Method and apparatus for storing cartographic route data
US6188955A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 30, 1998 |
| Grant date | Feb 13, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 30, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C21/3446
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and device implementing a three-level hierarchy for storing, recalling and processing navigational and graphical data. A vehicle is equipped with an electronic navigation thoroughfare planning device capable of calculating the distance to a desired thoroughfare. To calculate a distance, a driver inputs a plurality of variables, including cartographic data and a final desired destination, as well as several potential additional variables. Upon receiving the driver inputs, the navigation device implements a three-level hierarchy for storing, recalling and processing cartographic data. After the cartographic data is stored in memory, the navigation unit can calculate distance to a thoroughfare utilizing a cascading search method beginning with searching the most specific first level and progressing to the broader second and third levels until a common network between the two locations is established. The navigation device can also utilize the three level hierarchy to display cartographic data as a graphical map on the unit utilizing the same cascading method to display detail on the display screen and locate the specific details on any coordinate on the screen. Therefore the …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.