Navigation Technologies Corporation

Navteq North America, LLC

Navteq B.v.

Aaron I Crane

John C Jasper

Lawrence M Kaplan

Kevin Cherveny

Richard A Ashby

James A Meek

David S Lampert

Robert P Fernekes

Vijaya S Israni

Paul M Bouzide

Philip Robare

Nicholas E Smith

Senthil K Natesan

Gregory M Nyczak

Russell Shields

Timothy W Gibson

Frank J Kozak

Russel Shields

Joseph R Roberts

Systems, devices, features, and methods for routing to a fuel or gasoline station before returning a rental vehicle are disclosed. For example, one method comprises identifying a selected destination to be a rental service return location associated with a rental vehicle. An option to obtain gasoline before returning the rental vehicle to the rental service return location is offered. Upon selection of the option, a gasoline station along a route to the rental service return location is identified. Route guidance to the gasoline station is provided. Route guidance from the gasoline station to the rental service return location is also provided.

Navigation features for obtaining fuel before returning a rental vehicle

A technique of detecting a speed detection of a vehicle using a geographic database () of a navigation system () has been provided, which obtains a current position of the vehicle () and at least one predefined characteristic () relating to the current position of the vehicle from the geographic database, sets (()) a sensitivity level to detect a speed detection of the vehicle based, at least in part, on the at least one predefined characteristic.

Methods of detecting a speed detection of a vehicle and supporting apparatus, system, and readable medium

A system and method for providing geographic data to end users' computing platforms. A server maintains downloadable geographic data that are organized into pre-computed parcels that correspond to pre-determined sub-areas into which the entire geographic region serviced by the server is divided. The server responds to requests from the end users' computing platforms for navigation services and data by sending selected pre-computed parcels of geographic data to the end users' computing platforms. The end users' computing platforms store the pre-computed parcels received from the server in a cache memory. The end users' computing platforms use the data in the pre-computed parcels to provide navigation-related features locally.

Navigation system with distributed computing architecture

An improved method and system for storage of data that represent geographic features in a region. The data are organized into parcels each of which contains data that represent those geographic features that are located within a separate one of a plurality of rectangular areas into the region is divided. The method identifies linearly extending features that extend across multiple rectangular areas so that data representing the linearly extending feature can be included in each parcel that contains data that represents a rectangular area in which the linearly extending feature extends at least in part.

System and method for use and storage of geographic data on physical media

A system for updating, enhancing and/or refining a geographic database is disclosed. The system uses a plurality of data collecting sensors, each of which is installed in a separate one of a plurality of vehicles, each of which travels on roads in a geographic region. Each data-collecting sensor provides outputs indicative of the sensing of one or more features in the geographic region as the vehicle in which it is installed travels. A computer program process compares the outputs of the data collecting sensors to previously obtained data that represent the physical features, determines the significance of the comparisons, and updates, enhances, or refines the data in an existing geographic database accordingly. Data that have been updated, enhanced, or refined, are provided back to end users.

System and method for updating, enhancing, or refining a geographic database using feedback

A method for updating a geographic database is disclosed. Data collecting equipment is installed in each of a plurality of vehicles each of which also has a navigation system. The data collection equipment is used to collect data while the vehicles are being driven along roads by their respective users. In addition, a method for assigning a confidence level to geographic data is disclosed. The confidence level is assigned to the geographic data as an attribute. In addition, a method for determining a position of a vehicle by sensing roadside structures is disclosed. Data indicating positions of roadside structures are contained in a geographic database. By matching positions of sensed roadside structures to data in the geographic database that indicates the positions of the structures, the position of the vehicle while traveling can be determined.

System and method for updating, enhancing or refining a geographic database using feedback

A data collection system and method match the positions of one or more cellular phones, or other types of wireless phones, to data indicating the locations of roads in a geographic area to derive data about phones located in vehicles traveling along the roads. The data about phones located in vehicles traveling along the roads are used for updating or refining a geographic database, traffic monitoring and reporting, or for other purposes.

Method and system using positions of cellular phones matched to road network for collecting data

A system for updating, enhancing and/or refining a geographic database. A geographic database includes data representing physical features in the geographic region, and, optionally, attributes of such features. The system includes a plurality of data collecting sensors. Each of the data collecting sensors is installed in a separate one of a plurality of vehicles each of which is capable of traveling on roads in a geographic region. Each of the data collecting sensors provides outputs indicative of one or more features in the geographic region as the vehicle in which it is installed travels on the roads in the geographic region. A computer program executes a feedback process on the geographic database using the outputs of the data collecting sensors. A first part of the feedback program compares the outputs of the data collecting sensors to the data identifying the physical features and provides results representative of the comparisons. A second part of the feedback program is responsive to the results from the first part and determines the significance of the comparisons. A third part of the feedback program modifies the data in the geographic database based upon the significance determined by the second part of the program. The data in the geographic database representing physical features in the geographic region are updated, enhanced, or refined based upon the significance determined by the feedback program. The data which has been updated, enhanced, or refined, is used to provide updated, enhanced, or refined data in end-user vehicles, some of which may include the vehicles in which data collecting sensors have been installed. Sensors in end-users' vehicles are calibrated to high levels of accuracy using the data which has been updated, enhanced or refined using a feedback process. Further, an out-of-calibration sensor in an end-user's vehicle is detected and re-calibrated using the data which has been updated, enhanced or refined using a feedback process. Using a feedback process, levels of confidence are assigned to data in the geographic database representing physical features in the geographic region, thereby enabling the data to be used for purposes requiring high levels of confidence.

System and method for updating, enhancing or refining a geographic

An improved method and system for storage of geographic data on physical storage media. The geographic data are stored in a manner that facilitates and enhances use and access of the data by various navigation application functions in navigation systems that use the data. The geographic data includes a parcelization that separates the geographic data into parcels having less than or equal to a maximum parcel size but having at least a desired fill percentage. The parcelization method also provides for a division arrangement that facilitates addressing and identification of the parcels. According to a further aspect, the geographic data includes special nodal entities that are used to collapse complex intersections, such as roundabouts, cloverleaves, and divided highways, into simpler data representations. The special nodal entities are associated with road segment data entities and used in a route calculation program in place of regular node entities. Further, the geographic data include a normalized attribute array that includes reoccurring combinations of certain selected attributes of the geographic data. Indices to the array are included in place of data corresponding to the selected attributes. When a navigation application program requests data, an entry in the normalized attribute table pointed to by an index in the data is used to return the requested data in the particular combination of attributes from the normalized attribute array. The geographic data is compiled by a method that facilitates access to the data on a physical medium. According to the compilation method, data files to be stored on the medium are organized into parcels. The data records within the data files are identified by the parcel in which they are located. An arrangement of all the data files on the medium is determined and a parcel identification related to the medium is assigned to each parcel. Cross references between data records are updated to include the assigned parcel identifications and the parcels are stored on the medium.

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Palatine, IL, United States of America

Aaron I Crane