Methods, systems, and apparatuses for telematics navigation

• US 8,355,870 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HTI IP LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Link, Charles M. II, Link, Kevin W., Kirsch, Paul, Gordan, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jamie
• Application Number:
  US12/115,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/204, 701/1, 701/117, 701/207, 701/208, 701/210, 701/400, 701/465, 701/527, 701/533, 340/995.13, 340/995.19, 340/991, 340/993, 340/905, 340/933, 340/995.21, 340/995.22, 340/995.23, 340/995.24, 340/995.25, 340/995.26, 340/995.27
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3446 Details of route searching algorithms, e.g. Dijkstra, A*, arc-flags, using precalculated routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Provided are methods, systems, and apparatuses for telematics navigation.

Claims

1. A method for navigation, comprising:

receiving at a remote host one or more preselected routes corresponding to one of one or more time frames;

receiving, at the remote host, a current user location;

determining at the remote host a route, from the one or more preselected routes, based on the current user location and a current time, wherein the determined route corresponds to a time frame that encompasses the current time; and

sending, from the remote host, the determined route to an in-vehicle system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a route further comprises presenting the route to the user for editing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, a route further comprises incorporating traffic data into the route determination.

4. A method for navigation, comprising:

receiving, at a remote host, a current location of a vehicle;

determining, at the remote host, one route from a plurality of routes that corresponds to a time frame that encompasses a current time;

upon receiving, at the remote host, a request signal from an in-vehicle device of the vehicle, determining, at the remote host, traffic conditions for the plurality of routes, wherein the remote host uses the determined traffic conditions to determine the one route from the plurality of routes, resulting in a route with a lowest estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the plurality of routes; and

sending, from the remote host, the determined route with the lowest ETA to the in-vehicle system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the current location is a home location, a desired destination is a work location based on the current time falling within the time frame of about 7:

00 AM to about 9;

00 AM.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein determining, at the remote host, the one route from the plurality of routes from the current location comprises analyzing routes over different roadways.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving, at the remote host, a request signal from an in-vehicle device at the current location and within the time frame comprises receiving the request signal from a vehicle telematics unit.

8. A method for navigation, comprising:

sending, from an in-vehicle system, a request signal to a remote host, wherein the request signal comprises a current location of the in-vehicle system and a timestamp;

receiving;

at the in-vehicle system, a route to a predetermined destination, wherein the route is one of a plurality of routes that corresponds to a time frame that encompasses the timestamp and the route received is the one of the plurality of routes with the lowest ETA to the predetermined destination; and

providing the route to a user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the current location is a home location.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving, at the in-vehicle system, a route to a predetermined destination comprises receiving the route over one or more of, a cellular network, an IP network, a satellite network.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving, at the in-vehicle system, a route to a predetermined destination comprises receiving the route through an SMS text message or through an email.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the route to the user comprises outputting a visual representation of the route to a display device.

13. A system for telematics navigation, comprising:

a user computing device, configured for providing an interface for a user to provide a desired destination, a starting location, a corresponding time frame, and at least one roadway that should be used in determining a route, and for sending same to a remote host;

a telematics device, configured for determining a current location, sending the current location to a remote host, and receiving a route; and

a remote host, configured for receiving the current location, determining a route from the current location and a current time, and sending the route to the telematics device.

14. A system for telematics navigation, comprising:

a user computing device, configured for providing an interface for a user to provide a starting location, a desired destination, and a time frame and sending the starting location, the desired destination, and the time frame to a remote host;

a telematics device, configured for sending a request signal comprising a current location and a timestamp to a remote host and receiving a route; and

a remote host, configured for receiving the starting location, the desired destination, and the time frame, for determining a plurality of routes from the starting location to the desired destination, and for associating the determined plurality of routes with the time frame, receiving the request signal from the telematics device, determining traffic conditions for the plurality of routes, determining a route from the plurality of routes corresponding to a time frame that encompasses the time stamp having a lowest estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the plurality of routes based on the determined traffic conditions, and sending the route with the lowest ETA to the telematics device.