WO2011059421A1

WO2011059421A1 - Gps personal navigation device with learning capability

Info

Publication number: WO2011059421A1
Application number: PCT/US2009/006128
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Scott Deiss
Original assignee: Thomson Licensing
Priority date: 2009-11-13
Filing date: 2009-11-13
Publication date: 2011-05-19

Abstract

Navigation by Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) techniques can be improved by taking into account stored user preferences learned during user execution of the established travel route. As the user executes the established travel route, any deviations to the travel route by the user are detected and such changes serve to update the stored user preferences. Thus, each subsequent travel route is established by taking into account learned user preference data updated during execution of the previous travel route.

Description

GPS PERSONAL NAVIGATION DEVICE WITH LEARNING CAPABILITY

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receivers that provides personal navigation capability.

BACKGROUND ART

Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) refers to a navigation technology that relies on a constellation of earth orbiting satellites each of which continuously broadcasts messages that contain the precise time of transmission. From knowledge of the time at which each of the satellites transmits its respective message, a receiver can compute the distance to each satellite. The receiver can then determine its own position from the distances to the satellites using geometric trilateration.

While originally developed by the US Department of Defense, civilian use of GPS navigation has proliferated. Advances in technology have made GPS Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs) extremely affordable. Indeed GPS PNDs for consumer use have become commonplace. Typical consumer GPS PNDs include a display that depicts a moving map indicating the device position during travel, making such devices very useful in motor vehicles. Using its position information, the GPS PND can generate and display travel routing information to direct the vehicle driver to a selected destination.

Virtually all GPS PNDs that generate travel routing also provide for automatic rerouting the in event that the driver deviates from the initially established travel route by more than a set distance, typically ¼ mile (.40 Km). The re-routing occurs automatically regardless of whether the driver has previously deviated from same particular segment of the travel route. While most GPS PNDs do take into account user-entered travel preferences, such as choosing toll roads versus non-toll roads, present day GPS PNDs generally do not react to changes in user preferences, such as intentionally deviating from the initially established travel route.

Thus, a need exists for a GPS PND that generates travel routing in accordance with changes in user preferences, including intentional deviation from the initially established travel route.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present principles, a navigation method commences by storing preference data indicative of learned travel routing preferences for a user. Upon receipt of a user-entered destination information, travel routing information is established in accordance with the preference data for the user. During execution of the established travel route, the preference data undergoes updating to record deviation(s) of the travel route by the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1 depicts a block schematic drawing of a GPS P D that provides travel routing based on learned changes in user preferences in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present principles; and

FIGURE 2 depicts in flow chart form the steps of a method executed by the GPS PND of FIG. 1 for establishing travel routing based that provides travel routing based on learned changes in user preferences.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGURE 1 depicts a block schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Personal Navigation device (PND) 10 which establishes travel routing based on learned changes in user preferences in accordance with the present principles. The GPS PND 10 includes an antenna 1 1 tuned to receive signals transmitted by GPS satellites (not shown) in orbit above the earth. An Intermediate Frequency (IF) circuit 12 processes the satellite signals for input to a processor 14 programmed to detect the time of each received signal and then calculate the distance to each satellite. Using the distances from the satellites, the processor 14 can continuously establish its own position.

The processor 14 communicates with both a Random Access Memory (RAM) 16 and a Read- Only Memory (ROM) 18 to read stored information, including stored programs and data. The processor 14 can also write data to the RAM 16, including, but not limited to display information. For example, the processor 14 can execute one or more of programs stored in the ROM 18 to generate display information indicative of the of the GPS PND position on a moving map using the distance information calculated by the processor and stored in the RAM 16. In practice, information and programming stored in the RAM 16 and ROM 18 enable the processor 14 to display location information as well as to generate travel routing, e.g., driving directions, to reach a user-entered destination. In this regard, the processor 14 acts as a "routing engine" to make use the current GPS PND location and available travel routes stored in the ROM 1 8 to establish a travel route to the user-entered destination.

Typically, GPS PNDs, such as GPS PND 10, include a display 20, often in the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD) for displaying data corresponding to the established travel route. For example, the display 20 can depict a map showing the established travel route to the user entered destination. In addition, the display 20 can also display turn-by-turn directions. Further, the display 20 can also depict status information, such as the time of day and miles traveled.

The GPS PND 10 has a user input device 22 that can take the form of a set of light- transmissive touch pads overlying the LCD 20 so that the LCD takes the form of a touch screen display which are well known in the art. In addition to, or in place of the light transmissive touch pads, the user input device 22 could also include one of more user-actuated switches, which can be arranged in a matrix like a key pad. The user input device 22 can take on a variety of different forms, as long as the device offers the ability to input user entered- data to the processor 14. Such user-entered data typically includes a desired destination, as well as desired preferences, such as whether the established travel route should choose toll versus non-toll roads as an example. Additionally, the user can enter commands to manipulate the operation of the GPS PND 10, such as turning the device off or on, increasing or decreasing screen brightness and the like.

In accordance with an aspect of the present principles, the user input device 22 allows the user to enter identity information. In this way, the user can identify himself or herself to the GPS PND 10 so that the GPS PND can select preference data for that user. In this way, a plurality of users can share the GPS PND 10. The user can identify himself or herself to the GPS PND 10 in a variety of ways via the user input device 22. For example, the user could enter a particular code or enter data through a sensor, for example, an RFID detector (not shown) that uniquely identifies the user. In the event of first use, the user would initially establish a profile by entering particular preferences, such as whether to travel on toll roads versus non-toll roads and whether to select the shortest distance or shortest time, for example. As described hereinafter, the GPS PND 10 of the present principles advantageously updates the preference data associated with user, such as by recording in RAM 16 user deviations from the initially established travel route. In this way, the GPS PND 10 can make use of such learned user preferences when generating travel routing now or in the future.

In addition to the display information, the processor 14 typically generates voice messages related to the position information via an on-board or an external text-to-speech engine (not shown). An audio reproduction device in the form of a speaker 24 serves to reproduce such voice messages which can include the names of streets and highways along the travel route. The GPS PND device 10 of the present principles can offer speech recognition capability, allowing a user to enter destination information, as well as other commands, to the processor 14 by speaking such commands into the speaker 24, now acting as a microphone. Thus, the user can enter information manually, via the user-input device 22, or by using voice commands or both.

Upon receipt of a destination address entered by a user via the under input device 22 of FIG 1 , the processor 14 executes a stored program to generate travel routing, typically in the form of driving instructions. (As indicated above, the GPS PND 10 could include speech recognition ability, thereby allowing a user to enter a destination via a voice command). With present day GPS PNDs, the processor 14, when performing travel routing, will take into account user preferences entered into the GPS PND 10, for example whether to take toll roads versus non-toll or whether travel routing should occur by the shortest time or shortest distance. However, these preferences typically remain static (unless the user specifically enters new preferences during the course of the travel routing.).

Typical GPS PNDs do not take into account dynamic changes to the travel routing, such as intentional deviations by the user. For example, consider a travel route established by a conventional GPS PND that directs the user to travel over a certain bridge. If user decides to take a different route deemed preferable to the initially established one, then a conventional GPS PND will recalculate a new route. Regardless of how often the user chooses to deviate from a particular segment of initially established travel route, present day GPS PNDs have no capability of accounting for such user preferences.

In accordance with the present principles, the GPS PND 10 advantageously provides travel routing that takes into account learned changes in user preferences, such as, but not limited to user deviations from the established travel route. The manner in which the GPS PND 10 provides such travel routing can best be understood by reference to FIG. 2 which depicts a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method executed by the processor 14 to establish travel routing. Referring to FIG. 2, the method commences upon step 200 of FIG. 2 during which the processor 14 of FIG. 1 accesses the RAM 16 to obtain user preference data for the user currently operating the GPS PND 10. In the event that the GPS PND 20 serves only a single user, then the RAM 16 would only store preference data for that user. However, to the extent that the GPS PND 10 serves multiple users, then the processor 1 will need to acquire the preference data for the present user. As discussed above, an individual user typically will identify himself or herself to the GPS PND 10 at the outset of operation, thereby allowing the processor 14 to obtain the preference data for that user by accessing the corresponding user profile.

In accordance with the present principles, the preference data for each user will include "static" preferences, such as toll versus non-toll roads and fastest time versus shortest distance, as well as learned preferences as well. For example, each time a user deviates from an initially established route, the processor 14 detects such changes. In other words, the processor 14 monitors dynamic changes in user behavior (user habits) which subsequently get recorded into the RAM 16, as discussed hereinafter. Thus, when the processor 14 accesses the RAM 16 to obtain user preference data, the processor 14 acquires user preference data that reflects learned changes in user behavior. Thus, if a user deviated from a particular segment of an established travel route in the past, the processor 14 will take account of such deviations when establishing new travel routes.

After obtaining the user preference data during step 200 of FIG. 2, the processor 14 of FIG. 1 executes step 202 of FIG. 2 to correlate the user preferences (user habits) in real time with routing data developed by the processor when acting as a routing engine, together with static user preference information. In this way, the processor 14 generates travel routing that takes into account learned user preferences so that the travel routing reflects dynamic changes in user behavior.

Once the processor 14 correlates the user preferences with the routing data, thereby yielding modified travel routing, then during step 204 of FIG. 2 provides data corresponding to the modified travel routing to the LCD display 20 of FIG. 1 . Also during step 204, the processor 14 will typically generate voice commands corresponding to such modified travel routing for output by the speaker 24 of FIG. 1. As part of the process of providing travel routing that takes account of learned user preferences, the processor 14 of FIG 1 updates the RAM 16 during step 206 of FIG. 2 with new data. Such new data reflects the changes in user behavior detected by the processor 14. As discussed above, in accordance with the present principles, the processor 14 of the GPS PND 10 of FIG. 1 detects and records changes in user habits, such as, but not limited to deviations from an established travel route. Once the processor 14 detects that the user has deviated from the travel route, the processor will record the alternate travel path until such time as the user has returned to the established route. The processor 14 writes such information into the RAM 16 during step 206 so that upon accessing the RAM to obtain user preference information, the processor will now have updated user preferences.

To avoid storing unintended changes in user behavior, the processor 14 could query the user as to whether the user wanted to save such travel route deviations. To save such changes, the user could enter an appropriate command through the user input device 22 (or via a voice command assuming the GPS PND 10 possessed voice recognition ability). If the user did not affirmatively indicate a desire to save such changes, the processor 14 would ignore such changes in user behavior. Alternatively, the processor could 14 automatically save such changes, unless the user, when queried, specifically indicated a desire not to do so.

The foregoing describes a method and apparatus for providing navigation information that takes into account learned user preferences.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A navigation method, comprising the steps of:

storing preference data indicative of learned travel routing preferences for a user; establishing travel routing to a user-entered destination in accordance with the learned preference data,

updating the learned preference data in accordance with detected changes in user preferences during travel.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the learned preference data includes user deviations to the travel routing

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the travel routing is established in also in accordance with static user preferences.

4. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of identifying a user that has requested travel routing and wherein the establishing step further includes establishing travel routing in accordance with learned preference information for the identified user.

5. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of querying the user regarding the storage of learned preference information prior to said updating step.

6. A navigation device comprising:

a memory for storing learned preference information for a user;

means for receiving Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) information;

a processor coupled to the memory and to the GPS information means for generating travel routing to a user-entered destination in accordance with the learned preference information stored in memory, said processor detecting changes in user preferences during execution of the of the travel routing and updating the memory with such changed user preferences.

7. The navigation device according to claim 6 wherein the processor detects deviations to the travel routing by the user and updates the memory accordingly.

8. The navigation device according to claim 6 wherein:

the memory stores learned preference data for a plurality of users; and

the processor identifies the user currently operating the navigation device and updates the memory with learned preference data for the identified user.

9. A navigation method, comprising the steps of:

storing preference data indicative of learned travel routing preferences for a plurality of users;

identifying a which of the plurality of users is seeking travel routing;

establishing travel routing to destination entered by the identified user in accordance with the learned preference data for that identified user,

updating the learned preference data for the identified user in accordance with detected changes in preferences of the identified user during travel.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the learned preference data includes deviations to the travel routing undertaken by the identified user.

1 1 . The method according to claim 9 wherein the travel routing is established in also in accordance with static preferences for the identified user.

12. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of querying the identified user regarding the storage of learned preference information prior to said updating step.