Navigation systems and vehicles for providing traffic information pertaining to pre-defined locations of interest

• US 8,577,600 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Pierfelice, Jeffrey E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHARBI, ADAM MOHAMED
• Application Number:
  US13/536,178
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/420
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map

Abstract

Navigation systems and vehicles for providing traffic information pertaining to pre-defined locations of interest are provided. A navigation system or a vehicle may present a traffic location input control on a display of the navigation system or vehicle, detect a tactile input indicative of a selection of a traffic location icon shown on the display, and automatically provide traffic information pertaining to a location of interest associated with the selected traffic location icon. A navigation system or a vehicle may determine a route between a current position and the farther of a first pre-defined location of interest and a second pre-defined location of interest, provide traffic information pertaining to the determined route, and deactivate turn-by-turn navigation.

Claims

1. A navigation system for providing traffic information, the navigation system comprising:

one or more processors;

a display communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a first pre-defined location of interest stored in the one or more memory modules; and

machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors;

present, automatically, a traffic location selection input control on the display, wherein the traffic location selection input control comprises a first traffic location icon associated with the first pre-defined location of interest;

detect a tactile input indicative of a selection of the first traffic location icon; and

provide, automatically, traffic information pertaining to the first pre-defined location of interest on the display in response to detecting the tactile input indicative of the selection of the first traffic location icon.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

receive the first pre-defined location of interest; and

store the received first pre-defined location of interest in the one or more memory modules.

3. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

present, automatically, a map including a geographic area surrounding the first pre-defined location of interest on the display; and

present the traffic information visually on the map.

4. The navigation system of claim 3, wherein the visually presented traffic information includes a traffic flow indicator, wherein the traffic flow indicator is positioned adjacent to or on top of a road segment of the map.

5. The navigation system of claim 3, wherein the presented map is centered about the first pre-defined location of interest.

6. The navigation system of claim 3, wherein the visually presented traffic information includes an incident icon.

7. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the traffic information is provided as an audible indication.

8. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the display is a touchscreen and the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

detect the tactile input from a surface of or ajacent to the display.

9. A navigation system for providing traffic information, the navigation system comprising:

one or more processors;

a display communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a satellite antenna communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the satellite antenna receives a signal from one or more global positioning system satellites;

one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a first pre-defined location of interest and a second pre-defined location of interest stored in the one or more memory modules; and

machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors;

transform the signal from the one or more global positioning system satellites into a current position of the navigation system;

calculate, automatically, a first distance from the first pre-defined location of interest to the current position;

calculate, automatically, a second distance from the second pre-defined location of interest to the current position;

compare, automatically, the first distance and the second distance to determine whether the first pre-defined location of interest or the second pre-defined location of interest is farther from the current position;

determine, automatically, a route between the current position and the farther of the first pre-defined location of interest and the second pre-defined location of interest;

provide traffic information pertaining to the determined route; and

deactivate turn-by-turn navigation.

10. The navigation system of claim 9, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

receive the first pre-defined location of interest and the second pre-defined location of interest; and

store the received first pre-defined location of interest and the second pre-defined location of interest in the one or more memory modules.

11. The navigation system of claim 9, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

present, automatically, a map including a geographic area including at least a portion of the determined route; and

present the traffic information visually on the map.

12. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein the visually presented traffic information includes a traffic flow indicator, wherein the traffic flow indicator is positioned adjacent to or on top of a road segment of the map.

13. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein the visually presented traffic information includes an incident icon.

14. The navigation system of claim 9, wherein the traffic information is provided as an audible indication.

15. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein the audible indication includes a traffic warning along the route.

16. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the determined route is highlighted on the displayed map.

17. The navigation system of claim 9, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

determine, based on the current position, whether the navigation system has deviated from the route; and

activate turn-by-turn navigation in response to determining that the navigation system has deviated from the route.

18. The navigation system of claim 9, wherein the first pre-defined location of interest corresponds to a home location, the second pre-defined location of interest corresponds to a work location, and the determined route corresponds to at least a portion of a commuting route.

19. The navigation system of claim 18, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

present, automatically, a commute icon on the display, wherein the commute icon is associated with the home location and the work location; and

detect a tactile input indicative of a selection of the commute icon, wherein traffic information pertaining to the determined route is provided in response to the detected tactile input.

20. A vehicle for providing traffic information, the vehicle comprising:

one or more processors;

a display communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a satellite antenna communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the satellite antenna receives a signal from one or more global positioning system satellites;

one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a home location and a work location stored in the one or more memory modules; and

machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors;

present, automatically, a commute icon on the display, wherein the commute icon is associated with the home location and the work location;

detect a tactile input indicative of a selection of the commute icon;

transform the signal from the one or more global positioning system satellites into a current position of the navigation system;

calculate, automatically, a first distance from the home location to the current position;

calculate, automatically, a second distance from the work location to the current position;

compare, automatically, the first distance and the second distance to determine whether the home location or the work location is farther from the current position;

determine, automatically, a route between the current position and the farther of the home location and the work location;

provide traffic information pertaining to the determined route; and

deactivate turn-by-turn navigation.