公开(公告)号：US06336111B1

公开(公告)日：2002-01-01

申请号：US09504976

申请日：2000-02-15

申请人： Richard A. Ashby ,  David S. Lampert

发明人： Richard A. Ashby ,  David S. Lampert

IPC分类号： G06F1730

CPC分类号： G06F17/30324 ,  G01C21/32 ,  G06F17/30241 ,  Y10S707/919 ,  Y10S707/99934

摘要： A method and system for supporting alternative names of geographic locations with a navigation application program that uses a geographic database stored on a computer-readable medium. The alternative names of geographic locations include names in a plurality of different languages. Included are one or more language filters. Each of the one or more language filters associates the data records in the geographic database that are used as names for geographic locations with one or more of the plurality of different languages. A routine uses the one or more language filters so that the navigation application program can use names for geographic locations that are valid in an access language selected from among the plurality of different languages.

摘要翻译： 一种用于使用存储在计算机可读介质上的地理数据库的导航应用程序来支持地理位置替代名称的方法和系统。 地理位置的备选名称包括多种不同语言的名称。 包括一个或多个语言过滤器。 一个或多个语言过滤器中的每一个将地理数据库中用作地理位置的名称的数据记录与多种不同语言中的一种或多种相关联。 例程使用一个或多个语言过滤器，使得导航应用程序可以使用在从多种不同语言中选择的访问语言中有效的地理位置的名称。

公开(公告)号：US07082443B1

公开(公告)日：2006-07-25

申请号：US10201098

申请日：2002-07-23

申请人： Richard A. Ashby

发明人： Richard A. Ashby

IPC分类号： G06F17/30

CPC分类号： G01C21/32 ,  G06F17/30241 ,  G06F17/30578 ,  Y10S707/99934 ,  Y10S707/99952

摘要： A method and system for updating geographic databases used in systems that provide navigation-related features are disclosed. An original version of a geographic database is formed in which the data are organized into parcels. An updated version of the geographic database is formed that includes updated data. The updated version is organized into parcels so that the data in each parcel of the updated geographic database represent the same features that were represented in a corresponding one of the parcels of the original version. Incremental update transactions are formed that identify the differences between the parcels of data contained in the updated version of the geographic database relative to the parcels in the original version. The incremental update transactions are transmitted to the systems that provide navigation-related features where they are used to form updated parcels which are used in place of the corresponding parcels from the original version.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于更新在提供导航相关特征的系统中使用的地理数据库的方法和系统。 形成地理数据库的原始版本，其中数据被组织成宗地。 形成地理数据库的更新版本，其中包含更新的数据。 更新的版本被组织成宗地，以便更新的地理数据库的每个包裹中的数据表示在原始版本的对应的一个宗地中表示的相同的功能。 形成增量更新事务，其识别包含在地理数据库的更新版本中的数据相对于原始版本中的包裹之间的差异。 增量更新事务被传输到提供导航相关功能的系统，其中它们用于形成用于代替原始版本的对应包裹的更新的包裹。

公开(公告)号：US07031983B2

公开(公告)日：2006-04-18

申请号：US10196476

申请日：2002-07-16

申请人： Vijaya S. Israni ,  Robert Fernekes ,  Richard A. Ashby ,  David Lampert ,  John M. Jaugilas

发明人： Vijaya S. Israni ,  Robert Fernekes ,  Richard A. Ashby ,  David Lampert ,  John M. Jaugilas

IPC分类号： G06F17/30

CPC分类号： G08G1/096827 ,  G01C21/3492 ,  G08G1/096866 ,  G08G1/096872 ,  Y10S707/92 ,  Y10S707/99933 ,  Y10S707/99945 ,  Y10S707/99948

摘要： A system and method are disclosed that allow a navigation system that uses a geographic database to also use the data in traffic messages broadcast by a traffic broadcast system. One aspect of a present system and method includes the formation, storage, and use of location reference data records in a geographic database used by a navigation system. These location reference data records identify certain other kinds of data records that represent physical geographic features, such as data records that represent segments of roads, as being associated with certain location reference numbers. These location reference records may be included in a geographic database installed in the vehicle or may be provided to vehicles via a wireless communication link. Another aspect of a present system and method includes the formation, storage, and use of one or more indices that relate location reference numbers used by a traffic broadcast system to location reference records in a geographic database used by the navigation system. Another aspect of a present system and method is the formation, storage, and use of data that identify, for each location reference number, the immediately previous and the immediately next location reference number. Still another aspect of a present system and method includes the programming, and methods of use thereof, that query the geographic database and return the data entities associated with certain identified location reference numbers.

公开(公告)号：US06173277B2

公开(公告)日：2001-01-09

申请号：US09390737

申请日：1999-09-07

申请人： Richard A. Ashby ,  Paul M. Bouzide ,  Vijaya S. Israni ,  David S. Lampert ,  Senthil K. Natesan ,  Grant S. Killey ,  John C. Jasper ,  Robert P. Fernekes ,  Jerry S. Feigen

发明人： Richard A. Ashby ,  Paul M. Bouzide ,  Vijaya S. Israni ,  David S. Lampert ,  Senthil K. Natesan ,  Grant S. Killey ,  John C. Jasper ,  Robert P. Fernekes ,  Jerry S. Feigen

IPC分类号： G06F1730

CPC分类号： G09B29/106 ,  G01C21/26 ,  G01C21/32 ,  G06F17/30241 ,  G08G1/0969 ,  Y10S707/99931 ,  Y10S707/99932 ,  Y10S707/99942 ,  Y10S707/99943

摘要： An improved method and system that provides for a data access interface layer in a navigation system. The navigation system is of the type that includes a navigation application software program that provides navigating features to a user of the system and a geographic database stored on a computer-readable storage medium wherein the geographical database includes information relating to the geographical region about which the navigation system provides the navigation features to the user. The data access interface layer is preferably stored in the navigation system as a library of software functions. The data access interface layer operates in conjunction with the navigation system application software. The data access interface layer isolates the navigation application software from the geographic data which are stored on the storage medium. The data access interface layer intercepts requests by the navigation application software for geographic data. The data access interface layer retrieves geographic data from the storage medium and converts the data into a format usable by the navigation application software. The data access interface layer also provides for memory management that facilitates accessing and using geographic data from the particular storage medium quickly and efficiently. By recognizing that different media types have different physical formats, the data access interface layer accommodates and isolates the differences so that the portions of the data access interface layer that interact with the navigation application software can be generic.

摘要翻译： 一种改进的方法和系统，其提供导航系统中的数据访问接口层。 导航系统的类型包括向系统的用户提供导航功能的导航应用软件程序和存储在计算机可读存储介质上的地理数据库，其中地理数据库包括与地理区域有关的信息， 导航系统为用户提供导航功能。 数据访问接口层优选地作为软件功能库存储在导航系统中。 数据访问接口层与导航系统应用软件一起运行。 数据访问接口层将导航应用软件与存储在存储介质上的地理数据隔离。 数据访问接口层拦截导航应用软件对地理数据的请求。 数据访问接口层从存储介质检索地理数据，并将数据转换成导航应用软件可用的格式。 数据访问接口层还提供用于快速有效地访问和使用来自特定存储介质的地理数据的存储器管理。 通过识别不同的媒体类型具有不同的物理格式，数据访问接口层适应和隔离差异，使得与导航应用软件交互的数据访问接口层的部分可以是通用的。

公开(公告)号：US07266560B2

公开(公告)日：2007-09-04

申请号：US09016002

申请日：1998-01-30

申请人： David S. Lampert ,  Richard A. Ashby ,  Robert Fernekes ,  James A. Meek ,  John Jaugilas

发明人： David S. Lampert ,  Richard A. Ashby ,  Robert Fernekes ,  James A. Meek ,  John Jaugilas

IPC分类号： G06F17/30 ,  G01C21/00 ,  G01C21/30 ,  G08G1/23

CPC分类号： G01C21/32 ,  Y10S707/99942

摘要： A navigable map database, stored on a computer-readable medium and used with a navigation application program, includes data which are spatially parcelized into a plurality of parcels. Associated with each of the plurality of parcels is a first index which associates the area represented by the data in the parcel with a plurality of sub-areas formed of the area. Also associated with each of the parcels is a second index associating each of the data in the parcel with at least one of the sub-areas. Further disclosed is a method for producing a navigable map database which is parcelized into a plurality of parcels, wherein each of the plurality of parcels includes a first index which associates the area represented by the data in the parcel with a plurality of sub-areas formed of the area and a second index associating each of the data in the parcel with at least one of the sub-areas. Also further disclosed are a program and method for finding data in one or more parcels that match a spatial search criterion using a navigable map database that is parcelized into a plurality of parcels, wherein each of the plurality of parcels includes a first index which associates the area represented by the data in the parcel with a plurality of sub-areas formed of the area and a second index associating each of the data in the parcel with at least one of the sub-areas. The program and method use the first and second indices to identify which of the data in at least one of the plurality of parcels satisfy the spatial search criterion.

摘要翻译： 存储在计算机可读介质上并与导航应用程序一起使用的导航地图数据库包括空间包装成多个包裹的数据。 与多个宗地中的每一个相关联的是将由包裹中的数据表示的区域与由该区域形成的多个子区域相关联的第一索引。 还与每个宗地相关联的是将宗地中的每个数据与至少一个子区域相关联的第二索引。 进一步公开的是一种生产导航地图数据库的方法，该导航地图数据库被包裹成多个宗地，其中多个宗地中的每一个宗地都包括第一索引，该索引将包裹中的数据表示的区域与形成的多个子区域相关联 以及将所述包裹中的每个数据与所述子区域中的至少一个相关联的第二索引。 还进一步公开的是一种用于使用包裹成多个宗地的可导航地图数据库来查找与空间搜索准则匹配的一个或多个宗地中的数据的程序和方法，其中所述多个宗地中的每一个包括第一索引， 由包括由该区域形成的多个子区域的包裹中的数据表示的区域和将包裹中的每个数据与至少一个子区域相关联的第二索引。 程序和方法使用第一和第二索引来识别多个宗地中的至少一个宗地中的哪一个数据满足空间搜索准则。

公开(公告)号：US06438561B1

公开(公告)日：2002-08-20

申请号：US09196409

申请日：1998-11-19

申请人： Vijaya S. Israni ,  Robert Fernekes ,  Richard A. Ashby ,  David Lampert ,  John M. Jaugilas

发明人： Vijaya S. Israni ,  Robert Fernekes ,  Richard A. Ashby ,  David Lampert ,  John M. Jaugilas

IPC分类号： G06F1730

CPC分类号： G08G1/096827 ,  G01C21/3492 ,  G08G1/096866 ,  G08G1/096872 ,  Y10S707/92 ,  Y10S707/99933 ,  Y10S707/99945 ,  Y10S707/99948

摘要： A system and method are disclosed that allow a navigation system that uses a geographic database to also use the data in traffic messages broadcast by a traffic broadcast system. One aspect of a present system and method includes the formation, storage, and use of location reference data records in a geographic database used by a navigation system. These location reference data records identify certain other kinds of data records that represent physical geographic features, such as data records that represent segments of roads, as being associated with certain location reference numbers. These location reference records may be included in a geographic database installed in the vehicle or may be provided to vehicles via a wireless communication link. Another aspect of a present system and method includes the formation, storage, and use of one or more indices that relate location reference numbers used by a traffic broadcast system to location reference records in a geographic database used by the navigation system. Another aspect of a present system and method is the formation, storage, and use of data that identify, for each location reference number, the immediately previous and the immediately next location reference number. Still another aspect of a present system and method includes the programming, and methods of use thereof, that query the geographic database and return the data entities associated with certain identified location reference numbers.

公开(公告)号：US6112200A

公开(公告)日：2000-08-29

申请号：US39586

申请日：1998-03-16

申请人： Michael Livshutz ,  Vijaya S. Israni ,  Richard A. Ashby

发明人： Michael Livshutz ,  Vijaya S. Israni ,  Richard A. Ashby

IPC分类号： G09B29/00 ,  G01C21/00 ,  G01C21/32 ,  G06F17/30 ,  G08G1/0969 ,  G09B29/10

CPC分类号： G01C21/32 ,  Y10S707/92 ,  Y10S707/99934

摘要： A geographic database for use with a navigation application program that provides navigation features to an end-user. The geographic database includes a plurality of data records of a first type and a plurality of data records of a second type. The plurality of records of the first type are organized into a plurality of parcels, each of which includes a plurality of data records of the first type and the plurality of records of the second type are organized into a plurality of parcels, each of which includes a plurality of data records of the second type. The parcels of data records of the first type are interleaved with the parcels of data records of the second type. This interleaving enables navigation functions that use these different types to access these different types more quickly and efficiently, thereby enhancing navigation system performance. Also disclosed is a method for forming a geographic database that includes a plurality of data records that represent geographic features and which can be used in a navigation system. The method includes the step of interleaving parcels containing pluralities of data records of a first type with parcels containing pluralities of data records of a second type.

摘要翻译： 用于与最终用户提供导航功能的导航应用程序一起使用的地理数据库。 地理数据库包括第一类型的多个数据记录和第二类型的多个数据记录。 第一类型的多个记录被组织成多个包裹，每个包裹包括第一类型的多个数据记录，并且第二类型的多个记录被组织成多个包裹，每个包裹包括 第二类型的多个数据记录。 第一类型的数据记录的包裹与第二类型的数据记录的包裹交织。 该交错使得能够使用这些不同类型的导航功能更快更有效地访问这些不同类型，从而增强导航系统的性能。 还公开了一种用于形成包括表示地理特征并且可以在导航系统中使用的多个数据记录的地理数据库的方法。 该方法包括将包含第一类型的多个数据记录的包裹交织到包含多个第二类型的数据记录的包裹的步骤。

公开(公告)号：US5953722A

公开(公告)日：1999-09-14

申请号：US935809

申请日：1997-09-05

申请人： David S. Lampert ,  Richard A. Ashby

发明人： David S. Lampert ,  Richard A. Ashby

IPC分类号： G01C21/26 ,  G01C21/32 ,  G06F17/30 ,  G08G1/0969 ,  G09B29/10

CPC分类号： G01C21/26 ,  G01C21/32 ,  G06F17/30241 ,  G06F17/30961 ,  G08G1/096827 ,  G08G1/0969 ,  G09B29/106 ,  Y10S707/99932 ,  Y10S707/99945

摘要： A system and method for making and using a geographic database. The geographic database represents a geographic region and is used with a navigation application program. The geographic database includes a plurality of data entities each of which represents a physical feature in the geographic region. The plurality of data entities are separated into a plurality of parcels each of which contains a grouping of data entities that represent features in the geographic area encompassed within a separate one of a plurality of rectangles which together encompass all the features in the entire geographic region represented by all of the plurality of data entities. Each of the plurality of data entities has a data entity ID. The data entities contained in each of the plurality of parcels define an associated range of data entity ID's associated with their respective parcel such that the range of data entity ID's associated with each parcel does not overlap the range of data entity ID's associated with any another of the plurality of parcels. Associated with the geographic database is a searchable kd-tree structure whose nodes represent divisions of the geographic region into the rectangles from which the parcels are formed. The kd-tree structure permits spatial searching for a parcel based upon geographic coordinates. The kd-tree also includes data at certain of its nodes that identify the ranges of data entity ID's included in parcels formed from rectangles resulting from the divisions thereby enabling the kd-tree to be used as a binary tree for performing searches using the data entity ID's. Navigation application program functions can search for data by utilizing the kd-tree to conduct either a spatial search using geographic coordinates or a binary search using a data entity ID.

摘要翻译： 一种用于制作和使用地理数据库的系统和方法。 地理数据库代表地理区域，并与导航应用程序一起使用。 地理数据库包括多个数据实体，每个数据实体表示地理区域中的物理特征。 多个数据实体被分成多个包裹，每个包裹包含一组数据实体，这些数据实体表示包含在多个矩形中的单独一个矩形内的地理区域中的特征，这些矩形一起包含表示的整个地理区域中的所有特征 由所有多个数据实体。 多个数据实体中的每一个具有数据实体ID。 包含在多个包裹中的每一个包裹中的数据实体定义与其相应包裹相关联的数据实体ID的相关范围，使得与每个包裹相关联的数据实体ID的范围不与与任何另一个包相关联的数据实体ID的范围重叠 多个包裹。 与地理数据库相关联的是可搜索的kd-tree结构，其节点表示地理区域分割成形成包裹的矩形的划分。 kd-tree结构允许基于地理坐标对包裹进行空间搜索。 kd-tree还包括在其某些节点处的数据，该数据标识包括在由分割得到的矩形形成的包裹中的数据实体ID的范围，从而使得kd-tree被用作使用数据实体执行搜索的二进制树 ID的。 导航应用程序功能可以通过使用kd-tree来使用地理坐标进行空间搜索或使用数据实体ID进行二进制搜索来搜索数据。

公开(公告)号：US06829690B1

公开(公告)日：2004-12-07

申请号：US09576779

申请日：2000-05-23

申请人： Richard A. Ashby

发明人： Richard A. Ashby

IPC分类号： G06F1206

CPC分类号： G01C21/32 ,  G06F17/30241

摘要： A method whereby a computing platform that uses geographic data that are spatially organized into parcels of a given size can specify a parcel block size larger than the given size. Thereafter, during runtime, the geographic data are accessed by the computing platform in groups of one or more parcels not larger than the parcel block size. According to one embodiment, at or after initialization of the computing platform, groupings of parcels corresponding to parcel blocks are determined. Each parcel block has a size larger than the maximum parcel size but not larger than a maximum parcel block size. Data identifying the groupings and the parcels corresponding thereto are stored on the computing platform and the data identifying the groupings and the parcels corresponding thereto are used to access all the parcels corresponding to a parcel block whenever geographic data in any one of the parcels are needed.

摘要翻译： 使用将空间上被组织成给定尺寸的地块的地理数据的计算平台可以指定大于给定尺寸的包裹块大小的方法。 此后，在运行时间期间，地理数据由计算平台以不大于宗地块大小的一个或多个宗地的组进行访问。 根据一个实施例，在计算平台的初始化之后或之后，确定对应于包裹块的包裹的分组。 每个包裹块的大小大于最大包裹大小，但不大于最大包裹块尺寸。 识别分组和与之对应的包裹的数据被存储在计算平台上，并且当需要任何一个包裹中的地理数据时，使用标识分组的数​​据和与其对应的包裹的数据访问对应于包裹块的所有包裹。

公开(公告)号：US06366927B1

公开(公告)日：2002-04-02

申请号：US09460454

申请日：1999-12-13

申请人： James A. Meek ,  Richard A. Ashby ,  David S. Lampert

发明人： James A. Meek ,  Richard A. Ashby ,  David S. Lampert

IPC分类号： G06F1730

CPC分类号： G01C21/32 ,  Y10S707/92 ,  Y10S707/99943 ,  Y10S707/99945 ,  Y10S707/99948

摘要： A system and method for storing data to represent other-than-straight map features in a computer-readable geographic database for use in a navigation system. For geographic features that are other-than-straight, a curve generated by a computable function is fitted to an image of the other-than-straight map feature. The computable function may be a polynomial equation whose shape is defined by its coefficients. In one embodiment, the polynomial equation is a type of spline curve, in particular a Bezier curve whose shape is defined by control points. The coefficients of the polynomial equation are associated with data representing the other-than-straight feature. In the case in which the polynomial equation is a Bezier curve, the control points for generating the Bezier curve are associated with the data representing the other-than-straight feature. These control points are stored in the geographic database and are used in displaying the other-than-straight geographic feature. Use of a computable function to generate other-than-straight geographic features and storing parameters to be used by the computable function has the potential for significantly reducing the storage requirements for representing other-than-straight features in a geographic database. According to a further aspect, normalized control point pairs are stored in a data structure and an index reference into the data structure is associated with data used to represent the other-than-straight geographic features, thereby resulting in further reduction in data storage requirements.

摘要翻译： 一种用于存储数据以表示用于导航系统的计算机可读地理数据库中的非直线地图特征的系统和方法。 对于不同于直线的地理要素，由可计算函数生成的曲线适用于其他直线地图特征的图像。 可计算函数可以是其形状由其系数定义的多项式方程。 在一个实施例中，多项式方程式是一种样条曲线，特别是其形状由控制点定义的贝塞尔曲线。 多项式方程的系数与表示不同于直线特征的数据相关联。 在多项式方程为贝塞尔曲线的情况下，生成贝塞尔曲线的控制点与表示其他直线特征的数据相关联。 这些控制点存储在地理数据库中，用于显示不同于其他地理特征。 使用可计算函数生成不同于其他地理特征并存储要由可计算函数使用的参数，这有可能显着降低存储要求，以便在地理数据库中表示其他非直线特征。 根据另一方面，归一化控制点对存储在数据结构中，并且到数据结构中的索引引用与用于表示不同于平行的地理特征的数据相关联，从而进一步减少数据存储要求。