System and method of displaying position information including an image in a navigation system

• US 7,383,123 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Young-Sik
• Primary Examiner(s): BLACK, THOMAS G
• Application Number:
  US10/859,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams

Abstract

A system and method of displaying position information including an image in a navigation system are disclosed. The navigation system has an information center and a mobile terminal. The information center includes a database for storing a node message with node image information about the geographical features of a node and a database for storing map data. The node image information is divided into image segments corresponding to directions. The information center sets a route according to a current position and a destination of the mobile terminal, generates map data including the route and nodes in the route, and transmits it to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal selects nodes for which to receive node messages in the map data. The information center transmits a node message for the next node each time the mobile terminal reaches each of the selected nodes. The mobile terminal reproduces the node message.

Claims

1. In a navigation system having an information center and a mobile terminal, the information center including a database for storing node messages with each node message including node photographic image information and node data about the geographical features of a node and a database for storing map data, the node photographic image information being divided into photographic image segments corresponding to directions, a method of processing position information in the information center, comprising:

setting a route according to a current position and a destination of the mobile terminal wherein a user can select desired nodes, generating map data including the route and a plurality of selected nodes in the route, and transmitting the map data to the mobile terminal;

transmitting a node message for the first of the selected nodes to the mobile terminal;

tracking the movement of the mobile terminal and transmitting a node message for a next selected node to a node where the mobile terminal is currently positioned, based on said movement; and

terminating transmission of the node messages when the mobile terminal reaches the last of the plurality of selected nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning to the route setting step when the mobile terminal is off track.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the node data includes a node name, a road type, and a link type and the node photographic image information comprises a 360-degree panoramic photographic image of a node divided into photographic image segments corresponding to directions.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting the node message comprises:

transmitting the node data of the node message when the mobile terminal reaches the node;

determining the direction of the mobile terminal and transmitting a photographic image segment of the node photographic image information corresponding to the direction of the mobile terminal; and

sequentially transmitting photographic image segments corresponding to directions adjacent to the direction the mobile terminal is traveling in.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the nodes comprises at least one of an intersection, a tollgate, an interchange, and a waypoint near the destination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the node message comprises discontinuing the transmission of the node photographic image information when the mobile terminal passes through the node during the transmission and transmitting a node message for the next node.

7. In a navigation system having an information center and a mobile terminal, the information center including a database for storing node messages with each node message including node photographic image information and node data about the geographical features of a node and a database for storing map data, the node photographic image information being divided into photographic image segments corresponding to directions, a method of displaying position information in the mobile terminal, comprising:

transmitting navigation information including a current position and a destination to the information center;

receiving map data including a route, from the current position to the destination, and user selected desired nodes in the route from the information center;

displaying a node message for the first of the selected nodes received from the information center;

tracking the movement of the mobile terminal, requesting a node message from the information center for a next selected node to be reached by the mobile terminal, and downloading the node message from the information center, and displaying the node message; and

terminating the download of the node message when the mobile terminal reaches the last of the selected nodes, and notifying arrival at the destination on a display when the mobile terminal reaches the destination.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising retransmitting the navigation information for route resetting when the mobile terminal is off track.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the node data includes a node name, a road type, and a link type and the node photographic image information comprises a 360-degree panoramic photographic image of a node divided into photographic image segments corresponding to directions.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein downloading the node message comprises:

downloading the node data of the node message when the mobile terminal reaches the node;

displaying the node data of the node message;

receiving a photographic image segment of the node photographic image information corresponding to the direction the mobile terminal is traveling in and displaying the photographic image segment; and

sequentially receiving photographic image segments corresponding to directions adjacent to the direction the mobile terminal is traveling in, while displaying the photographic image segment corresponding to the direction the mobile terminal is traveling in, and storing the received photographic image segments.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the nodes comprises at least one of an intersection, a tollgate, an interchange, and a waypoint near the destination.

12. A navigation system for displaying position information including a photographic image, the system comprising:

a mobile terminal; and

an information center for setting a route according to a current position and a destination of the mobile terminal, generating map data including the route and a plurality of user selected desired nodes in the route, and transmitting the map data to the mobile terminal, transmitting a node message for the first of the selected nodes to the mobile terminal, tracking the movement of the mobile terminal and transmitting a node message for a next selected node to a node where the mobile terminal is currently positioned, based on said movement, and terminating transmission of the node messages when the mobile terminal reaches the last of the nodes, wherein the information center includes a database for storing node messages with each node message including node photographic image information and node data about the geographical features of a node and a database for storing map data, the node photographic image information being divided into photographic image segments corresponding to directions.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the information center returns to route setting when the mobile terminal is off track.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the node data includes a node name, a road type, and a link type and the node photographic image information comprising a 360-degree panoramic photographic image of a node divided into photographic image segments corresponding to directions.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the information center transmits the node data of the node message when the mobile terminal reaches the node, determines the direction of the mobile terminal and transmit a photographic image segment of the node photographic image information corresponding to the direction of the mobile terminal, and sequentially transmits photographic image segments corresponding to directions adjacent to the direction the mobile terminal is traveling in.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the nodes comprises at least one of an intersection, a tollgate, an interchange, and a waypoint near the destination.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the information center discontinues the transmission of the node photographic image information when the mobile terminal passes through the node during the transmission and transmit a node message for the next node.

18. In a navigation system having an information center and a mobile terminal, the information center including a database for storing node messages with each of the node messages including node photographic image information and node data about the geographical features of a node and a database for storing map data, the node photographic image information being divided into photographic image segments corresponding to directions, a method of processing position information in the navigation system, comprising:

transmitting navigation information including a current position and a destination to the information center;

setting a route according to a current position and a destination of the mobile terminal, generating map data including the route and a plurality of user selected desired nodes in the route, and transmitting the map data to the mobile terminal;

transmitting a node message for the first of the selected nodes to the mobile terminal;

receiving map data including a route from the current position to the destination and selected nodes in the route from the information center;

displaying a node message for the first of the selected nodes received from the information center;

tracking the movement of the mobile terminal;

requesting a node message from the information center for a next selected node to be reached by the mobile terminal;

transmitting a node message for a next selected node to a node where the mobile terminal is currently positioned, based on said movement;

downloading the node message from the information center;

displaying the node message;

terminating the transmission and downloading of the node messages when the mobile terminal reaches the last of the plurality of selected nodes; and

notifying arrival at the destination on a display when the mobile terminal reaches the destination.