Navigation device and method for displaying alternative routes

• US 20110144904A1
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Gretton, Mark, Jurgens, Sven-Erik, Pinkus, Ayal, Neef, Edwin
• Granted Patent: US 9,367,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• 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 portable personal navigation device with an integral GPS receiver, programmed with a map database and navigation software that (a) enables a route to be planned and (b) generates a normal navigation mode screen on a touch screen display on the device, in which the current position and route guidance is shown on a road map;

and in which the feature of using a very large touch screen area associated with a given soft key is consistently deployed to select core functions of the navigation software, unlike in stylus-based applications;

the user selects core functions of the navigation software by touching a key, button or icon shown on the touch screen display with a finger.

2. The navigation device of claim 1, in which the core functions are those functions that are likely to be needed by a driver whilst actually driving.

3. The navigation device of claim 1, in which the road map is a 2D map.

4. The navigation device of claim 1, in which the road map is a 3D map.

5. The navigation device of claim 1, which is further programmed to be able to associate any function, belonging to the core functions, with a touch zone that is large enough to be reliably selected using a single finger.

6. The navigation device of claim 5, in which the touch zone is at least 0.7 cm² in area.

7. The navigation device of claim 5, in which the touch zone is activated by a single or a double touch.

8. The navigation device of claim 1, in which the route guidance shown on the road map includes a graphical indication of at least some of a route to be taken.

9. The navigation device of claim 5 in which the core functions are initiated or controlled from a menu screen that is one or two touches away from the normal navigation mode screen.

10. The navigation device of claim 1 in which touching the road map causes the device to display a completely different screen.

11. The navigation device of claim 1 in which the device can be mounted on a vehicle dashboard.

12. A computer program product for a portable personal navigation device with an integral GPS receiver and programmed with a map database and the computer program product, the computer program product (a) enabling a route to be planned and (b) generating a normal navigation mode screen on a touch screen display fixed in a front face of the device, in which the current position and route guidance is shown on a road map;

and in which the feature of using a very large touch screen area associated with a given soft key is consistently deployed to select core functions of the navigation software, unlike in stylus-based application;

the user selects core functions of the navigation software by touching a key, button or icon shown on the touch screen display with a finger.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, in which the core functions are those functions that are likely to be needed by a driver whilst actually driving.

14. A method of operating a portable personal navigation device with an integral GPS receiver, programmed with a map database and navigation software that (a) enables a route to be planned and (b) generates a normal navigation mode screen on a touch screen display fixed in a front face of the device, in which the current position and route guidance is shown on a road map;

and in which the feature of using a very large touch screen area associated with a given soft key is consistently deployed to select core functions of the navigation software, unlike in stylus-based application;

comprising the step of;

the user selecting with a finger a core function of the navigation software by touching a key, button or icon shown on the touch screen display.

15. The method of claim 14, in which the core functions are those functions that are likely to be needed by a driver whilst actually driving.