System and method for distributing information for storage media

• US 6,289,276 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2000
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navigation Technologies Corp. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Jasper, John, Shields, T. Russell, Ahrens, John, Kohler, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/636,229
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/208, 701/210, 701/211, 701/35, 340/990, 340/995, 707/10, 707/102, 707/104, 707/203, 705/14, 705/18, 713/192, 713/193
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system and method for distributing information for storage media, and in particular, for distributing updated navigation data, such as geographical data and navigation application programs, contained on storage media and used in in-vehicle navigation systems. A plurality of local repositories are located in a geographical area. Each of the local repositories includes updated versions of navigation data for the navigation systems. Owners of vehicles having navigation systems may visit any of the repositories from time to time where they can obtain updated versions of the navigation data for their navigation systems. Subscriptions for obtaining updated navigation data would be available to the owners of navigation systems that would entitle them to obtain updated navigation data from the repositories. Procedures for updating the local repositories are also provided. The system and method can be used for updating other types of software.

Claims

1. A method for distributing geographic data to end users'"'"' navigation systems comprising:

providing a remote central facility and a plurality of local terminals that can access the remote central facility by a communications system;

maintaining at said remote central facility a master end user database;

at one of said plurality of local terminals, accepting an end user'"'"'s data medium;

determining whether storage of geographic data onto said end user'"'"'s data medium at said local terminal is authorized by confirmation with said remote central facility; and

copying geographic data onto said end user'"'"'s data medium at said local terminal if said copying is authorized.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote central facility stores the geographic data that are copied onto the end user'"'"'s data medium.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one of said plurality of local terminals stores the geographic data that are copied onto the end user'"'"'s data medium.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the geographic data that are copied onto the end user'"'"'s data medium comprise new data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the geographic data that are copied onto the end user'"'"'s data medium comprises updated data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications system comprises a telephone modem connection.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of local terminals include personal computers.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

validating identification data contained on said end user'"'"'s data medium.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein said identification data contained on said end user'"'"'s data medium is encrypted.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing an end user with a selection of different geographic databases that can be copied onto said end user'"'"'s data medium.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein both the remote central facility and said plurality of local terminals store geographic data that are copied onto end users'"'"' data media.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

after copying geographic data onto said end user'"'"'s data medium, installing the data medium into the end user'"'"'s navigation system.

13. A system for distributing geographic data to end users'"'"' navigation systems comprising:

a remote central facility having first geographic data stored thereat;

an end user database located at said remote central facility;

a plurality of local terminals;

a communications system by which each of said plurality of local terminals can access the remote central facility; and

a data distribution program that writes geographic data obtained from said remote central facility onto an end user'"'"'s data medium at one of said plurality of local terminals upon confirming that the end user is authorized to obtain said geographic data.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein at least some of said plurality of local terminals have second geographic data stored thereat.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein each of said plurality of local terminals include slots into which end users'"'"' can insert data media to have geographic data written thereupon.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the communications system comprises a telephone modem connection.

17. A method for distributing a geographic database to an end user for use in a navigation system of the end user, the method comprising:

providing the end user with a data storage medium along with a navigation system wherein the data storage medium is removable from the navigation system;

providing a local terminal having an interface into which the end user can insert the data storage medium; and

providing a program that the end user can use from the local terminal to have geographic data written onto the data storage medium, wherein the program performs the steps of;

reading an identification code from the data storage medium;

confirming whether the end user is entitled to have the geographic data stored on the data storage medium; and

upon confirmation that the end user is entitled to have the geographic data stored on the data storage medium, writing the geographic data onto the data storage medium.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the geographic data that are written onto the data storage medium are obtained from a remote central facility over a communications system.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the geographic data that are written onto the data storage medium are obtained from a data storage device located at the local terminal.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

after the step of writing the geographic data onto the storage medium, installing the data storage medium in the navigation system of the end user.