| Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Technique for effective navigation based on user preferencesUSPTO Application #: 20080027633Title: Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences Abstract: In a navigation device in accordance with the invention, user profiles may be stored and used to navigate a user who may be driving in a vehicle, on foot, or in other mode of transportation. Each user profile corresponds to one of the user's personae. For example, the user business profile corresponding to the user's business persona may be different from the user personal profile corresponding to the user's personal persona. For instance, the user business profile may include fine-dining type restaurants for business meetings while the user personal profile may instead include fast-food type restaurants for personal dining. The inventive navigation device provides the user with a navigated route, together with information concerning the favorite facilities and events surrounding the navigated route, which satisfy the preferences in a selected user profile. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, blockages may also be established using the device to avoid selected areas, e.g., high crime areas, in the navigated route, or to block transmission of selected information concerning, e.g., uninteresting facilities and events, to the inventive navigation device. (end of abstract) Agent: Christie Parker & Hale, LLP - Pasadena, CA, US Inventors: Michael L. Obradovich, John D. Pirtle, Steven W. Schebesch USPTO Applicaton #: 20080027633 - Class: 701208000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Vehicles, Navigation, And Relative Location, Navigation, Employing Position Determining Equipment, For Use In A Map Data Base System The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080027633. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/146,599 filed on Jun. 7, 2005, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/957,042 filed on Oct. 1, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,993,429, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/382,687 filed on Mar. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,532, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/830,064 filed on Apr. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,812, which is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/US00/27270 filed on Oct. 4, 2000, which was published under PCT Article 12 (2) in English and which claims the priority of Provisional Application No. 60/160,326 filed on Oct. 19, 1999. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to a navigation technique, and more particularly to a technique for navigation subject to user preferences. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Recently, navigation systems based on global positioning system (GPS) technology were developed for use in an automobile. Such navigation systems are capable of receiving signals from a constellation of satellites which is part of the GPS. Based on the received signals, one such navigation system identifies the automobile's location, e.g., in latitude and longitude. The navigation system also detects the automobile's speed and direction. With geographic information stored in an on-board computer in the automobile, the navigation system is capable of audio-visually communicating to a user instructions for reaching a given destination. [0004] Similarly, a GPS navigation device in hand-held form enables a user carrying the device to monitor his/her planned route leading to a given destination. Nowadays, in general, hand-held devices for information organization and communications are popular and have been proliferating. For example, use of cellular phones for communications is ubiquitous. Use of personal data assistants (PDAs), e.g., PALM type hand-held devices, is equally ubiquitous for organizing personal information including meeting schedules, telephone listing, address information, etc. More recently, hand-held communicators emerged which have cellular communication and modem facilities integrated into a PDA, thereby enabling a user to communicate data in a wireless manner, e.g., to send and receive email, and to upload and download information from websites via the Internet. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] Traditionally, a navigation device, e.g., a GPS navigation system used in an automobile, provides a user with directions to a given destination. The navigation typically provides the shortest navigated route in terms of distance to the given destination. However, we have expanded the concept of the traditional navigation to broadly include providing a navigated route subject to user preferences, together with information concerning facilities and events surrounding the navigated route for the user's convenience. The navigated route is selected to satisfy a trip's purpose. Such a trip's purpose may be (1) to reach a given destination as in prior art, and/or (2) to perform certain tasks enroute or at the destination, which may include purchasing business supplies, shopping for gifts, dining, obtaining entertainments, etc. To realize (2), the navigator arrangement in accordance with the invention allows for storage of user profiles including user preferences such as preferred types of restaurants, shops, entertainments, etc. [0006] In accordance with an aspect of the invention, each user profile corresponds to one of the user's personae. For example, the user business profile corresponding to the user's business persona may be different from the user personal profile corresponding to his/her personal persona. For instance, the user business profile may include fine-dining type restaurants for business meetings while the user personal profile may instead include fast-food type restaurants for personal dining. Thus, the navigator arrangement in accordance with the invention provides a navigated route, together with information concerning the favorite facilities and events surrounding the navigated route, which satisfy the preferences in a selected user profile. [0007] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the user can adopt a second person's profile for a trip's purpose particular to that second person, thereby temporarily assuming the second person's persona to achieve such a trip's purpose. [0008] In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the actual navigated route selected by the inventive navigator arrangement may depend on the mode of transportation specified by the user. For example, driving and walking are two different modes of transportation. The selected route for driving may be very different from that for walking, even though they may accomplish the same trip's purpose. The routes from which the inventive navigator arrangement selects for driving have to be passable by an automobile, which exclude, e.g., foot bridges, and walk paths through buildings, parks, fields, forests, etc. On the other hand, the routes from which the inventive navigator arrangement selects for walking have to be safe to pedestrians, which exclude, e.g., highways, freeways, etc. [0009] In accordance with still yet another aspect of the invention, the actual route selected by the inventive navigator arrangement may also depend on external conditions, e.g., traffic, weather and road conditions. Thus, based on the information concerning such external conditions received from, say, a server via the Internet, the inventive navigator arrangement selects the most time-efficient route, e.g., one that requires the least travel time, to accomplish the trip's purpose despite any adverse traffic, weather and road conditions. [0010] In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a user may prescribe one or more roadblocks specifying certain prohibited areas or paths from which the route selected by the inventive navigator arrangement deviates. For example, it may be sensible to place roadblocks around high crime areas especially when the user is new in town and unfamiliar with those areas. A roadblock may be permanent or temporary. For example, a temporary roadblock may be placed on certain streets where a parade is held which lasts for several hours. Similar to a roadblock, a blockade may be imposed to block transmission of certain information to the inventive navigator arrangement which concerns, e.g., uninteresting facilities or events. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0011] Further aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which: [0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a navigator arrangement in accordance with the invention; [0013] FIG. 2 illustrates a registration page shown on a display in the arrangement of FIG. 1; [0014] FIG. 3 illustrates a profile setting page shown on the display; [0015] FIG. 4 illustrates the format of a user record stored in a memory of the arrangement of FIG. 1; [0016] FIG. 5 illustrates a setup where the arrangement of FIG. 1 communicates with a remote server through a communications network; [0017] FIG. 6 illustrates a personal favorite list shown on the display; [0018] FIG. 7 illustrates preset profiles shown on the display; [0019] FIG. 8 illustrates a navigation page shown on the display; Continue reading... Full patent description for Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Storage and visualization of points of interest in a navigation system Next Patent Application: Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences Industry Class: Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 1.30889 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. Storage , Static Storage , Printers |
||
