Navigation device and method for displaying alternative routes

• US 9,367,239 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Pinkus, Ayal, Neef, Edwin, Jurgens, Sven-Erik, Gretton, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): OH, HARRY Y
• Application Number:
  US12/929,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20110144904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: 701/26, 701/200, 701209-210, 701/400, 701408-412, 701/426, 701/438, 701467-468, 340/995.19, 340/995.21, 340/995.23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A navigation device has a route re-calculation function. This is activated by the user touching the screen to task away from the normal navigation map mode to a menu screen which displays multiple types of route re-calculation options.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising a map database and software that enables routes to be planned to a destination using the map database, wherein:

the device is programmed to calculate a route to a destination;

the device is further programmed to be able to display a navigation map on a touch screen display, the map updating the current position of the device;

the device is further programmed to determine an initial list of a point of interest (POI) icons, each POI icon representative of a POI type, wherein the initial list self-adjusts to include a POI icon representative of a recently used POI type not already in the initial list, and to provide the adjusted list to a user; and

the device is further programmed such that, during travel along the calculated route to the destination, the user can, by touching the touch screen display, cause the display of a menu screen including the adjusted list, and wherein, when a POI icon in the adjusted list is selected through a further touch action, the device is further programmed to initiate a re-calculation of a route from the current position of the device to the destination so as to include a POI of the POI type represented by the POI icon that is selected by the user.

2. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the display of the menu screen is initiated by a single or a double touch anywhere on the touch screen.

3. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the display of the menu screen is initiated by a single or a double touch at a region of the touch screen sized to allow the region to be selected with a fingertip.

4. The navigation device of claim 3, wherein the region is centered on the navigation map.

5. The navigation device of claim 3, wherein the region is at least 0.7cm2 in area.

6. The navigation device of claim 1, further comprising enabling a user to alter the way a route is evaluated or scored by a route calculation algorithm.

7. The navigation device of claim 6, wherein enabling the altering of the way a route is evaluated or scored is achieved by allowing the user to alter the weight given to any item used in the evaluation of a route.

8. The navigation device of claim 1, further comprising displaying selectable options that, when selected, allow the user to initiate different route calculation modes.

11. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the POI included in the recalculated route is the nearest POI to the current position of the device of the POI type represented by the POI icon.

14. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the device is further programmed to provide at least one of visual and audible instructions to guide the user along the recalculated route.

9. A method of displaying navigation information, the method being deployed in a navigation device programmed with a map database and software that enables routes to be planned using the map database, the method comprising:

calculating a route to a destination;

displaying a navigation map on a touch screen display, the map updating the current position of the device;

determining an initial list of a point of interest (POI) icons, each POI icon representative of a POI type, wherein the initial list self-adjusts to include a POI icon representative of a recently used POI type not already in the initial list, and to provide the adjusted list to a user;

displaying, during travel along the calculated route to the destination, a menu screen following a touch action on the touch screen display by the user, the menu screen including the adjusted list; and

initializing, following a further touch action on the touch screen display by the user to select a POI icon in the adjusted list, a re-calculation of a route from the current position of the device to the destination so as to include a POI of the POI type represented by the POI icon selected by the user.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the POI included in the recalculated route is the nearest POI to the current position of the device of the POI type represented by the POI icon.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing at least one of visual and audible instructions to guide the user along the recalculated route.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for displaying navigation information on a navigation device, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

calculating a route to a destination;

displaying a navigation map on a touch screen display, the map updating the current position of the device;

determining an initial list of a point of interest (POI) icons, each POI icon representative of a POI type, wherein the initial list self-adjusts to include a POI icon representative of a recently used POI type not already in the initial list, and to provide the adjusted list to a user;

displaying, during travel along the calculated route to the destination, a menu screen following a touch action on the touch screen display by the user, the menu screen including the adjusted list; and

initializing, following a further touch action on the touch screen display by the user to select a POI icon in the adjusted list, a re-calculation of a route from the current position of the device to the destination so as to include a POI of the POI type represented by the POI icon selected by the user.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the POI included in the recalculated route is the nearest POI to the current position of the device of the POI type represented by the POI icon.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method executed by the set of instructions further comprises providing at least one of visual and audible instructions to guide the user along the recalculated route.