Methods, systems, and devices for location specific alerts

• US 7,053,780 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Straub, Henry J., Hokuf, Bronson D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/675,711
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/601, 340/500, 340/539.1, 340/905, 340/506, 340/426.19, 702/3
• US Class Current: 340/601
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for location specific alerts. The method can include determining one or more positions using a navigation device. One or more weather signals received on at least a first channel of the navigation device, where the one or more weather signals include location information, can be compared to the one or more positions. From the comparison, a weather alert can be generated in the navigation device. Determining the one or more positions further includes determining the positions from a global positioning system (GPS) enabled navigation device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving one or more weather signals on at least a first channel of a navigation device, where the one or more weather signals include location information;

determining one or more positions using the navigation device;

comparing the one or more positions with the location information;

generating a weather alert in the navigation device based on comparing the one or more positions with the location information;

performing a routing algorithm to calculate a route, where the route includes one or more waypoints;

comparing the one or more waypoints with the location information of the one or more weather signals; and

generating the weather alert based on comparing the one or more waypoints of the route with the location information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the one or more positions further includes determining the positions from a global positioning system (GPS) enabled navigation device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more weather signals on at least the first channel of the navigation device includes receiving a Specific Area Message Encoding signal that includes the location information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes receiving and transmitting one or more voice data signals.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further includes receiving and transmitting the one or more voice data signals on a Family Radio Service (FRS) frequency.

6. The method of claim 4, further including interrupting the receiving and transmitting of the one or more voice data signals of the navigation device with the weather alert.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, upon generating the weather alert, the method further includes;

selecting one or more waypoints;

determining a present location based on a signal from a global positioning system (GPS); and

performing the routing algorithm to calculate the route between the present position and the selected waypoints.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting one or more waypoints includes selecting one or more destination points.

9. The method of claim 1, further including recording a track log;

determining a heading based on the track log;

comparing the heading with the location information of the one or more weather signals; and

generating the weather alert in the navigation device based on comparing the heading with the location information.

10. A method, comprising:

determining one or more positions using a global positioning system (GPS) signal;

recording a track log based on the one or more positions;

receiving one or more weather signals on at least a first channel of a navigation device, where the one or more weather signals include location information;

determining a heading based on the track log;

comparing the heading with the location information of the one or more weather signals;

generating a weather alert based on comparing the heading with the location information;

performing a routing algorithm to calculate a route, where the route includes one or more waypoints;

comparing the one or more waypoints with the location information of the one or more weather signals; and

generating the weather alert based on comparing the one or more waypoints of the route with the location information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving one or more weather signals on at least the first channel of the navigation device includes receiving a Specific Area Message Encoding signal including the location information.

12. The method of claim 10, further including receiving and transmitting one or more voice data signals.

13. The method of claim 12, further including receiving and transmitting the one or more voice data signals on a Family Radio Service (FRS) frequency.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein, upon generating the weather alert, the method further includes;

selecting one or more way points;

determining a present location based on a signal from a global positioning system (GPS); and

performing the routing algorithm to calculate the route between the present position and the selected waypoints.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein selecting one or more waypoints includes selecting one or more destination points.

16. A method, comprising:

performing a routing algorithm to calculate a route, where the route includes one or more waypoints;

receiving one or more weather signals on at least a first channel of a navigation device, where the one or more weather signals include a location information;

comparing the one or more waypoints with the location information of the one or more weather signals; and

generating the weather alert based on comparing the one or more waypoints of the route with the location information.

17. The method of claim 16, further including selecting one or more waypoints for the route, and wherein performing the routing algorithm includes incorporating the one or more waypoints into the route.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving one or more weather signals includes receiving the one or more weather signals on at least a first channel of a navigation device, where the weather signals include a Specific Area Message Encoding signal having location information.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein, upon generating the weather alert, the method further includes;

selecting one or more waypoints;

determining a present location based on a signal from a global positioning system (GPS); and

performing the routing algorithm to calculate the mute between the present position and the selected waypoints.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further includes receiving and transmitting one or more voice data signals.

21. The method of claim 20, further including receiving and transmitting the one or more voice data signals on a Family Radio Service (FRS) frequency.

22. The method of claim 20, further including interrupting the receiving and transmitting of the one or more voice data signals of the navigation device with the weather alert.

23. A computer readable medium having a set of computer readable instructions, the set of computer readable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving one or more weather signals on at least a first channel of the navigation device, where the one or more weather signals include a location information;

determining one or more positions using a navigation device;

comparing the one or more positions with the location information;

generating a weather alert in the navigation device based on comparing the one or more positions with the location information;

performing a routing algorithm to calculate a route, where the route includes one or more waypoints;

comparing the one or more waypoints with the location information of the one or more weather signals; and

generating the weather alert based on comparing the one or more waypoints of the route with the location information.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein determining the one or more positions further includes determining the positions from a global positioning system (GPS) enabled navigation device.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein receiving one or more weather signals on at least the first channel of the navigation device includes receiving a Specific Area Message Encoding signal including the location information.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 23, further including interrupting one or more voice data signals of the navigation device with the weather alert.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein, upon generating the weather alert, the method further includes;

selecting one or more waypoints;

determining a present location based on a signal from a global positioning system (GPS); and

performing the routing algorithm to calculate the route between the present position and the selected waypoints.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 23, further including recording a track log;

determining a heading based on the track log;

comparing the heading with the location information of the one or more weather signals; and

generating the weather alert in the navigation device based on comparing the heading with the location information.

29. A navigation device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory operably coupled to the processor;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver operably coupled to the processor and the memory for determining a position of the navigation device;

a weather receiver operably coupled to the processor for receiving one or more weather signals, where the one or more weather signals include a location information, wherein the processor is operable to compare the location information of the one or more weather signals with the position of the navigation device, and operable to generate a signal for a weather alert based on a result of the comparison; and

wherein the memory includes cartographic data including a number of waypoints, wherein the processor is operable to perform a routing algorithm to calculate a route between at least two of the number of waypoints, and wherein the processor is operable to compare the one or more waypoints of the route with the location information of the one or more weather signals, and generate an alert for a weather alert based on the comparison.

30. The navigation device of claim 29, further including a transceiver operably coupled to the processor to wirelessly transmit and receive voice data signals with an electronic device.

31. The navigation device of claim 30, wherein the transceiver is operable to transmit and to receive voice data signals on a Family Radio Service (FRS) frequency.

32. The navigation device of claim 30, wherein the processor is operable to interrupt the transceiver operation with the weather alert.

33. The navigation device of claim 29, wherein the one or more weather signals includes a Specific Area Message Encoding signal including the location information.

34. The navigation device of claim 29, further including at least one input operably coupled to the processor and capable of receiving data on a selected position, wherein upon generating the weather alert, the processor receives data on the selected position through the at least one input, the GPS receiver determines a present position, and the processor operates on the routing algorithm to plot the route between the present position and the selected position.

35. The navigation device of claim 29, wherein the processor operates on a track log algorithm to record a track log based on the position of the navigation device, and the processor operates on a heading algorithm to determine a heading based on the track log, where processor operates on the comparison algorithm to compare the heading with the location information of the one or more weather signals, and generates the signal for the weather alert based on the result of the comparison.

36. The navigation device of claim 29, further includes a display operable to graphically present the weather alert.

37. The navigation device of claim 29, further includes an audio output device operable to audibly present the weather alert.

38. A method for providing location specific alerts, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving in a navigation device indication from a user of a destination;

determining in the navigation device a starting point;

determining in the navigation device at least one heading from the starting point to the destination;

receiving in the navigation device one or more weather signals, wherein the weather signals include location information relating to adverse weather conditions;

determining in the navigation device if any of the adverse weather conditions are expected to be encountered along the heading from the starting point to the destination; and

generating in the navigation device a weather alert it any of the adverse weather conditions are expected to be encountered along the heading from the starting point to the destination.