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A system for improving the operation of a GPS based navigator. Statistical and/or time of day information is used to select the best route between a current location and a desired location. The statistical information may take into account anomalies, and a user can select the amount of risk they which take. The system can be updated with more updated information. In addition, the selection of the desired location can be carried out by downloading information from a PDA.

Inventor: Scott C. Harris
Primary Examiner: Gertrude A. Jeanglaude
Current U.S. Classification: 701/423; 340/988; 342/357.31; 701/410
International Classification: G01C021/26

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Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US5790974Apr 29, 1996Aug 4, 1998Sun Microsystems, Inc.Portable calendaring device having perceptual agent managing calendar entries
US5909440Dec 16, 1996Jun 1, 1999Juniper NetworksHigh speed variable length best match look-up in a switching device
US5999892May 5, 1997Dec 7, 1999Method for providing an instant distance measurement on a map
US6199009Jun 16, 1999Mar 6, 2001Mannesmann Sachs AGComputer-controlled navigation process for a vehicle equipped with a terminal, terminal and traffic information center
US6208934Jan 19, 1999Mar 27, 2001Navigation Technologies Corp.Method and system for providing walking instructions with route guidance in a navigation program
US6522875Nov 17, 1998Feb 18, 2003Geographical web browser, methods, apparatus and systems
US6604047Aug 3, 2001Aug 5, 2003Non real time traffic system for a navigator

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining information indicative of a current position and a desired position; and

navigating between said current position and said desired position by first mapping a portion of the route closest to the current position, but less than the entire portion of the route, beginning a guiding operation which guides a user of the system along the route, and subsequently finishing said mapping by mapping the remainder of the entire portion of the route.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said navigating comprises wherein said portion of the route closest to the current position includes a portion of the route which will take a specified amount of time to travel.

3. A method as in claim 1, further comprising storing information used for said mapping, and updating said information.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein said updating information includes information on updated road conditions, which road conditions are indicative of actual times to traverse different section of roadway, and includes newer information about said actual times.

5. A method as in claim 3, wherein said updating information includes updating most commonly requested destinations.

6. A method as in claim 3, wherein said updating comprises providing information to a server about previous mapping operations, and receiving information from said server.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein said most commonly requested destinations are destinations most commonly requested by all users who have done said updating.

8. A method as in claim 3, wherein said updating comprises providing discount coupons for certain map locations.

9. A method in claim 3, wherein said obtaining information comprises using satellite positioning to obtain a current location.

10. A system, comprising:

a memory, storing map information; and storing roadway conditions indicative of actual times to traverse different sections of roadway;

a user interface, allowing entry of a destination for navigation;

a processor, computing a path to said destination, based on said map information, by selecting a path based on said roadway conditions; and

an update element which allows updating said roadway conditions to define new and more recent times to traverse said different sections of roadway.

11. A system as in claim 10, wherein said memory stores most commonly requested destinations, and said user interface displays and allows selection of one of said most commonly requested destinations.

12. A system as in claim 10, wherein said memory stores most commonly requested destination, and said user interface displays and allows selection of one of said most commonly requested destinations wherein said updating information includes updating most commonly requested destinations.

13. A method as in claim 10, wherein said updating comprises providing information to a server about previous mapping operations, and receiving information from said server.

14. A method as in claim 12, wherein said said most commonly requested destinations are destinations most commonly requested by all users who have done said updating.

15. A method as in claim 8, further comprising using a satellite positioning system to determine a current position.

16. A system, comprising:

a memory, storing map information, including commonly requested destinations by each of a plurality of users;

a user interface, allowing entry of a destination for navigation including allowing selection of one of said most commonly requested destinations;

a processor, computing a path to said destination, based on said map information, by selecting a path.

17. A system as in claim 16, further comprising an update element that allows updating said information used for said mapping.

18. A system as in claim 17, wherein said memory stores information indicative of road conditions, and said updating information by said updating element provides information on updated road conditions.

19. A system as in claim 17, wherein said updating information by said updating element includes updating most commonly requested destinations.

20. A system as in claim 17, wherein said updating information by said updating element comprises providing information to a server about previous mapping operations, and receiving information from said server.

21. A system as in claim 17, wherein said most commonly requested destinations are destinations most commonly requested by all users who have done said updating using said updating element.

22. A system as in claim 17, wherein said processor computes said path by first mapping a portion of the route closes to the current position, but less than the entire portion of the route, beginning a guiding operation which guides a user of the system along the route, and subsequently finishing said mapping by mapping the remainder of the entire portion of the route.

23. A system as in claim 16, further comprising a satellite positioning system, determining a current position.

24. A system, comprising:

a position determining element, which operates to automatically determine its position;

a memory, storing map information;

a user interface, allowing entry of information for mapping, and displaying information from at least one of said map information and said position;

a processor, computing information based on said information for mapping, and also using said position information from said position determining element to determine a speed of movement, and wherein said processor compares said speed with a target speed and provides an indication when said speed exceeds said target speed by a specified amount.

25. A system as in claim 24, wherein said user interface allows entry of a destination, and said processor also determines a path to said destination, based on said map information, by selecting a path.

26. A system as in claim 24, wherein said map information includes most only requested destinations for each of a plurality of users.

27. A system as in claim 24, further comprising an update element that allows updating said information used for said mapping.

28. A system as in claim 24, wherein said memory stores information indicative of road conditions, and said updating information by said updating element provides information on updated road conditions.

29. A system as in claim 26, wherein said updating information by said updating element includes updating most commonly requested destinations.

30. A system as in claim 26, wherein said updating information by said updating element comprises providing information to a server about previous mapping operations, and receiving information from said server.

31. A system as in claim 24, wherein said processor makes a determination of a likelihood that the position detecting by said position detecting element is correct, and said user interface displays information indicating said likelihood.

32. A system as in claim 24, wherein said memory stores speed limit information along with said map information, and said processor uses said speed limit information as said target speed.

33. A system as in claim 24, wherein said processor computes said path by first mapping a portion of the route closes to the current position, but less than the entire portion of the route, beginning a guiding operation which guides a user of the system along the route, and subsequently finishing said mapping by mapping the remainder of the entire portion of the route.

34. A system, comprising:

a position determining element, which operates to automatically determine its position;

a memory, storing map information;

a user interface, allowing entry of information for mapping, and displaying information from at least one of said map information and said position;

a processor, computing information based on said information for mapping, and also determining a likelihood that the position detecting by said position detecting element is correct, and wherein said user interface displays information indicating said likelihood.

35. A system as in claim 34, wherein said processor uses said position information from said position determining element to determine a speed of movement, and wherein said processor compares said speed with a target speed and provides an indication when said speed exceeds said target speed by a specified amount.

36. A system as in claim 35, wherein said memory stores speed limit information along with said map information, and said processor uses said speed limit information as said target speed.

37. A system as in claim 35, wherein said user interface allows entry of a destination, and said processor also determines a path to said destination, based on said map information, by selecting a path.

38. A system as in claim 36, wherein said map information includes most only requested destinations for each of a plurality of users.

39. A system as in claim 36, further comprising an update element that allows updating said information used for said mapping.

40. A system as in claim 36, wherein said memory stores information indicative of road conditions, and said updating information by said updating element provides information on updated road conditions.

41. A system as in claim 40, wherein said updating information by said updating element includes updating most commonly requested destinations.

42. A system as in claim 40, wherein said updating information by said updating element comprises providing information to a server about previous mapping operations, and receiving information from said server.

43. A system as in claim 40, wherein said processor computes said path by first mapping a portion of the route closest to the current position; but less than the entire portion of the route, beginning a guiding operation which guides a user of the system along the route, and subsequently finishing said mapping by mapping the remainder of the entire portion of the route.

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