Navigation system
First Claim
1. A navigation guidance system comprising;
- means for storing data defining a road network within a geographical area;
means for storing data defining speed-time characteristics for roads of the road network, which speed-time characteristics define traffic speeds along the roads in the network at different times;
means for receiving data from a user defining a travel plan including a source location, a destination location and a proposed travel time; and
route determining means comprising;
(i) means for determining traffic speeds for the roads of the road network at the proposed travel time using said data defining said speed-time characteristics; and
(ii) means for calculating a quickest route from the source location to the destination location defined in the travel plan at the proposed travel time using the data defining the road network and the determined traffic speeds for the roads of the road network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation guidance system (1) is provided which provides direction information from a remote server (11) to a mobile user unit (2) for guiding user to a desired destination. The navigation guidance system (1) maintains time-related models for traffic speeds expected on road segments of a road database. By maintaining such time-related models, the system can more accurately provide the user with road guidance instructions to arrive at a chosen destination by a given time. The system can also provide more accurate route guidance information to a destination over different routes, even during rush hour or at off peak times. These time related models can be changed as a result of changing traffic patterns or as a result of an incident on a road segment. In a preferred embodiment, therefore, the system continuously monitors each calculated route and advises the users of alternative routes or of updated departure or arrival times as appropriate.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A navigation guidance system comprising;
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means for storing data defining a road network within a geographical area;
means for storing data defining speed-time characteristics for roads of the road network, which speed-time characteristics define traffic speeds along the roads in the network at different times;
means for receiving data from a user defining a travel plan including a source location, a destination location and a proposed travel time; and
route determining means comprising;
(i) means for determining traffic speeds for the roads of the road network at the proposed travel time using said data defining said speed-time characteristics; and
(ii) means for calculating a quickest route from the source location to the destination location defined in the travel plan at the proposed travel time using the data defining the road network and the determined traffic speeds for the roads of the road network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 47, 48)
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23. A navigation guidance method comprising the steps of:
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storing data defining a road network within a geographical area;
storing data defining speed-time characteristics for roads of the road network, which speed-time characteristics define traffic speeds along the roads in the network at different times;
receiving data from a user defining a travel plan including a source location, a destination location and a proposed travel time; and
determining a route comprising the steps of;
(i) determining traffic speeds for the roads of the road network at the proposed travel time using said data defining said speed-time characteristics; and
(ii) calculating a quickest route from the source location to the destination location defined in the travel plan at the proposed travel time using the data defining the road network and the determined traffic speeds for the roads of the road network. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 49, 50)
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Specification