Graphic interface method and apparatus for navigation system for providing parking information

• US 8,175,803 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Caraballo, Orvill
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOYER, DALE S
• Application Number:
  US11/999,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 701/209, 701/210, 701/400, 701/408, 701/409, 701/410, 701/423, 701/425, 701/426, 701/428, 701/429, 701/431, 701/435, 701/439, 701/450, 701/451, 701/454, 701/459, 701/465, 701/468, 701/487, 701/533
• US Class Current: 701/426
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

A graphic user interface method and apparatus for a navigation system graphically shows parking information which vary depending on conditions such as time ranges or days, etc. The method includes the steps of: examining a location specified by a user for retrieving data associated with the specified location from data storage medium; displaying a screen of parking information graphic interface upon request by the user; and examining whether there is a time-related parking restriction on the specified location and retrieving the time-related parking information if any. The parking information graphic interface illustrates a map image, a time table of a day, a time range indicator on the time table, and a text message regarding the time-related parking restriction, thereby graphically displaying the parking information on the specified location.

Claims

1. A parking information graphic interface method for a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

specifying a location by a user;

examining the location specified by the user for retrieving data associated with the specified location from a data storage medium;

receiving request for parking information by the user;

displaying a screen of parking information graphic interface upon request by the user; and

examining whether there is a time-related parking restriction on the specified location and retrieving the time-related parking information if any;

wherein the parking information graphic interface illustrates a map image, a time table of a day, a time range indicator on the time table, and a text message regarding the time-related parking restriction, thereby graphically displaying the parking information on the specified location, and;

wherein said parking information graphic interface further illustrates road side selection keys thereon to prompt the user to select a desired road side to display the parking information on the specified location regarding the selected road side.

2. A parking information graphic interface method as defined in claim 1, wherein said text message regarding the time-related parking restriction is identified by an icon where a color or pattern of the icon is coordinated with that of the time range indicator.

3. A parking information graphic interface method as defined in claim 1, wherein two or more time range indicators are displayed on the time table when there are two or more time-related parking restrictions to indicate time lengths that the corresponding parking restrictions apply, and two or more text messages regarding the corresponding time-related parking restrictions are identified by two more icons where colors or patterns of the icons are coordinated with those of the time range indicators.

4. A parking information graphic interface method as defined in claim 1, wherein said parking information graphic interface further illustrates selection keys thereon to prompt the user to select a desired day of a week to display the parking information on the specified location regarding the selected day.

5. A parking information graphic interface method as defined in claim 1, wherein said map image on the parking information graphic interface covers an area including the specified location on which a parking area at the specified location or a parking area on the selected road side at the specified location is highlighted.

6. A parking information graphic interface method as defined in claim 1, wherein said specified location is either a destination of travel, a current position of a vehicle of the user, or any position on the map image specified by a cursor point.

7. A parking information graphic interface method as defined in claim 1, wherein said text message on the parking information graphic interface indicates that there is no parking restriction when there is no time-related parking restriction regarding the specified location.

8. A parking information graphic interface method as defined in claim 1, wherein said parking information graphic interface further illustrates a parking button thereon to find parking areas close to the specified location when the user activates the parking button.

9. A parking information graphic interface method as defined in claim 8, wherein said parking information graphic interface displays a list of parking areas close to the specified location when the user activates the parking button where the parking areas are listed in an order of distance from the specified location, an order of alphabet, or an order of price range.

10. A parking information graphic interface apparatus for a navigation system, comprising:

means for examining a location specified by a user;

means for retrieving data associated with the specified location from a data storage medium;

means for displaying a screen of parking information graphic interface upon request by the user; and

means for examining whether there is a time-related parking restriction on the specified location and retrieving the time-related parking information if any;

wherein the parking information graphic interface illustrates a map image, a time table of a day, a time range indicator on the time table, and a text message regarding the time-related parking restriction, thereby graphically displaying the parking information on the specified location, and;

wherein said parking information graphic interface further illustrates road side selection keys thereon to prompt the user to select a desired road side to display the parking information on the specified location regarding the selected road side.

11. A parking information graphic interface apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said text message regarding the time-related parking restriction is identified by an icon where a color or pattern of the icon is coordinated with that of the time range indicator.

12. A parking information graphic interface apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein two or more time range indicators are displayed on the time table when there are two or more time-related parking restrictions to indicate time lengths that the corresponding parking restrictions apply, and two or more text messages regarding the corresponding time-related parking restrictions are identified by two more icons where colors or patterns of the icons are coordinated with those of the time range indicators.

13. A parking information graphic interface apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said parking information graphic interface further illustrates selection keys thereon to prompt the user to select a desired day of a week to display the parking information on the specified location regarding the selected day.

14. A parking information graphic interface apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said map image on the parking information graphic interface covers an area including the specified location on which a parking area at the specified location or a parking area on the selected road side at the specified location is highlighted.

15. A parking information graphic interface apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said specified location is either a destination of travel, a current position of a vehicle of the user, or any position on the map image specified by a cursor point.

16. A parking information graphic interface apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said text message on the parking information graphic interface indicates that there is no parking restriction when there is no time-related parking restriction regarding the specified location.

17. A parking information graphic interface apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said parking information graphic interface further illustrates a parking button thereon to find parking areas close to the specified location when the user activates the parking button.

18. A parking information graphic interface apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said parking information graphic interface displays a list of parking areas close to the specified location when the user activates the parking button where the parking areas are listed in an order of distance from the specified location, an order of alphabet, or an order of price range.