Method and apparatus for navigation using a portable communication device

• US 6,317,684 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Yuming, Roeseler, Armin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US09/469,266
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 701/202, 701/209, 701/200, 701/211, 340/988, 340/995, 340/998
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus and method for route planning and navigation using a portable communication device. A route planning and navigation unit receives a route request from a caller. The route planning and navigation unit checks the latest traffic/road condition data, long term map database, knowledge database, Internet resources, if necessary, and then determines the best route for the driver to reach the destination. The caller may also enter general destination information and be prompted to may a selection from the possible choices. The route planning and navigation unit may also provide exact location information to police officers and emergency personnel, if necessary. During the navigation phase, the caller may receive turn-by-turn navigation and reminders to change lanes in preparation for turns, etc. The route planning and navigation unit may monitor the caller'"'"'s location, speed, and direction, and provide the caller with updates based on new traffic or road condition changes affecting the caller'"'"'s route.

Claims

1. A method for navigation using a portable communication device in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a route planning request from a caller;

receiving the caller'"'"'s current position from the portable communication device;

receiving route data inputs including a route destination from the caller;

checking dynamic traffic and road condition data from a real-time traffic data source;

determining the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the received caller'"'"'s current position, traffic and road condition data and the caller'"'"'s route data inputs;

outputting the planned route to the caller through the portable communication device while the caller is enroute to the destination; and

prompting the caller to confirm if the planned route is acceptable, and if the caller indicates that the planned route is unacceptable, changing the planned route by one of an automatic change or using the caller'"'"'s inputted change.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device is one of a cellular telephone, a wireless satellite phone, a pager, a portable computer, or a facsimile machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step outputs the planned route by at least one of an audible output or by a text output.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a route ID to the caller'"'"'s planned route; and

storing the caller'"'"'s planned route according to the route ID in a memory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller'"'"'s current position is determined by using one of a GPS satellite receiver located in the caller'"'"'s portable communication device or a network triangulation technique.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step provides navigation instructions by one of a turn-by-turn basis or at the caller'"'"'s request.

7. A method for navigation using a portable communication device in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a route planning request from a caller;

receiving the caller'"'"'s current position from the portable communication device;

receiving route data inputs including a route destination from the caller, wherein the receiving route data inputs step receives the caller'"'"'s route data inputs via one of DTMF codes or speech recognition;

checking dynamic traffic and road condition data from a real-time traffic data source;

determining the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the received caller'"'"'s current position, traffic and road condition data and the caller'"'"'s route data inputs; and

outputting the planned route to the caller through the portable communication device while the caller is enroute to the destination.

8. A method for navigation using a portable communication device in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a route planning request from a caller;

receiving the caller'"'"'s current position from the portable communication device;

receiving route data inputs including a route destination from the caller;

checking dynamic traffic and road condition data from a real-time traffic data source;

determining the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the received caller'"'"'s current position, traffic and road condition data and the caller'"'"'s route data inputs;

outputting the planned route to the caller through the portable communication device while the caller is enroute to the destination;

prompting the caller to confirm if the planned route is acceptable, and if the caller indicates that the planned route is unacceptable, changing the planned route by one of an automatic change or using the caller'"'"'s inputted change;

continuously monitoring traffic and road condition data from the real-time traffic data source; and

providing the caller with updated traffic information based on information received from the real-time traffic source.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

changing the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the updated traffic and road condition data; and

notifying the caller that the caller'"'"'s planned route has been changed.

10. A method for navigation using a portable communication device in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a route planning request from a caller;

receiving the caller'"'"'s current position from the portable communication device;

receiving route data inputs including a route destination from the caller;

checking dynamic traffic and road condition data from a real-time traffic data source;

determining the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the received caller'"'"'s current position, traffic and road condition data and the caller'"'"'s route data inputs; and

outputting the planned route to the caller through the portable communication device while the caller is enroute to the destination, wherein the outputting step provides the caller with a warning prior to a planned turn in the route and the warning includes traffic lane information.

11. A method for navigation using a portable communication device in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a route planning request from a caller;

receiving the caller'"'"'s current position from the portable communication device;

receiving route data inputs including a route destination from the caller;

checking dynamic traffic and road condition data from a real-time traffic data source;

determining the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the received caller'"'"'s current position, traffic and road condition data and the caller'"'"'s route data inputs;

outputting the planned route to the caller through the portable communication device while the caller is enroute to the destination;

providing a direct link to 911 emergency system; and

providing the caller'"'"'s positional information to emergency personnel in the 911 emergency system upon the caller'"'"'s request.

12. An apparatus for navigation using a portable communication device in a communication network, comprising:

a memory for storing map and route date; and

a controller that receives a route planning request from a caller, receives the caller'"'"'s current position from the portable communication device, receives route data inputs including a route destination from the caller, checks dynamic traffic and road condition data from a real-time traffic data source, determines the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the received caller'"'"'s current position, traffic and road condition data and the caller'"'"'s route data inputs, and outputs the planned route to the caller through the portable communication device while the caller is enroute to the destination, wherein the controller prompts the caller to confirm if the planned route is acceptable, and if the caller indicates that the planned route is unacceptable, the controller changes the planned route by one of an automatic change or using the caller'"'"'s inputted change.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the portable communication device is one of a cellular telephone, a wireless satellite phone, a pager, a portable computer, and a facsimile machine.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller outputs the planned route by at least one of an audible output or by a text output.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller receives the caller'"'"'s route data inputs via one of DTMF codes or speech recognition.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller assigns a route ID to the caller'"'"'s planned route, and stores the caller'"'"'s planned route according to the route ID in the memory.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller changing the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the updated traffic and road condition data, and notifies the caller that the caller'"'"'s planned route has been changed.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller determines the caller'"'"'s current position using one of a GPS satellite receiver located in the caller'"'"'s portable communication device or a network triangulation technique.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller outputs navigation instructions by one of a turn-by-turn basis or at the caller'"'"'s request.

20. An apparatus for navigation using a portable communication device in a communication network, comprising:

a memory for storing map and route date; and

a controller that receives a route planning request from a caller, receives the caller'"'"'s current position from the portable communication device, receives route data inputs including a route destination from the caller, checks dynamic traffic and road condition data from a real-time traffic data source, determines the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the received caller'"'"'s current position, traffic and road condition data and the caller'"'"'s route data inputs, and outputs the planned route to the caller through the portable communication device while the caller is enroute to the destination, wherein the controller prompts the caller to confirm if the planned route is acceptable, and if the caller indicates that the planned route is unacceptable, the controller changes the planned route by one of an automatic change or using the caller'"'"'s inputted change, and wherein the controller continuously monitors traffic and road condition data from the real-time traffic data source, and provides the caller with updated traffic information based on information received from the real-time traffic source.

21. An apparatus for navigation using a portable communication device in a communication network, comprising:

a memory for storing map and route date; and

a controller that receives a route planning request from a caller, receives the caller'"'"'s current position from the portable communication device, receives route data inputs including a route destination from the caller, checks dynamic traffic and road condition data from a real-time traffic data source, determines the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the received caller'"'"'s current position, traffic and road condition data and the caller'"'"'s route data inputs, and outputs the planned route to the caller through the portable communication device while the caller is enroute to the destination, and wherein the controller provides the caller with a warning prior to a planned turn in the route and the warning includes traffic lane information.

22. An apparatus for navigation using a portable communication device in a communication network, comprising:

a memory for storing map and route date; and

a controller that receives a route planning request from a caller, receives the caller'"'"'s current position from the portable communication device, receives route data inputs including a route destination from the caller, checks dynamic traffic and road condition data from a real-time traffic data source, determines the caller'"'"'s planned route based on the received caller'"'"'s current position, traffic and road condition data and the caller'"'"'s route data inputs, and outputs the planned route to the caller through the portable communication device while the caller is enroute to the destination, and wherein the controller provides a direct link to 911 emergency system, and provides the caller'"'"'s positional information to emergency personnel in the 911 emergency system upon the caller'"'"'s request.