Navigation Technologies Corporation

Navteq North America, LLC

Other

Richard A Ashby

David S Lampert

Vijaya S Israni

Robert P Fernekes

John C Jasper

James A Meek

Paul M Bouzide

Nicholas E Smith

Senthil K Natesan

William McDonough

Matthew Friederich

Jerry S Feigen

John M Jaugilas

Srinivasa Doddapaneni

Gregory M Nyczak

Michael Livshutz

Asta Kavakh

Grant S Killey

Aaron I Crane

A navigable map database, stored on a computer-readable medium and used with a navigation application program, includes data which are spatially parcelized into a plurality of parcels. Associated with each of the plurality of parcels is a first index which associates the area represented by the data in the parcel with a plurality of sub-areas formed of the area. Also associated with each of the parcels is a second index associating each of the data in the parcel with at least one of the sub-areas. Further disclosed is a method for producing a navigable map database which is parcelized into a plurality of parcels, wherein each of the plurality of parcels includes a first index which associates the area represented by the data in the parcel with a plurality of sub-areas formed of the area and a second index associating each of the data in the parcel with at least one of the sub-areas. Also further disclosed are a program and method for finding data in one or more parcels that match a spatial search criterion using a navigable map database that is parcelized into a plurality of parcels, wherein each of the plurality of parcels includes a first index which associates the area represented by the data in the parcel with a plurality of sub-areas formed of the area and a second index associating each of the data in the parcel with at least one of the sub-areas. The program and method use the first and second indices to identify which of the data in at least one of the plurality of parcels satisfy the spatial search criterion.

Parcelized geographic data medium with internal spatial indices and method and system for use and formation thereof

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 method whereby a computing platform that uses geographic data that are spatially organized into parcels of a given size can specify a parcel block size larger than the given size. Thereafter, during runtime, the geographic data are accessed by the computing platform in groups of one or more parcels not larger than the parcel block size. According to one embodiment, at or after initialization of the computing platform, groupings of parcels corresponding to parcel blocks are determined. Each parcel block has a size larger than the maximum parcel size but not larger than a maximum parcel block size. Data identifying the groupings and the parcels corresponding thereto are stored on the computing platform and the data identifying the groupings and the parcels corresponding thereto are used to access all the parcels corresponding to a parcel block whenever geographic data in any one of the parcels are needed.

Method and system for accessing spatially organized geographic data in blocks

A method and system for updating geographic databases used in systems that provide navigation-related features are disclosed. An original version of a geographic database is formed in which the data are organized into parcels. An updated version of the geographic database is formed that includes updated data. The updated version is organized into parcels so that the data in each parcel of the updated geographic database represent the same features that were represented in a corresponding one of the parcels of the original version. Incremental update transactions are formed that identify the differences between the parcels of data contained in the updated version of the geographic database relative to the parcels in the original version. The incremental update transactions are transmitted to the systems that provide navigation-related features where they are used to form updated parcels which are used in place of the corresponding parcels from the original version.

Method and system for updating geographic databases

A system and method are disclosed that allow a navigation system that uses a geographic database to also use the data in traffic messages broadcast by a traffic broadcast system. One aspect of a present system and method includes the formation, storage, and use of location reference data records in a geographic database used by a navigation system. These location reference data records identify certain other kinds of data records that represent physical geographic features, such as data records that represent segments of roads, as being associated with certain location reference numbers. These location reference records may be included in a geographic database installed in the vehicle or may be provided to vehicles via a wireless communication link. Another aspect of a present system and method includes the formation, storage, and use of one or more indices that relate location reference numbers used by a traffic broadcast system to location reference records in a geographic database used by the navigation system. Another aspect of a present system and method is the formation, storage, and use of data that identify, for each location reference number, the immediately previous and the immediately next location reference number. Still another aspect of a present system and method includes the programming, and methods of use thereof, that query the geographic database and return the data entities associated with certain identified location reference numbers.

Method and system for using real-time traffic broadcasts with navigation systems

A geographic database for use with a navigation application program that provides navigation features to an end-user. The geographic database includes a plurality of data records of a first type and a plurality of data records of a second type. The plurality of records of the first type are organized into a plurality of parcels, each of which includes a plurality of data records of the first type and the plurality of records of the second type are organized into a plurality of parcels, each of which includes a plurality of data records of the second type. The parcels of data records of the first type are interleaved with the parcels of data records of the second type. This interleaving enables navigation functions that use these different types to access these different types more quickly and efficiently, thereby enhancing navigation system performance. Also disclosed is a method for forming a geographic database that includes a plurality of data records that represent geographic features and which can be used in a navigation system. The method includes the step of interleaving parcels containing pluralities of data records of a first type with parcels containing pluralities of data records of a second type.

Segment aggregation and interleaving of data types in a geographic database and methods for use thereof in a navigation application

An improved method and system that provides for a data access interface layer in a navigation system. The navigation system is of the type that includes a navigation application software program that provides navigating features to a user of the system and a geographic database stored on a computer-readable storage medium wherein the geographical database includes information relating to the geographical region about which the navigation system provides the navigation features to the user. The data access interface layer is preferably stored in the navigation system as a library of software functions. The data access interface layer operates in conjunction with the navigation system application software. The data access interface layer isolates the navigation application software from the geographic data which are stored on the storage medium. The data access interface layer intercepts requests by the navigation application software for geographic data. The data access interface layer retrieves geographic data from the storage medium and converts the data into a format usable by the navigation application software. The data access interface layer also provides for memory management that facilitates accessing and using geographic data from the particular storage medium quickly and efficiently. By recognizing that different media types have different physical formats, the data access interface layer accommodates and isolates the differences so that the portions of the data access interface layer that interact with the navigation application software can be generic.

Interface layer for navigation system

A system and method for storing data to represent other-than-straight map features in a computer-readable geographic database for use in a navigation system. For geographic features that are other-than-straight, a curve generated by a computable function is fitted to an image of the other-than-straight map feature. The computable function may be a polynomial equation whose shape is defined by its coefficients. In one embodiment, the polynomial equation is a type of spline curve, in particular a Bezier curve whose shape is defined by control points. The coefficients of the polynomial equation are associated with data representing the other-than-straight feature. In the case in which the polynomial equation is a Bezier curve, the control points for generating the Bezier curve are associated with the data representing the other-than-straight feature. These control points are stored in the geographic database and are used in displaying the other-than-straight geographic feature. Use of a computable function to generate other-than-straight geographic features and storing parameters to be used by the computable function has the potential for significantly reducing the storage requirements for representing other-than-straight features in a geographic database. According to a further aspect, normalized control point pairs are stored in a data structure and an index reference into the data structure is associated with data used to represent the other-than-straight geographic features, thereby resulting in further reduction in data storage requirements.

Method and system for representation and use of shape information in geographic databases

A method and system for supporting alternative names of geographic locations with a navigation application program that uses a geographic database stored on a computer-readable medium. The alternative names of geographic locations include names in a plurality of different languages. Included are one or more language filters. Each of the one or more language filters associates the data records in the geographic database that are used as names for geographic locations with one or more of the plurality of different languages. A routine uses the one or more language filters so that the navigation application program can use names for geographic locations that are valid in an access language selected from among the plurality of different languages.

Support for alternative names in a geographic database used with a navigation program and methods for use and formation thereof

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.

A navigation system uses a geographic database to determine a solution route to a destination and provides detailed maneuvering guidance for following the solution route. In addition, the navigation system includes a preview function that provides a summary of the solution route prior to providing the detailed maneuvering guidance for following the solution route. The preview function is included in the programming of the navigation system. The preview function uses a feature incorporated in the geographic database wherein the portion of the geographic database used by the navigation system when determining a solution route includes references to another portion of the database that includes the actual text of the names of the roads represented thereby. As the navigation system uses the data in the geographic database to determine the solution route, data representing the roads in the solution route are saved, including the references to the other portion of the geographic database that includes the actual text of the names of the roads. After the solution route is determined, the preview function evaluates the data representing the roads in the solution route and provides a list of route preview data structures. The list of route preview data structures includes the references to the portion of the geographic database that includes the actual text of the names of the roads. The list of route preview data structures is used to provide the user of the navigation system with a preview that contains a summary of the solution route. The preview provided to the user can include the names of the roads in the solution route. The names can be obtained from the geographic database using the references contained in the list of route preview data structures. When obtaining the names, the references can be reordered to facilitate accessing the text of the names quickly. By providing a preview of the calculated route, the user is familiarized with the route prior to being given detailed guidance for following the route.

Method and system for providing a preview of a route calculated with a navigation system

An architecture for a geographic database that supports the identification and use of names for intersections of roads located in a geographic region, and methods for use and formation thereof. The geographic database includes data that represent components of a road network in a geographic region. The geographic database includes a first plurality of data entities each of which represents an intersection of roads in the road network and a second plurality of data entities each of which represents a name of one of the components of the road network. The geographic database includes a third plurality of data entities each of which associates one of the first plurality of data entities with one of the second plurality of data entities. The third plurality of data entities are referenced by other data entities in the geographic database and by indices to allow a navigation application program using the geographic database to identify intersections of roads in the geographic region by name and to use the name of an intersection for the purpose of location identification and route guidance. Also disclosed is an improved process for forming substitute data records to represent complex physical geographic features thereby facilitating operation of a navigation system by reducing processing requirements for certain functions.

Geographic database architecture for representation of named intersections and complex intersections and methods for formation thereof and use in a navigation application program

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Blue River, WI, United States of America

Richard A Ashby