Apparatus and method for switching navigation mode between vehicle navigation mode and personal navigation mode in navigation device

• US 9,316,500 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2013
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jae-Myeon, Hong, Hyun-Su, Yang, Sung-Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US13/945,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 701/408, 701/433, 701/434, 701/468, 340/995.16, 340/426.19, 340/426.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/165 combined with non-inertial navigation instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/52 Determining velocity

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus and method for switching a navigation mode between a vehicle navigation mode and a personal navigation mode in a navigation device supporting vehicle navigation and personal navigation. Switching between the vehicle navigation mode and the personal navigation mode is performed according to whether the navigation device is mounted in a navigation device holder, whether a GPS speed provided by a GPS receiver is higher than a predetermined speed, and whether a step is detected using an output of an accelerometer. Since mode switching between the vehicle navigation mode and the personal navigation mode is automatically performed, a user does not need to manually perform mode switching.

Claims

1. An apparatus for switching a navigation mode between a vehicle navigation mode and a pedestrian navigation mode, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an acceleration of the apparatus; and

a controller configured to switch the navigation mode of the apparatus between the vehicle navigation mode and the pedestrian navigation mode based on the acceleration of the apparatus detected by the sensor,

wherein the sensor detects the acceleration of the apparatus according to movement of the apparatus, and outputs the detected acceleration of the apparatus,

wherein the controller recognizes a step by using the detected acceleration of the apparatus, and

wherein if the step is recognized, the controller determines whether a number of recognized steps is greater than a predetermined threshold value and switches the navigation mode to the pedestrian navigation mode if the number of recognized steps is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for receiving a GPS signal and an accelerometer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold value is statistically determined.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to check if the acceleration of the apparatus detected by the sensor is output as a predetermined pattern to recognize a step pattern.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller switches the navigation mode between the vehicle navigation mode and the pedestrian navigation mode when the acceleration of the apparatus detected by the sensor is output as a predetermined pattern.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the predetermined pattern is a constant frequency waveform or a specific frequency waveform.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the apparatus is in a ear, the acceleration of the apparatus is output as the specific frequency waveform.

8. A method for switching a navigation mode between a vehicle navigation mode and a pedestrian navigation mode in an apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an acceleration of the apparatus by using a sensor comprised in the apparatus; and

switching the navigation mode between the vehicle navigation mode and the pedestrian navigation mode based on the acceleration of the apparatus detected by the sensor,

wherein the switching step comprises;

if a step is recognized by using the detected acceleration of the apparatus, determining whether a number of recognized steps is greater than a predetermined threshold value and switching the navigation mode to the pedestrian navigation mode if the number of recognized steps is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and

wherein the predetermined threshold value is statistically determined.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the detecting step comprises:

detecting the acceleration of the apparatus by using the sensor according to movement of the apparatus;

outputting the detected acceleration of the apparatus; and

recognizing the step using the detected acceleration of the apparatus.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

checking if the detected acceleration of the apparatus is output as a predetermined pattern to recognize a step pattern.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein switching the navigation mode between the vehicle navigation mode and the pedestrian navigation mode comprises

switching the navigation mode between the vehicle navigation mode and the pedestrian navigation mode when the acceleration of the apparatus detected by the sensor is output as a predetermined pattern.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined pattern is a constant frequency waveform or a specific frequency waveform.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, when the apparatus is in a car, the acceleration of the apparatus is output as the specific frequency waveform.

14. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon which, when executed, performs a method for switching a navigation mode between a vehicle navigation mode and a pedestrian navigation mode in an apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an acceleration of the apparatus by using a sensor comprised in the apparatus; and

switching the navigation mode between the vehicle navigation mode and the pedestrian navigation mode based on the acceleration of the apparatus detected by the sensor,

wherein the switching step comprises;

if a step is recognized by using the detected acceleration of the apparatus, determining whether a number of recognized steps is greater than a predetermined threshold value and switching the navigation mode to the pedestrian navigation mode if the number of recognized steps is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and

wherein the predetermined threshold value is statistically determined.