Navigation device and method for informational screen display

• US 8,160,815 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Geelen, Pieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/907,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/410, 701/426, 340/539.13, 340/995.24, 340/995.25
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names

Abstract

A method and device are disclosed for navigation. In at least one embodiment, the method includes displaying a plurality of selectable point of interest entries on an integrated input and display of a navigation device; and displaying, upon receipt of an indication of a selection of one of the point of interest entries, an informational screen including display of a location of the selected point of interest entry relative to a current location of the navigation device, at least a phone number of the selected point of interest entry, and a prompt to dial the phone number of the selected point of interest entry. In at least one other embodiment of the present application, a device includes an integrated input and display device to display a plurality of selectable point of interest entries; and a processor to receive an indication of selection one of the point of interest entries, the integrated input and display device being further useable to display, upon the receipt of an indication of a selection of one of the point of interest entries by the processor, an informational screen including display of a location of the selected point of interest entry relative to a current location of the navigation device, at least a phone number of the selected point of interest entry, and a prompt to dial the phone number of the selected point of interest entry.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a current route of travel for a navigation device;

prompting selection of at least one of a plurality of point of interest icons on an integrated input and display device of the navigation device;

searching for a plurality of selectable point of interest entries along or near the current route of travel in response to a selection of the at least one of the plurality of point of interest icons;

displaying the plurality of selectable point of interest entries on the navigation device in response to a selection of the at least one of the plurality of point of interest icons; and

displaying, upon receipt of an indication of a selection of one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries, information regarding the selected point of interest entry of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries,

wherein the plurality of the displayed selectable point of interest entries displayed are each qualified by a total distance, the total distance of each one of the respective plurality of selectable point of interest entries being estimated from a current location of the navigation device and a location of each respective one of the plurality of the selectable point of interest entries, each respective total distance including at least a route distance along the current route of travel to a route position relatively closest to each respective one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries,

wherein the displaying information regarding the selected point of interest entry displays on an informational screen a phone number of the selected point of interest entry and a prompt to dial the phone number of the selected point of interest entry,

wherein the prompt to dial the phone number of the selected point of interest entry includes a display of a selectable virtual key on the integrated input and display device of the navigation device, and

wherein the prompt to dial the phone number of the selected point of interest entry on the informational screen further includes a display of a virtual key for formal selection of the selected point of interest after display of the informational screen and a virtual key for cancelling the display of the informational screen of the selected point of interest entry.

2. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program segments for, when executed on a processor of a navigation device, causing the navigation device to implement the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the total distance of at least one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries further includes a potential distance estimated from the route position relatively closest to the at least one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries and the location of the at least one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable point of interest entries are displayed on the navigation device in conjunction with a symbol representative of proximity to the current route of travel of the navigation device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a displayed color of the symbol is used to convey proximity to the current route of travel of the navigation device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a displayed shape of the symbol is used to convey proximity to the current route of travel of the navigation device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying information regarding the selected point of interest entry further displays on the informational screen at least one of a name of the selected point of interest entry, and an icon representing map data of the selected point of interest.

4. A navigation device comprising:

a processor configured to determine a current route of travel;

an integrated input and display device configured to prompt selection of at least one of a plurality of point of interest icons, wherein a selection of at least one of plurality of point of interest icons initiates a search for a plurality of selectable point of interest entries along or near the current route of travel, the integrated input and display device further configured to display the plurality of selectable point of interest entries in response to a selection of the at least one of the plurality of point of interest icons, and the integrated input and display device being further configured to display, upon receipt of an indication of a selection of one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries, information regarding the selected point of interest entry of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries,

wherein the plurality of selectable point of interest entries displayed on the integrated input and display device are each qualified by a total distance, the total distance of each one of the respective plurality of selectable point of interest entries being estimated from a current location of the navigation device and a location of each respective one of the plurality of the selectable point of interest entries, each respective total distance including at least a route distance along the current route of travel to a route position relatively closest to each respective one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries,

wherein the displayed information regarding the selected point of interest entry is displayed on an informational screen, the informational screen including a phone number of the selected point of interest entry and a prompt to dial the phone number of the selected point of interest entry,

wherein the prompt to dial the phone number of the selected point of interest entry on the integrated input and display device includes a display of a selectable virtual key, and

wherein the prompt to dial the phone number of the selected point of interest entry on the informational screen further includes a display of a virtual key for formal selection of the selected point of interest after display of the informational screen and a virtual key for cancelling the display of the information screen of the selected point of interest entry.

5. The navigation device of claim 4, wherein the total distance of at least one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries further includes a potential distance estimated from the route position relatively closest to the at least one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries and the location of the at least one of the plurality of selectable point of interest entries.

10. The navigation device of claim 4, wherein the selectable point of interest entries are displayed on the navigation device in conjunction with a symbol representative of proximity to the current route of travel of the navigation device.

11. The navigation device of claim 10, wherein a displayed color of the symbol is used to convey proximity to the current route of travel of the navigation device.

12. The navigation device of claim 10, wherein a displayed shape of the symbol is used to convey proximity to the current route of travel of the navigation device.

13. The navigation device of claim 4, wherein the informational screen further includes at least one of a name of the selected point of interest entry, and an icon representing map data of the selected point of interest.