Navigation system

• US 6,671,618 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hoisko, Jyrki
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/015,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20020111737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/205, 701/209, 701/300, 701/302
• US Class Current: 701/205
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3652 Guidance using non-audiovisual output, e.g. tactile, haptic or electric stimuli

Abstract

A navigation system comprises at least one tactile actuator. The tactile actuator is adapted to provide tactile navigation stimulus for the user of the system. A controller is provided for controlling the operation of the at least one tactile actuator based on information associated with the position of the user. In operation the position of the user and the direction to which the user should move are determined. The user is then guided by means of the tactile navigation stimulus. The navigation system may be implemented as a portable navigator apparatus that comprises at least one tactile actuator and a controller. The portable navigation apparatus may also comprise means for determining information associated with the position of the user.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising

means for detecting the direction of movement of a user of the system;

at least one tactile actuator adapted to provide directional guidance by means of tactile navigation stimulus for the user of the system; and

a controller for controlling the operation of the at least one tactile actuator based on information associated with the detected direction of movement of the user.

2. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a portable unit that is carried by the user.

3. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to use information associated with the geographical location of the user when controlling the operation of the at least one tactile actuator.

4. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a controller unit that is located remotely from the user.

5. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the direction comprise a digital compass.

6. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the direction comprise a digital accelerometer or a gyroscope.

7. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to determine the direction based on at least a first and a second geographical location that have been determined for the user.

8. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for providing information associated with the geographical location of the user.

9. A navigation system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means for providing the location information comprise at least one of the following systems:

a global positioning system (GPS);

a differential GPS (D-GPS);

a location service provided by means of a cellular communication network.

10. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operation of the at least one tactile actuator is also controlled based on information associated with a destination location of the user.

11. A navigation system as claimed in claim 10, comprising user interface for input of information associated with the destination location.

12. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to define a route between a location on the way to a destination location and the destination location.

13. A navigation system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller is adapted to define the position of the user relative to said defined route and to operate the tactile actuator to guide the user to follow said defined route.

14. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tactile actuator is provided in association with a mobile station.

15. A navigation system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the mobile station is a mobile station for communication via a cellular communication network.

16. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one tactile actuator is attached to the body of the user by means of a belt.

17. A navigation system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the belt is a chest belt.

18. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two tactile actuators are provided.

19. A navigation system as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the tactile actuators is for indication of a predefined direction.

20. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one tactile actuator is a separated element from the controller and wherein the control instructions are communicated from the controller to the separated element via a wireless interface.

21. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one tactile actuator provides the stimulus by means of vibration.

22. A navigation system as claimed in claim 21, wherein different vibration patterns are provided.

23. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one tactile actuator is adapted to provide stimulus based on a stimulus that has been selected from the following list:

heat;

electric shock;

pressure.

24. A portable navigator apparatus, comprising:

at least one tactile actuator adapted to provide directional guidance by means of tactile navigation stimulus for the user of the apparatus; and

a controller for controlling the operation of the at least one tactile actuator based on information associated with the direction of movement of the user.

25. A portable navigation apparatus as claimed in claim 24, comprising means for determining information associated with the position of the user.

26. A portable navigation apparatus as claimed in claim 24, the position information comprises at least one direction vector.

27. A portable navigation apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the position information comprises information associated with the geographical location of the user.

28. A portable navigation apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein at least one of the tactile actuators is adapted to provide stimulus based on a stimulus that has been selected from the following list:

vibration;

heat;

electric shock;

pressure.

29. A navigation method comprising:

determining the direction of movement of a user of a navigation apparatus;

determining a direction to which the user should move; and

providing directional guidance to the user by means of tactile navigation stimulus,

wherein said stimulus is generated based on information associated with the determined direction of movement of the user and said direction.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein direction information is processed based on direction vectors.

31. A method as claimed in claim 29, comprising the further step of determining information associated with the geographical location the user.

32. A method as claimed in claim 29, comprising a step of inputting information associated with a destination of the user.

33. A method as claimed in claim 29, comprising steps of defining a desired route between a location of the user and a destination location and providing the guidance based on said desired route.

34. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein a first tactile actuator is operated to guide the user to a direction and a second tactile actuator is operated to guide the user to another direction.

35. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein a tactile navigation stimulus is generated in response to detection that the user has deviated more than a predefined amount from said direction.

36. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the tactile navigation stimulus is provided by means of at least one of the following techniques:

vibration;

heat;

electricity;

pressure.

37. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein different stimulus patterns are provided.

38. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the user is provided with a tactile navigation stimulus that is indicative of the distance to the destination.

39. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the user is provided with information associated with the quality of the tactile navigation stimulus.

40. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the user is informed of the reliability of the tactile navigation stimulus by means of a further stimulus generated by the navigation apparatus.