System, device and method for providing proximate addresses

• US 20050143913A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Tompkins, Mark D., Walters, Thomas H., Runquist, Shane R., Robinson, Stephen C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,079,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods are provided to display or otherwise provide addresses in proximity to the device, and to periodically update the addresses as the navigational aid device is transported along a road. The device is adapted to be transported on a road. The device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The processor and the memory are adapted to cooperate to provide an address that is proximate to the device. Another aspect includes a method. According to one method embodiment, an address proximate to a navigational aid device is estimated and displayed on the navigational aid device. Other aspects are provided herein.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

means for estimating an address representative of a position of the device and updating the address representative of the position of the device to account for device travel; and

means for providing a user of the device with the address.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for estimating the address includes:

means for identifying a road segment proximate to the position of the device;

means for identifying an address range associated with the road segment; and

means for estimating the address range based on a position of the device.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising means for determining a current speed of travel of the device, wherein the means for estimating the address within the address range includes means for estimating the address within the address range based on the current speed of travel.

4. The device of claim 2, further comprising means for determining a direction of travel for the device, wherein the means for estimating the address within the address range includes means for estimating the address within the address range based on the direction of travel.

5. The device of claim 2, further comprising means for determining a position, a current speed of travel and direction of travel of the device, wherein the means for estimating the address within the address range includes means for estimating the address within the address range based on the position, current speed of travel and direction of travel.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for estimating an address representative of a position of the device and updating the address representative of the position of the device to account for device travel includes means for updating the address at an update event.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the means for updating the address at the update event includes means for periodically updating the address.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the means for periodically updating the address includes means for periodically updating the address at time intervals of approximately one second.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a user of the device with the address includes means for displaying a map to illustrate a road and a position of the device on the road, and means for displaying the address with the map.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the means for displaying a map includes means for displaying a heads-up display so that a direction of travel remains up on the map.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for the device to determine the position of the device.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for receiving a wireless signal from a server, the wireless signal including position information for the device.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a user of the device with the address includes means for displaying the address.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising means for enabling a user to select between odd and even address to be displayed.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising means for displaying either odd addresses or even addresses based on whether the device is traveling on an odd side of the road or an even side of the road.

16. A method, comprising:

at a first time, estimating an address representative of a position of a navigational aid device;

providing a user of the device with the address representing the position of the device at the first time;

at a second time, updating the address representative of the position of the device; and

providing the user of the device with the address representing the position of the device at the second time.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein estimating an address representative of a position of a navigational aid device includes performing algorithms using a processor in the device to estimate the address.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein estimating an address representative of a position of a navigational aid device includes performing algorithms using a processor in a server to estimate the address;

and communicating the estimated address to the device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein estimating an address representative of a position of a navigational aid device includes:

determining travel information for the device, including determining a position of the device;

accessing road data based on the position of the device;

identifying an address number range from the road data associated with the position of the device; and

estimating the address number using the address number range and the position of the device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining travel information for the device includes determining a position of the device, a travel speed of the device and a travel direction of the device.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein a time duration between the first time and the second time is approximately one second

22. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the user of the device with the address representing the position of the device includes displaying the address on the device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein displaying the address includes displaying the address with an electronic map and an indication of the position of the device on the map.

24. A device, comprising:

a memory;

a display;

a global positioning system (GPS) antenna and receiver; and

a processor adapted to communicate with the memory, the display and the GPS antenna and receiver,

the memory being embedded with computer-readable instructions, which when operated on by the processor, perform a process to provide and display addresses proximate to the device while the device travels, the process including;

using the GPS antenna and receiver to determine device positions;

estimating addresses representative of the device positions; and

presenting addresses on the display of the device that are representative of the device positions.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein, in the process performed by the processor operating on the computer-readable instructions, using the GPS antenna and receiver to determine device positions and estimating addresses representative of the device positions include:

determining a current device position using the GPS antenna and receiver;

determining an address range associated with the current device position;

determining a distance from the current device position to an endpoint of the address range; and

estimating an address using the address range and the distance from the current device position to the endpoint of the address range.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein the process performed by the processor operating on the computer-readable instructions is periodically performed.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein the memory includes cartographic data, and the processor is adapted to present a map representative of the device positions on the display with the address.

28. The device of claim 27, further comprising a network port through which the processor is adapted to communicate with an external database to update the cartographic data in the memory.

29. The device of claim 27, further comprising a cellular transceiver and antenna through which the processor is adapted to communicate with an external database to update the cartographic data in the memory.

30. The device of claim 24, wherein the process performed by the processor operating on the computer-readable instructions includes displaying either odd addresses or even addresses, depending on a direction of travel.

31. The device of claim 24, wherein the process performed by the processor operating on the computer-readable instructions includes receiving a user command to display either odd or even addresses, and displaying the addresses according to the user command.