Navigation system with zoomed maneuver instruction

• US 6,529,822 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Didi (HK) Science and Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Magellan DIS, Inc.
• Inventors: Slominski, Anthony A., Millington, Jeffrey Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu
• Application Number:
  US09/547,004
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200-211, 701/213-216, 701/23, 701/25, 701/26, 382/104, 382/113, 340/995, 340/988-990, 345/619, 345/620, 345/682, 345/684, 345/472, 345/671, 345/801
• US Class Current: 701/206
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle navigation system provides a zoomed maneuver instruction view which displays a magnified view of the upcoming maneuver. Display of the zoomed maneuver instruction view is preferably related to the complexity of the road segments adjacent the upcoming maneuver. In one embodiment, the zoomed maneuver instruction view is displayed if more than N numbers of shape points are within a predetermined distance along the recommended route. In another embodiment, the zoomed maneuver instruction view is displayed if the recommended route includes an upcoming complex maneuver adjacent a road segment with more than N number of shape points. Preferably, the CPU will continue to magnify the complex maneuver in the zoomed maneuver instruction view as the vehicle and associated vehicle icon progresses through the complex maneuver.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a database including a plurality of roads;

a route determination system, said system determining a route to a destination via a plurality of maneuvers on said plurality of roads, said plurality of maneuvers including a first maneuver adjacent a first road segment;

a CPU for determining a complexity of said first road segment based upon a comparison of a number of shape points in the first road segment to a threshold; and

a display for displaying a zoomed maneuver instruction view of said first maneuver based upon said first maneuver being an immediately upcoming maneuver and the number of shape points exceeding the threshold.

2. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1 further including,

a system for determining the position of the vehicle relative to said database of roads; and

a user input device for selecting a desired destination for the vehicle relative to said database of roads.

3. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein a beginning point and an end point of said road segment are stored within said database.

4. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 3, wherein said beginning point and said end point of said road segment are stored as latitudes and longitudes.

5. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one of the shape points located between said beginning point and said end point of said road segment is stored within said database.

6. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 5 wherein said shape point of said road segment is stored as a latitude and a longitude.

7. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 5 wherein said shape point is stored as a latitude and a longitude relative to a previous point of said road segment.

8. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 5 wherein said CPU identifies a number of said shape points within a predetermined distance from a current position of a vehicle to the first maneuver to determine said complexity of said road segment.

9. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein said display displays a map display view until the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of said first maneuver.

10. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 9, wherein said zoomed maneuver instruction view is a magnified view of said map display view.

11. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 10, wherein said CPU continually adjusts said zoomed maneuver instruction view on said display closer to said first maneuver in response to a position of the vehicle relative to said first maneuver.

12. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein said CPU adjusts said zoomed maneuver instruction view on said display to display said first maneuver and said vehicle icon.

13. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 12, wherein said CPU adjusts said display to display said first maneuver and said vehicle icon within a border defined within said display.

14. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 13, wherein said CPU stops adjustment of said zoomed maneuver instruction view on said display when said first maneuver fills said display.

15. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 13, wherein said CPU stops adjustment of said zoomed maneuver instruction view on said display when said first maneuver fills a border defined within said display.

16. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 13, wherein said CPU moves said vehicle icon along said first maneuver in response to a position of the vehicle relative to said first maneuver.

17. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1 further including,

displaying a vehicle icon relative to said database of roads while displaying said zoomed maneuver instruction view of said first maneuver.

18. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a database including a plurality of roads, each of said plurality of roads including a road segment stored within said database as a beginning point, an end point, and at least one shape point therebetween;

a user input device for selecting a desired destination for a vehicle relative to said database of roads;

a route determination system, said system determining a route to said destination via a plurality of maneuvers on said plurality of roads, said plurality of maneuvers including a first maneuver between a first road segment and a second road segment;

a position determining system, said position determining system determining a position of the vehicle relative to said plurality of roads and said first maneuver;

a CPU for identifying a quantity of said shape points to determine a complexity of said first and said second road segment based upon a comparison of the quantity of shape points to a threshold; and

a display for displaying a map display view until the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of said first maneuver, said display selectively displaying a zoomed maneuver instruction view of said first maneuver is if the quantity of shape points exceeds the threshold, and if said first maneuver is an immediately upcoming maneuver.

19. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 18 wherein said beginning point, said end point and said shape point of said road segments are each stored as a latitude and a longitude.

20. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 19 wherein said shape point is stored as a latitude and a longitude relative to a previous point.

21. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 18, wherein said zoomed maneuver instruction view is a magnified view of said map display view.

22. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 18 wherein said CPU identifies a predetermined number of said shape points within said road segments to determine said complexity of said road segments.

23. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 18 wherein said CPU identifies a number of said shape points within a predetermined distance from the position of the vehicle to the first maneuver to determine said complexity.

24. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 23 wherein said predetermined distance includes a plurality of said road segments.

25. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 18, wherein said CPU adjusts said zoomed maneuver instruction view on said display to display said first maneuver and said vehicle icon.

26. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 18, wherein said CPU continually adjusts said zoomed maneuver instruction view on said display closer to said first maneuver in response to a position of the vehicle relative to said first maneuver.

27. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 26, wherein said CPU stops adjustment of said zoomed maneuver instruction view on said display when said first maneuver substantially fills said display.

28. A vehicle navigation system as recited in claim 27, wherein said CPU moves said vehicle icon along said first maneuver in response to a position of the vehicle relative to said first maneuver.

29. The vehicle navigation system of claim 18 further including,

displaying a vehicle icon relative to said database of roads while displaying said zoomed maneuver instruction view of said first maneuver.

30. A method for navigating a vehicle including the steps of:

(a) determining a route on a plurality of roads to a destination via a plurality of maneuvers, said route including a first maneuver;

(b) determining a complexity of a road segment adjacent said first maneuver, by comparing a number of shape points in the road segment to a threshold; and

(c) displaying a zoomed view of said maneuver in response to said complexity of said first maneuver determined in said step (b) if the number of shape points exceeds the threshold and if the first maneuver is an immediately upcoming maneuver.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said step (c) includes magnifying a 2-dimensional map view.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said step (b) is based upon a shape point quantity within a predetermined distance.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said predetermined distance includes the road segment.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein said step (c) includes displaying a map display view until the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of said first maneuver.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein said step (c) includes displaying a map display view until a position of the vehicle represented by a vehicle icon and said first maneuver represented by a first maneuver instruction are located within a border.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said step (c) includes magnifying said zoomed view to maintain said vehicle icon and said first maneuver instruction within said border.

37. The method of claim 30 wherein said step (c) includes magnifying said zoomed maneuver instruction view in response to a position of the vehicle relative to said first maneuver.

38. The method of claim 30 wherein said step (c) includes displaying a vehicle icon relative to said first maneuver while displaying said zoomed view of said first maneuver.

39. A method for navigating a vehicle including the steps of:

(a) determining a route on a plurality of roads to a destination via a plurality of maneuvers, said route including a next maneuver;

(b) determining the position of the vehicle relative to the plurality of roads;

(c) displaying the plurality of roads and a vehicle icon at the position of the vehicle at a first level of magnification;

(d) after said step (c), comparing a number of shape points within a predetermined distance of the position of the vehicle on the route to a threshold;

(e) if the number of shape points exceeds the threshold, displaying the vehicle icon, said plurality of roads and said next maneuver at an increased level of magnification greater than the first level of magnification.

40. A method for navigating a vehicle including the steps of:

(a) determining a route on a plurality of roads to a destination via a plurality of maneuvers, said route including a next maneuver;

(b) determining the position of the vehicle relative to the plurality of roads;

(c) displaying the plurality of roads and a vehicle icon at the position of the vehicle at a first level of magnification;

(d) after said step (c), comparing a number of shape points in a road segment adjacent said next maneuver to a threshold;

(e) if the number of shape points exceeds the threshold, displaying the vehicle icon, said plurality of roads and said next maneuver at an increased level of magnification greater than the first level of magnification.