Method, system and article of manufacture for identifying regularly traveled routes

• US 6,591,188 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navigation Technologies Corp. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohler, Jean K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US09/703,785
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/201, 701/202, 701/208, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• 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: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases

Abstract

An in-vehicle navigation system includes a receiver for receiving real-time traffic information (RTTI), a database for storing routine trip information, and a processor for running a regular route application. The regular route application includes a learning mode program and an operational mode program. The learning mode program records information regarding trips regularly taken by a vehicle and populates the database with records of routine trip information. The recorded trip information can include driver identifiers, trip departure times, origin points, destination points, dates of travel, days of travel, and route data. When the vehicle begins a new trip, the operational mode program determines whether the vehicle is engaging in a routine trip. This is accomplished by comparing current vehicle location or departure time information to routine trip information in the database. If the vehicle is starting a routine trip, the operational mode program retrieves from the database trip information stored in a trip record associated with the routine trip, accesses RTTI corresponding to the trip information, and notifies an end user about traffic conditions indicated by the RTTI.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating operation of a navigation system located in a vehicle travelling in a geographic region comprising:

storing data that indicate a primary route between an origin and a destination, wherein the primary route comprises a first series of road segments connecting the origin and the destination along which the vehicle actually traveled;

storing data that indicate at least one secondary route between the origin and the destination, wherein the secondary route comprises a second series of road segments connecting the origin and the destination along which the vehicle actually traveled, and wherein at least some of the road segments in the secondary route are different than the road segments in the primary route;

at a time subsequent to when the data indicating the primary route and the data indicating the secondary route have been stored, determining that the vehicle is traveling to the destination by matching data pertaining to a current trip to corresponding data in the primary route and secondary route;

obtaining real time traffic data that pertain to the primary route and the secondary route; and

indicating to a driver of the vehicle a fastest route to the destination, wherein the fastest route is one of the primary route and the secondary route having a least travel time to the destination taking into account the real time traffic data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining further comprises:

identifying a current trip departure time; and

comparing the current trip departure time to a primary route trip departure time and a secondary route trip departure time.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining further comprises:

identifying a current trip origin position; and

comparing the current trip origin position to a primary route origin position and a secondary route origin position.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining further comprises:

identifying a current trip destination; and

comparing the current trip destination to a primary route destination and a secondary route destination.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the real time traffic data to a user of the navigation system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

calculating a travel time for the primary route based on the real time traffic data; and

calculating a travel time for the secondary route based on the real time traffic data.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

calculating an alternative route to the destination, wherein the alternative route is different from the primary route and the secondary route.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

calculating a travel time for the alternative route based on real time traffic data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining further comprises:

determining an identity of a current driver of the vehicle and comparing the identity of the current driver of the vehicle to a driver identity associated with the primary route and a driver identity associated with the secondary route.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing information about a point of interest proximate to the fastest route to a user of the navigation system.

11. A method of facilitating operation of a navigation system as the navigation system in a vehicle travels in a geographic region comprising:

storing data that represent multiple routes, wherein the multiple routes include routes between one origin and multiple destinations, and wherein the data indicate a departure time associated with each of the multiple routes;

at a time subsequent to when the data indicating the multiple routes have been stored, determining that the vehicle is traveling on a current trip from the one origin;

matching a departure time of the current trip to the data indicating a departure time for each of the multiple routes; and

inquiring of a user of the navigation system which, if any, of the multiple destinations associated with the multiple routes that have departure times that match the departure time of the current trip corresponds to a destination associated with the current trip.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

upon receiving an indication from the user of the navigation of which of the multiple destinations associated with the multiple routes that have departure times that match the departure time of the current trip corresponds to the destination associated with the current trip, accessing traffic conditions for the route associated with the indicated destination.

13. A method of notifying an end user of a navigation system of traffic conditions as the navigation system located in a vehicle travels in a geographic region comprising:

storing data that indicate a routinely-traveled route between an origin and a destination, wherein the routinely-traveled route comprises a series of road segments connecting the origin and the destination along which the vehicle actually traveled;

at a time subsequent to when the data indicating the routinely-traveled route have been stored, determining that the vehicle is traveling to the destination by matching data pertaining to a current trip to corresponding data indicating the routinely-traveled route;

accessing traffic information corresponding to the routinely-traveled route;

determining a travel time associated with the routinely-traveled route taking into account the traffic information; and

upon determining that the travel time associated with the routinely-traveled route exceeds a predetermined threshold, providing traffic advice to the end user.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

providing the travel time for the routinely-traveled route taking into account the traffic information to the end user.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

upon determining that the travel time associated with the routinely-traveled route exceeds the predetermined threshold, calculating an alternative route from a present position of the navigation system to the destination.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

calculating a travel time for the alternative route taking into account real time traffic information.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

calculating a plurality of alternative routes from a present position of the navigation system to the destination;

calculating a travel time for each of the alternative routes taking into account real time traffic information; and

providing the alternative routes and their corresponding travel times to the end user.