Navigation Technologies Corporation

Navteq North America, LLC

Mark Barton

Frank J Kozak

Lawrence M Kaplan

Roy Casino

Jean K Ohler

A method for collecting data for a geographic database is disclosed. Speed and position data are collected using a plurality of mobile computing platforms moving in a geographic region. The speed and position data are analyzed to identify a location of a recurring delay point corresponding to a change in the speed. The geographic database is updated to indicate the location of the recurring delay point.

Method and system for obtaining recurring delay data using navigation systems

A method for collecting data for a geographic database is disclosed. Speed and position data are collected using a plurality of mobile computing platforms moving in a geographic region. The speed and position data are analyzed to identify a location of a traffic sign corresponding to a change in the speed. The geographic database is updated to indicate the location of the traffic sign.

Method and system for obtaining traffic sign data using navigation systems

A method for providing visual continuity when performing a zooming or panning operation with a graphical map shown on display screen of a computing platform. When a user of the computing platform operates the user interface thereof to perform a zooming or panning operation, a first map view of a first geographic area is replaced with a second map view of a second geographic area, such that at least a portion of the first and second geographic areas overlap. In order to provide visual continuity, a transition view is shown on the display screen of the computing platform between the showing of the first map view and the showing of the second map view. The transition view is shown for several seconds immediately after the user operates the user interface to perform the zooming or panning operation. The transition view shows either the first map view or the second map view. The transition view also includes a boundary line that is overlaid on the map view being shown. The boundary line is located on the map view used for the transition view to show the border of the portion of the other map view which is visible in the map view used for the transition view. The method for providing visual continuity is particularly useful for in-vehicle navigation systems or hand-held devices with small display screens. The method can also be applied to text windows.

Method of providing visual continuity when panning and zooming with a map display

A navigation system includes a driving profile program. The driving profile program collects information about an end user's driving activity. The information relates to trips made by the end user. The information includes departure times, intermediate stops, arrival times, purposes of the trips, and so on. After collecting this information over a period of time, the driving profile program analyzes the end user's driving activity. The driving profile program provides the end user with a driving activity profile. In addition, the driving profile program determines ways to reduce the amount of time and/or expense that the end user spends traveling in his/her vehicle and suggests modifications to the end user's driving activity that would save the end user time or expense.

Method of operation of a navigation system to reduce expenses on future trips and to provide other functions

A reporting program and system whereby end users of navigation systems, or other computing platforms that use geographic data to obtain navigation-related or map-related services, can make reports about the geographic data. The reporting program can be used by end users to report perceived errors or inaccuracies in the geographic data. The end users can use their own personal computers, or other computing devices, to access the reporting program over a network, such as the Internet. When an end user accesses the reporting program, the reporting program provides a graphical map image to the end user on the end user's computing platform. The reporting program allows the end user to zoom and pan the graphical map image in order to display an image of the area about which the end user wishes to make a report. When the area about which the end user wishes to make a report is displayed on the end user's display screen, the reporting program allows the end user to mark up the graphical map image to illustrate a change. The reporting program also allows the end user to include text to describe a change. The reporting program captures the end user's graphical and text input as a report that is used to update or check the geographic database, as appropriate.

Method and system for obtaining user feedback regarding geographic data

Driving profile method and system

A method implemented on a navigation system in a vehicle for determining the position of the vehicle relative to a road network. The navigation system uses a geographic database that contains data that represent positions of roads upon which the vehicle travels. Using the output from a GPS system, and optionally outputs from other sensors, the navigation system matches the positions of the vehicle to the locations of the roads represented by the data contained in the geographic database. Upon detecting an event from which the position of the vehicle with respect to the roads represented by the data contained in the geographic database can be determined with a relatively high degree of accuracy, a correction factor is determined. The correction factor is an offset (i.e., a distance and direction) of the GPS position reported during the event to the known-to-be-highly-accurate position. The correction factor is then used to adjust subsequently obtained GPS readings for a limited period of time, i.e., while the same atmospheric conditions apply. This period of time may be 10-20 minutes.

Method for improving vehicle positioning in a navigation system

A feature implemented on a navigation system in a vehicle whereby the user of the vehicle selects one or more types of audio programs and associates each type of audio program with a specific location along a predetermined route. As the vehicle is being driven along the route, audio programs of the types selected by the user are obtained and stored in a memory. When the vehicle reaches the location associated with one of the selected types of audio programming, the stored audio program of the selected type is presented to the user.

Route controlled audio programming

A feature provided by a navigation system to provide guidance to a driver of a vehicle. The feature comprises multiple progress bars displayed on a display screen of the navigation system. The multiple progress bars feature is displayed when the vehicle is approaching a location at which a maneuver, such as a turn, onto a road is to be made and another road is close by and might be confused with the road onto which the maneuver should be made. One of the multiple progress bars represents the vehicle's approach toward the road onto which the maneuver should be made and the other of the multiple progress bars represents the vehicle's approach toward the road not to be taken. As the vehicle approaches both roads, the progress bars are updated indicating the vehicle's relative approach to both the road onto which the maneuver should be made and the road not to be taken. The multiple progress bars feature provides meaningful information to the driver in a clear and unambiguous way thereby assisting the driver to make the proper maneuver.

Method and system for providing route guidance with multiple progress bars

A feature whereby an end user of a navigation system that uses geographic data can easily report perceived errors or inaccuracies in the geographic data or other problems such as poor quality route calculation or guidance. The end user uses a user interface of the navigation system to indicate the perceived error, inaccuracy, or other problem. The navigation system includes a report program that operates in response to the end user's indication. The report program collects information indicating the error, inaccuracy, or other problem and sends a report including the collected information to a geographic database developer. The geographic database developer can use the information in the report to update a geographic database.

Growing community of inventors

Schaumburg, IL, United States of America

Mark Barton