Method, system and article of manufacture for identifying regularly traveled routes

• US 6,961,658 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2003
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq North America LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohler, Jean K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M.
• Application Number:
  US10/436,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/202, 701/208, 701/209, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/995.13, 340/995.19, 340/995.24, 705/5, 705/13, 705/14, 705/26
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases

Abstract

An in-vehicle navigation system includes a receiver for receiving real-time traffic information (RTTI), a database for storing routine trip information, and a processor for running a regular route application. The regular route application includes a learning mode program and an operational mode program. The learning mode program records information regarding trips regularly taken by a vehicle and populates the database with records of routine trip information. The recorded trip information can include driver identifiers, trip departure times, origin points, destination points, dates of travel, days of travel, and route data. When the vehicle begins a new trip, the operational mode program determines whether the vehicle is engaging in a routine trip. This is accomplished by comparing current vehicle location or departure time information to routine trip information in the database. If the vehicle is starting a routine trip, the operational mode program retrieves from the database trip information stored in a trip record associated with the routine trip, accesses RTTI corresponding to the trip information, and notifies an end user about traffic conditions indicated by the RTTI.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating operation of a navigation system located in a vehicle traveling in a geographic region comprising:

storing data that represent multiple routes actually traveled by the vehicle, whereas the multiple routes include routes between one origin and multiple destinations;

counting a number of times the vehicle travels one of the multiple routes;

storing data indicating said number of times; and

at a time subsequent to when the data indicating the multiple routes have been stored,

if the number of times one of the multiple routes has been traveled is greater than a predetermined number, providing to an end user information corresponding to a business proximate the one of the multiple routes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information is an advertisement.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining real time traffic data that pertain to the current trip; and

calculating a travel time for the current trip based on the real time traffic data.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

calculating an alternative route to the destination, wherein the alternative route is different from the multiple routes.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the information is a sales promotion.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the business is a store.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the business is a restaurant.

8. A method of facilitating operation of a navigation system located in a vehicle traveling in a geographic region comprising:

storing data that represent multiple routes actually traveled by the vehicle, whereas the multiple routes include routes between one origin and multiple destinations;

counting a number of times the vehicle travels one of the multiple routes;

storing data indicating said number of times;

at a time subsequent to when the data indicating the multiple routes have been stored, determining that the vehicle is traveling on a current trip to one of the destinations along one of the multiple routes; and

providing to an end user information corresponding to a point of interest proximate the one of the multiple mutes on which the current trip is traveling.

9. A method of facilitating operation of a navigation system located in a vehicle traveling in a geographic region comprising:

storing data that represent multiple routes actually traveled by the vehicle, whereas the multiple routes include routes between one origin and multiple destinations, and whereas the data for each of the multiple routes indicate the number of times the route has been traveled;

at a time subsequent to when the data indicating the multiple routes have been stored, determining that the vehicle is traveling on a current trip along one of the multiple routes; and

if the number of times said one of the multiple routes on which the current trip is traveling has been traveled is greater than a predetermined number, providing to an end user information corresponding to a point of interest proximate said one of the multiple routes on which the current trip is traveling.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the information is an advertisement.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of determining further comprises:

identifying a current trip departure time; and

comparing the current trip departure time to a departure time associated with each of the multiple routes.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of determining further comprises:

identifying a current trip destination; and

comparing the current trip destination to a destination associated with each of the multiple routes.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of determining further comprises:

identifying an identity of a current driver of the vehicle; and

comparing the identity of the current driver to a driver identity associated with each of the multiple routes.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

obtaining real time traffic data that pertain to the current trip; and

calculating a travel time for the current trip based on the real time traffic data.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

calculating an alternative route to the destination, wherein the alternative route is different from the multiple routes.

16. A method of facilitating operation of a navigation system located in a vehicle traveling in a geographic region comprising:

storing data that represent a route between an origin and a destination;

counting a number of times the vehicle travels the route;

storing data indicating said number of times; and

at a time subsequent to when the data indicating the route have been stored,

if the number of times said route has been traveled is greater than a predetermined number, providing to an end user information corresponding to a facility proximate the route.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the information is an advertisement.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

calculating an alternative route to a destination of the current trip, wherein the alternative route is different from the routinely-traveled route.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the facility is a store.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the facility is a restaurant.

21. A method of operating a navigation system comprising:

storing data that represent multiple routes actually traveled by the navigation system, wherein data for each of the multiple routes indicate a number of times the route has been traveled; and

at a time subsequent to when the data indicating the multiple routes have been stored, if the number of times one of the multiple routes has been traveled is greater than a predetermined number, providing to an end user information corresponding to a point of interest proximate the one of the multiple routes.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said multiple routes are routinely-traveled routes.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

determining that the vehicle is traveling on a current trip along one of the multiple routes.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the information is an advertisement.