WO2009077679A2

WO2009077679A2 - Navigation and location terminal, and navigation and location system including such terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2009077679A2
Application number: PCT/FR2008/001383
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arnaud Guimont; Jean-Michel Durocher; Marc Alyari
Original assignee: Webraska Mobile Technologies
Priority date: 2007-10-03
Filing date: 2008-10-03
Publication date: 2009-06-25
Also published as: WO2009077679A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a navigation and location terminal that comprises a navigation and location data operating unit (20), a map storage unit (40), a radio or wire communication unit (30) for connecting a navigation and location data operating server (3) to the operating unit (20) of the terminal, a switching unit for connecting the operating unit (20) to the communication unit (30) or to the map storage unit (40), wherein the terminal includes a means (31) for automatically switching the map storage unit (40) to the operating unit (20) if the communication unit (30) is inactive. The invention also relates to a navigation and location system including such a terminal.

Description

Navigation and location terminal and navigation and localization system comprising such a terminal

The invention relates to the field of navigation and location of geographical points of interest and, more particularly, navigation using a mobile phone or GPS terminal (Global Positioning System) of a motor vehicle.

In recent years, navigation, that is to say the follow-up of a route, especially on land, especially road and pedestrian, has become accessible to the greatest number and has been enriched by numerous location services allowing to geographically locate monuments, service stations, hotels, portions of bottled roads and all other points of interest. These location, or geolocation, services allow a user to benefit from real-time data, enabling him to avoid, for example, being trapped in traffic jams or running out of gas.

There are known GPS navigation terminals in which are stored navigation maps that have been previously downloaded via a computer. During navigation, the driver of the automobile generates a route that appears on the stored and displayed maps. When the driver has not previously loaded the map for which he wishes to generate a route, the terminal is unable to display the route to follow.

The problem arises also when the driver does not have updated maps, the terminal then providing an erroneous route.

Such a GPS navigation terminal does not have any means of communication. This is why it is called a static or disconnected terminal. The major disadvantage of such a terminal is that it does not allow to benefit from updated data (geographical maps) or data in real time (traffic jams, control radar).

It is also known navigation terminals comprising means of communication to a remote server, designated dynamic or connected terminals.

The driver inputs a geographical location A and a geographical location B via his connected terminal in order to generate a request that is sent via the telephone network to a remote server for operating navigation and location data. last returning a map with a route to the driver. The driver benefits from updated data in real time allowing him to arrive at his final destination in the best conditions.

A connected terminal is dependent on the communication network that it uses to access the operating server. Thus, if the driver wishes to obtain a route while it is located where the telephone network is not accessible, the terminal is not able to transmit its request to the operating server thus preventing the generation of a route.

The problem arises more particularly when the driver erroneously departs from the route provided by the terminal while the latter is unable to interrogate the remote server. The driver is dissatisfied because the terminal can not provide support for his navigation, moreover, in a place where he was driven by his terminal. The dependence of the terminal on the communication network is a major drawback of the connected terminals.

To obviate this drawback, for example, hybrid navigation terminals are known, with navigation cards stored on the terminal, communicating with an operating server to obtain a route which is then "plated" on said cards. Thus, even if communication is not possible with the operating server, the user can view the cards.

However, this type of terminal solves the problem only partially. Indeed, during the plating of the route, the route of the route is often offset with the map. This disadvantage is even more penalizing when the map is not up to date and the route has been calculated with updated data, the shift between the old map and an updated route making navigation impossible.

In order to overcome these drawbacks, the Applicant proposes a navigation and location terminal comprising a navigation and location data exploitation block, a card storage block, a radio or wired communication block for connecting a server of operation of navigation and location data in the terminal operating block, a switching block for connecting the operation block to the communication block or the card storage block, the terminal comprising means for switching automatically the card storage block on the operating block if the communication block is inactive.

The hybrid terminal makes it possible to overcome the dependency on the navigation and location data exploitation server by providing reliable support for the navigation of the driver.

Preferably, the terminal comprises means for manually switching the card storage block on the navigation and location data exploitation block.

Preferably, the terminal comprises means for automatically switching the communication block on the operating block if the communication block becomes active again.

Thus, if the terminal can again connect to the server, the communication is performed automatically without interrupting the navigation support.

Preferably still, the communication block is arranged to connect to the telephone network. A reception sensor of the telephone network is arranged to automatically switch the card storage block on the operating block, if the reception level of the network is below a predetermined threshold value.

The invention also relates to a navigation and localization system with a navigation and location terminal, a navigation and location data exploitation server and real-time updated databases, to which the server, the server and the server are connected. navigation and location data exploitation block being arranged to receive routes, lists of points of interest and maps of the server.

Thus, the terminal offers its user a quality service by providing relevant data in real time.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the following description and the appended drawing in which: - Figure 1 shows schematically the navigation of a driver along a route using the terminal of the invention;

FIG. 2 represents a block diagram of the terminal of the invention;

FIG. 3 represents a block diagram of the switching block of the terminal of FIG. 2; and

- Figure 4 shows schematically the navigation of the driver when he deviated from his itinerary.

Referring to Figure 1, a navigation terminal 100 allows a driver 1 of vehicle 2 to follow a route 4 between a geographical location A (departure of route 4) and a geographical location B (arrival of route 4 ). The destination of the driver is entered manually via the navigation terminal 100 while the GPS coordinates of said terminal 100 define the starting point of the route 4.

The terminal 100 is here a personal data assistant of the type of the protected brand "PocketPC" ®. It goes without saying that a computer - fixed or portable - or a mobile phone would also be suitable. It is also obvious that an on-board computer, integrated into the vehicle 2, would also be suitable.

The information is entered here manually by the driver, it goes without saying that any other means of entering information can be envisaged, such as a voice input by means of voice recognition software or via a call center in contact the driver with an operator.

The GPS coordinates are here provided by a GPS receiver integrated in the terminal 100. It goes without saying that an external GPS receiver that can connect, wired or wireless, to the terminal would also be suitable.

During driving, the terminal 100 displays on its display screen the directions that the driver 1 must follow in order to reach his destination.

The terminal 100 also makes it possible to display points of interest 7 that the driver 1 has selected via an interface module 10 of the terminal 100, represented in FIG. 2. Points of interest 7, service stations, hotels , control radars and portions of bottled roads. In general, any entity that can be associated with a set of coordinates is considered a point of interest. A point of interest may be as fixed, for example a historic center or a service station, as mobile, such as a taxi moving in town or a person with a means of issuing its position.

The terminal 100 can also display a map that can integrate information on which the driver can act, such as URL (Uniform Resource Locator) links to access data stored on a remote server.

With reference to FIG. 2, the navigation and location terminal 100 comprises a navigation and location data exploitation block 20 receiving the commands entered by the driver 1 via the user interface module 10 as well as commands from a GPS block not shown. The commands are processed by the operation block 20 to form queries for obtaining a route, a list of points of interest or a map.

The navigation and location terminal 100 is a terminal called "hybrid" because it can operate in a connected mode, or "off-board", and an offline mode, or "on-board", these two modes are traditionally considered as antagonists. Depending on the mode of operation of the terminal 100, the requests from the operating block 20 are treated differently, their processing will be detailed later.

Still with reference to FIG. 2, the switching or switching between the various operating modes of the terminal 100 is ensured by a switching block 50 arranged to direct the requests coming from the operating block 20 to a communication block 30, when operation in connected mode, or to a card storage block 40, during operation in disconnected mode.

During operation of the terminal 100 in connected mode, as shown in FIG. 1, the requests from the operating block 20 are transmitted, via the switching block 50, to the communication block 30 connected to an operating server of FIG. navigation and location data 3 analyzing received requests and returning a set of navigation data such as a route 4 or a list of points of interest 7. This data set is then displayed on the screen of the terminal 100.

The server 3 is connected to a set of databases including maps and points of interest. All of the databases are updated in real time, allowing the server 3 to provide the driver with up-to-date data (routes, points of interest and maps).

Still with reference to FIG. 1, the data transmission between the communication block 30 and the remote server 3 is carried out via the telephone network 5 for which the driver 1 has subscribed.

It goes without saying that any wired or radio communication block may be suitable for connecting, for example, to a Wifi or Wimax type network.

During the operation of the terminal 100 in disconnected mode, the requests from the operating block 20 are transmitted, via the switching block 50, to the card storage block 40, the cards having been previously downloaded by the driver 1 on the terminal 100 via a computer or the telephone network 5. Each map corresponds to a region, to a country or more generally to a geographical zone.

With reference to FIG. 2, the card storage block 40 comprises three cards 41, 42 and 43. When the request is received by the storage block 40, the card 42, comprising the departure and arrival points, of the route, is selected.

The navigation and location data exploitation block 20 generates a route 4 using the selected map 42 in the storage block 40, the route 4 then being displayed on the screen of the terminal 100. The driver 1 can then start navigation.

Referring to Figure 3, the terminal 100 comprises a set of activity sensors 31 of the communication block 30 for detecting whether the conditions required to establish a communication to the remote server 3 are met. This set of sensors 31 makes it possible to control the switching block 50 between the two modes of operation. With reference to FIG. 1, the communication between the terminal 100 and the server 3 is carried out via the telephone network 5. The terminal 100 integrates a reception sensor of the network 311, a presence sensor of a subscriber card to the network (SIM card) 312 and a data transmission and reception control sensor 313 making it possible to check whether the data exchanged can be interpreted by the remote server 3 or the exploitation block 20.

The reception sensor of the network 311 makes it possible to check whether the reception level of the network is greater than a predetermined threshold value. Above this threshold value, data can be exchanged between the terminal 100 and the server 3. Any anomaly - no SIM card, poor data transmission, network sensitivity too low - can be detected.

With reference to FIG. 3, the set of sensors 31 makes it possible to control the switching block 50 so that it connects the operating block 20 to the switching block 30 (connection P2) or to the card storage block 40 (FIG. Pl connection).

After describing the structure of the means of the invention, its operation and its implementation will now be discussed.

Terminal operation in connected mode

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the driver 1 inputs, using the user interface module 10 of the terminal 100, the places of departure and arrival, here the coordinates of the geographical points A and B which are transmitted to the block of exploitation 20.

The operating block 20 forms a request, using the data entered, which is then transmitted to the communication block 30, the set of sensors 31 (FIG. 3) having verified its activity and authorized switching of the switching block. 50 on it - P2 connection - (Figure 3).

The request is then transmitted by the communication block 30 to the remote server 3 via the telephone communication network 5. The remote server 3, after receiving the request and consulting its databases, returns a route 4 and a list of points of interest 7 and a map. It also returns a proximity zone 8 which extends around the route 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The proximity zone 8 comprises the roads and the points of interest close to the route 4, the driver 1 having then an overall vision of the route 4 to follow. In particular, points of interest 7 allow him to be in space and to find his itinerary if he departs from it.

If necessary, if the driver 1 is too far from his route 4, that is to say out of the proximity zone 8, a new request is automatically sent to the remote operating server 3 to generate a new route between the current location of the driver 1 and its destination B, as shown in FIG. 4.

A new route 4 and a new proximity zone 8 are then displayed on the terminal 100.

It may be that the connection between the terminal 100 and the remote server 3 is not possible or desired. The terminal 100 is then used in disconnected mode.

Operation of the terminal in offline mode

When one of the sensors 311, 312, 313 of the set of activity sensors 31 detects an anomaly, as discussed above, resulting in inactivity of the communication block 30, the switching block 50 switches to the block of storage card 40 (connection Pl) in order to obtain the card including the places of departure and destination of the driver 1. The card 42 is here selected so that the operating block 20 performs a local calculation of the requested route.

Route 4 is generated locally and displayed on the screen of terminal 100.

When no card of the storage block 40 includes the places of departure and arrival, a message is displayed on the terminal 100 to offer the driver 1 to connect to the remote server 3. In case of agreement of the driver and of activity of the communication block 30, the terminal 100 goes into connected mode. Similarly, if the communication block 30 becomes active again, the set of sensors 31 commands the communication block 50 to connect to the remote server 3.

In another example of implementation, the driver 1 goes astray following a route provided by the terminal 100 operating in disconnected mode, the conductor 1 being outside the proximity zone 8 as shown in FIG. 4.

If communication block 30 is active, the terminal 100 switches to connected mode and requests a route 4 to the remote server 3 by transmitting the departure and arrival coordinates of the driver, the starting coordinates corresponding to the current location of the driver.

If communication block 30 is inactive and if the starting and ending coordinates are present on cards 41, 42, 43 of card storage block 40, a new route 4 is provided to driver 1 by the operating block. 20.

When the communication block 30 is inactive and the navigation charts are not searchable - for example, when the maps have not been downloaded or a technical problem prevents their viewing - the operating block navigation data 20 uses the proximity zone 8 to direct the driver to his final destination. A new route 4 is then transmitted to the driver 1 without using the remote server 3 or the card storage block 40. The terminal 100 thus helps the driver 1 when several blocks are inactive or unavailable, the terminal

100 being very reliable.

The query of a POI or map around an address is similar to the request for a route. When the terminal is in disconnected mode, only locally stored data is displayed.

Referring to Figure 3, the terminal 100 further comprises a two-position actuator 70 for manually switching between the connected mode and the disconnected mode. The actuator 70 makes it possible to switch the switch between the connections P1 and P2. Such an actuator 70 mainly serves to constrain the terminal 100 in the disconnected operating mode while the communication block 30 is active. Thus, the driver 1 can limit the use of the telephone network 5 and thus control the resulting expenses and while receiving support during navigation via the terminal 100 operating in disconnected mode.

It goes without saying that the selection of the operating mode of the terminal 100 can also be carried out using the user interface 10, for example, via contextual menus displayed on the screen of the terminal 100.

Claims

claims

A navigation and location terminal (100) comprising a navigation and location data exploitation block (20), a card storage block (40), a radio or wire communication block (30) for connecting a navigation and location data exploitation server (3) at the operation block (20) of the terminal (100), a switching block (50) for connecting the operation block (20) to the communication block (30) or the card storage block (40), the terminal (100) including means (31) for automatically switching the card storage block (40) on the operation block (20) if the communication (30) is inactive.

Terminal according to claim 1, comprising means (70) for manually switching the card storage block (40) on the navigation and location data operating block (20).

3. Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 2, comprising means (31) for automatically switching the communication block (30) on the operating block (20) if the communication block (30) becomes active again.

4. Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the communication block (30) is arranged to connect to the telephone network (5).

Terminal according to claim 4, comprising a reception sensor of the telephone network (311) arranged to automatically switch the card storage block (40) on the operating block (20), if the reception level of the network is less than a predetermined threshold value.

Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a user interface block (10) connected to the navigation and location data exploitation block (20).

7. A navigation and location system comprising a terminal according to one of claims 1 to 6, a server (3) for operating navigation and location data and databases updated in real time, to which is connected the server (3), the data exploitation block navigation and location system (20) being arranged to receive routes (4), lists of points of interest (7) and maps (41, 42, 42) of the server (3).