Method and system for selective route search on satellite navigators

• US 7,483,786 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2008
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maplebear Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pichetti, Luigi, Piccinini, Sandro, Sidoti, Stefano, Secchi, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US12/120,811
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/209, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995.13, 340/995.18, 340/995.19, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/572.7, 340/426.16, 340/5.65, 235/462.46
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• 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: 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

Abstract

A method of operating a motor vehicle satellite navigation system using a motor vehicle'"'"'s structure and characteristic information to calculate a best route to a desired destination. The method includes operating a graphical user interface (GUI), presenting display images for receiving input data for the desired destination and receiving satellite position data, and calculating a current location of the motor vehicle. The GUI presents a display image requesting motor vehicle structure and characteristic information. The method includes calculating and updating current best routes to a desired destination using map and POI databases comprising geographic coordinate grid and point of interest information from the current location and motor vehicle structure and characteristic information. The motor vehicle structure and characteristic information reflects static vehicle structure and characteristics such as size, fuel type, engine efficiency and fuel capacity, and dynamic information such as current fuel level and real-time traffic and road condition information.

Claims

1. A method of operating a motor vehicle satellite navigation system (Navigator) using motor vehicle structure and characteristic information to calculate a best route to a desired destination, comprising acts of:

operating a graphical user interface (GUI) for presenting display images and for receiving input data for the desired destination;

receiving satellite position data, and calculating a current location of the motor vehicle;

receiving the motor vehicle structure and characteristic information directly from a motor vehicle control system, Bluetooth transceiver or RFID reader;

accessing a map and point of interest (POI) database that comprise geographic coordinate grid and POI information;

calculating the best route for the motor vehicle to the desired destination using the current location, motor vehicle structure and characteristic information, the map and the POI information; and

using the GUI, presenting the best route and directing the user to the desired destination, including updating the best route based on changed current location and detected changed real-time conditions requiring position update in view of the vehicle structure and characteristic information;

wherein the vehicle structure and characteristic information comprises each of static information derived from manufacturer information, including height, maximum weight, length, engine size, fuel type, fuel capacity, and engine type, and the vehicle structure and characteristic information further comprises each of dynamic information including real time detected weight, real-time load specifications, real-time detected number of passengers, real-time amount of fuel used, real-time current available fuel, time of day, day of week, real-time state of roads, real-time traffic conditions, and real-time scheduled stops, and wherein the acts of calculating and updating the best route further include processing the dynamic information and identifying conditions affecting a current best route in view of the static information and dynamic changed conditions determined from the dynamic information.