System and method for managing navigation information

• US 7,146,271 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Furukawa, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/848,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20050159881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 26, 701200-202, 701207-211, 701/117, 705/1, 705/13, 705/417, 340/995.1, 340/995.12, 340/995.13, 340/995.14, 340/995.17, 340/995.18, 340/995.19, 340/539.1, 340/539.2, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for managing navigation information is disclosed. The system and method can send and receive navigation information. In some cases, requests for navigation information can be sent to a service provider, which then prepares an appropriate response and sends the response back to the requesting party. The service provider can communicate with an on-board unit associated with a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for managing navigation information comprising:

an On-Board Unit (OBU) associated with a motor vehicle and comprising a central unit, the central unit capable of communicating with a wireless communications network, and communicating with a user;

the OBU storing first navigation information;

a service provider including a database, wherein the database includes second navigation information;

wherein second navigation information includes more items of navigation information than first navigation information;

wherein the service provider responds to a request for navigation information from the OBU with ordered navigation information that is sent to the OBU in a predetermined order, wherein route information is sent before other navigation information; and

wherein the ordered navigation information includes a first region including a plurality of navigation features encoded in absolute coordinates, and a second region including a plurality of navigation features encoded in relative coordinates.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU directly communicates with the wireless network using a wireless network antenna port.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU includes a local wireless antenna port configured to communicate with a wireless telephone.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU is configured to communicate with a microphone using a microphone port.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU is configured to communicate with at least one loudspeaker using an audio port.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU is configured to communicate with a display using a display port.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OBU is configured to receive input using an input port.

8. A system for managing navigation information comprising:

an On-Board Unit (OBU) associated with a motor vehicle and comprising a central unit, the central unit capable of communicating with a wireless communications network;

the OBU storing first navigation information;

a service provider including a database, wherein the database includes second navigation information;

wherein second navigation information is different than first navigation information;

wherein the OBU sends a request for navigation information to the service provider, the service provider communicates with a billing system and requests permission to provide navigation information to the OBU;

wherein the billing system grants the permission to prepare the navigation information if an account associated with the OBU is valid;

wherein the service provider sends navigation information to the OBU after receiving permission from the billing system; and

wherein a total amount of navigation information that is sent by the service provider is reduced by transmitting route information before map information, thereby eliminating redundancy.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the service provider communicates with an update resource that can update information associated with the service provider.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the update resource provides periodic updates at regularly scheduled times.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the update resource provides updates as requested by the service provider.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the service provider communicates with the OBU using the wireless network.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the service provider communicates with the wireless network using the internet.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the service provider communicates directly with a resource associated with the wireless network.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the service provider communicates wirelessly with the wireless network.

16. The system according to claim 8, wherein the service provider communicates with a billing system.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the billing system receives information related to a request for navigation information by the OBU and creates a bill entry reflecting the request.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the billing system prepares a bill including the bill entry for an account associated with the OBU.

19. The system according to claim 8, wherein the service provider associates an electronic serial number of the OBU with the account associated with the OBU.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein service provider sends navigation information to the OBU including a first region encoded with absolute coordinates and a second region encoded with relative coordinates.