Speed limit change notification

• US 8,258,978 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Greasby, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ng, Jonathan K
• Application Number:
  US12/783,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20110288770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 340/438, 340/461, 340/905
• US Class Current: 340/901
• 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: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

Techniques are described that may be implemented in a mobile electronic device providing navigation functionality to furnish a notification that the indicated speed limit of a roadway being traversed has changed. In an implementation, the display of the mobile electronic device is configured to display navigation information including a roadway graphic representing a roadway being traversed by the mobile electronic device and a speed limit indicator graphic for indicating the speed limit associated with the roadway. When a change in the indicated speed limit is encountered, an attribute of the navigation information is temporarily altered to provide a notification of the change.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a display device;

a memory operable to store one or more modules; and

a processing system operable to execute the one or more modules to;

anticipate a future path of the mobile electronic device;

cause navigation information to be displayed by the display device, the navigation information including a roadway graphic configured to represent a roadway and a speed limit indicator graphic configured to indicate a speed limit associated with the roadway; and

temporarily alter a display attribute of the navigation information to furnish a notification of a change in the indicated speed limit based on the anticipated future path;

wherein the navigation information further includes a map and the display attribute comprises a hue of at least one of the map or the speed limit indicator graphic, and

wherein the hue of the display attribute is momentarily changed from a default color to a second color when the speed limit decreases, to a third color when the speed limit increases, and to a fourth color when speed limit information is not available for the roadway.

2. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a position-determining module operable to receive satellite navigation signals and determine a geographic position of the mobile electronic device using the received satellite navigation signals, wherein the memory is operable to store map data including speed limit information, the speed limit information identifying a location where the speed limit associated with the roadway changes.

3. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the module is configured to temporarily change the display attribute when the determined geographic position is at least approximately matched to the location where the speed limit associated with the roadway changes.

4. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the module is configured to temporarily change the display attribute when the determined geographic position is within a predetermined distance of the location where the speed limit associated with the roadway changes.

5. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the module is further configured to temporarily change the display attribute to furnish a notification that the speed limit information is not available for the roadway.

6. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second color comprises red, the third color comprises green, and the fourth color comprises yellow.

7. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a communication module configured to receive traffic information, the traffic information including a construction zone speed limit, wherein the module causes the hue to be temporarily changed to a fifth color when the indicated speed limit is changed to the construction zone speed limit.

8. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein the second color comprises red, the third color comprises green, the fourth color comprises yellow, and the fifth color comprises orange.

9. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 5, wherein the display attribute further comprises a size of the speed limit indicator graphic, and wherein the module causes the size of the speed limit indicator graphic to momentarily increase.

10. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 9, wherein the module causes the speed limit indicator graphic to display at least one question mark (“

?”

) when speed limit information is not available for the roadway.

11. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the module is configured to vary at least one of an intensity, a duration, or a frequency of the display attribute in proportion to an amount of change in the speed limit.

12. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a memory operable to store map data comprising speed limit information that includes speed limits associated with a roadway being traversed;

a display device operable to display navigation information generated using the map data, the navigation information configured to include a roadway graphic that represents the roadway being traversed and a speed limit indicator graphic that indicates a speed limit associated with the roadway;

a position-determining module operable to receive satellite navigation signals and determine a geographic position of the portable electronic device using the received satellite navigation signals;

a processing system operable to execute at least one module to anticipate a future path of the mobile electronic device, detect a change in the speed limit associated with the roadway by comparing the determined geographic position of the mobile electronic device with the speed limit information and change the indicated speed limit, the at least one module configured to temporarily alter a display attribute of the navigation information to furnish a notification of a change in the indicated speed limit based on the anticipated future path; and

wherein the navigation information further includes a map and the display attribute comprises a hue of at least one of the map or the speed limit indicator graphic, and

wherein the hue of the display attribute is momentarily changed from a default color to a second color when the speed limit decreases, to a third color when the speed limit increases, and to a fourth color when speed limit information is not available for the roadway.

13. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein the module is further configured to temporarily change the display attribute to furnish a notification that speed limit information is not available for the roadway.

14. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 12, further comprising a communication module configured to receive traffic information, the traffic information including a construction zone speed limit, wherein the at least one module causes the hue to be temporarily changed to a fifth color when the indicated speed limit is changed to the construction zone speed limit.

15. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 14, wherein the future path is based on at least one of a calculated route and a roadway horizon.

16. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein the display attribute further comprises a size of the speed limit indicator graphic, and wherein the module causes the size of the speed limit indicator graphic to momentarily increase.

17. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 12, wherein the module is configured to vary at least one of an intensity, a duration, or a frequency of the display attribute in proportion to the change in the speed limit.

18. A method comprising:

causing navigation information to be displayed on a display of a mobile electronic device, the navigation information including a roadway graphic representing a roadway being traversed by the mobile electronic device and a speed limit indicator graphic for indicating the speed limit associated with the roadway;

causing a future path of the mobile electronic device to be anticipated;

causing the indicated speed limit to be changed in response to a change in the speed limit of the roadway; and

causing an attribute of the navigation information to be temporarily altered to furnish a notification of the change in the indicated speed limit based on the anticipated future path;

wherein the navigation information further includes a map and the display attribute comprises a hue of at least one of the map or the speed limit indicator graphic, and

wherein the hue of the display attribute is momentarily changed from a default color to a second color when the speed limit decreases, to a third color when the speed limit increases, and to a fourth color when speed limit information is not available for the roadway.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the navigation information further includes a map and the display attribute comprises a hue of at least one of the map or the speed limit indicator graphic, and wherein the second color comprises red, the third color comprises green, and the fourth color comprises yellow.