Points of interest for a navigation system

• US 6,374,180 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beacon Navigation GmbH (Beacon Navigation Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magellan DIS, Inc.
• Inventors: Millington, Jeffrey Alan, Slominski, Anthony A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/661,982
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/201, 701/207, 701/209, 701/211, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/208
• 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 navigation system that enables a user to search for points of interest across categories is provided. The user may enter a character string of a desired destination into the navigation system using a user input device. The navigation system will search for points of interest in the database for the character string. The character string may be from the first portion of the name of the point of interest or somewhere in the middle of the name of the point of interest. In this manner, the user will be able to locate a point of interest from the database while having a partially incorrect name. Additionally, the navigation system may relate the points of interest to the vehicle location, such as by vehicle direction or proximity of the points of interest to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of finding a desired destination in a navigation system comprising the steps of:

a) entering a character string of a desired destination into the navigation system;

b) searching points of interest in a database for the character string;

c) sensing vehicle travel information;

d) organizing a hit list including the points of interest containing the character string with reference to the vehicle travel information; and

e) displaying the hit list.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the character string includes at least one character.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the points of interest are organized by categories, and step b) includes searching across the categories.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle travel information includes vehicle position, and step d) includes organizing the hit list in order of closest point of interest to the vehicle position to farthest point of interest to the vehicle position within a predetermined radius.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle travel information includes vehicle direction, and step d) includes organizing the hit list in order of closest point of interest in the direction of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto to the farthest point of interest within a predetermined radius in the direction of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein step d) includes further organizing the hit list within a predetermined radius in order of closest point of interest in the direction opposite of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto to farthest point of interest in the direction opposite of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the desired destination is represented by a name, and step b) includes searching for the character string anywhere in the name.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein step c) occurs at predetermined intervals for sensing new vehicle travel information, and the method further includes the steps of:

f) updating the hit list including the points of interest containing the character string with reference to the new vehicle travel information; and

g) displaying an updated hit list.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle travel information includes vehicle position, and step d) includes displaying the hit list in order of closest point of interest to the vehicle position to farthest point of interest to the vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle travel information includes vehicle direction, and step d) includes displaying the hit list in order of closest point of interest in the direction of the vehicle direction.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein step d) includes displaying the hit list in order of closest point of interest in the direction of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto to farthest point of interest.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein step d) includes displaying the hit list in order of closest point of interest in the direction of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto to farthest point of interest in the direction of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto.

9. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a user input device for entering a character string from a portion of a name of a desired destination;

a database having points of interest organized by categories;

at least one navigation sensor for detecting vehicle travel information including vehicle position and vehicle direction;

a display device; and

a CPU connected to said input and output devices, said at least one navigation sensor, and said database, said CPU generating a hit list including points of interest containing said character string and organized with reference to said vehicle travel information, said hit list displayed on said display device in response to said character string.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the CPU organizes the hit list in order of closest point of interest to the vehicle position to farthest point of interest to the vehicle position within a predetermined radius.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the CPU organizes the hit list in order of closest point of interest in the direction of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto to farthest point of interest within a predetermined radius in the direction of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the CPU further organizes the hit list within a predetermined radius in order of closest point of interest in a direction opposite of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular to the farthest point of interest in the direction opposite of the vehicle direction and approximately perpendicular thereto.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the points of interest are organized by categories, and the CPU searches across the categories.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein said desired destination is represented by a name, and said CPU searches for said character string anywhere in said name.