Navigation system and methods for route navigation

• US 20080319653A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZAMA Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Radiofy, LLC
• Inventors: Moshfeghi, Mehran
• Granted Patent: US 9,360,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for improved navigation using the global positioning system (GPS). A method of improved navigation includes transmitting a destination to a navigation server through a wireless communication channel. The method further includes transmitting position information from a GPS-enabled device to the navigation server through the wireless communication channel automatically at a time interval. The method further includes generating navigation information by the navigation server. The navigation information is based on the position information and the destination. The method further includes receiving navigation information on the GPS-enabled device from the navigation server through the wireless communication channel.

Claims

1. A method of providing improved navigation comprising:

transmitting a destination to a navigation server through a wireless communication channel;

transmitting position information from a GPS-enabled device to the navigation server through the wireless communication channel automatically at a time interval;

generating, by the navigation server, navigation information, wherein the navigation information is based on the position information and the destination; and

receiving navigation information on the GPS-enabled device from the navigation server through the wireless communication channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the destination is selected by clicking a point on a displayed map.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the destination is manually entered on a keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the destination is retrieved from a database located on an internet web site.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the destination is retrieved from a database located on the GPS-enabled device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the database on the GPS-enabled device comprises an address book.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the database on the GPS-enabled device comprises a calendar database.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the database on the GPS-enabled device is synchronized with a database located on an internet web site.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the database on the GPS-enabled device is synchronized with a database on a second device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the second device is a mobile communications device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the navigation information comprises updated map information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the updated map information comprises a partial map of an area surrounding a location of the GPS-enabled device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the updated map information comprises an entire map of an area of a route between the GPS-enabled device and the destination.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the updated map information comprises a standard view.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the updated map information comprises a satellite view.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the updated map information comprises a hybrid view.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the navigation information is adopted for display capabilities of a display belonging to a vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the navigation information comprises guidance information.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the guidance information comprises weather information.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the guidance information comprises traffic information.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising computing a route between the position information and the destination corresponding to the navigation information received.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising interacting with the GPS-enabled device through voice commands.

23. An apparatus including a system for improved navigation comprising:

a GPS module, wherein the GPS module determines position information;

a wireless communication module, wherein the wireless communication module transmits a destination to a navigation server, transmits the position information to the navigation server automatically at a time interval, and receives navigation information from the navigation server; and

an output module that outputs the navigation information.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the system further comprises:

a first device comprising the GPS module and the output module; and

a second device comprising the wireless communication module;

wherein the first device communicates the position information to the second device and wherein the second device communicates the navigation information to the first device.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the system further comprises:

a headset, wherein the headset receives the navigation information.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the headset receives audio other than the navigation information.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the headset is wired.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the headset is wireless.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the headset communicates with a mobile communications device through a wireless communications channel.

30. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the first device is an automobile and the second device is a mobile communications device.

31. An apparatus including a system for improved navigation comprising:

a GPS module that determines position information;

a cellular telephone that transmits a destination to a navigation server, that receives the position information from the GPS module, that transmits the position information to the navigation server via a wireless communication channel automatically at a time interval, and that receives navigation information from the navigation server, wherein the navigation information corresponds to a route based on the position information and the destination; and

a vehicle including a display, wherein the display outputs the navigation information from the cellular telephone.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the GPS module is a component of the cellular telephone.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the GPS module is a component of the vehicle.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

a first low power short range communications module as a component of the cellular telephone; and

a second low power short range communications module as a component of the vehicle,

wherein the cellular telephone and the vehicle communicate via the first low power short range communications module and the second low power short range communications module.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the cellular telephone and the vehicle communicate via a patch cord.