Navigation system allowing to remove selected items from route for recalculating new route to destination

• US 7,099,773 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Linn, Jian-Liang
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu V.
• Application Number:
  US10/704,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 701118-119, 701200-201, 701206-210, 701/213, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 345/824
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• 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 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• 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 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

A method for navigation system modifies a route to the destination by allowing a user to select a type of items or conditions to be avoided from the route. The method includes the steps of displaying a set of data indicating items that a user will encounter when the user follows the calculated route, prompting the user to select a type of the item to be avoided in a new route to the destination, and recalculating the new route according to the user'"'"'s selection and guiding the user to the destination through the new route. The navigation system displays the set of items which is classified into distance ranges each representing a range of distance from a current user position where each item is represented by a corresponding icon.

Claims

1. A method for a navigation system to modify a calculated route to a destination, comprising the following steps of:

displaying a set of items that a user will encounter when the user follows the calculated route;

prompting the user to select a type of the items to be avoided in a new route to the destination; and

recalculating the new route according to the user'"'"'s selection and guiding the user to the destination through the new route;

wherein the navigation system displays the set of items which is classified into distance ranges each representing a range of distance from a current user position, and wherein the type of each item is represented by a corresponding icon within the corresponding distance range.

2. A method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the items within the corresponding distance range are displayed in the order of distance from the current position of the user.

3. A method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the navigation system creates the new route by calculating a portion of the route corresponding to the distance range that has contained the item selected by the user.

4. A method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the navigation system creates the new route by recalculating the whole route including the distance range that has contained the item selected by the user.

5. A method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the types of items displayed are traffic incidents along the calculated route, and the method further comprising the steps of:

receiving traffic incident information through a wireless communication;

relating the traffic incident information with locations along the route to the destination; and

displaying the icons representing types of the traffic incidents, thereby prompting the user to select the type of traffic incident to be avoided from the route.

6. A method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the items from which the user makes the selection are traffic maneuvers indicating types of turn at intersections.

7. A navigation system to modify a calculated route to a destination, comprising:

means for displaying a set of items that a user will encounter when the user follows the calculated route;

means for prompting the user to select a type of the items to be avoided in a new route to the destination; and

means for recalculating the new route according to the user'"'"'s selection and guiding the user to the destination through the new route;

wherein the navigation system displays the set of items which is classified into distance ranges each representing a range of distance from a current user position, and wherein the type of each item is represented by a corresponding icon within the corresponding distance range.

8. A navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the items within the corresponding distance range are displayed in the order of distance from the current position of the user.

9. A navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the navigation system creates the new route by calculating a portion of the route corresponding to the distance range that has contained the item selected by the user.

10. A navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the navigation system creates the new route by recalculating the whole route including the distance range that has contained the item selected by the user.

11. A navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the types of items displayed are traffic incidents along the calculated route, and the navigation system further comprising:

means for receiving traffic incident information through a wireless communication;

means for relating the traffic incident information with locations along the route to the destination; and

means for displaying icons representing types of the traffic incidents, thereby prompting the user to select the type of traffic incident to be avoided from the route.

12. A navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the items from which the user makes the selection are traffic maneuvers indicating types of turn at intersections.