Vehicle navigation system

• US 6,871,141 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Völkel, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/841,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/207, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 701/24, 701/25, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.1, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application

Abstract

A navigation system is provided with various interlinked facilities, including a user I/O facility, a route planning facility and a position determining facility. In particular, the navigation system is arranged to physically interface to a data communication facility pertaining to organizer device. An embodiment of such system includes the navigation system arranged to signal actual route data to said organizer device for consideration in a preexistent timetable or diary context. Such system is preferably characterized in that said organizer device is arranged to signal actual diary or timetable data to said navigation system for consideration in a preexistent or future route scheme context.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation system provided with various interlinked facilities, comprising a user I/O facility, a route planning facility and a position determining facility, wherein the navigation system is arranged to interface to a data communication facility pertaining to an organizer device, said organizer device comprising a facility for storing and managing a personal time and place schedule, wherein there is bi-directional communication of system-operational data between said navigation system and said organizer, said bi-directional communication comprising said navigation system being arranged to signal actual route data to said organizer device for consideration in a preexistent timetable or diary context and comprising said organizer device being arranged to signal actual diary or timetable data to said navigation system for consideration in a preexistent or future route scheme context.

2. The navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said navigation system is physically interfaced to said data communication facility of said organizer device.

3. The navigation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said organizer device is integrated into said navigation system.

4. The navigation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said organizer device is connected to said navigation system through fixed interconnection means.

5. The navigation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said organizer device is connected to said navigation system through wireless interconnection means.

6. The navigation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the organizer device functionality is split into a first part that is integrated into said navigation system, and into a second part that is connected to said navigation system through a linking that is external relative to said navigation system.

7. A method for operating a vehicle navigation system provided with various interlinked facilities, including a user I/O facility, a route planning facility and a position determining facility, comprising interfacing the navigation system to a data communication facility pertaining to an organizer device, said organizer device comprising a facility for storing and managing a personal time and place schedule, wherein there is bi-directional communication of system-operational data between said navigation system and said organizer, said bi-directional communication comprising said navigation system being arranged to signal actual route data to said organizer device for consideration in a preexistent timetable or diary context and comprising said organizer device being arranged to signal actual diary or timetable data to said navigation system for consideration in a preexistent or future route scheme context.

8. A vehicle navigation system comprising a user I/O facility, a route planning facility, and a position determining facility, wherein the navigation system interfaces with a data communication facility of an organizer device, said organizer device comprising a facility for storing and managing a personal time and place schedule, wherein there is bi-directional communication of system-operational data between said navigation system and said organizer, said bi-directional communication comprising said navigation system providing said organizer device with actual route data for use in a timetable or diary of said organizer device and comprising said organizer device providing actual diary or timetable data to said navigation system for use in the navigation system'"'"'s route planning facility.

9. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein said organizer device is physically interfaced to said data communication facility of said organizer device.

10. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein said organizer device is integrated into the navigation system.

11. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein said organizer device interfaces with said navigation system through a wireless interconnection.

12. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein said organizer device is functionally split into a first part that is integrated into the navigation system, and a second part that is connected to the navigation system through an interface that is external relative to said navigation system.

13. A vehicle navigation system comprising a user I/O facility, a route planning facility, and a position determining facility, wherein the navigation system interfaces with a data communication facility of an organizer device, said organizer device comprising a facility for storing and managing a personal time and place schedule, wherein there is bi-directional communication of system-operational data between said navigation system and said organizer, wherein said organizer device provides diary or timetable data to said navigation system for use in the navigation system'"'"'s route planning facility, and wherein said navigation system provides actual route data to said organizer device for consideration in a timetable or diary context.

14. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein said organizer device is integrated into the navigation system.

15. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein said organizer device is functionally split into a first part that is integrated into the navigation system, and a second part that is connected to the navigation system through an interface that is external relative to said navigation system.

16. A method of operating a vehicle navigation system, comprising:

providing a navigation system in a vehicle, the navigation system comprising at least a route planning facility and a position determining facility;

interfacing an organizer device with the navigation system;

loading data from the organizer into the navigation system, said data comprising actual timetable data or diary data;

calculating a route in the navigation system according to at least the data received from the organizer; and

reporting vehicle travel information from the navigation system to the organizer, wherein the vehicle travel information comprises actual route data and wherein the organizer uses the actual route data in a timetable or diary in the organizer device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the organizer is physically interfaced to the navigation system.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the organizer is integrated into the navigation system.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the organizer is interfaced to the navigation system through a wireless interconnection.