US 5,991,690 A · Navigation system incorporating simplified location display

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing navigation information including a simplified location display. The mobile unit includes a GPS position determination system including a GPS antenna, a GPS receiver, and a GPS processor. The system also includes a microprocessor and a database storage device. A map database is stored in the database storage device. In operation, the simplified location display system continually displays the travel path and location along the travel path that corresponds to the current location. The user may select optional displays which include the next cross street in the direction of travel, the last cross street in the direction of travel, the next parallel cross street to the right from the direction of travel, and the next parallel cross street to the left from the direction of travel. The user may also select subsequent pathway identification labels so as to identify subsequent streets either in the direction of travel, behind the direction of travel, and to the right and the left of the direction of travel. Other optional displays include the display of current location and special-use information. Special use information includes out of region alarms, distance and time to go to edge of region, and near perimeter warnings. Alternatively, optional displays may be displayed as grid locations instead of spelling out the complete street or highway names.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a receiver for receiving position determining signals from satellites;
position signal processing circuitry coupled to said receiver for analyzing position determining signals so as to determine the position of said receiver;
a data storage device for storing map database information, said map database information including location coordinates corresponding to travel paths and pathway identification labels identifying said travel paths and location identification labels;
a processing device coupled to said position signal processing circuitry for receiving said position of said receiver, said processing device coupled to said data storage device for comparing said position of said receiver to said location coordinates so as to determine said pathway identification label and said location identification label corresponding to the position of said receiver;
a display device having an alphanumeric display, said display device coupled to said processing device for displaying said pathway identification label and said location identification label that correspond to the position of said receiver;
and
a selection mechanism for manually selecting supplemental display options, said selection mechanism connected to said processing device such that, upon the selection of a supplemental display option, said processing device displays the label corresponding to the selected supplemental display option and corresponding to the geographic location of said vehicle.

4 more elements

A method for indicating the travel path of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

storing a map database representing travel paths within a geographic region in a vehicle, said map database including pathway identification labels and location identification labels corresponding to geographic locations within said geographic region;
determining the position of said vehicle using a position determination system;
determining the travel path of said vehicle by comparing the position of said vehicle to said geographic locations within said geographic region;
indicating the travel path of said vehicle by displaying the pathway identification label and the location identification label that corresponds to the geographic location of said vehicle within said geographic region;
and
displaying a label corresponding to a selected supplemental display option and corresponding to the geographic location of said vehicle upon the selection of a supplemental display option.

3 more elements

In a computer system including a processor coupled to a bus, and a memory unit coupled to said bus for storing information, a computer implemented method for indicating the travel path of a vehicle, said computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

storing a map database representing travel paths within a geographic region in said memory unit, said map database including pathway identification labels and location identification labels corresponding to geographic locations within said geographic region;
determining the position of said vehicle using a position determination system;
determining the travel path of said vehicle by comparing the position of said vehicle to said geographic locations within said geographic region;
indicating the travel path of said vehicle by displaying the pathway identification label and the location identification label that corresponds to the geographic location of said vehicle within said geographic region;
providing a user operable selection mechanism coupled to said processor, said user operable selection mechanism operable for selection of a supplemental display option;
and
displaying a label corresponding to a selected supplemental display option and corresponding to the geographic location of said vehicle upon the selection of a supplemental display option.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Navigation system incorporating simplified location display

Life of this patent

Navigation system incorporating simplified location display

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17