Mobile navigation system
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A method for providing an optimal route using real-time information for a navigation system comprising a client and a server, said server coupled to a computer network, said method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a wireless connection between the client and the server;
transmitting start and end route designations from the client to the server;
accessing real-time information by the server;
calculating the optimal route by the server, based on the real-time information and said start and end route designations;
formatting the optimal route into a non-proprietary, natural language description;
downloading said non-proprietary, natural language description to the client;
reconstructing the optimal route by the client using a local mapping database; and
displaying said optimal route on a display system coupled to the client.
6 Assignments
Litigations
3 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A client navigation system establishes a wireless connection to a navigation server on a computer network. The client requests a route by uploading start and stop specifications. The server calculates an optimal route based on real-time data available on the network. A generic natural language description is used to specify the optimal route downloaded to the client. The natural language description is independent from the local mapping database software on the client and includes a plain text description for each link using pre-defined generic terms. The client interprets the route, interfaces with the local mapping database and reconstructs the optimal route using a mapping reconstruction algorithm. The route is displayed on the client navigation system using whatever mapping database is present. An enhanced user-interface data-entry feature is provided that anticipates data being entered by users to minimize the data-entry process. The current time zone is derived from the current GPS position and is used to set the clock on the navigation system in the client. Maps are automatically scrolled on a display screen so that a representation of the automobile is always pointing to the right or to the left to allow for additional look-ahead space on certain display systems. A telephone coupled with the navigation system automatically displays the current local time for a called party upon dialing out. The dialed number is used to query a local database for providing local time information.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for providing an optimal route using real-time information for a navigation system comprising a client and a server, said server coupled to a computer network, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection between the client and the server;
transmitting start and end route designations from the client to the server;
accessing real-time information by the server;
calculating the optimal route by the server, based on the real-time information and said start and end route designations;
formatting the optimal route into a non-proprietary, natural language description;
downloading said non-proprietary, natural language description to the client;
reconstructing the optimal route by the client using a local mapping database; and
displaying said optimal route on a display system coupled to the client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
searching said local mapping database for a closest match of said street name and said turning orientation for each of said links; and
building the optimal route by combining each of said closest matches from said searching step.
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4. The method of claim 1, wherein said accessing step comprises the step of accessing a traffic database comprising current traffic conditions;
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querying said traffic database for determining current traffic conditions between locations defined by said start and end route designations.
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5. The method of claim 1, wherein said real-time information includes one or more from the set of:
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current traffic conditions;
highway ramp configurations;
current weather conditions;
constriction information;
road restrictions;
detour information; and
event traffic information.
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6. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless connection is accomplished using a cellular network.
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7. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting step includes the step of entering into a keypad data entry field, said start and stop route designations including a name for one or more of:
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a city;
a state;
a country; and
a street.
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8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of entering comprises the steps of:
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comparing data entered into the keypad data entry field with a database of allowable entries;
determining a set of conforming data items associated with said entered data;
applying a criterion to said set of conforming data items to determine an anticipated data item; and
displaying said anticipated data item in the data entry field.
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9. The method of claim 8, wherein said criterion defines a data item in said set of conforming data items that appears first alphabetically.
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10. The method of claim 8, wherein said criterion defines a data item in said set of conforming data items that is used most frequently.
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11. The method of claim 8, wherein said criterion defines a data item in said set of conforming data items that is used most recently.
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12. The method of claim 1, wherein said downloading step comprises the step of compressing said natural language description.
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13. The method of claim 1, wherein said calculating step further comprises the step of reading user-specific data in calculating the optimal route.
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14. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer network is the Internet.
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15. A mobile navigation system comprising:
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a navigation computer;
a wireless transceiver coupled to said navigation computer for connecting with a navigation server, said navigation server for calculating optimal routes based on real-time information, said optimal routes being formatted using a non-proprietary, natural language description;
a mapping database coupled to said navigation computer for reconstructing said optimal route from said non-proprietary, natural language description; and
a display screen coupled to said navigation computer for displaying said optimal route using said mapping database. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
a GPS receiver coupled to said navigation computer for monitoring position;
a telephonic device coupled to said wireless transceiver and said navigation computer for making and receiving telephone calls; and
a keypad coupled to said navigation computer for entering start and end route designations.
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17. The mobile navigation system of claim 15, wherein said display screen is used to display the mapping database in a head right configuration.
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18. The mobile navigation system of claim 15, wherein said display screen is used to display the mapping database in a head left configuration.
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19. The mobile navigation system of claim 16, further including a clock coupled to said navigation computer, wherein said navigation computer is programmed to set said clock to an accurate local time in accordance with a time from said GPS receiver and a current time zone.
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20. The mobile navigation system of claim 15, further including a clock coupled to said navigation computer, and said telephonic device, wherein said navigation computer is programmed to indicate from said clock a local time of a called party based on a dialed number.
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21. A method for providing an optimal route using real-time information from a server of a navigation system, the navigation system also comprising a client and said server coupled to a computer network, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection with the client;
receiving at the server start and end route designations from the client;
calculating at the server the optimal route based on real-time information at the server and said start and end route designations;
formatting at the server the optimal route into a non-proprietary, natural language description;
downloading from the server said non-proprietary, natural language description to the client so that the client can reconstruct the optimal route using a local mapping database and display said optimal route on a display system coupled to the client.
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22. A method for providing an optimal route using real-time information at client of a navigation system, the navigation system also comprising a client and said server coupled to a computer network, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless connection with the server;
transmitting start and end route designations from the client to the server;
receiving from the server an optimal route formatted in a non-proprietary, natural language description and calculated based on real-time information and said start and end route designations;
reconstructing the optimal route using a local mapping database; and
displaying said optimal route on a display system coupled to the client.
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Specification