US6178380B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Street identification for a map zoom of a navigation system
Assignee: Beacon Navigation GmbH
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Filing: 1998-10-22
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Granted: 2001-01-23
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Expires: 2018-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle location display for a navigation or route guidance system is disclosed. The vehicle location display provides information to a user regarding the current location of the vehicle on a map even when the scale of the map is large. In a preferred embodiment, the map includes a current location field that displays a road segment name associated with the current road segment that the vehicle is located on. In an alternative embodiment, the vehicle location display displays a large scale map wherein the current road segment is highlighted by displaying it in a color and the name of the current road segment is displayed in a current location field on the map.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey Alan Millington
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 10:13
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/34; G01C21/36; G01C21/3667; G01C21/367; G01C21/3673; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/09; G08G1/0962; G08G1/0968; G08G1/0969
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system comprising: a database of a plurality of road segments each having an associated road segment name; a display displaying a map at a variable scale, said map comprising a plurality of said road segments including a current road segment; said display displaying an associated road segment name adjacent said current road segment when said variable scale is below a threshold scale; said display displaying said associated road segment name of said current road segment in a current location field on said display not adjacent said current road segment when said variable scale is above said threshold scale.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
105 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system comprising: a database of a plurality of road segments each having an associated road segment name; a display displaying a map at a variable scale, said map comprising a plurality of said road segments including a current road segment; said display displaying an associated road segment name adjacent said current road segment when said variable scale is below a threshold scale; said display displaying said associated road segment name of said current road segment in a current location field on said display not adjacent said current road segment when said variable scale is above said threshold scale.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 1 further including a position determining system, said position determining system determining said current road segment and a current vehicle location on said current road segment; and said display displaying a vehicle cursor at said current vehicle location.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 1 further including a user input device; and a map scaler, said map scaler changing said variable scale of said map in response to input from said user input device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 1 wherein said current location field is in a fixed location on said display independent of the location of said current road segment on said display.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 1 wherein said display accents said current road segment when said variable scale is above said threshold scale.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 5 wherein accenting said current road segment includes displaying said current road segment in a first color different from the color of other road segments; and said display displaying said associated road segment name of said current road segment in said current location field in said first color when said variable scale is above said threshold scale.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 6 further comprising: said database including a plurality of ranks, each of said ranks associated with at least one of said road segments; each of said ranks associated with one of a plurality of rank colors, none of said plurality of rank colors being said first color; said display displaying each of said road segments except said current road segment of said map in an associated rank color.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 1 further comprising: a previous cross street and a next cross street of said current road segment; said display accenting a portion of said previous cross street and said next cross street.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 8 wherein accenting said portion of said previous cross street and said next cross street includes displaying said portion of said previous cross street and said next cross street in a second color different from the color of other road segments.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 1 further including a map panning cursor, said map panning cursor movable about said map in response to input from a user input device; and said display accenting a panned road segment, said panned road segment selected with said map panning cursor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 10 wherein accenting said panned road segment comprises displaying said panned road segment in a pan color different from the color of other road segments.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 10 wherein said display displays said road segment name associated with said panned road segment in a panned road segment field on said display in a pan color when said scale is above said threshold scale.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 10 wherein said map panning cursor includes a directional indicator, said directional indicator indicating a direction from said map panning cursor to a current vehicle location.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 10 wherein said display displays a distance field, said distance field displaying a distance between said map panning cursor and a current vehicle location.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 1 wherein said display further includes a current heading field, said current heading field displaying a current compass heading of a vehicle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 1 wherein the display does not display the associated road segment name adjacent the current road segment when the variable scale is above a threshold scale.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The vehicle location display of a navigation system of claim 16 wherein the display does not display the associated road name of the current road segment in the current location field when the variable scale is below said threshold scale.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
101 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system comprising: a database of a plurality of road segments; a position determining system, said position determining system determining a current road segment and a current vehicle location on said current road segment; a display displaying a first map at a first scale and comprising a plurality of said road segments including said current road segment; said display displaying a second map and said first map simultaneously, said second map comprising a plurality of said road segments including said current road segment, said second map having a second scale less than said first scale.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
101 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system comprising: a database of a plurality of road segments; a position determining system, said position determining system determining a current road segment and a current vehicle location on said current road segment; a display displaying a first map at a first scale and comprising a plurality of said road segments including said current road segment; said display displaying a second map and said first map simultaneously, said second map comprising a plurality of said road segments including said current road segment, said second map having a second scale less than said first scale.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 18 further comprising: a user input device; and a map scaler, said map scaler changing said first scale of said first map in response to input from said user input device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 18 wherein said display displays a road segment name adjacent said current road segment and a vehicle cursor at said current vehicle location on said first map when said first scale of said first map is below a threshold scale.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 18 wherein said display displays a road segment name adjacent said current road segment on said second map.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 18 wherein said display displays said second map within said first map.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
69 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 18 further comprising: said database including a plurality of ranks, each of said ranks associated with at least one of said road segments; each of said ranks associated with one of a plurality of rank colors; said display displaying each of said road segments of said first map and said second map in an associated rank color.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 18 wherein said second map further includes a border, said border surrounding said second map and having a color other than said plurality of rank colors.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 18 wherein said display further includes a current heading field, said current heading field displaying a current compass heading of a vehicle.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
80 words
A method for displaying a current vehicle location on a display of a navigation system comprising the steps of: a.) determining a current vehicle location relative to a database of road segments; b.) displaying a plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location; c.) adjusting a scale of said display; and d.) displaying in a first mode when said scale is below a threshold scale and displaying in a second mode when said scale is above said threshold.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
80 words
A method for displaying a current vehicle location on a display of a navigation system comprising the steps of: a.) determining a current vehicle location relative to a database of road segments; b.) displaying a plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location; c.) adjusting a scale of said display; and d.) displaying in a first mode when said scale is below a threshold scale and displaying in a second mode when said scale is above said threshold.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
83 words
A method as recited in claim 26 wherein: step b.) further comprises displaying said plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location on a map; step c.) further comprises adjusting a scale of said map; and step d.) further comprises in said first mode displaying a road segment name associated with said current vehicle location adjacent said current vehicle location and in said second mode displaying said road segment name associated with said current vehicle location in a current location field.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
85 words
A method as recited in claim 26 wherein: step b.) further comprises displaying said plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location on a first map; step c.) further comprises adjusting a scale of said first map; and step d.) further comprises in said first mode displaying on said first map said current vehicle location and in said second mode displaying said first map and a second map, said second map having a scale below said threshold and including said current vehicle location.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
90 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system comprising: a database of a plurality of road segments; a position determining system, said position determining system determining a current vehicle location relative to said database; a display having a variable scale and displaying a plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location in a first mode when said variable scale is below a threshold and displaying a plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location in a second mode when said variable scale is above a threshold.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
90 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system comprising: a database of a plurality of road segments; a position determining system, said position determining system determining a current vehicle location relative to said database; a display having a variable scale and displaying a plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location in a first mode when said variable scale is below a threshold and displaying a plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location in a second mode when said variable scale is above a threshold.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
72 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 29 wherein said display displays a map including said plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location; in said first mode said display displays an associated road segment name adjacent said current vehicle location on said map; and in said second mode said display displays said associated road segment name in a current location field on said display.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
100 words
A vehicle location display of a navigation system as recited in claim 29 wherein: said display displays a first map at said variable scale and including said plurality of said road segments and said current vehicle location when said display is in said first mode; and said display displaying a second map and said first map when said display is in said second mode, said second map comprising a plurality of said road segments including said current road segment and a vehicle cursor displayed at said current vehicle location, said second map having a scale less than said threshold scale.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-01-23 | 2004-07-24 | 2005-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-23 | 2008-07-24 | 2009-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-23 | 2012-07-24 | 2013-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |