Navigation system with game playing feature

• US 6,401,033 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2000
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navigation Technologies Corp. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Paulauskas, Theresa, Paulauskas, Cynthia
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US09/654,556
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/207, 701/36, 701/213, 701/200, 701/201, 701/208, 463/25, 463/29, 463/40, 340/990, 370/310, 455/899
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A vehicle navigation system includes at least one game program that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database to conduct a game session via a user interface of the navigation system.

Claims

1. A method of operation for a vehicle navigation system, the method comprising:

accepting an input from a user of the navigation system that indicates the user'"'"'s interest in playing a game;

running a game program on the vehicle navigation system, wherein the game program includes game rules and wherein the game program uses data from a geographic database and the game rules to conduct a game session via a user interface of the vehicle navigation system;

accepting input from the user of the vehicle navigation system to calculate a route to a destination specified by the user

determining a position of said vehicle navigation system;

providing data indicating said position to said game program; and

indicating information about a roadside sign close to said position as part of said game session;

wherein said information about a roadside sign comprises a first letter on said roadside sign.

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

making said game session relevant to said position.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing data indicating a calculated route to said game program; and

making said game session relevant to said calculated route.

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

presenting a trivia question via said user interface that relates to said position.

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

presenting questions about geographic features as part of another game program.

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

as part of said game program, forming a virtual opponent to play against the user.

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

as part of said game program, forming a virtual opponent to play against the user during said game session.

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

as part of said game program, presenting a trivia question via said user interface.

9. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

navigation system hardware comprising a processor and memory;

a user interface including hardware through which an end user can provide input requesting navigation information and hardware though which the end user can be provided navigation information;

a positioning system coupled to the navigation system hardware and adapted to provide an output indicative of a position of the navigation system;

a geographic database that contains data representing geographic features in an area around the vehicle navigation system; and

navigation system programming that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database and the output from the positioning system to provide navigation features to the end user via the user interface;

wherein the navigation system programming further comprises;

a game program that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database to conduct a game session via the user interface, wherein the game session is a trivia game.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein said game program uses the output of the positioning system to conduct the game session.

11. The invention of claim 9 wherein the game session presents trivia questions related to the position of the navigation system.

12. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

navigation system hardware comprising a processor and memory;

a user interface including hardware through which an end user can provide input requesting navigation information and hardware though which the end user can be provided navigation information, wherein the navigation information includes guidance for following a calculated route to a destination specified by the user;

a positioning system coupled to the navigation system hardware and adapted to provide an output indicative of a position of the navigation system;

a geographic database that contains data representing geographic features in an area around the vehicle navigation system; and

navigation system programming that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database and the output from the positioning system to provide navigation features to the end user via the user interface;

wherein the navigation system programming further comprises;

a game program that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database to conduct a game session via the user interface;

wherein the game session is a trivia game.

13. The invention of claim 12 wherein said game program uses the output of the positioning system to conduct the game session.

14. The invention of claim 12 wherein the game session presents trivia questions related to the position of the navigation system.

15. The invention of claim 12 wherein another game session comprises an alphabet driving game.

16. The invention of claim 12 wherein another game session uses the data in the geographic database to indicate via the user interface a first letter of signs along a road upon which a vehicle, in which the navigation system is installed, is traveling.

17. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

navigation system hardware comprising a processor and memory;

a user interface including hardware through which an end user can provide input requesting navigation information and hardware though which the end user can be provided navigation information;

a positioning system coupled to the navigation system hardware and adapted to provide an output indicative of a position of the navigation system;

a geographic database that contains data representing geographic features in an area around the vehicle navigation system; and

navigation system programming that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database and the output from the positioning system to provide navigation features to the end user via the user interface;

wherein the navigation system programming further comprises;

a game program that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database to conduct a game session via the user interface, wherein the game session is an alphabet driving game.

18. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

navigation system hardware comprising a processor and memory;

a user interface including hardware through which an end user can provide input requesting navigation information and hardware though which the end user can be provided navigation information;

a positioning system coupled to the navigation system hardware and adapted to provide an output indicative of a position of the navigation system;

a geographic database that contains data representing geographic features in an area around the vehicle navigation system; and

navigation system programming that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database and the output from the positioning system to provide navigation features to the end user via the user interface;

wherein the navigation system programming further comprises;

a game program that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database to conduct a game session via the user interface, wherein the game session is a road rally game.

19. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

navigation system hardware comprising a processor and memory;

a user interface including hardware through which an end user can provide input requesting navigation information and hardware though which the end user can be provided navigation information;

a positioning system coupled to the navigation system hardware and adapted to provide an output indicative of a position of the navigation system;

a geographic database that contains data representing geographic features in an area around the vehicle navigation system; and

navigation system programming that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database and the output from the positioning system to provide navigation features to the end user via the user interface;

wherein the navigation system programming further comprises;

a game program that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database to conduct a game session via the user interface, wherein the game session uses the data in the geographic database to indicate via the user interface a first letter of signs along a road upon which a vehicle in which the navigation system is installed is traveling.

20. A method of operation for a vehicle navigation system, the method comprising:

accepting an input from a user of the vehicle navigation system that indicates the user'"'"'s interest in playing a game;

running a game program on the vehicle navigation system, wherein the game program includes game rules and wherein the game program uses data from a geographic database and the game rules to conduct a game session via a user interface of the vehicle navigation system;

as part of said game program, presenting a trivia question via said user interface;

determining a position of said vehicle navigation system;

providing data indicating said position to said game program; and

indicating information about a roadside sign close to said position as part of said game session;

wherein said information about a roadside sign comprises a first letter on said roadside sign.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of:

making said game session relevant to said position.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

providing data indicating a calculated route to said game program; and

making said game session relevant to said calculated route.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of:

presenting a trivia question via said user interface that relates to said position.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of:

presenting questions about geographic features as part of another game program.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of:

as part of said game program, forming a virtual opponent to play against the user.

26. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of:

as part of said game program, forming a virtual opponent to play against the user during said game session.

27. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

navigation system hardware comprising a processor and memory;

a user interface including hardware through which an end user can provide input requesting navigation information and hardware though which the end user can be provided navigation information, wherein the navigation information includes guidance for following a calculated route to a destination specified by the user;

a positioning system coupled to the navigation system hardware and adapted to provide an output indicative of a position of the navigation system;

a geographic database that contains data representing geographic features in an area around the vehicle navigation system; and

navigation system programming that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database and the output from the positioning system to provide navigation features to the end user via the user interface;

wherein the navigation system programming further comprises;

a game program that runs on the navigation system hardware and that uses the data in the geographic database to conduct a game session via the user interface;

wherein the game session is a road rally game.