Portable navigation system and device with audible turn instructions

• US 7,409,288 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2005
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Walters, Thomas H., Childs, Michael, Krull, Jay Dee, Burgett, Scott M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/181,305
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701207-211, 701213-215, 342/357.12, 342/357.13, 342/357.06, 340/988, 340/995.1
• 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

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods are provided for an improved navigational route planning device which provides more understandable, accurate and timely route calculation capabilities. The navigational aid device with route calculation capabilities includes a processor connected to a memory. The memory includes cartographic data and a desired destination, the cartographic data including data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types. A display is connected to the processor and is capable of displaying the cartographic data. The device is adapted to calculate a route to navigate to the desired destination. And, the device is adapted to adjust a starting point for the route calculation to an appropriate location such that the device is on the route at a time when the route calculation is completed. The device processes travel along the route, recognizes when the device has deviated from the route, and calculates a new route to navigate to the desired destination.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of GPS satellites;

memory for storing data, the data including data representative of a desired destination;

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver and the memory and operable for calculating a current location of the navigation device as a function of the received satellite signals, for calculating a route to navigate from the current location of the navigation device to the desired destination, and for adjusting a starting point for the route calculation to an appropriate location such that the device is on the route at a time when the route calculation is completed;

a display coupled with the processor for providing visual instructions to navigate along the route to the desired destination;

a speaker coupled with the processor for providing audio instructions to navigate along the route to the desired destination;

an input coupled with the processor for enabling a user of the device to enter or select the desired destination; and

a portable handheld housing for housing the GPS receiver, the memory, the processor, the display, the speaker, and the input.

2. The navigation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device is operable to communicate with a remote server via a communication channel for receiving data from the remote server.

3. The navigation device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the communications channel is selected from the group consisting of a wireless communications channel, a satellite communications channel, a local area network channel, a wide-area network channel, and a virtual private network channel.

4. The navigation device as set forth in claim 1, further including a power source located within the portable handheld housing and powering the GPS receiver, the memory, the processor, the display, and the speaker.

5. A navigation device comprising:

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of GPS satellites;

memory for storing data, the data including data representative of a desired destination;

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver and the memory and operable for

calculating a current location of the navigation device as a function of the received satellite signals,

calculating a route to navigate from the calculated location of the navigation device to the desired destination,

recognizing when the device has deviated from the calculated route utilizing the received satellite signals, and

recalculating a new route to the desired destination in response to the recognition of the deviation;

a touch-screen display coupled with the processor for enabling a user of the device to enter or select the desired destination;

a speaker coupled with the processor for providing audio instructions to navigate along the route to the desired destination; and

a portable handheld housing for housing the GPS receiver, the memory, the processor, the display, and the speaker.

6. The navigation device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the device is adapted to adjust a starting point for at least one of the route calculations to an appropriate location such that the device is on at least one of the routes at a time when the at least one ofthe route calculations is completed.

7. The navigation device as set forth in claim 5, further including a power source located within the portable handheld housing and powering the GPS receiver, the memory, the processor, the display, and the speaker.

8. The navigation device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the device is operable to communicate with a remote server via a communications channel for receiving data from the remote server.

9. The navigation device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the communications channel is selected from the group consisting of a wireless communications channel, a satellite communications channel, a local area network channel, a wide-area network channel, and a virtual private network channel.

10. The navigation device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the GPS receiver includes an antenna also located within the portable handheld housing.

11. The navigation device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the communications channel is a two way communications channel and the device is operable to send data to the server and receive data from the server.

12. The navigation device as set forth in claim 6, wherein the processor is further operable to determine an elapsed calculation time for the first one of the calculated routes and adjust a starting point for the new route calculation as a function of the elapsed calculation time such that the device is on the new route at a time when the new route calculation is completed.

13. The navigation device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the memory includes cartographic data representative of the current location of the device, the desired destination, and throughfares therebetween.