Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences

• US 20050234637A1
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silver State Intellectual Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Calcar, Inc.
• Inventors: Obradovich, Michael L., Pirtle, John D., Schebesch, Steven W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

In a navigation device in accordance with the invention, user profiles may be stored and used to navigate a user who may be driving in a vehicle, on foot, or in other mode of transportation. Each user profile corresponds to one of the user'"'"'s personae. For example, the user business profile corresponding to the user'"'"'s business persona may be different from the user personal profile corresponding to the user'"'"'s personal persona. For instance, the user business profile may include fine-dining type restaurants for business meetings while the user personal profile may instead include fast-food type restaurants for personal dining. The inventive navigation device provides the user with a navigated route, together with information concerning the favorite facilities and events surrounding the navigated route, which satisfy the preferences in a selected user profile. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, blockages may also be established using the device to avoid selected areas, e.g., high crime areas, in the navigated route, or to block transmission of selected information concerning, e.g., uninteresting facilities and events, to the inventive navigation device.

Claims

1-53. -53. (canceled)

54. A method for use in a navigation apparatus which includes a display, the method comprising:

receiving user preference information;

sensing a location of the navigation apparatus;

searching a database based at least on the user preference information and the sensed location to suggest selected facilities;

showing, on the display, a map covering the sensed location and a vicinity thereof; and

indicating, on the map, one or more of the selected facilities.

55. The method of claim 54 further comprising providing on the display identities of the selected facilities on a list.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the list is editable.

57. The method of claim 54 wherein locations of the one or more selected facilities are indicated on the display by one or more icons, respectively.

58. The method of claim 54 wherein the one or more selected facilities are selected for convenience of a vehicle user.

59. The method of claim 54 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a rest stop.

60. The method of claim 54 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a restaurant.

61. The method of claim 54 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a vehicle service station.

62. The method of claim 54 further comprising providing data concerning the one or more selected facilities.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the data includes contact information for communicating with the one or more selected facilities.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the contact information includes a telephone number.

65. The method of claim 62 wherein the data includes operating hours of the one or more selected facilities.

66. A method for use in a navigation system in a vehicle which includes a display, the method comprising:

storing user preference data;

determining vehicle location information;

suggesting selected facilities based at least on the user preference data and the vehicle location information;

receiving from a user a request for planning a route; and

indicating, on the display, a planned route and one or more of the selected facilities in relation to the planned route.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein locations of the one or more selected facilities are indicated on the display by one or more icons, respectively.

68. The method of claim 66 wherein the one or more selected facilities are selected for convenience of the user.

69. The method of claim 66 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a rest stop.

70. The method of claim 66 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a restaurant.

71. The method of claim 66 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a vehicle service station.

72. The method of claim 66 further comprising providing second data concerning the one or more selected facilities.

73. The method of claim 72 wherein the second data includes contact information for communicating with the one or more selected facilities.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein the contact information includes a telephone number.

75. The method of claim 72 wherein the second data includes operating hours of the one or more selected facilities.

76. An apparatus for navigation comprising:

an interface for receiving user preference information;

a device for sensing a location of the navigation apparatus;

a processor for searching a database based at least on the user preference information and the sensed location to suggest selected facilities; and

a display for showing thereon a map covering the sensed location and a vicinity thereof, one or more of the selected facilities being indicated on the map.

77. The apparatus of claim 76 wherein a list of identities of the selected facilities is provided on the display.

78. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the list is editable.

79. The apparatus of claim 76 wherein locations of the one or more selected facilities are indicated on the display by one or more icons, respectively.

80. The apparatus of claim 76 wherein the one or more selected facilities are selected for convenience of a vehicle user.

81. The apparatus of claim 76 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a rest stop.

82. The apparatus of claim 76 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a restaurant.

83. The apparatus of claim 76 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a vehicle service station.

84. The apparatus of claim 76 wherein data concerning the one or more selected facilities is provided.

85. The apparatus of claim 84 wherein the data includes contact information for communicating with the one or more selected facilities.

86. The apparatus of claim 85 wherein the contact information includes a telephone number.

87. The apparatus of claim 84 wherein the data includes operating hours of the one or more selected facilities.

88. A system for use in a navigation system in a vehicle which includes a display, the system comprising:

a memory for storing user preference data;

a device for determining vehicle location information;

a processor for suggesting selected facilities based at least on the user preference data and the vehicle location information;

an interface for receiving from a user a request for planning a route; and

a display for indicating thereon a planned route and one or more of the selected facilities in relation to the planned route.

89. The system of claim 88 wherein locations of the one or more selected facilities are indicated on the display by one or more icons, respectively.

90. The system of claim 88 wherein the one or more selected facilities are selected for convenience of the user.

91. The system of claim 88 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a rest stop.

92. The system of claim 88 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a restaurant.

93. The system of claim 88 wherein the one or more selected facilities include a vehicle service station.

94. The system of claim 88 wherein second data concerning the one or more selected facilities is provided.

95. The system of claim 94 wherein the second data includes contact information for communicating with the one or more selected facilities.

96. The system of claim 95 wherein the contact information includes a telephone number.

97. The system of claim 94 wherein the second data includes operating hours of the one or more selected facilities.