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Point-of-interest display systemPoint-of-interest display system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080097698, Point-of-interest display system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001]The present invention relates to a display system for a vehicle and particularly to one which provides a display of selected names of points of interest arranged by category and elemental directions to a selected point of interest. One embodiment provides a graphic display of cross-streets or addresses as the vehicle travels along a local roadway. [0002]There exist numerous vehicle navigation systems which provide graphic map displays, which allow the vehicle operator, through significant manipulation of controls, to plan a travel route and obtain information about arrival destinations, typically by address. Some systems provide navigation control through the use of voice recognition programs and control circuits. All of these systems are relatively expensive, complicated and difficult for a vehicle operator to utilize, particularly when preoccupied with surrounding traffic in congested areas. Some suggested simplified navigation systems allow the vehicle operator to either identify his or her current location by street address and forthcoming intersection information, as well as basic points of interest information. Such systems are relatively inexpensive but do not provide the operator with the flexibility of providing points-of-interest information in a user-friendly format nor additional desirable features, such as easily accessible alternate displays of forthcoming highway exits, street intersections, or street addresses when traveling on a local street. [0003]Thus, there remains a need for a display system for a vehicle which is relatively inexpensive and is user-friendly to operate using a minimum number of intuitive controls. Such a system needs to provide desirable features, such as points of interest in selected categories which can be easily accessed with minimal operator intervention and yet provide the operator with sufficient information to be able to locate and travel to such points-of-interest. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004]The system of the present invention satisfies this need by providing a point-of-interest display system in which an updateable database includes road network information, which can be updated at relatively infrequent time intervals, and point-of-interest information which can be user-updated at more frequent intervals, as new points of interest become available. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the database is carried on the vehicle in the form of a flashcard or other removable memory device or loaded into flash memory residing in the vehicle via a data communication system. The database interfaces with a microprocessor on the vehicle which receives data from a current position detector, such as a GPS receiver, providing the system with current vehicle location and direction of travel information. A display provides the operator textural and elemental graphic display information, and one or more control switches are positioned in an easily accessible location within the vehicle such that the operator, by scrolling through displayed highway exits, can select categories of points of interest, and points of interest within a category upon the actuation of a minimal number of switches in an intuitive sequence. [0005]In one embodiment of the invention, two modes of operation provide point-of-interest information either while the vehicle is traveling on a limited access highway or, once the vehicle has exited the highway, provides more specific point-of-interest directions. In another embodiment of the invention, the operator can, when on a local road, select the textural display of forthcoming and past intersecting streets, which is updated as the vehicle travels along the roadway. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the navigation system provides a display of the street addresses on which the vehicle is traveling and increments, decrements, or otherwise updates the address as the vehicle moves. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of these features are incorporated in a system which allows selection between the features, either manually or automatically as the vehicle moves between a limited access highway and a local roadway. [0006]These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description thereof together with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle having a point-of-interest display system embodying the present invention; [0008]FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the system shown in FIG. 1; [0009]FIG. 3 is a block electrical diagram showing one interface connection of the system to the vehicle power system; [0010]FIG. 4 is a block electrical circuit diagram of the point-of-interest system including its major components; [0011]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing the menu operation for operation of the system shown in FIGS. 1-4; [0012]FIG. 6 is the display screen for the main menu; [0013]FIG. 7 is the display screen illustrating the information displayed to the vehicle operator when in a highway point-of-interest mode of operation; [0014]FIGS. 8A and 8B are alternate display screens illustrating the information displayed to the vehicle operator when in a local point-of-interest mode of operation; [0015]FIG. 9 is the display screen illustrating the information displayed to the vehicle operator when in a street-address mode of operation; [0016]FIG. 10 is the display screen illustrating the information displayed to the vehicle operator when in a street-sign or cross-street mode of operation; [0017]FIG. 11 is the display screen illustrating the information displayed to the vehicle operator when in a current-information mode of operation; [0018]FIG. 12 is the display screen illustrating the information displayed to the vehicle operator when the lodging category has been selected in the point-of-interest modes, shown in FIGS. 7, 8A and/or 8B; [0019]FIG. 13 is the display screen illustrating the information displayed to the vehicle operator when the food category has been selected in the point-of-interest modes shown in FIGS. 7, 8A and/or 8B; [0020]FIG. 14 is the display screen illustrating the information displayed to the vehicle operator when the gas category has been selected in the point-of-interest modes shown in FIGS. 7, 8A and/or 8B; [0021]FIG. 15 is the display screen illustrating the information displayed to the vehicle operator when a particular point of interest in the highway mode has been selected; Continue reading about Point-of-interest display system... 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