US6671615B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Navigation system with sign assistance
Assignee: Here Global BV
•
Filing: 2000-05-02
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Granted: 2003-12-30
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Expires: 2020-05-02
Abstract
Abstract A feature provided by a navigation system or other device whereby additional information about roadside signs can be provided to a driver of a vehicle while travelling along a road. The additional information may be provided automatically or in response to a request from the driver. The additional information may include a translation of the sign text into a selected language, supplementary information about the subject matter of the sign, commercial information about the subject matter of the sign, or other kinds of information. In one embodiment, the additional information is contained in a database that includes data identifying locations of roadside signs and additional information about the roadside signs. Programming in the navigation system or other device determines the location of the vehicle, uses the database to identify one or more roadside signs close to the location of the vehicle, and provides the driver with the additional information about the one or more roadside signs via a user interface.
Inventors
- 👤 Lisa M. Becker
- 👤 Lawrence M. Kaplan
- 👤 Roy Casino
- 👤 Robert Fernekes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:38
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/09; G08G1/0962; G08G1/0967; G08G1/096708; G08G1/096716; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/34; G01C21/36; G01C21/3697; G08G1/096733; G08G1/096741; G08G1/09675; G08G1/096766; G08G1/096775; G08G1/096791; G08G1/0968; G08G1/096805; G08G1/096811; G08G1/096827; G08G1/096855; G08G1/096861; G08G1/096872
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains information about roadside signs and locations of said roadside signs; determining at least one roadside sin in the vicinity of a current position of the vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located accepting a filter criterion from the user, wherein said filter criterion relates to a business chain; and providing user of said navigation system with the information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle only if the filter criterion is satisfied.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains information about roadside signs and locations of said roadside signs; determining at least one roadside sin in the vicinity of a current position of the vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located accepting a filter criterion from the user, wherein said filter criterion relates to a business chain; and providing user of said navigation system with the information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle only if the filter criterion is satisfied.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
85 words
A navigation system comprising: a database that includes data identifying locations of roadside signs and associated information about said roadside signs, wherein said associated information includes translations of sign text into alternative languages; programming that determines a location of a vehicle; programming that uses said database to identify at least one sign close to said location of said vehicle; and a user interface that provides to a user of said navigation system said associated information from said database about the at least one roadside sign.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
85 words
A navigation system comprising: a database that includes data identifying locations of roadside signs and associated information about said roadside signs, wherein said associated information includes translations of sign text into alternative languages; programming that determines a location of a vehicle; programming that uses said database to identify at least one sign close to said location of said vehicle; and a user interface that provides to a user of said navigation system said associated information from said database about the at least one roadside sign.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention of claim 2 wherein said user interface further comprises: a help button accessible to the user by which the user can request the navigation system to provide additional information about roadside signs.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data in said database includes text that corresponds to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes historical facts; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the additional information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data in said database includes text that corresponds to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes historical facts; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the additional information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text arid wherein said data in said database includes text that corresponds to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information about the roadside signs other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes commercial information; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the additional information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text arid wherein said data in said database includes text that corresponds to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information about the roadside signs other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes commercial information; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the additional information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said commercial information includes at least one of an identity of a business associated with the roadside sign, hours of operation of a business associated with the roadside sign, and a telephone number of a business associated with the roadside sign.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said additional information includes text in a language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: determining a position of a vehicle in which said navigation system is located; receiving via a user interface of said navigation system a request for information pertaining to a roadside sign in a vicinity of said vehicle; accessing a database that contains information about roadside signs and locations of said roadside signs; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein said information includes at least one of: commercial information, historical information and a translation of the text of the roadside sign into a language, other than the language of the roadside sign.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: determining a position of a vehicle in which said navigation system is located; receiving via a user interface of said navigation system a request for information pertaining to a roadside sign in a vicinity of said vehicle; accessing a database that contains information about roadside signs and locations of said roadside signs; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein said information includes at least one of: commercial information, historical information and a translation of the text of the roadside sign into a language, other than the language of the roadside sign.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the roadside sign is a sign that has just been passed by the vehicle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said information includes the text of the roadside sign.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said information is provided to the user audibly.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
97 words
A geographic database comprising: data indicating locations of roads; and data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data about roadside signs in said geographic database comprises: data corresponding to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein aid additional information includes information about the roadside signs other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes text in a language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
97 words
A geographic database comprising: data indicating locations of roads; and data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data about roadside signs in said geographic database comprises: data corresponding to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein aid additional information includes information about the roadside signs other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes text in a language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
80 words
A geographic database comprising: data indicating locations of roads; and data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data about roadside signs in said geographic database comprises: data corresponding to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes historical facts.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
80 words
A geographic database comprising: data indicating locations of roads; and data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data about roadside signs in said geographic database comprises: data corresponding to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes historical facts.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
84 words
A geographic database comprising: data indicating locations of roads, and data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data about roadside signs in said geographic database comprises: data corresponding to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information about the roadside signs other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes commercial information.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
84 words
A geographic database comprising: data indicating locations of roads, and data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data about roadside signs in said geographic database comprises: data corresponding to the text on the roadside signs, data indicating the locations of said roadside signs, and additional information, wherein said additional information includes information about the roadside signs other than the text on the roadside signs and the locations of the roadside signs, wherein said additional information includes commercial information.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
The geographic database of claim 14 wherein said commercial information includes at least one of: an identity of a business associated with the roadside sign, hours of operation of a business associated with the roadside sign, and a telephone number of a business associated with the roadside sign.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data in said database includes text in a language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the text in the language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said roadside signs contain text and wherein said data in said database includes text in a language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the text in the language other than the language of the text of the roadside sign in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said data in said database includes commercial information that corresponds to the roadside sign; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the commercial information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of operation for a navigation system, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a database that contains data about roadside signs, wherein said data in said database includes commercial information that corresponds to the roadside sign; determining at least one roadside sign in the vicinity of a vehicle in which a user of said navigation system is located; and providing the user of said navigation system with the commercial information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising: prior to the step of providing, accepting a request from the user of the navigation system for information about a roadside sign in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said request from the user is made via a help button located on a user interface of said navigation system.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the roadside sign is a sign that has just been passed by the vehicle.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said information includes a translation of the roadside sign into a selected language.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said information includes supplemental information relating to the roadside sign.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said information is provided to the user audibly.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said database is located in said vehicle.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising: prior to the step of determining at least one roadside sign, determining a location of said vehicle.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the step of providing is performed automatically.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said steps of accessing, determining, and providing are performed continuously as the vehicle is being driven so that the user is provided with information about each roadside sign of a plurality of roadside signs located along a road upon which the vehicle is being driven as each roadside sign is encountered.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising: accepting a filter criterion from the user so that information about the roadside sign determined to be in the vicinity of the vehicle is provided to the user only if the filter criterion is satisfied.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said filter criterion relates to a subject matter of the roadside sign.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising: accepting a filter criterion from the user, and further wherein said steps of accessing, determining, and providing are performed continuously as the vehicle is being driven along a road so that the user is provided with information about each roadside sign that satisfies the filter criterion as each such roadside sign is encountered along the road upon which the vehicle is being driven.
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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) | 2006-12-29 | 2007-06-30 | 2007-12-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-12-29 | 2011-06-30 | 2011-12-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-12-29 | 2015-06-30 | 2015-12-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |