecting some road path segments from said identified first route road path segments for exclusion and means for excluding said selected first route road path segments from inclusion in said second route when calculating said second route; and

display means coupled to said first and second route calculation means for visually displaying to the vehicle operator in a predetermined display format each of said first and second routes.

11. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus according to claim 10 which includes means for said vehicle operator selecting any one of said displayed first and second routes.

12. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said display means displays each of said first and second routes at the same time.

13. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus comprising:

means for calculating and storing a first desired navigation route for a vehicle, via fixed road path segments, between a start location and a desired destination location, said first route calculating and storing means determining at least one of the travel mileage of and the estimated time for said first route;

means for calculating and storing at least a second desired navigation route, different from said first route, between said start and destination locations and determining at least one of the travel mileage of and estimated time for said second route;

display means coupled to said first nd second route calculating and storing means for visually displaying to the vehicle operator in a predetermined display format at least each of said first and second routes along with at least one of the travel mileages and estimated times for each of the displayed routes, each of said displayed first and second routes being visible at the same time;

means for said vehicle operator selecting any one of said displayed first and second routes; and

means for selecting the display format in which said display means will visually display each of said first and second routes, said first and second routes being displayable in a text format in which each route is identified by text which identifies major road segments, rather than providing a graphic map path display between visually displayed start and destination locations, and a graphic display format in which a distinctive graphic map path is visually displayed for each route between visual displays of the start and destination locations.

14. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus comprising:

means for calculating a first desired navigation route for a vehicle, via fixed road path segments, between a start location and a desired destination location, said first route calculating means determining at least one of the travel mileage of and the estimated time for said firs route, said first route calculated in accordance with vehicle operator specificable route calculation criteria comprising preferences/detours;

means for calculating at least a second desired navigation route, different from said first route, for said vehicle between said start and destination locations, in accordance with said vehicle operator specifiable route calculation criteria, by excluding from said second route, in accordance with a predetermined exclusion criterion determined prior to calculation of said first route, some road path segments included in sad first route, said second route calculation means determining at least one of the travel mileage of and the estimated time for said second route, said exclusion criterion determining, regardless of said user specificable route calculation criteria, how calculation of said second route is to differ from calculation of said first route, said predetermined exclusion criterion established b said second route calculation means including means for identifying said road path segments which form said first calculated route and selecting some road path segments from said identified first route road path segments for exclusion and means for excluding said selected first route road path segments from inclusion in said second route when calculating said second route;

display means for visually displaying to the vehicle operator in a predetermined display format each of said first and second routes along with at least one of the travel mileages of and estimated times for each of the displayed routes;

means for said vehicle operator selecting any one of said displayed first and second routes;

means for providing route guidance information to said vehicle operator in accordance with said selected route; and

means for storing road segment data which defines each of said first and second calculated routes until at least selection of a route for route guidance by said vehicle operator.

15. Land vehicle multiple navigation route apparatus comprising:

means for calculating a first desired navigation route from a vehicle, via fixed road path segments, between a start location and a desired destination location in accordance with operator specifiable route calculation criteria comprising preferences/detours;

means for calculating, after calculating said first route, at least a second desired navigation route, different from said first route, for said vehicle between said start and destination locations in accordance with said operator specifiable route calculation criteria and also in accordance with a predetermined exclusion criterion determined prior to the calculation of said first route, said exclusion criterion determining, regardless of said operator specifiable route calculation criteria, how calculation of said second route is to differ from calculation of said first route, said predetermined exclusion criterion established by said second route calculation means including means for identifying said road path segments which form said first calculated route and selecting some road path segments from said identified first route road path segments for exclusion and means for excluding said selected first route road path segments from inclusion in said second route when calculating said second route; and

display means coupled to said first and second route calculation means for visually displaying to the vehicle operator in a predetermined display format each of said first and second routes.