Methods and systems to interface navigation operations

• US 7,013,216 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Pemble, Cliff A., Walters, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/246,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-213, 701/24, 701/117, 701/23, 701/119, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.1
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

Methods and Systems are provided for interfacing to navigation operations. An application programming interface (API) library is provided having navigation modules, guidance modules, routing modules, and mapping modules. The API is accessible to customized modules operating on a portable electronic device. The customized modules are operable to selectively access and process a number of the modules using the API library while the customized modules are processing on the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing navigation operations, comprising:

using a portable electronic device having a navigation library operable to be accessed on the portable electronic device;

processing an application on the portable electronic device, wherein the navigation library is interfaced to the application, and wherein the application is processed to perform customizable navigation by selectively accessing portions of the navigation library in response to customized navigation calls made within the application, and wherein the application is customized and configured and assembled from the navigation library in a user-defined manner; and

acquiring navigation data by processing the application, wherein at least a portion of the navigation data identifies a present position associated with the portable electronic device, and the present position is used to produce results necessary for further processing of the application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in using the portable electronic device, the portable electronic device is at least one of a personal digital assistant and a cellular phone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in using the portable electronic device, the portable electronic device is global positioning system enabled.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in acquiring the navigation data, the produced results communicate at least one of routing features, mapping features, and guidance features which are communicated on a display associated with the portable electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein in acquiring the navigation data, the produced results are communicated visually or audibly on the portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein in processing the application, the navigation library includes at least one of navigation modules, routing modules, mapping modules, guidance modules, compass modules, and gyro modules.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in using the portable electronic device, at least a portion of the navigation library is remotely accessed by the application.

8. A method for interfacing navigation operations, comprising:

packing navigation operations into independent callable modules within a navigation library;

publishing the callable modules via interfaces to the navigation library; and

selectively processing a number of the navigation operations when accessed via the interfaces and a number of the callable modules from within a custom-developed navigation application, wherein the custom-developed navigation application is user-defined, user-assembled, and user-configured.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selectively processing further includes processing the custom-developed navigation application on a portable processing device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein publishing further includes dynamically publishing the callable modules via interfaces that are dynamically communicated to the custom-developed navigation application.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein publishing further includes publishing the callable modules via interfaces over a network to the custom-developed navigation application.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising, interfacing a number of the navigation operations to a global position satellite system.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising, interfacing a number of the navigation operations to a sensor associated with a device that processes the custom-developed navigation application.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising, interfacing a number of the navigation operations to a gyroscope.

15. A method for interfacing navigation operations, comprising:

integrating a selective number and arrangement of navigation operations into a customized navigation application, by selectively referencing callable modules using an interface of a portable navigation library, wherein the portable navigation library includes the navigation operations as the callable modules; and

processing the customized navigation application on a device, wherein during processing the selective number and arrangement of the navigation operations are processed when the callable modules are referenced, wherein the integration processing is user-defined, user-assembled, and user-configured.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein processing further includes processing the customized navigation application on a portable navigation device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein processing further includes dynamically acquiring the selective number of the navigation operations from the navigation library over a network when the callable modules are referenced.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein processing further includes wireless acquiring the selective number of the navigation operations wirelessly over the network.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising, using results produced from referencing the callable modules to determine a current position of the device.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising, using results produced from referencing the callable modules to determine weather conditions that surround the device.