Method of generating improved map data for use in navigation devices, map data and navigation device therefor

• US 8,407,003 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2007
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Geelen, Pieter, Jurgens, Sven, Jones, Rory, Roosen, Mareije, Kucheiko, Sergei, Hilbrandie, Geert, Neef, Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammel, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANG, MICHAEL DEAN
• Application Number:
  US12/310,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: 701/532, 701/411, 701/413
• US Class Current: 701/532
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3856 Data obtained from user input
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

In one embodiment of the present invention, an end-user can input a correction to a map error, directly on the device. The device is then able to use the correction without external processing of the correction. Hence, it is no longer necessary for an end-user to simply report errors to the map vendor over a web link, then wait for that map vendor to verify the error, update its maps and finally supply the end-user with updates—a cycle that can take months and sometimes years to complete. Instead, the navigation device can use the correction immediately. End-users can also share corrections with other end-users and also with a shared remote server that aggregates, validates and distributes corrections.

Claims

1. A method of generating improved map data for use in an electronic navigation device, the method comprising:

displaying map data, suitable for route guidance algorithms, on a display of the electronic navigation device;

receiving a first input from a user on a user interface of the electronic navigation device to create a correction to an error in the map data, wherein the electronic navigation device is able to use the created correction without external processing of the correction;

downloading to the electronic navigation device a correction to another error in the map data input by another user;

receiving a second input from the user on the user interface to include or exclude from route calculations at least one of said created correction and said downloaded correction, and calculating a route to a destination based at least on said received second input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the the map data, the created correction and the downloaded correction are stored locally on the electronic navigation device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the created correction is stored on the electronic navigation device together with, in or as at least one of a unique identifier, and a time stamp defining when the correction was created, in a modular format that enables the correction to be applied in a routing algorithm independently of other corrections.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the first input from the user comprises the user selecting an icon, or other kind of menu item, shown on a display of the electronic navigation device to make changes to the map data stored on the electronic navigation device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting the icon or menu item causes a menu at a deeper level to be displayed, this deeper level menu including one or more icons or other kinds of menu items that each allows the user to make a different kind of change to the map data stored on the electronic navigation device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the created correction and downloaded correction is for one or more of the following:

to block a street;

to unblock a street;

to change a speed or speed limit applicable to a street;

to rename, move, add, delete or re-categorise a POI;

to add or change a name applicable to a city, part of a city, street or a part of a street;

to change a direction of traffic property of a road to add a road or connect two roads;

to block access for one or more of a motor vehicle, pedestrians, heavy goods vehicles, and bicycles;

to add or remove a turn restriction to a road;

to add or modify house numbers;

to mark or remove an indication of a road as a toll road;

to add or modify signpost information for a road;

to modify motorway exit numbers;

to modify a postcode associated with a location; and

to add or modify a height, weight or width restriction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the created correction is associateable, by the user, with one or more transportation types.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the created correction has one or more of the following characteristics:

is compressed for OTA distribution;

is securely encoded, optionally in a way that is not specific to any one supplier of the map data;

does not permanently affect the map data stored on the device;

is automatically removable if the area related to the fix has changed in a new release of the map data;

is automatically suggested to a user if the user departs from a planned route in a manner consistent with the correction; and

is sent to a server which aggregates other corrections sent to it.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of corrections are created by the user on the electronic navigation device, and the second input received from the user indicates that the plurality of created corrections are to be included or excluded from route calculations.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of corrections are downloaded, said plurality of downloaded corrections including one or more categories of corrections, and the second input received from the user indicates that at least one of said categories of downloaded corrections are to be included or excluded from route calculations.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more categories of corrections are at least one of:

corrections input by other users known to the user;

corrections that satisfy a predefined trust level; and

corrections that have been reported more than a predefined number of times.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of corrections are created by the user and a plurality of corrections are downloaded, said plurality of downloaded corrections including one or more categories of corrections, and the second input received from the user indicates that at least one of the plurality of created corrections and at least one of said categories of downloaded corrections are to be included or excluded from route calculations.

13. An electronic navigation device, comprising:

a display;

an input device; and

a processor arranged to;

display map data on the display;

create a correction to an error in the map data in response to receiving a first input from a user on the input device, wherein the electronic navigation device is able to use the received correction without external processing of the correction;

download a correction to another error in the map data input by another user; and

calculate a route to a destination based at least on a second input received from the user on the input device to include or exclude from route calculations at least one of said received correction and said downloaded correction.

14. The navigation device of claim 13, wherein the user navigates through a menu hierarchy of the electronic navigation device solely by touching on-screen keys, buttons or icons and wherein one menu screen includes a key, button or icon that, if selected, enables the user to make the correction to map data stored on the electronic navigation device.

15. The navigation device of claim 14, wherein the selecting of the key, button or icon on the menu screen opens another menu screen at a deeper level in the menu hierarchy that includes keys, icons or buttons that each enable a specific kind of correction to be input.

16. The navigation device of claim 13, wherein the navigation device is one of a portable stand-alone device including a touch screen;

a PDA;

a PC;

a mobile telephone; and

a navigation device integrated into a vehicle.