Travel guide and schedule-based routing device and method

• US 7,822,546 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Lee, Choy Wai
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/470,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/25, 701200-202, 701207-209, 701211-214, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• 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

Abstract

A navigational aid device is provided that includes a GPS module, a processor, and memory. The device is configured to automatically determine a route to a destination and to account for, in its determination of a route, a plurality of modes of public, private, or both public and private transportation. Some of these configurations may also be configured to recommend a mode or modes of transportation to take to get to a destination, and/or accept user preferences in recommending a route or the mode or modes of transportation to take to get to the destination.

Claims

1. A method for providing routing by a navigation device, said method comprising:

receiving a destination;

calculating a route to the destination accounting for a plurality of modes of transportation;

presenting a visual indication of progress along the calculated route on a display of the navigation device; and

utilizing mass transit schedule information as a proxy for GPS updates to indicate progress along the calculated route, when such mass transit schedule information is available and when GPS signals are unavailable.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of recommending to a user more than one mode of transportation.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the modes of transportation includes at least two modes selected from the group consisting of bus, train, boat, plane, subway, walking, bicycle, and automobile.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of recognizing which mode of transportation a user is using and applying restrictions according to that mode.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculated route includes off-road segments in addition to on-road segments.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of switching a display mode when a user switches between modes of transportation.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring a user'"'"'s progress along the route and recommending an alternative route according to the progress.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculated route is calculated according to a criteria selected from the group consisting of a specific travel time, passing by a specific site, traveling through a scenic area, passing near the most points of interest, a specific arrival time, and combinations thereof.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of turning a GPS receiver off to save battery power while GPS signals are unavailable and automatically turning the GPS receiver back on when a user switched to a mode of transportation from which GPS signals are likely to be available.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculated route includes both private and public modes of transportation.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a location based on schedule information for the modes of transportation.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of informing a user when the user is not on schedule.

13. A method for providing routing, said method comprising:

receiving a destination through an input of a navigation device;

determining a current location using a GPS receiver within the device;

receiving user preferences defining selected ones of a plurality of modes of transportation, wherein the plurality of modes of transportation includes public and private modes of transportation;

receiving user criteria selected from the group consisting of a specific travel time, passing by a specific site, traveling through a scenic area, passing near the most points of interest, a specific arrival time, and combinations thereof;

calculating, on a processor of the device, at least one route to the destination considering the user preferences and criteria, wherein the calculated route includes at least one off-road segment, at least one on-road segment, at least one public mode of transportation segments, and at least one private mode of transportation;

providing directions, on a display of the device, for following each segment of the route; and

monitoring progress along the route using the GPS receiver when GPS signals are available and mass transit schedule information when GPS signals are unavailable.

14. A navigation device comprising:

a display;

a memory operable to store mass transit schedule information;

a location determining component operable to determine a current geographic location of the navigation device; and

a processor coupled with the location determining component, the memory, and the display, the processor operable to;

access the memory to acquire the mass transit schedule information,

calculate a route to a destination accounting for a plurality of modes of transportation,

control the display to present a visual indication of progress along the calculated route based on the current geographic location of the navigation device determined by the location determining component, and

control the display to present a visual indication of progress along the calculated route based on the stored mass transit schedule information when the location determining component is unable to determine the current geographic location of the navigation device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the modes of transportation includes at least two modes selected from the group consisting of bus, train, boat, plane, subway, walking, bicycle, and automobile.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the processor is operable to calculate the route according to a criteria selected from the group consisting of a specific travel time, passing by a specific site, traveling through a scenic area, passing near the most points of interest, a specific arrival time, and combinations thereof.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operable to activate and deactivate the location determining component based on the mass transit schedule information.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the location determining component is a GPS receiver.