System and method for sending destination locations to navigation devices

• US 8,160,808 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sprigg, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/896,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701209-210, 701213-215, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A navigation device receives a destination location to automatically calculate a route to the destination location over a wireless network. The destination location may be generated by a third party at a remote computer or wireless device. The destination location may be entered into the remote computer or wireless device, or may be automatically generated by the device. The destination location is transmitted from the remote computer or wireless device to the navigation device. Once received, the user of the navigation device may have the option of accepting or rejecting the destination location. The navigation device then uses the destination location to calculate a route which is communicated to the user with minimal to no user interaction. Multiple destinations may be sent to the navigation device, thus allowing advanced programming of an entire trip.

Claims

1. A method for instructing a navigation device comprising:

providing an interface comprising an option for determining a location of a computing device;

generating a destination location of the computing device in response to activation of the interface and by the computing device automatically acquiring its street address from a satellite navigation system;

the computing device sending the destination location comprising the street address of the computing device to the server; and

wirelessly transmitting the destination location from the server to the navigation device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically generating a route by the navigation device based on the street address of the destination location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the option comprises a locater button.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the locater button comprises at least one of a physical button that is part of a keypad and a software interface with a display.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating additional data with the destination location.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS message or text message and an image.

8. A system for instructing a navigation device comprising:

means for providing an interface comprising an option for determining a location of a computing device;

means for generating a destination location of the computing device in response to activation of the interface and by the computing device automatically acquiring its street address from a satellite navigation system;

means for sending the destination location comprising the street address of the computing device to the server; and

means for wirelessly transmitting the destination location from the server to the navigation device.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for automatically generating a route by the navigation device based on the street address of the destination location.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the option comprises a locater button.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the locater button comprises at least one of a physical button that is part of a keypad and a software interface with a display.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for associating additional data with the destination location.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS message or text message and an image.

15. A computer system for instructing a navigation device, the system comprising:

a processor operable to;

provide an interface comprising an option for determining a location of a computing device;

generate a destination location of the computing device in response to activation of the interface and by the computing device automatically acquiring its street address from a satellite navigation system;

send the destination location comprising the street address of the computing device to the server; and

wirelessly transmit the destination location from the server to the navigation device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable to automatically generate a route by the navigation device based on the street address of the destination location.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the option comprises a locater button.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the locater button comprises at least one of a physical button that is part of a keypad and a software interface with a display.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable to associate additional data with the destination location.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS message or text message and an image.

22. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for instructing a navigation device, said method comprising:

providing an interface comprising an option for determining a location of a computing device;

generating a destination location of the computing device in response to activation of the interface and by the computing device automatically acquiring its street address from a satellite navigation system;

sending the destination location comprising the street address of the computing device to the server; and

wirelessly transmitting the destination location from the server to the navigation device.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises automatically generating a route by the navigation device based on the street address of the destination location.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the option comprises a locater button.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the locater button comprises at least one of a physical button that is part of a keypad and a software interface with a display.

27. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises associating additional data with the destination location.

28. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS message or text message and an image.

29. A method for instructing a navigation device comprising:

providing a webpage interface comprising an option for inputting a destination location, the webpage interface comprising one of a field for receiving text and a map;

receiving a destination location with the webpage interface, the webpage interface being separate and independent of the navigation device; and

wirelessly transmitting the destination location from the server to the navigation device.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising automatically generating a route by the navigation device based on a street address of the destination location.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein navigation device uses a satellite navigation system.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising associating additional data with the destination location.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS or text message and an image.

35. A system for instructing a navigation device comprising:

means for providing a webpage interface comprising an option for inputting a destination location, the webpage interface comprising one of a field for receiving text and a map;

means for receiving a destination location with the webpage interface, the webpage interface being separate and independent of the navigation device; and

means for wirelessly transmitting the destination location from the server to the navigation device.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising means for automatically generating a route by the navigation device based on a street address of the destination location.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein navigation device uses a satellite navigation system.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

39. The system of claim 35, further comprising means for associating additional data with the destination location.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS or text message and an image.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further operable to automatically generate a route based on a street address of the destination location.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further operable to associate additional data with the destination location.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS or text message and an image.

41. A computer system for instructing a navigation device, the system comprising:

a processor operable to;

provide a webpage interface comprising an option for inputting a destination location, the webpage interface comprising one of a field for receiving text and a map;

receive a destination location with the webpage interface, the webpage interface being separate and independent of the navigation device; and

wirelessly transmit the destination location from the server to the navigation device.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein navigation device uses a satellite navigation system.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

47. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for instructing a navigation device, said method comprising:

providing a webpage interface comprising an option for inputting a destination location, the webpage interface comprising one of a field for receiving text and a map;

receiving a destination location with the webpage interface, the webpage interface being separate and independent of the navigation device; and

wirelessly transmitting the destination location from the server to the navigation device.

48. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises automatically generating a route based on a street address of the destination location.

49. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein navigation device uses a satellite navigation system.

50. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

51. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises associating additional data with the destination location.

52. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS or text message and an image.

53. A method of providing a destination location to a navigation device comprising:

generating the destination location at a computing device in response to activation of a locator button that is part of the computing device, wherein the destination location is a current location that comprises geographical coordinates of the computing device, the geographical coordinates comprising at least one of a street address, a location on a map, a latitude coordinate, and a longitudinal coordinate;

wirelessly transmitting the destination location from the computing device to the navigation device; and

automatically generating a route by the navigation device to the destination location.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the locater button comprises at least one of a physical button that is part of a keypad and a software interface with a display.

55. The method of claim 53, further comprising generating the destination location at the computing device using a satellite navigation system.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

57. The method of claim 53, further comprising associating additional data with the destination location.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS message or text message and an image.

62. The system of claim 55, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

63. The system of claim 53, further comprising means for associating additional data with the destination location.

64. The system of claim 57, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS message or text message and an image.

59. A system of providing a destination location to a navigation device comprising:

means for generating the destination location at a computing device in response to activation of a locator button that is part of the computing device, wherein the destination location is a current location that comprises geographical coordinates of the computing device, the geographical coordinates comprising at least one of a street address, a location on a map, a latitude coordinate, and a longitudinal coordinate;

means for wirelessly transmitting the destination location from the computing device to the navigation device; and

means for automatically generating a route by the navigation device to the destination location.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the locater button comprises at least one of a physical button that is part of a keypad and a software interface with a display.

61. The system of claim 59, further comprising means for generating the destination location at the computing device using a satellite navigation system.

67. The system of claim 59, wherein the processor is further operable to generate the destination location using a satellite navigation system.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

69. The system of claim 67, wherein the processor is further operable to associate additional data with the destination location.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS message or text message and an image.

65. A computer system for instructing a navigation device, the system comprising:

a processor operable to;

generate the destination location at a computing device in response to activation of a locator button that is part of the computing device, wherein the destination location is a current location that comprises geographical coordinates of the computing device, the geographical coordinates comprising at least one of a street address, a location on a map, a latitude coordinate, and a longitudinal coordinate;

wirelessly transmit the destination location from the computing device to the navigation device; and

automatically generate a route by the navigation device to the destination location.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the locater button comprises at least one of a physical button that is part of a keypad and a software interface with a display.

71. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for instructing a navigation device, said method comprising:

generating the destination location at a computing device in response to activation of a locator button that is part of the computing device, wherein the destination location is a current location that comprises geographical coordinates of the computing device, the geographical coordinates comprising at least one of a street address, a location on a map, a latitude coordinate, and a longitudinal coordinate;

wirelessly transmitting the destination location from the computing device to the navigation device; and

automatically generating a route by the navigation device to the destination location.

72. The computer program product of claim 71, wherein the locater button comprises at least one of a physical button that is part of a keypad and a software interface with a display.

73. The computer program product of claim 71, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises generating the destination location at the computing device using a satellite navigation system.

74. The computer program product of claim 71, wherein the satellite navigation system comprises a global positioning system.

75. The computer program product of claim 71, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises associating additional data with the destination location.

76. The computer program product of claim 71, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of SMS message or text message and an image.