Navigation device and method providing a traffic message channel resource

• US 8,335,637 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• 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: Deurwaarder, William, Thomassen, Erik, Verwaij, Henny, Laermann, Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US11/907,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20080221782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,896 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/117, 701/118, 701/207, 701/208, 701/120, 701/213, 701/301, 340/825.49, 340/961, 340/905, 340/993, 340/995.13, 340/990, 342/29, 342/455, 342/457, 342/453, 342/456, 342/36, 370/335, 370/342, 370/347, 370/401, 455/186.1
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and a navigation device are disclosed for sharing at least one location message with at least one other device. The navigation device includes a receiver to determine a signal strength of a traffic message channel at a location, a memory to store information representing the signal strength of a traffic message channel, and at least one processor to correlate the information stored in memory to compile a traffic message channel resource and select a traffic message channel based on the traffic message channel resource and a location associated with a navigation device. The method includes determining a signal strength of a traffic message channel at a location, storing information representing the signal strength of a traffic message channel, correlating the information stored in memory to compile a traffic message channel resource, and selecting a traffic message channel based on the traffic message channel resource and a location associated with a navigation device.

Claims

1. A navigation system for selecting a traffic message channel, the navigation system comprising:

a receiver to determine a signal strength of a traffic message channel at a location;

a memory to store information representing the signal strength of the traffic message channel; and

at least one processor to correlate the information stored in memory to compile a traffic message channel resource and select a traffic message channel based on the traffic message channel resource and a location associated with a navigation device.

2. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein a first processor correlates the information stored in memory to compile the traffic message channel resource and a second processor selects a traffic message channel based on the traffic message channel resource and the location associated with a navigation device.

3. The navigation system of claim 2 wherein the first processor is included in a central system and the second processor is included in a navigation device.

4. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor is included in the navigation device.

5. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein the location associated with a navigation device is a current location of the navigation device.

6. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein the location associated with a navigation device is an expected location of the navigation device.

7. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein the traffic message channel resource designates a traffic message channel as preferred.

8. The navigation system of claim 7 wherein the traffic message channel resource designates a preferred traffic message channel is based on at least one of a radio station location, a radio station coverage, a planned route, information provided by a user of a navigation device, and information provided by the traffic message channel provider.

9. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein the selected traffic message channel is based on at least one of a radio station location, a radio station coverage, a planned route, information provided by another navigation device user, and information provided by the traffic message channel provider.

10. A method for selecting a traffic message channel, the navigation system comprising:

determining a signal strength of a traffic message channel at a location;

storing information representing the signal strength of the traffic message channel;

correlating the information stored in memory to compile a traffic message channel resource; and

selecting a traffic message channel based on the traffic message channel resource and a location associated with a navigation device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the location associated with a navigation device is an expected location of the navigation device.

12. A navigation device to perform the method of claim 10.

13. A navigation system for selecting a traffic message channel, the navigation system comprising:

means for measuring a signal strength of a traffic message channel;

means for storing information representing the signal strength of the traffic message channel at the location of a navigation device;

means for correlating the information stored in memory to compile a traffic message channel resource; and

means for selecting a traffic message channel based on the traffic message channel resource and a current location of a navigation device.

14. The navigation system of claim 13 wherein the means for correlating is included in a central system and the means for selecting is included in a navigation device..