Navigation device

• US 6,909,966 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2002
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Herrmann, Peter, Schaefer, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/380,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 701/35, 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/209, 701/211, 701/212, 701/214, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995.17, 340/995.18, 342/357.01, 342/357.08, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval

Abstract

A navigational device in which a position is storable by actuating a control element and this position may be input as a driving destination by re-actuating the control element. This simplifies the input of an often frequented driving destination such as a place of residence.

Claims

1. A navigational device for navigating a vehicle through a road network, comprising:

a first arrangement to provide a driving route from a starting point to a destination point;

a second arrangement to determine a current vehicle position; and

a control element that is actuatable to store the current vehicle position in a memory arrangement, and that is re-actuatable to input stored position for use as the destination point.

2. The navigational device of claim 1, wherein the current vehicle position is stored by actuating the control element at least for a specified length of time.

3. The navigational device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display to display at least one of a place, an address, and a geographical point;

wherein a position of at least one of a selected place, address and geographical point is storable by actuating the control element at least for a predefined length of time.

4. The navigational device of claim 3, wherein the display is operable to display a map that prominently shows the stored position.

5. The navigational device of claim 1, wherein a route direction from the current vehicle position to the stored position is automatically started upon input of the stored position as the driving destination.

6. The navigational device of claim 3, wherein at least one of a distance, a travel time and a direction from the current vehicle position to the stored position is displayable by actuating the control element.

7. The navigational device of claim 1, wherein the control element includes at least one pushbutton.

8. The navigational device of claim 7, wherein the control element includes two adjacent buttons, and the control element is actuatable by at least approximately simultaneously actuating the two adjacent buttons.

9. The navigational device of claim 1, wherein the control element includes a selection area of an operating surface.