Systems and methods for a navigational device with forced layer switching based on memory constraints
First Claim
1. An electronic navigational aid device, comprising:
- a processor;
a memory adapted to communicate with the processor, the memory having cartographic data including any number of locations, a set of criteria, and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations;
wherein the plurality of thoroughfares are organized in a hierarchy of detail levels; and
wherein the processor operates on a route calculation algorithm to find a path between any two of the number of locations, and wherein the route calculation algorithm forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels based on said set of criteria.
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Abstract
Systems, devices and methods are provided for more efficient use of RAM and other resources in connection with a route calculation algorithm which quickly obtains a best or reasonable best path between two locations. The navigational aid device includes forced layer switching capabilities. The navigational aid device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The memory has cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. The plurality of thoroughfares are organized in a hierarchy of detail levels. The processor operates on a route calculation algorithm to find a path between any two of the number of locations and the route calculation algorithm dynamically forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels based on a set of criteria.
20 Citations
37 Claims
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1. An electronic navigational aid device, comprising:
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a processor;
a memory adapted to communicate with the processor, the memory having cartographic data including any number of locations, a set of criteria, and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations;
wherein the plurality of thoroughfares are organized in a hierarchy of detail levels; and
wherein the processor operates on a route calculation algorithm to find a path between any two of the number of locations, and wherein the route calculation algorithm forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels based on said set of criteria. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
a number of jump segments requirement;
a distance requirement;
a minimum memory usage requirement;
a maximum memory usage requirement; and
an at least one jump segment requirement.
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5. The device of claim 4, wherein the distance requirement includes a minimum distance requirement, the minimum distance requirement being at least 3 kilometers.
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6. The device of claim 4, wherein the set of criteria are independently variable in order to tailor an aggressiveness with which the route calculation algorithm forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels.
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7. The device of claim 1, wherein device includes a portable electronic navigational aid device.
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8. The device of claim 7, wherein the portable electronic navigational aid device includes a personal digital assistant (PDA).
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9. The device of claim 7, wherein the portable electronic navigational aid device includes a wireless communications device.
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10. An electronic navigational aid device with forced layer switching based on memory constraints, comprising:
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a processor;
a memory in communication with the processor, the memory having cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations;
wherein the plurality of types of thoroughfares are contained in a data structure organized in a hierarchy of detail layers; and
wherein the processor operates on a route calculation algorithm and the hierarchy of detail layers to find a convergence between any two of the number of locations, and wherein the route calculation algorithm forces switching to another layer in the hierarchy of detail layers based on a set of criteria, the set of criteria including a maximum memory usage requirement and an at least one jump segment requirement. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
a number of jump segments requirement;
a distance requirement; and
a minimum memory usage requirement.
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14. The device of claim 13, wherein the minimum memory usage requirement at a greatest layer of detail in the hierarchy of detail layers is at least 2% of available space on the memory.
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15. The device of claim 10, wherein the presence of a type of thoroughfare in any given layer of the hierarchy of detail layers is determined by a traversability of the thoroughfare.
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16. The device of claim 10, wherein the device further includes a display in communication with the processor and the memory and adapted to display a solution between any two of the number of locations.
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17. A navigation aid method for forced layer switching based on memory constraints, comprising:
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organizing in memory data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types according to a hierarchy of detail layers, the thoroughfares of the plurality of types connecting a number of locations;
using a route calculation algorithm to find a convergence between any two of the number of locations; and
wherein using the route calculation algorithm includes forcing layer switching to another layer in the hierarchy of detail layers by assigning a set of criteria to the algorithm, the set of criteria including a maximum memory usage requirement and an at least one jump segment requirement. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
a number of jump segments requirement;
a distance requirement; and
a minimum memory usage requirement.
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21. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of criteria are independently variable at each layer in the hierarchy of detail layers.
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22. The method of claim 20, wherein assigning the minimum memory usage requirement at a greatest layer of detail in the hierarchy of detail layers is at least 2% of available space on the memory.
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23. The method of claim 20, wherein organizing in memory data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types according to a hierarchy of detail layers includes organizing the thoroughfares of a plurality of types by a traversability of the thoroughfares.
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24. The method of claim 17, wherein the method includes a computer-accessible medium having executable instructions stored thereon capable of directing a processor to perform the method.
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25. A navigation aid method for forced layer switching, comprising:
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using a data structure indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types organized according to a hierarchy of detail layers and having node locations connecting the thoroughfares of the plurality of types;
beginning at a first node location, evaluating a number of adjacent nodes for a convergence between a first node location and a second node location;
for each evaluated adjacent nodes, evaluating a next adjacent node;
maintaining a list of nodes having a jump segment to a next layer in the hierarchy of detail layers and maintaining a running total of nodes explored from a given jump segment node;
maintaining a set of criteria; and
forcing a layer switch in the hierarchy of detail layers based on said set of criteria. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A navigation system for forced layer switching, comprising:
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a server having a processor and memory, the memory having cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations, and wherein the plurality of types of thoroughfares are contained in a data structure organized in a hierarchy of detail layers;
wherein the processor operates on a route calculation algorithm and the hierarchy of detail layers to find a convergence between any two of the number of locations; and
wherein the route calculation algorithm dynamically forces switching to another layer in the hierarchy of detail layers based on a set of criteria, the set of criteria including a maximum memory usage requirement which is independently variable on a per layer basis. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
a mass data storage adapted to store navigation data; and
a navigation device adapted to communicate with and retrieve navigation data from the server via a communication channel, wherein the navigation device includes a display adapted to display a convergence between any two of the number of locations.
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35. The navigation system of claim 34, wherein the communication channel includes a wireless channel.
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36. The navigation system of claim 34, wherein the server includes a processor adapted to respond to a request from the navigation device by performing calculations on the cartographic data and transmitting results to the navigation device.
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37. The navigation system of claim 34, wherein the navigation device adapted to communicate with and retrieve navigation data from the server using cellular communication technology.
Specification