Method of routing a first personal navigation device away from a second personal navigation device

• US 8,082,097 B2
• Filed: 12/25/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hilliar Isaacson, Thomas Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US12/344,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/300, 701/301, 701/204, 701/205, 701/41, 709/227, 340/436, 455/54.1
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• 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 method of routing a first personal navigation device (PND) away from a second PND, the method includes receiving a position or second route of the second PND, and generating a first route for the first PND that maintains at least a threshold distance from the position or second route of the second PND.

Claims

1. A method of routing a first personal navigation device (PND) away from a second personal navigation device, the method comprising:

the second PND sharing a position of the second PND; and

receiving the position of the second PND and reading the position of the second PND;

displaying the position of the second PND on a display of the first PND;

generating a route for the first PND that maintains at least a threshold distance from the position of the second PND; and

re-routing the first PND when an updated position of the second PND is received or when the position of the second PND has changed so as to continue to maintain at least the threshold distance between a position of the first PND and the position of the second PND.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a connection with a network database, wherein receiving the position of the second PND is receiving the position of the second PND from the network database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing the connection with the network database comprises utilizing a modem to establish an internet connection with the network database, utilizing a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) modem to establish an internet connection with the network database, or utilizing a wireless network adapter to establish an internet connection with the network database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a peer-to-peer connection with the second PND.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold distance is measured in number of streets.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the second PND sending the position to a network database.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the second PND broadcasting the position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold distance is set by a user of the first PND.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold distance is measured in feet, meters, miles, kilometers, or number of blocks.

10. A method of routing a first personal navigation device (PND) away from a second personal navigation device, the method comprising:

the second PND sharing a second route of the second PND;

receiving the second route of the second PND and reading the second route of the second PND;

displaying the second route of the second PND on a display of the first PND;

generating a first route for the first PND that maintains at least a threshold distance from the second route of the second PND; and

re-routing the first PND when an updated second route of the second PND is received or when the second route of the second PND has changed so as to continue to maintain at least the threshold distance between the first route for the first PND and the second route of the second PND.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising establishing a connection with a network database, wherein receiving the second route of the second PND is receiving the second route of the second PND from the network database.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein establishing the connection with the network database comprises utilizing a modem to establish an internet connection with the network database, utilizing a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) modem to establish an internet connection with the network database, or utilizing a wireless network adapter to establish an internet connection with the network database.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising establishing a peer-to-peer connection with the second PND.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold distance is measured in number of streets.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

the second PND sending the second route to a network database.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

the second PND broadcasting the second route.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold distance is set by a user of the first PND.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold distance is measured in feet, meters, miles, kilometers, or number of blocks.