Method and apparatus for using non-digitized cities for route calculation

• US 6,259,987 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV), Zexel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Visteon Technologies LLC (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Ceylan, Timur, White, Laura, Nolan, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/665,234
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 731/78.R, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233

Abstract

A method for selecting a destination in a vehicle navigation system is described. A plurality of options are provided for designating the destination in the system'"'"'s user interface. A first option employs at least one street name to designate the destination. In response to selection of the first option, a list of cities is provided for display in the user interface. The list of cities includes a first plurality of cities for which no street names are available for display and a second plurality of cities for which only a few street names are available for display. In response to selection of one of the first plurality of cities from the list of cities, a first location associated with the selected city in the map database is selected as the destination. In response to selection of one of the second plurality of cities from the list of cities, an enhanced street name list is presented which includes the names of the few street names as well as an entry corresponding to a specific location in the selected city.

Claims

1. A data table in a memory in a vehicle navigation system having a display, the data table comprising:

first data corresponding to a first plurality of cities for which at least one street name is available for presentation on the display; and

second data corresponding to a second plurality of cities for which no street names are available for presentation on the display;

wherein the second data correspond to a first specific location in each of the second plurality of cities.

2. The data table of claim 1 wherein a first portion of the first data corresponds to a third plurality of cities for which only selected street names are available for presentation on the display, the first portion of the first data corresponding to the selected street names and a second specific location in each of the third plurality of cities.

3. The data table of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of cities include digitized cities represented in a map database.

4. The data table of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of cities include partially digitized cities represented in a map database.

5. The data table of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of cities are non-digitized cities represented in a map database.

6. The data table of claim 1, wherein the first specific location corresponds to a point of interest in each of the second plurality of cities.

7. The data table of claim 1, wherein the first specific location corresponds to a city center in each of the second plurality of cities.

8. A method for generating an enhanced city data table in a vehicle navigation system having a display, the method comprising:

identifying a first plurality of cities not represented in a city data table, the city data table having first data therein corresponding to a second plurality of cities for which at least one street name is available for presentation on the display; and

adding second data corresponding to the first plurality of cities to the city data table thereby generating the enhanced city data table, the second data corresponding to a first specific location in each of the first plurality of cities.

9. The data table of claim 8, wherein the first plurality of cities include non-digitized cities.

10. The data table of claim 8, wherein the second plurality of cities are partially digitized cities.

11. The data table of claim 8, wherein the second plurality of cities are digitized cities.

12. The data table of claim 8, wherein the first specific location is a point of interest in each of the first plurality of cities.

13. The data table of claim 8, wherein the first specific location is a city center in each of the first plurality of cities.

14. The data table of claim 8, wherein the enhanced city data table is generated while the navigation system is operating.

15. The data table of claim 8, wherein the enhanced city list is generated when the system boots up.

16. The data table of claim 8, wherein the enhanced city list is generated in response to a request to use the data table.