Navigation device and method for displaying alternative routes

• US 20070005233A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom NV
• Inventors: Gretton, Mark, Jurgens, Sven-Erik, Pinkus, Ayal, Neef, Edwin
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• 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 programmed with a map database and software that enables a route to be planned between two user-defined places, wherein 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;

wherein the user can, by touching the screen, task away from the navigation map to a menu screen which displays one or more options that, if selected through a further touch action, initiate a re-calculation of the route.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the task away is initiated by a single or a double touch anywhere on the touch screen.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the task away is initiated by a single or a double touch at a region of the touch screen sized to be sufficiently large to allow it to be reliably selected with a fingertip.

4. The device of claim 3 in which the region is centred on the navigation map.

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

6. The device of claim 1 in which the menu screen displays selectable options relating to one or more of the following functions:

(a) calculate alternative route;

(b) calculate alternative route without including a predefined extent of the road ahead;

(c) calculate alternative route without including a predefined road;

(d) revert to original route.

7. The device of claim 1 in which the navigation map is a preview or simulation of a journey along the route and the current position is a simulated current position.

8. The device of claim 1 in which each selectable option is one of the following:

(a) a graphical icon;

(b) a control or check box;

or

(c) a name.

9. The device of claim 1 which enables a user to alter the way a route is evaluated or scored by a route calculation algorithm.

10. The device of claim 9 in which enabling the altering of the way a route is evaluate or scored is achieved by allowing the user to alter the weight given to any item used in the evaluation of a route.

11. The device of claim 1 in which the map is a 3-D map.

12. The device of claim 1 that displays options that allow the user to initiate different route calculation modes.

13. The device of claim 1 that displays an option to recalculate a route to include a POI of a user-defined type.

14. The device of claim 13 in which the device correlates vectors of POIs of the defined type to vectors in different routes to enable it to select only those routes that include the required POI.

15. A method of displaying navigation information, the method being deployed in a navigation device programmed with a map database and software that enables a route to be planned between two user-defined places, wherein 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;

characterised in that the user can, by touching the screen, task away from the navigation map to a menu screen which displays one or more options that, if selected through a further touch action, initiate a re-calculation of the route.

16. Computer software adapted to enable a navigation device, programmed with a map database and software that enables a route to be planned between two user-defined places and displayed on a navigation map on a touch screen display, the map updating the current position of the device;

wherein the software enables a user, by touching the screen, task away from the navigation map to a menu screen which displays one or more options that, if selected through a further touch action, initiate a re-calculation of the route