US6188957B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for providing bicycle information with a navigation system
Assignee: Here Global BV
•
Filing: 1999-10-04
•
Granted: 2001-02-13
•
Expires: 2019-10-04
Abstract
Abstract A navigation system feature that provides information about bicycle traffic and/or travel by bicycle. According to one aspect of the disclosed subject matter, a navigation system uses a geographic database to provide navigation-related features, such as route calculation and route guidance, for both motorized vehicles and bicycles. When providing navigation-related features for travel by bicycle, the navigation system evaluates the road segments for suitability for travel by bicycle. According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, a navigation system in a motorized vehicle provides warnings about bicycle traffic around the motorized vehicle as the motorized vehicle is being driven. Using a geographic database that includes data about the locations of bicycle lanes and paths, the navigation system provides warnings as the motorized vehicle approaches a bicycle lane or path or otherwise is in proximity to a bicycle lane or path. According to another aspect, information about bicycle lanes is included in a geographic database used by a navigation system. The geographic database includes data that represent roads used by motorized vehicles. The geographic database also includes data about bicycle lanes that are located adjacent to lanes of represented roads used by motorized vehicles. The geographic database also includes data about bicycle lanes that are located separately from lanes of roads used by motorized vehicles. According to another aspect, the navigation system receives transmissions from bicycles, motorcycles, or pedestrians located in a vicinity of the vehicle and provides warnings to the vehicle driver, as appropriate.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephan V. Bechtolsheim
- 👤 Lawrence M. Kaplan
- 👤 Frank J. Kozak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:10
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/09; G08G1/0962; G08G1/0968; G08G1/096805; G08G1/096827; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/34; G01C21/3407; G01C21/36; G01C21/3697; G08G1/096833; G08G1/096838; G08G1/096855; G08G1/096861; G08G1/096877; G08G1/096883
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A geographic database used by a vehicle navigation system comprising: data representing a first plurality of roads upon which motorized vehicles can travel in a geographic region, wherein the data representing each of said first plurality of roads include (1) data indicating geographic coordinates of a represented road of said first plurality of roads; and (2) data indicating whether the represented road includes a bicycle lane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
A geographic database used by a vehicle navigation system comprising: data representing a first plurality of roads upon which motorized vehicles can travel in a geographic region, wherein the data representing each of said first plurality of roads include (1) data indicating geographic coordinates of a represented road of said first plurality of roads; and (2) data indicating whether the represented road includes a bicycle lane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 1 further comprising: data representing a second plurality of roads upon which only bicycle traffic is permitted, wherein the data representing said second plurality of roads includes geographic coordinates of said second plurality of roads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said geographic database is stored on a computer-readable medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the data representing each road of said first plurality of roads along which a bicycle lane is located include an indication of which side of the represented road the bicycle lane is located.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein the indication of which side of the represented road the bicycle lane is located is defined relative to travel along the represented road from one endpoint to the other endpoint.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
140 words
A method implemented with a navigation application program for providing route guidance for traveling to a desired destination by bicycle, the method comprising the steps of: accepting an indication by the user of a desired destination; determining a solution route to be ridden by bicycle to the desired destination with the navigation application program that uses a geographic database that includes data representing segments of roads in a geographic area, wherein the step of determining a solution route includes the step of: evaluating data that represent segments of roads located in the geographic area for inclusion in said solution route, including roads on which both motorized vehicle traffic and bicycle traffic is permitted and roads on which bicycle traffic only is permitted; and providing guidance to the user to travel by bicycle via the solution route to the desired destination.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
140 words
A method implemented with a navigation application program for providing route guidance for traveling to a desired destination by bicycle, the method comprising the steps of: accepting an indication by the user of a desired destination; determining a solution route to be ridden by bicycle to the desired destination with the navigation application program that uses a geographic database that includes data representing segments of roads in a geographic area, wherein the step of determining a solution route includes the step of: evaluating data that represent segments of roads located in the geographic area for inclusion in said solution route, including roads on which both motorized vehicle traffic and bicycle traffic is permitted and roads on which bicycle traffic only is permitted; and providing guidance to the user to travel by bicycle via the solution route to the desired destination.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of providing guidance includes printing instructions for following the solution route.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of providing guidance includes transferring data representing said guidance into a portable electronic device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said navigation application program is installed in an in-vehicle navigation system installed in a motorized vehicle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said step of determining a solution route assumes a rate of travel on said roads consistent with a rate of travel by bicycle regardless of a vehicular speed limit along said roads.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said step of determining a solution route assumes a uniform rate of travel regardless of a vehicular speed limit along said roads.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of evaluating data further comprises the step of: suppressing from consideration for inclusion in said solution route any controlled access roads.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising: prior to the step of determining a solution route, accepting an indication by a user of the navigation application program that a bicycle route is desired, wherein the indication is a selection from a plurality of possible route types, wherein the plurality of possible route types include at least a bicycle route type and a motorized vehicle route type.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of evaluating data further comprises the step of: suppressing from consideration for inclusion in said solution route any roads from which bicycles are excluded by traffic restrictions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of evaluating data includes evaluating an altitude change as a factor when determining which roads to include in said solution route.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
126 words
A method implemented with a navigation application program for providing route guidance for traveling to a desired destination by bicycle, the method comprising the steps of: accepting an indication by the user of a desired destination; determining a solution route to be ridden by bicycle to the desired destination with the navigation application program that uses a geographic database that includes data representing segments of roads in a geographic area, wherein the step of determining a solution route includes the step of evaluating data that represent segments of roads located in the geographic area for inclusion in said solution route based upon suitability of travel by bicycle thereupon; and providing guidance to the user to travel by bicycle via the solution route to the desired destination.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
126 words
A method implemented with a navigation application program for providing route guidance for traveling to a desired destination by bicycle, the method comprising the steps of: accepting an indication by the user of a desired destination; determining a solution route to be ridden by bicycle to the desired destination with the navigation application program that uses a geographic database that includes data representing segments of roads in a geographic area, wherein the step of determining a solution route includes the step of evaluating data that represent segments of roads located in the geographic area for inclusion in said solution route based upon suitability of travel by bicycle thereupon; and providing guidance to the user to travel by bicycle via the solution route to the desired destination.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of providing guidance includes printing instructions for following the solution route.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of providing guidance includes transferring data representing said guidance into a portable electronic device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said navigation application program is installed in an in-vehicle navigation system installed in a motorized vehicle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said step of determining a solution route assumes a rate of travel on said roads consistent with a rate of travel by bicycle regardless of a vehicular speed limit along said roads.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said step of determining a solution route assumes a uniform rate of travel regardless of a vehicular speed limit along said roads.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising: prior to the step of determining a solution route, accepting an indication by a user of the navigation application program that a bicycle route is desired, wherein the indication is a selection from a plurality of possible route types, wherein the plurality of possible route types include at least a bicycle route type and a motorized vehicle route type.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of determining a solution route further comprises the step of: evaluating road segments restricted to bicycle traffic only for inclusion in said solution route.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 23 wherein the road segments restricted to only bicycle traffic are represented by data in said geographic database indicating that said road segments are restricted to only bicycle traffic.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of providing advice about bicycle traffic to a user of a navigation system installed in a vehicle, the method comprising: as the vehicle is traveling along a road represented by data in a geographic database used by the navigation system, determining a current position of the vehicle relative to said data; and matching the current position of said vehicle to positions of bicycle lanes represented by said data in said geographic database.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of providing advice about bicycle traffic to a user of a navigation system installed in a vehicle, the method comprising: as the vehicle is traveling along a road represented by data in a geographic database used by the navigation system, determining a current position of the vehicle relative to said data; and matching the current position of said vehicle to positions of bicycle lanes represented by said data in said geographic database.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 25 further comprising: providing a warning to a driver of said vehicle when said vehicle is close to a bicycle lane.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 26 further comprising the steps of: providing route guidance to follow a solution route calculated with said navigation system; and evaluating when an upcoming portion of said solution route crosses said bicycle lane; and wherein the step of providing a warning to the driver of said vehicle is timed to occur as the vehicle approaches the upcoming portion of the solution route that crosses the bicycle lane.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 26 wherein the warning is provided visually on a display of the navigation system.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 26 wherein the warning is provided audibly with a speaker.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 26 wherein the warning is provided when the vehicle is heading toward a crossing with the bicycle lane.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 30 wherein the crossing with the bicycle lane occurs with an upcoming turning maneuver by the vehicle.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 26 wherein the warning is provided when the vehicle is traveling adjacent to the bicycle lane.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 32 wherein warnings are provided periodically as the vehicle is traveling adjacent to the bicycle lane.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3925641A
Cited
US5758313A
Cited
US5559707A
Cited
US5648768A
Cited
US5877708A
Cited
US5731978A
Cited
US6035253A
Cited
US6049753A
Cited
US5974419A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-02-13 | 2004-08-14 | 2005-02-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-13 | 2008-08-14 | 2009-02-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-13 | 2012-08-14 | 2013-02-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |