Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-18
2004-07-27
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
C701S208000, C701S210000, C705S051000, C705S058000, C705S057000, C380S203000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06768942
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for secure distribution of digital data to end users' media for use by the end users. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for distributing geographic data to end users for use in their navigation systems.
2. Description of Related Art
There are various different types of devices for which end users are required to obtain digital data. One type of device for which end users are required to obtain digital data is a navigation system. Navigation systems for use on land have become available in a variety of forms and provide for a variety of useful features. One exemplary type of navigation system uses (1) a geographic database that contains data representing features in a geographic area or region, (2) a navigation application program, (3) appropriate computer hardware, such as a microprocessor and memory, and, optionally, (4) a positioning system. The geographic database portion of the navigation system includes information about the positions of roads and intersections in or related to a specific geographic regional area, and may also include information about attributes, such as one-way streets and turn restrictions, as well as about street addresses, alternative routes, hotels, restaurants, museums, stadiums, offices, automobile dealerships, auto repair shops, etc.
The positioning system may employ any of several well-known technologies to determine or approximate one's physical location in a geographic regional area. For example, the positioning system may employ a GPS-type system (global positioning system), a “dead reckoning”-type system, or combinations of these, or other systems, all of which are well-known in the art.
The navigation application program portion of the navigation system is typically a software program that uses data from the geographic database and the positioning system (when employed). The navigation application program may provide the user with a graphical display (e.g. a “map”) of his specific location in the geographic area. In addition, the navigation application program may also provide the user with specific directions to locations in the geographic area from wherever he is located.
The geographic data used by a navigation system may be stored locally with the navigation system in the vehicle, or, alternatively, the geographic data may be located remotely and downloaded to the navigation application programs, as needed, via a wireless communications system or other suitable communications channel. An advantage associated with having the geographic data stored locally with the navigation system is that a large amount of data is continuously available to the navigation system, thereby avoiding the costs associated with installing and maintaining a communications infrastructure that affords the necessary bandwidth needed to provide the data from a remote site. On the other hand, a consideration associated with storing geographic data locally with the navigation system is the need to update the data on a regular basis.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for the distribution of new and updated geographic data to users of navigation systems.
Another consideration associated with providing geographic data for navigation systems is the need to safeguard the data from unlicensed uses, e.g., illegal copying. The collection of geographic data can be a relatively time-consuming and expensive process. Therefore, although is desirable to make it easy for users of navigation systems to obtain new and updated geographic data, it is also desired to provide security measures that prevent unlicensed uses.
As mentioned above, there are various different types of devices for which end users are required to obtain digital data. Other devices include music players (e.g., audio CD players, MP3 players, as well as players that support other formats), video game consoles, DVD players, and computers. The considerations relating to safeguarding of geographic data from unlicensed uses also applies to data provided for these other types of devices.
SUMMARY
The present invention provides a navigation system with decryption functions. The navigation system may include a GPS receiver for receiving location coordinates, and a display or other means for presenting map information to a user. The navigation system may further include a processor arranged to execute a number of software routines. One such routine may be executable by the processor for using the geographic data to convert the location coordinates into map information and for causing to the map information to be presented via the means for presenting.
The navigation system may be an in-vehicle navigation system, which may be installed within the dashboard of a vehicle for instance. Alternatively, the navigation system may be a battery-powered handheld unit. Still alternatively, the navigation system may take other forms.
In an exemplary embodiment, the navigation system may be arranged to receive a set of information from a portable data storage medium, such as a flash memory card for instance. The set of information may include (i) an authorization key and (ii) geographic data. The authorization key may define verification information, such as an indication of an entity authorized to access the geographic data and an indication of an entity authorized to hold the geographic data. The geographic data may be divided into at least a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may comprise critical information, such as decompression parameters, indexes and other global parameters, that enables access to the second portion, so as to allow the navigation system to provide navigation services for a user.
On the data storage medium, the first portion of the geographic data may be encrypted, and the authorization key may be encrypted, while the second portion may remain unencrypted. Therefore, the navigation system may receive from the data storage medium (i) the encrypted first portion, (ii) the unencrypted second portion, and (iii) the encrypted authorization key. Further, the decryption key required for decryption of the encrypted first portion could be stored as part of the authorization key. In this way, the navigation system would need to be able to decrypt the authorization key in order to gain access to the first portion of the database and in turn to the database as a whole.
In an exemplary embodiment, the navigation system may include a number of software routines executable by the processor for (i) decrypting the encrypted authorization key so as to uncover the verification information and the decryption key, (ii) using the verification information to validate use of the database, and (iii) in response to successful validation, decrypting the encrypted first portion and then causing the processor to execute the routine mentioned above for using the geographic data to convert location coordinates into map information.
The process of using the verification information to validate use of the database may involve comparing at least a portion of verification information to an identification code associated with the data storage medium or with the navigation system itself. In this way, the navigation system can determine whether the data storage medium is authorized to hold the database and/or whether the navigation system itself is authorized to use the database.
In another embodiment, the navigation system may further include a port for communication with a remote entity via a wireless telecommunications network (such as a cellular telephone system, for instance) or other suitable link. With this arrangement, the navigation system may obtain from the data storage medium the encrypted first portion of the database and the unencrypted second portion of the database. In turn, the navigation system may be programmed to contact the remote entity via the wireless network and to request the authorization key. The remote entity may then send the encr
Broadhead Brian J.
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Kaplan Lawrence M.
Kozak Frank J.
Navigation Technologies Corp.
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