Method for operating a navigation device and a corresponding navigation device

• US 8,612,144 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Cornelius, Rainer, Pfeiffer, Heinz-Werner, Duckeck, Ralf, Krishnan, Kishore
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, ROBERT T
• Application Number:
  US12/094,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20090299618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,612 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/431, 701/117, 701/119, 701/426, 701/412, 701/47, 398/33, 370/350, 340/995.13, 340/905, 455/133, 455/132, 455/277.1, 455/575.7, 342/357.75
• US Class Current: 701/470
• 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: G08G 1/094 Hardware aspects; Signal processing or signal properties, e.g. frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/54 where broadcast information is generated

Abstract

In order to provide a method for operating a navigation device, which also receives TMC data using two tuners for ascertaining an optimum travel route, using which an optimal travel route is ascertainable using the largest amount of TMC data possible, after a first search by the second tuner, the TMC data found are compared with those of the first tuner and to use the second tuner for searching for another transmitter having other TMC data. Furthermore, a navigation device of an appropriate design is provided.

Claims

1. A method for operating a navigation device that also uses two tuners to receive Traffic Message Channel (TMC) data for ascertaining an optimum travel route, comprising:

comparing, by a computer processor, first TMC data to second TMC data, wherein the second TMC data is of a first one of the two tuners and the first TMC data is found in a first search by a second one of the two tuners; and

based on a result of the comparing, searching, by the second tuner, for a station with third TMC data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third TMC data is of a country different than that in which the navigation device is situated.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two tuners searches for the TMC data of a different country responsive to approaching an international border.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two tuners is configured to search for a station belonging to a station chain of a predefined preferred TMC data transmitting station, all of the stations of the chain broadcasting essentially a same program.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two tuners is configured to search for a station assigned a same regional database identification number as a predefined preferred TMC station.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in an automatic mode, the second tuner searches for a TMC station with a best possible reception quality.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein, responsive to approaching a state boundary, at least one of the two tuners receives TMC data of a state different than a state in which the navigation device is situated.

7. A navigation device, comprising:

two tuners for receiving Traffic Message Channel (TMC) data for ascertaining an optimum travel route; and

a processor configured to compare first TMC data to second TMC data, wherein the second TMC data is of a first one of the two tuners and the first TMC data is found in a first search by a second one of the two tuners;

wherein the second tuner is configured to, based on a result of the comparison, search for a station with third TMC data.

8. The navigation device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third TMC data is of a country different than that in which the navigation device is located.

9. The navigation device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the two tuners searches for the TMC data of a different country responsive to approaching an international border.

10. The navigation device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the two tuners is configured to search for a station belonging to a station chain of a predefined preferred TMC data transmitting station, all of the stations of the chain broadcasting essentially a same program.

11. The navigation device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the two tuners is configured to search for a station assigned a same regional database identification number as a predefined preferred TMC station.

12. The navigation device according to claim 7, wherein, in an automatic mode, the second tuner is configured to search for a TMC station with a best possible reception quality.

13. The navigation device according to claim 7, wherein, responsive to approaching a state boundary, at least one of the two tuners receives TMC data of a state different than a state in which the navigation device is situated.