METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND APPARATUSES FOR TELEMATICS NAVIGATION

• US 20090222200A1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HTI IP LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirsch, Paul, Link, Kevin W., LINK, Charles M. II, Gordan, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,355,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3446 Details of route searching algorithms, e.g. Dijkstra, A*, arc-flags, using precalculated routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Provided are methods, systems, and apparatuses for telematics navigation.

Claims

1. A method for navigation, comprising:

receiving, at a remote host, a desired destination from a user;

receiving, at the remote host, a user location;

determining, at the remote host, a route from the user location to the desired location; and

sending, from the remote host, the route to an in-vehicle system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a visual representation of the route to a display device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, at a remote host, a desired destination from a user comprises one or more of, receiving the desired destination through a website, through an SMS text message, through an email, or through an in-vehicle input device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, at the remote host, a route from the user location to the desired location further comprises presenting the route to the user for editing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, at the remote host, a route from the user location to the desired location further comprises incorporating traffic data into the route determination.

6. A method for navigation, comprising:

receiving, at a remote host, a desired destination from a user; and

sending, from the remote host, the desired destination to an in-vehicle system.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising outputting a visual representation of the desired destination to a display device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving, at a remote host, a desired destination from a user comprises one or more of, receiving the desired destination through a website, through an SMS text message, through an email, or through an in-vehicle input device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein sending, from the remote host, the desired destination to an in-vehicle system comprises transmitting the desired destination over one or more of, a cellular network, an IP network, a satellite network.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein sending, from the remote host, the desired destination to an in-vehicle system comprises transmitting the desired destination through an SMS text message or through an email.

11. A method for navigation, comprising:

receiving, at an in-vehicle system, a desired route from a remote host; and

providing the desired route to a user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving, at an in-vehicle system, a desired route from a remote host comprises one or more of, receiving the desired route through an SMS text message or through an email.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving, at an in-vehicle system, a desired route from a remote host comprises receiving the desired route over one or more of, a cellular network, an IP network, a satellite network.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the desired route to the user comprises outputting a visual representation of the desired route to a display device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the desired route to the user comprises providing the desired route to the user in response to a user command.

16. A method for navigation, comprising:

receiving, at an in-vehicle system, a desired destination from a remote host;

determining a user location;

determining a route from the user location to the desired location; and

providing the route to the user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving, at an in-vehicle system, a desired destination from a remote host comprises one or more of, receiving the desired destination through an SMS text message or through an email.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving, at an in-vehicle system, a desired destination from a remote host comprises receiving the desired destination over one or more of, a cellular network, an IP network, a satellite network.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein determining a user location comprises determining the user location with a GPS system.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the route to the user comprises outputting a visual representation of the route to a display device.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the route to the user comprises providing the route to the user in response to a user command.

22. A method for navigation, comprising:

receiving, at a remote host, a starting location, a desired destination, and a time frame;

determining, at the remote host, a plurality of routes from the starting location to the desired destination;

receiving, at the remote host, a request signal from an in-vehicle device at the starting location and within the time frame;

determining, at the remote host, traffic conditions for the plurality of routes, resulting in a route with a lowest estimated time of arrival (ETA); and

sending, from the remote host, the route with the lowest ETA to the in-vehicle system.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the starting location is a home location, the desired destination is a work location, and the time frame is from about 7:

00 AM to about 9;

00 AM.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving, at a remote host, a starting location, a desired destination, and a time frame comprises receiving the starting location, the desired destination, and the time frame through a website.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein determining, at the remote host, a plurality of routes from the starting location to the desired destination comprises determining routes utilizing at least one different roadway.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving, at the remote host, a request signal from an in-vehicle device at the starting location and within the time frame comprises receiving the request signal from a vehicle telematics unit.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving, at the remote host, a request signal from an in-vehicle device at the starting location and within the time frame comprises receiving the request signal through an SMS text message or through an email.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing the route with the lowest ETA to a user.

29. A method for navigation, comprising:

sending, from an in-vehicle system, a request signal to a remote host, wherein the request signal comprises a location of the in-vehicle system and a timestamp;

receiving, at the in-vehicle system, a route to a predetermined destination, wherein the route is one of a plurality of routes and the route received is the one of the plurality of routes with the lowest ETA at the predetermined destination; and

providing the route to a user.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the location is a home location and the time stamp is between a predetermined time frame.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving, at the in-vehicle system, a route to a predetermined destination comprises receiving the route over one or more of, a cellular network, an IP network, a satellite network.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving, at the in-vehicle system, a route to a predetermined destination comprises receiving the route through an SMS text message or through an email.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein providing the route to the user comprises outputting a visual representation of the route to a display device.

34. A method for navigation, comprising:

requesting a release version of a map database and a point of interest database from a navigation system;

determining if the requested release version is a current release version; and

sending the current release version of the map database and the point of interest database to the navigation system if the requested release version is not the current release version.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the navigation system is an in-vehicle navigation system.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein sending the current release version of the map database and the point of interest database to the navigation system comprises transmitting data that changed between releases.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the method is performed automatically on a predetermined time period.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the predetermined time period is every six months.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein sending the current release version of the map database and the point of interest database comprises sending over one or more of, a cellular network, an IP network, a satellite network.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein requesting a release version of a map database and a point of interest database from a navigation system comprises requesting over one or more of, a cellular network, an IP network, a satellite network.

41. A method for navigation, comprising:

requesting a current release version of a map database and a point of interest database from a remote host;

determining if the current release version is a release version on a navigation system; and

receiving the current release version of the map database and the point of interest database if the current release version is not the release version on the navigation system.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the navigation system is an in-vehicle navigation system.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein sending the current release version of the map database and the point of interest database to the navigation system comprises transmitting data that changed between releases.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the method is performed automatically on a predetermined time period.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the predetermined time period is every six months.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein requesting a current release version of a map database and a point of interest database from a remote host comprises requesting over one or more of, a cellular network, an IP network, a satellite network.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein receiving the current release version of the map database and the point of interest database comprises receiving over one or more of, a cellular network, an IP network, a satellite network.

48. A system for telematics navigation, comprising:

a user computing device, configured for providing an interface for a user to provide a user location and a desired destination and sending the desired destination to a remote host;

a telematics device, configured for receiving a route; and

a remote host, configured for

receiving the desired destination and the user location,

determining a route from the user location to the desired location, and

sending the route to the telematics device.

49. A system for telematics navigation, comprising:

a user computing device, configured for providing an interface for a user to provide a desired destination and sending the desired destination to a remote host;

a telematics device, configured for determining a user location, sending the user location to a remote host, and receiving a route; and

a remote host, configured for

receiving the desired destination and the user location,

determining a route from the user location to the desired location, and

sending the route to the telematics device.

50. A system for telematics navigation, comprising:

a user computing device, configured for providing an interface for a user to provide a desired destination and sending the desired destination to a remote host;

a telematics device, configured for receiving the desired destination; and

a remote host, configured for receiving the desired destination and sending the desired destination to the telematics device.

51. An apparatus for telematics navigation, comprising:

a wireless transceiver, configured for receiving a desired route; and

a processor, coupled to the wireless transceiver, wherein the processor is configured for providing the desired route to a user.

52. An apparatus for telematics navigation, comprising:

a wireless transceiver, configured for receiving a desired destination;

a location determining unit, configured for determining a user location; and

a processor, coupled to the wireless transceiver and the location determining unit, wherein the processor is configured for determining a route from the user location to the desired location and providing the desired route to a user.

53. A system for telematics navigation, comprising:

a user computing device, configured for providing an interface for a user to provide a starting location, a desired destination, and a time frame and sending the starting location, the desired destination, and the time frame to a remote host;

a telematics device, configured for sending a request signal comprising a user location and a timestamp to a remote host and receiving a route; and

a remote host, configured for

receiving the starting location, the desired destination, and the time frame,

determining a plurality of routes from the starting location to the desired destination,

receiving the request signal from the telematics device,

determining traffic conditions for the plurality of routes, resulting in a route with a lowest estimated time of arrival (ETA), and

sending the route with the lowest ETA to the telematics device.

54. An apparatus for telematics navigation, comprising:

a location determining unit, configured for determining a user location;

a wireless transceiver, configured for sending a request signal comprising the user location and a timestamp to a remote host and receiving a route; and

a processor, coupled to the wireless transceiver and the location determining unit, wherein the processor is configured for providing the timestamp and the user location to the wireless transceiver and providing the desired route to a user.

55. A system for telematics navigation, comprising:

a navigation system, configured for determining a release version of a map database and a point of interest database and providing the release version to a remote host; and

a remote host, configured for

requesting the release version of the map database and the point of interest database from the navigation system,

determining if the requested release version is a current release version, and

sending the current release version of the map database and the point of interest database to the navigation system if the requested release version is not the current release version.

56. An apparatus for telematics navigation, comprising:

a wireless transceiver, configured for requesting and receiving a current release version of a map database and a point of interest database from a remote server; and

a processor, coupled to the wireless transceiver, wherein the processor is configured for

initiating a request for the current release version,

determining if the current release version is a release version on a navigation system, and

receiving the current release version of the map database and the point of interest database if the current release version is not the release version on the navigation system.