Method and system for providing instructions about tollways with a navigation system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of operation for a navigation system comprising:
- accepting a request from a vehicle driver to calculate a solution route to a destination indicated by the vehicle driver;
accessing a geographic database that contains information about whether exact change is required at toll gates; and
advising the vehicle driver that exact change is required at a toll gate located along the solution route.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation system provides a user thereof with warnings or advisories about toll gates that require exact change. The warnings or advisories are provided when the navigation system calculates a solution route to a destination specified by the user. The warnings or advisories are also provided when the user queries the navigation system about a particular specified portion of a road. The navigation system uses a geographic database that includes data about roads in a geographic region. The geographic database includes data about toll gates located along portions of roads including data about whether a toll gate along a portion or a road requires exact change.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of operation for a navigation system comprising:
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accepting a request from a vehicle driver to calculate a solution route to a destination indicated by the vehicle driver;
accessing a geographic database that contains information about whether exact change is required at toll gates; and
advising the vehicle driver that exact change is required at a toll gate located along the solution route. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 26)
in conjunction with the step of advising the vehicle driver that exact change is required at a toll gate located along the solution route, offering to calculate an alternative route.
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3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
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after advising the operator about said exact change, accepting a request from the vehicle driver to calculate an alternative route; and
calculating a new solution route that does not include driving to a toll gate at which exact change is required.
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4. The method of claim 1 wherein said navigation system is an in-vehicle system.
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5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a first message from the vehicle to a server, wherein the message indicates that said driver has been provided with driving instructions that direct the driver to drive to a toll gate;
on a database associated with said server, querying whether said toll gate requires exact change; and
transmitting a second message from said server to said vehicle indicating whether said toll gate requires exact change.
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6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
in conjunction with the step of advising the vehicle driver that exact change is required at said toll gate, advising the vehicle driver that change can be obtained at a toll gate located before the toll gate at which exact change is required.
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7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing the vehicle driver with driving instructions to follow the solution route.
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8. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of advising the vehicle driver is provided with a visual warning message on a display panel of the navigation system.
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26. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of advising the vehicle driver is provided with a visual warning message on a display panel of the navigation system.
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9. A method of operation for a navigation system installed in a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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receiving an inquiry through a user interface of said navigation system from a driver of said vehicle, wherein said inquiry asks whether a specified portion of a road includes a toll gate that requires exact change;
accessing a geographic database that contains information about whether exact change is required at toll gates along said road; and
in response to said inquiry, advising said driver whether said specified portion of a road includes a toll gate that requires exact change. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method of operation for a navigation system comprising:
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calculating a route to a destination using a geographic database;
using data contained in the geographic database to determine whether exact change is required along any roads in the route; and
advising an operator of said navigation system that exact change is required at a toll gate along the route. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
after advising the operator about said exact change, accepting a request from said driver to calculate an alternative route that does not require exact change at a toll gate along the alternative route.
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14. The method of claim 12 wherein said step of advising the operator is provided with a visual warning message on a display panel of the navigation system.
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15. A method of operating a navigation system to calculate a route, the method comprising:
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accepting input from an operator of said navigation system that indicates that a calculated route should not include toll gates at which exact change is required;
accepting input from the operator of said navigation system including at least a desired destination; and
if said input indicates that a calculated route should not include any toll gates at which exact change is required, accessing a geographic database that contains information about whether exact change is required at tollgates, and calculating a route to said desired destination excluding any road that includes a toll gate at which exact change is required. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of operation for a navigation for calculating routes, the method comprising:
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accepting a request from a user of the navigation system to avoid toll gates at which exact change is required;
accepting a request from the user to calculate a route to a specified destination;
accessing a geographic database to determine characteristics of roads, including whether a toll gate at which exact change is required is located along a road along said route;
calculating a solution route to the specified destination based upon the characteristics of roads, wherein said solution route does not include a road along which is located a toll gate at which exact change is required; and
indicating the solution route to the user.- View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method of operation for a navigation system comprising:
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accepting a request from a vehicle driver to calculate a solution route to a destination indicated by the vehicle driver;
accessing a geographic database to determine characteristics of roads, including whether a toll gate at which exact change is required is located along said route;
advising the vehicle driver that exact change is required at a toll gate located along the solution route;
after advising the operator about said exact change, accepting a request from the vehicle driver to calculate an alternative route; and
calculating a new solution route that does not include driving to the toll gate at which exact change is required. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
in conjunction with the step of advising the vehicle driver that exact change is required at a toll gate located along the solution route, offering to calculate an alternative route.
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22. The method of claim 20 wherein said navigation system is an in-vehicle system.
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23. The method of claim 20 further comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a first message from the vehicle to a server, wherein the message indicates that said driver has been provided with driving instructions that direct the driver to drive to a toll gate;
on a database associated with said server, querying whether said toll gate requires exact change; and
transmitting a second message from said server to said vehicle indicating whether said toll gate requires exact change.
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24. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of:
in conjunction with the step of advising the vehicle driver that exact change is required at said toll gate, advising the vehicle driver that change can be obtained at a toll gate located before the toll gate at which exact change is required.
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25. The method of claim 20 further comprising:
providing the vehicle driver with driving instructions to follow the solution route.
Specification