Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences

• US 6,542,812 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silver State Intellectual Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Calcar, Inc.
• Inventors: Obradovich, Michael L., Pirtle, John D., Schebesch, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr.; William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman; Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/830,064
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200,201,208,209,210,211,212,213 340/990,995,988 342/357.06,357.09,357.13
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

In a navigation device, user profiles may be stored and used to navigate a user who may be driving in a vehicle, on foot, or in other mode of transportation. Each user profile corresponds to one of the user'"'"'s personae. For example, the user business profile corresponding to the user'"'"'s business persona may be different from the user personal profile corresponding to the user'"'"'s personal persona. For instance, the user business profile may include fine-dining type restaurants for business meetings while the user personal profile may instead include fast-food type restaurants for personal dining. The navigation device provides the user with a navigated route, together with information concerning the favorite facilities and events surrounding the navigated route, which satisfy the preferences in a selected user profile. In addition, blockages may also be established using the device to avoid selected areas, e.g., high crime rate areas, in the navigated route, or to block transmission of selected information concerning, e.g., uninteresting facilities and events, to the navigation device.

Claims

1. Apparatus for receiving a navigation request comprising:

a memory for storing at least one profile including preferences;

a device for providing data indicating a location of the apparatus;

an interface for providing navigation information, the navigation information including a set of favorites which is identified based on the preferences and the location of the apparatus; and

a processor responsive to the navigation request for determining based on the data whether the location of the apparatus is outside a predetermined range of an identified location of the apparatus, the interface providing navigation information which includes a second set of favorites when it is determined that the location of the apparatus is outside the predetermined range of the identified location of the apparatus, the second set of favorites being identified based on the preferences and the location of the apparatus indicated by the data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one profile comprises a personal profile including preferences relating to personal activities.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one profile comprises a business profile including preferences relating to business activities.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one profile comprises a vacation profile including preferences relating to vacation activities.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one profile comprises a preset profile which allows for editing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set of favorites concerns selected facilities.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the selected facilities include selected restaurants.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set of favorites concerns selected events.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the navigation information also includes information concerning a navigated route and a geographic relation of at least one of the favorites to the navigated route.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data includes global positioning system (GPS) based data.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a hand-held device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interface includes a display.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interface includes audio capabilities.

14. Navigation apparatus comprising:

a first interface for receiving a request for map related information concerning an area;

a second interface responsive to the request for providing the map related information, the map related information including data concerning at least one of facilities and events in the area, the data being received from an external source; and

a processor for providing an option to avoid receipt of data concerning the at least one of the facilities and events, wherein the option includes an option to avoid the receipt of the data within a selected period.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the map related information also includes information concerning traffic conditions.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the map related information also includes information concerning road conditions.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the map related information also includes information concerning weather conditions.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the map related information is organized according to GPS coordinates.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the data comprises an advertisement.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the advertisement is presented via video media.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the advertisement is presented via audio media.

22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the data is received from the external source through a communications network.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the communications network includes a wireless communications network.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the communications network includes at least part of the Internet.

25. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first interface includes the second interface.

26. The apparatus of claim 14 comprising a hand-held device.

27. Navigation apparatus comprising:

a first interface for receiving a request for a route to a destination;

a second interface for defining at least one area to be avoided; and

a processor for planning the route, which avoids the at least one area, the processor causing an output of information concerning the planned route, wherein a period during which the at least one area is to be avoided is defined.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the at least one area has a significant crime rate.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the second interface includes a display.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the at least one area is defined by tracing a representation thereof on the display.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the first interface includes the second interface.

32. The apparatus of claim 27 comprising a hand-held device.

33. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the period is limited.

34. A method for use in an apparatus for receiving a navigation request, the method comprising:

storing at least one profile including preferences;

providing data indicating a location of the apparatus;

providing navigation information, the navigation information including a set of favorites which is identified based on the preferences and the location of the apparatus; and

in response to the navigation request, determining based on the data whether the location of the apparatus is outside a predetermined range of an identified location of the apparatus; and

providing navigation information which includes a second set of favorites when it is determined that the location of the apparatus is outside the predetermined range of the identified location of the apparatus, the second set of favorites being identified based on the preferences and the location of the apparatus indicated by the data.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the at least one profile comprises a personal profile including preferences relating to personal activities.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the at least one profile comprises a business profile including preferences relating to business activities.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein the at least one profile comprises a vacation profile including preferences relating to vacation activities.

38. The method of claim 34 wherein the at least one profile comprises a preset profile which allows for editing.

39. The method of claim 34 wherein the set of favorites concerns selected facilities.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the selected facilities include selected restaurants.

41. The method of claim 34 wherein the set of favorites concerns selected events.

42. The method of claim 34 wherein the navigation information also includes information concerning a navigated route and a geographic relation of at least one of the favorites to the navigated route.

43. The method of claim 34 wherein the data includes GPS based data.

44. A method for use in a navigation apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a request for map related information concerning an area;

in response to the request, providing the map related information, the map related information including data concerning at least one of facilities and events in the area, the data being received from an external source; and

providing an option to avoid receipt of data concerning the at least one of the facilities and events, wherein the option includes an option to avoid the receipt of the data within a selected period.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the map related information also includes information concerning traffic conditions.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein the map related information also includes information concerning road conditions.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein the map related information also includes information concerning weather conditions.

48. The method of claim 44 wherein the map related information is organized according to GPS coordinates.

49. The method of claim 44 wherein the data comprises an advertisement.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the advertisement is presented via video media.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein the advertisement is presented via audio media.

52. The method of claim 44 wherein the data is received from the external source through a communications network.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the communications network includes a wireless communications network.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein the communications network includes at least part of the Internet.

55. A method for use in a navigation apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a route to a destination;

defining at least one area to be avoided;

planning the route, which avoids the at least one area; and

causing an output of information concerning the planned route, wherein a period during which the at least one area is to be avoided is defined.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the at least one area has a significant crime rate.

57. The method of claim 55 wherein the at least one area is defined by tracing a representation thereof on a display.

58. The method of claim 55 wherein the period is limited.