Navigation device & method

A route-planning device, comprising:

• a storage section storing map information, wherein the map information comprises data representative of roads and/or sub-roads of a road network, each road and/or sub-road having a length and at least one parking space associated therewith, and wherein the map information further comprises probability information for each road and/or sub-road corresponding to the likelihood of finding a vacant parking space on the road and/or sub-road;
• and
• a search route module arranged to:
• receive a request to provide a search route for a vacant parking space;
• set a current position of a navigation device associated with a vehicle as a start position of the search route;
• determine a route from the start position that visits a plurality of the parking spaces using the map information, wherein said determining comprises evaluating a predetermined cost function for each of a plurality of possible routes from the start position of up to a maximum length, the cost function being based at least on the probability information for the roads and/or sub-roads of the possible route, and selecting the best route from the plurality of possible routes as the determined route based on maximizing or minimizing the result of the cost function;
• and
• output the determined route as the search route.

A route-planning device, comprising:

• a storage section storing map information, wherein the map information comprises data representative of roads and/or sub-roads of a road network, each road and/or sub-road having a length and at least one parking space associated therewith, and wherein the map information further comprises probability information for each road and/or sub-road corresponding to the likelihood of finding a vacant parking space on the road and/or sub-road;
• a goal identification section for identifying a goal position;
• and
• a search route module arranged to:
• receive a request to provide a search route for a vacant parking space;
• determine a first route from the goal position that visits a plurality of the parking spaces using the map information, wherein said determining comprises evaluating a predetermined cost function for each of a plurality of possible routes from the goal position of up to a maximum length, the cost function being based at least on the probability information for the roads and/or sub-roads of the possible route, and selecting the best route from the plurality of possible routes as the determined route based on maximizing or minimizing the result of the cost function;
• determine a second route from a current position of a navigation device associated with a vehicle to a point on the first route using the map information;
• and
• output the second route and at least a portion of the first route as the search route.

A computer-implemented method of providing a search route using a route-planning device comprising a storage section storing map information, wherein the map information comprises data representative of roads and/or sub-roads of a road network, each road and/or sub-road having a length and at least one parking space associated therewith, and wherein the map information further comprises probability information for each road and/or sub-road corresponding to the likelihood of finding a vacant parking space on the road and/or sub-road, the method comprising:

• receiving a request to provide a search route for a vacant parking space;
• setting a current position of a navigation device associated with a vehicle as a start position of the search route;
• determining a route from the start position that visits a plurality of the parking spaces using the map information, wherein said determining comprises evaluating a predetermined cost function for each of a plurality of possible routes from the start position of up to a maximum length, the cost function being based at least on the probability information for the roads and/or sub-roads of the possible route, and selecting the best route from the plurality of possible routes as the determined route based on maximizing or minimizing the result of the cost function;
• and
• outputting the determined route as the search route.

A computer-implemented method of providing a search route using a route-planning device comprising a storage section storing map information, wherein the map information comprises data representative of roads and/or sub-roads of a road network, each road and/or sub-road having a length and at least one parking space associated therewith, and wherein the map information further comprises probability information for each road and/or sub-road corresponding to the likelihood of finding a vacant parking space on the road and/or sub-road, the method comprising:

• receiving a request to provide a search route for a vacant parking space;
• determining a first route from an identified goal position that visits a plurality of the parking spaces using the map information, wherein said determining comprises evaluating a predetermined cost function for each of a plurality of possible routes from the goal position of up to a maximum length, the cost function being based at least on the probability information for the roads and/or sub-roads of the possible route, and selecting the best route from the plurality of possible routes as the determined route based on maximizing or minimizing the result of the cost function;
• determining a second route from a current position of a navigation device associated with a vehicle to a point on the first route using the map information;
• and
• outputting the second route and at least a portion of the first route as the search route.