Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-01
2001-01-30
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
C701S208000, C701S210000, C701S213000, C340S988000, C340S990000, C340S995190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182006
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a remote control unit for a navigation system and more particularly, the present invention relates to a remote control unit for a navigation system, wherein the remote control unit includes a data storage memory that enables the remote control unit to be used to caddy data between an external computing device and the navigation system and vice versa.
In-vehicle navigation systems are available that provide end-users (such as drivers of vehicles in which the navigation systems are installed) with various navigation-related features. Included among the features provided by some navigation systems are route calculation, route guidance, map display, and electronic yellow pages, as well as other features. Although in-vehicle navigation systems provide many useful and important features, many navigation systems are designed as dedicated systems tailored to interact with other computer systems in limited and defined ways.
Some users of navigation systems have the need to exchange data between external computing devices and their navigation systems. For example, salespersons who use their vehicles to visit actual or potential customers may want to input customer lists from their personal computers into their navigation systems in order to use their navigation systems to calculate routes to visit the customers. By integrating customer list data with a navigation system, it may be possible to minimize travel times, facilitate dining and travel arrangements, avoid rush hour traffic, etc.
Some navigation systems allow data to be input into the navigation system by means of flash memory cards or similar devices. Although flash memory cards work well for this purpose, there exists room for improvements. First of all, in order to use a flash memory card to transfer data into a navigation system from an external computer, the external computer is required to be equipped with a compatible flash memory card connector. This kind of connector is relatively rare. Another potential disadvantage is that flash memory card connectors are relatively fragile and may become dirty over time.
Various other approaches have been proposed that would enable in-vehicle navigation systems to receive data from external computing devices. For example, systems have been proposed that use cellular telephone communications systems to deliver email, traffic report data, etc., to in-vehicle navigation systems. Some of these systems may be able to provide for the simple exchange of data between a computer and an in-vehicle navigation system. However, some of these proposed systems require significant infrastructure development and associated costs and complexity. Also, some of these systems may not be available in all geographic areas.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a relatively simple and inexpensive way to allow an in-vehicle navigation system to receive data from another computing device. Further, there also exists a need for a relatively inexpensive way for an in-vehicle navigation system and another computing device to exchange data quickly, reliably, and securely.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To address the above concerns, the present invention includes an improved remote control unit for an in-vehicle navigation system and methods for use thereof. The improved remote control unit includes a re-writable data storage memory and a data reception interface through which data from an external computing device can be transmitted to the remote control unit and stored in the re-writable data storage memory. The remote control unit also includes appropriate programming that provides for receiving data from the external computing device, storing the data in the re-writable data storage memory, and then transmitting the stored data from the re-writable data storage memory to the in-vehicle navigation system from a data transmission interface of the improved remote control unit. The improved remote control unit can also be used to transfer data from the in-vehicle navigation system to an external computing device. In one embodiment, the data reception interface is implemented by replacing the uni-directional infrared transmitter of a conventional remote control unit with a bi-directional infrared interface capable of both transmitting and receiving data.
According to one aspect, the improved remote control unit is used to transfer data about desired destinations from the external computing device to the in-vehicle navigation system so that the in-vehicle navigation system can use the data about the desired destinations to calculate routes, etc.
According to another aspect, the improved remote control unit is used to transfer expense-related data from the in-vehicle navigation system to an external computing device.
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Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Donnelly Arthur D.
Kaplan Lawrence M.
Kozak Frank J.
Navigation Technologies Corporation
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