Route-matching method for use with vehicle navigation systems

• US 8,606,506 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Johnson, Richard A
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US11/460,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,694 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments

Abstract

A method for matching navigational routes that are generated by separate route generators and are used by vehicle navigation systems. According to one embodiment, a user previews a first navigational route generated by a first route generator, such as those incorporated in a navigation-related website. From this first navigational route, a variety of location markers corresponding to different points along the route are generated. The location markers are then sent to a second route generator used by a vehicle navigation system, so that it can generate a second navigational route that is similar to the first route. The second navigational route is then sent to a navigation unit located on the vehicle, so that the driver can be given directions that generally correspond to the first navigational route which they initially reviewed on the navigation-related website.

Claims

1. A route-matching method for use with a vehicle navigation system, comprising the steps of:

(a) utilizing a first route generator to generate a first navigational route having a plurality of location markers, wherein coordinate information is provided for each of said location markers;

(b) providing said plurality of location markers to a second route generator; and

(c) utilizing said second route generator and said plurality of location markers to generate a second navigational route, wherein said second route generator attempts to recreate said first navigational route by utilizing said plurality of location markers in the generation of said second navigational route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step of obtaining a start point and an end point through a web-based user interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said web-based user interface interacts with said first route generator to generate said first navigational route.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of location markers includes a start point, an end point, and a plurality of maneuver points along said first navigational route.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said coordinate information includes longitude and latitude coordinates for each of said location markers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said longitude and latitude coordinates are provided as GPS coordinates.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second route generator is part of a telematics-based vehicle navigation system and is located at a call center.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said second route generator is part of an autonomous vehicle navigation system and is located within vehicle hardware.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second navigational routes are substantially similar.

10. A system for coordinating navigational routes, comprising:

a website having a first route generator for generating a first navigational route, the first navigational route includes a plurality of location markers;

a call center having a second route generator for generating a second navigational route, the second route generator receives the plurality of location markers from the first route generator and uses the location markers to recreate the first navigational route without any further input from a user; and

a navigation unit located on a vehicle, wherein the call center wirelessly sends the second navigational route to the navigation unit.