(12) United States Patent
`Kozak et al.
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6,944,533 B2
`Sep. 13, 2005
`
`US006944533B2
`
`(54)
`
`METHOD OF OPERATION OF A
`NAVIGATION SYSTEM TO REDUCE
`EXPENSES ON FUTURE TRIPS AND TO
`PROVIDE OTHER FUNCTIONS
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Frank Kozak, Naperville, IL (US);
`Mark Barton, Schaumburg, IL (US)
`
`(73)
`
`Assignee:
`
`Navteq North America, LLC,
`Chicago, IL (US)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21)
`(22)
`(65)
`
`(63)
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`
`(58)
`
`(56)
`
`Appl. No.:
`10/427,552
`Apr. 30, 2003
`
`Filed:
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2003/0195694 A1 Oct. 16, 2003
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`Continuation of application No. 09/875,402, ?led on Jun. 6,
`2001, now Pat. No. 6,629,034.
`
`Int. CI.7 ...................... .. G01C 21/34; G01C 21/36;
`G06F 17/60; G08B 11/23
`US. Cl. ......................... .. 701/200; 701/24; 701/25;
`701/201; 705/404; 705/80; 725/74; 73/178 R;
`340/994
`Field of Search ............................... .. 701/200, 204,
`701/209, 211, 24; 340/995.16, 995.24; 73/178 R;
`705/13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 410, 500, 80,
`50, 51, 52
`
`References Cited
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,919,246 A
`5,948,040 A
`6,098,048 A
`
`7/1999 WaiZmann et al. ....... .. 701/209
`* 9/1999 DeLorme et al. . ........ .. 701/201
`* 8/2000 Dashefsky et al. ......... .. 705/10
`
`6,144,916 A 11/2000 Wood, Jr. et al. ......... .. 701/200
`6,178,378 B1 * 1/2001 Leibold .......... ..
`701/202
`6,256,577 B1
`7/2001 Graunke ...... ..
`701/117
`6,266,612 B1
`7/2001 Dussell et al.
`701/207
`6,356,838 B1 * 3/2002 Paul ............ ..
`701/209
`6,480,783 B1
`11/2002 Myr ......................... .. 701/117
`6,584,401 B2
`6/2003 Kirshenbaum et al.
`701/702
`6,587,127 B1 * 7/2003 Leeke et al. .............. .. 345/765
`6,591,188 B1 * 7/2003 Ohler
`701/209
`6,594,580 B1 * 7/2003 Tada et al. ...... ..
`701/211
`6,622,083 B1 * 9/2003 Knockeart et al.
`701/202
`6,629,034 B1 * 9/2003 KoZak et al.
`701/200
`6,721,654 B2 * 4/2004 Akiyama .................. .. 701/209
`6,741,841 B1 * 5/2004 Mitchell ................ .. 455/1881
`2002/0095249 A1
`7/2002 Lang ......................... .. 701/29
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EP
`EP
`EP
`
`0803705 A2 10/1997
`0967460 A1 12/1999
`1265206 A2 * 12/2002
`
`......... .. G01C/21/20
`G01C/21/20
`....... .. G08G/1/0968
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner—Olga Hernandez
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Jon D. Shutter; Frank J.
`KoZak; LaWrence M. Kaplan
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`
`A navigation system includes a driving pro?le program. The
`driving pro?le program collects information about an end
`user’s driving activity. The information relates to trips made
`by the end user. The information includes departure times,
`intermediate stops, arrival times, purposes of the trips, and
`so on. After collecting this information over a period of time,
`the driving pro?le program analyZes the end user’s driving
`activity. The driving pro?le program provides the end user
`With a driving activity pro?le. In addition, the driving pro?le
`program determines Ways to reduce the amount of time
`and/or expense that the end user spends traveling in his/her
`vehicle and suggests modi?cations to the end user’s driving
`activity that Would save the end user time or expense.
`
`29 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`254
`
`NAVIGA‘HON SERVICES PROVIDER @
`
`SERVER m
`sERvER APPLICATIONS M
`
`NAVIGATION-RELATED APPS m
`ROUTE CALCULATION m
`
`ROUTE GUIDANCE 1.22
`
`mm eppfm?ans 1%
`
`COMM
`1a
`
`DRIVING PROFILE PROGRAM m
`
`DATA
`COLLECTION
`m
`
`DRIVING HISTORY
`STORAGE m
`
`CATEGORIZATION
`142
`
`DRIVING ANALYSIS A PROPOSAL 2&9
`
`CHARACTERIZE m
`
`PROPOSAL-GENERATING 222
`
`suasmunou
`
`El
`
`INTERACTIVE m PROFILE
`REPORT 2E2
`
`1
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 13,2005
`
`Sheet 1 0f 3
`
`US 6,944,533 B2
`
`FIG. 1
`
`170
`
`176
`
`NAVIGATION SERVICES
`PROVIDER 1_2e_
`
`SERVER gq
`SERVER
`APPLICATIONS
`1E
`
`NAVIGATION
`-RELATED
`APPS EQ
`
`COMM
`1%
`
`E58 ER
`
`GEO PROFILE
`DB 122
`DB 222
`
`NAVIGATION
`SYSTEM 110
`
`_
`
`72
`1
`J
`130
`T ? m
`\ W
`NAVIGATION
`SYSTEM _1__3_2
`POSITIONING
`SYSTEM @
`
`174
`\
`
`134/$
`
`PERSONAL15o
`ORGANIZER
`
`134%
`130 7' I
`
`2
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 13,2005
`
`Sheet 2 of3
`
`US 6,944,533 B2
`
`to & from
`end users’
`computing
`platforms
`130
`
`170
`\
`> J
`
`264
`
`266
`
`El
`=1
`
`FIG. 2
`
`NAVIGATION SERVICES PROVIDER g5
`
`SERVER @
`sERvER APPLICATIONS lgg
`
`NAVIGATION-RELATED APPS 1_8_§
`ROUTE CALCULATION E
`
`COMM
`4+ 1&5 ‘
`
`ROUTE GUIDANCE 1_9g
`
`other applications m
`
`DRIVING PROFILE PROGRAM @
`
`DATA
`COLLECTION
`A9
`
`DRIVING HISTORY
`STORAGE g2_0
`
`CATEGORIZATION
`L32
`
`DRIVING ANALYSIS & PROPOSAL m
`
`CHARACTERIZE @
`
`PROPOSAL-GENERATING 0
`
`AGGREGATE
`
`SUBSTITUTION
`
`TIME-SHIFT
`
`CAR-POOLING
`
`OTHER
`
`INTERACTIVE w PROFILE
`REPORT gag
`
`HISTORY H
`GEODB
`122 \2 6 DB ZZZVS
`
`'
`l
`I
`I
`I
`I
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`
`3
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 13,2005
`
`Sheet 3 of3
`
`US 6,944,533 B2
`
`FIG. 3
`
`DRIVER HISTORY DATABASE E
`
`VEHICLE 3
`
`VEHICLE 2
`
`VEHICLE 1
`
`USER 2
`
`USER 1
`
`TRIPS
`
`I
`If
`TRIP
`
`DEPARTURE TIME
`
`ARRIVAL TIME
`
`CALCULATED ROUTE
`
`DESTINATION TYPE
`
`other data
`
`4
`
`

`
`US 6,944,533 B2
`
`1
`METHOD OF OPERATION OF A
`NAVIGATION SYSTEM TO REDUCE
`EXPENSES ON FUTURE TRIPS AND TO
`PROVIDE OTHER FUNCTIONS
`
`The present application is a continuation of Ser. No.
`09/875,402 ?led Jun. 6, 2001, now US. Pat. No. 6,629,034,
`the entire disclosure of Which is incorporated herein by
`reference.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to a feature provided by a
`navigation system that reduces the amount of unnecessary
`travel by an end user thereby saving the end user time and
`expense.
`Navigation systems are available that provide end users
`(such as drivers and passengers of the vehicles in Which the
`in-vehicle navigation systems are installed) With various
`navigation-related features and functions. For example,
`some navigation systems are able to determine an optimum
`route to travel by roads betWeen locations in a geographic
`region. Using input from the end user, and optionally from
`equipment that can determine the end user’s physical loca
`tion (such as a GPS system), a navigation system can
`examine various paths betWeen tWo locations to determine
`an optimum (i.e., fastest) route to travel from a starting
`location to a destination location in the geographic region.
`After determining the optimum route to a destination, the
`navigation system may then provide the end user With
`information about the optimum route in the form of guid
`ance that identi?es the driving maneuvers required to be
`taken by the end user to travel from the starting location to
`the destination location. The guidance may take the form of
`visual and/or audio instructions that are provided along the
`Way as the end user is traveling the route. Some navigation
`systems are able to shoW detailed maps on display screens
`outlining routes to destinations, the types of maneuvers to be
`taken at various locations along the routes, locations of
`certain types of features, and so on. With some navigation
`systems, traf?c conditions are taken into account When
`determining optimum routes.
`One of the bene?ts provided by navigation systems is that
`they save time for users. Navigation systems achieve this
`bene?t in several Ways. Navigation systems help users
`locate desired destinations quickly. Navigation systems also
`provide users With the fastest routes to desired destinations.
`Although navigation systems save time for people Who use
`them, there continues to be room for improvements. For
`example, drivers still encounter traf?c congestion and
`delays. Therefore, there continues to be a need to ?nd Ways
`to save time for users of navigation systems.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`To address these and other objectives, the present inven
`tion comprises a driving pro?le program. The driving pro?le
`program collects information about an end user’s driving
`activity. The information collected by the driving pro?le
`program relates to trips made by the end user. The informa
`tion about trips includes the departure times, the stops along
`the Way, the arrival times, and the purposes of the trips, as
`Well as other types of information. After collecting this
`information over a period of time, such as one or more
`months, the driving pro?le program analyZes the end user’s
`driving activity. The driving pro?le program then provides
`the end user With a pro?le of his/her driving activity. In
`addition, based on the analysis of the end user’s driving
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`activity, the driving pro?le program identi?es Ways to
`reduce the amount of time and/or expense that the end user
`spends traveling in his/her vehicle. The driving pro?le
`program suggests modi?cations to the end user’s driving
`activity that Would save the end user time or expense.
`In a further aspect, the driving pro?le program uses traf?c
`information relating to routes along Which the end user
`travels in order to suggest Ways that the driver can reduce the
`amount of time spent traveling.
`In another aspect, the driving pro?le program takes into
`account other end users’ driving activities in order to suggest
`Ways that a driver can reduce the amount of time or expense
`spent traveling.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is an illustration of a navigation system according
`to a ?rst embodiment.
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram shoWing components of the
`navigation services server of FIG. 1.
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram shoWing some of the kinds of
`data that are stored by the driving pro?le program of FIG. 2.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`I. OvervieW of Navigation System
`FIG. 1 shoWs a geographic region 100. The geographic
`region 100 may correspond to a metropolitan or rural area,
`a state, a country, or combinations thereof, or any other area
`of comparable siZe. Located in the geographic region 100 is
`a road netWork 104.
`A navigation system 110 serves end users (e.g., vehicle
`drivers and passengers, as Well as other persons) in the
`geographic region 100. The navigation system 110 is used
`by the end users to obtain navigation-related services
`(including map-related services) With respect to the geo
`graphic region 100. The navigation-related services include
`information about travel along the road netWork 104, includ
`ing route calculation and guidance, people and business
`?nding services (e.g., electronic yelloW and White pages),
`maps, point of interest searching, destination selection, and
`so on.
`The navigation system 110 is a combination of hardWare,
`softWare and data. The navigation system 110 includes
`remote components (i.e., hardWare, softWare or data located
`at a central location remote from the end users) and local
`components (i.e., hardWare, softWare, or data located physi
`cally With each end user).
`Included among the remote components of the navigation
`system 110 is a navigation services server 120. The navi
`gation services server 120 includes appropriate computer
`hardWare and softWare to run netWork applications. Asso
`ciated With the navigation services server 120 is a geo
`graphic database 122. The navigation services server 120
`and the geographic database 122 are maintained and oper
`ated by a navigation services provider 128.
`The local components of the navigation system 110
`include the various computer platforms 130 operated by the
`end users to request and obtain navigation-related and
`map-related features and geographic data from the naviga
`tion services provider 128. These various computer plat
`forms 130 (also referred to as “end user computing plat
`forms” or “client computing platforms”) may include
`navigation system units 132 located in vehicles 134, per
`sonal computers 140, personal organiZers (e.g., PDAs,
`PalmPilot®-type devices) 150, Wireless phones 160, or any
`other types of computing devices that have the appropriate
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`US 6,944,533 B2
`
`3
`hardware and software to access the navigation services
`provider 128 over a data network 170.
`The data network 170 may use any suitable technology
`and/or protocols that are currently available, as well as
`technology and/or protocols that become available in the
`future. For example, the data network may use WAP, TCP/
`IP, etc. More than one protocol may be used in the data
`network 170 with appropriate conversions. The data net
`work 170 may be part of, or connected to, the Internet.
`A portion of the network 170 may include a wireless
`portion 172. The wireless portion 172 of the data network
`170 enables two-way communication between the mobile
`end user computing platforms 130 and the service provider
`128. The wireless portion 172 may be implemented by any
`suitable form of wireless communication, including cellular,
`PCS, satellite, FM, radio, or technologies that may be
`developed in the future. The wireless portion 172 may
`include one or more transmitters 174, such as a transponder
`tower, an antenna tower, an FM tower, satellites, or other
`suitable means. The transmitters 174 include an appropriate
`communication link 176 to the network 170 and/or service
`provider 128. This link 176 may be land-based or may be
`wireless. The transmitters 174 include suitable technology
`that enables two-way communication between the service
`provider 128 and the mobile end user computing platforms
`130.
`The navigation system 110 of FIG. 1 can accommodate
`different types of end user computing platforms 130. The
`navigation system 110 of FIG. 1 allows end users who have
`different types of computing platforms 130 to obtain navi
`gation services from the navigation services provider 128
`and to obtain and use geographic data provided from the
`navigation services provider 128.
`Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, server applications 180 are
`included on the navigation services server 120 of the navi
`gation services provider 128. The server applications 180
`may be stored on one or more hard drive(s) or other media
`operated by the server 120 and loaded into a memory of the
`server 120 to run. One of the server applications 180 is a
`communications application 184. The communications
`application 184 interfaces with the data network 170 in order
`to receive messages from and send messages to the end
`users.
`Included among the server applications 180 are
`navigation-related applications 186. The navigation-related
`applications 186 use the geographic database 122 associated
`with the navigation services server 120 in order to provide
`the various different types of navigation-related services.
`One of the navigation-related applications 186 is a route
`calculation application 190. End users may access the navi
`gation services provider to use the route calculation appli
`cation 190. Given data that identify the positions of an origin
`and destination, the route calculation application 190 calcu
`lates a route between the origin and the destination. The
`route calculation application 190 may use any of various
`means or algorithms for this purpose. Methods for calculat
`ing routes are disclosed in US. Pat. No. 6,192,314, the entire
`disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. (The
`methods disclosed in the aforementioned patent represent
`only some of the ways that routes can be calculated and the
`claimed subject matter herein is not limited to any particular
`method of route calculation. Any suitable route calculation
`method now known or developed in the future may be
`employed.)
`Another of the navigation applications on the server 120
`is a route guidance application 192. The route guidance
`application 192 uses the output from the route calculation
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`application 190 to provide instructions for the end user to
`travel to the desired destination. Methods for providing
`route guidance using geographic data are disclosed in US.
`Pat. No. 6,199,013, the entire disclosure of which is incor
`porated herein by reference.
`Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 1, some of the end
`user computing platforms 130 include positioning equip
`ment 196. The positioning equipment 196 may include a
`GPS system, inertial sensors, wheel pulse sensors, etc. Using
`this positioning equipment 196, the position of the end
`user’s computing platform 130 can be determined. Methods
`for determining position are disclosed in US. Pat. No.
`6,192,312, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by
`reference herein.
`Using data that indicate the end user’s positions, the route
`guidance application (192 in FIG. 2) on the navigation
`services server 120 may determine the appropriate times and
`locations at which to provide maneuvering instructions.
`In order to provide navigation-related features, the
`navigation-related applications 186 use data from the geo
`graphic database 122. The geographic database 122 includes
`data that represent the roads and intersections in the geo
`graphic region 100 and also includes information relating to
`the represented roads and intersections, such as turn restric
`tions at intersections, speed limits along the roads, street
`names of the various roads, address ranges along the roads,
`and so on. The geographic database 122 also contains
`information about points of interest, businesses and other
`information. The geographic database 122 may be organiZed
`to facilitate performing navigation-related functions. Meth
`ods of organiZing a geographic database to enhance the
`performance of certain navigation-related functions are
`described in US. Pat. Nos. 5,974,419, 5,968,109 and 5,953,
`722 the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by
`reference herein.
`II. Driving Pro?le Program
`Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the navigation services
`provider 128 operates a driving pro?le program 200. In this
`embodiment, the driving pro?le program 200 is installed on
`the navigation services server 120. The driving pro?le
`program 200 is a software application that runs on the
`navigation services server 120. According to this
`embodiment, the driving pro?le program 200 monitors each
`end user’s driving activity and stores data about each end
`user’s driving activity. Then, the driving pro?le program 200
`analyZes each end user’s driving activity over a period of
`time. Then, the driving pro?le program 200 provides the end
`user with a report describing the end user’s driving activity.
`According to one embodiment, the driving pro?le program
`200 determines ways that the end user can save time (or
`expense) by modifying his/her driving activity. The driving
`pro?le program 200 provides the end user with suggestions
`how the end user can modify his/her driving activity to save
`time or eXpense.
`FIG. 2 shows components of the driving pro?le program
`200. The driving pro?le program 200 includes a data col
`lection component 210. The data collection component 210
`monitors some or all of the trips that end users make. The
`data collection component 210 receives information about
`each end user’s driving activity from the other navigation
`related applications, such as the route calculation application
`190 and the route guidance application 192. The data
`collection component 210 may also receive data directly or
`indirectly from the end users’ positioning equipment.
`The end users whose trips are monitored by the data
`collection component 210 may include all the end users that
`use the navigation services provider 128. Alternatively, the
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`end users Whose trips are monitored may include only those
`end users that sign up for the driving pro?le service.
`The driving pro?le program 200 includes a driving history
`storage component 220. The driving history storage com
`ponent 220 receives data from the data collection component
`210. The driving history storage component 220 stores data
`about each end user’s driving activity in a driver history
`database 222.
`Some of the kinds of data that the driving history storage
`component 220 stores are shoWn in FIG. 3. As shoWn in FIG.
`3, the kinds of data that are stored by the driving history
`storage component 220 include (1) data identifying the
`vehicle, (2) data identifying the user (in case a vehicle is
`driven by more than one driver), and (3) data relating to
`trips. The data relating to trips include (1) data indicating the
`departure time (including hour, minute, day, etc.), (2) data
`indicating the destination arrival time (including hour,
`minute, day, etc.), and (3) data indicating Whether the end
`user Was folloWing a calculated route to the destination.
`The driving history storage component 220 also stores
`data indicating the type of destination that Was visited and/or
`stops along the Way. When storing information about des
`tinations and/or stops along the Way, an attempt is made to
`identify the destination or stop by type, e.g., home, Work,
`church, grocery store, gas station, ATM, restaurant, mall,
`video store, auto maintenance, library, etc.
`Referring again to FIG. 2, in order to store data indicating
`the type of location visited, the driving history storage
`component 220 may use a categoriZation function 230. The
`categoriZation function 230 analyZes the trips that an end
`user makes in order to classify the destinations of the trips
`into categories based on type.
`The categoriZation function 230 obtains information from
`several sources. One source from Which the categoriZation
`function 230 obtains information is the route calculation
`application 190 on the navigation server 120. If an end user
`Was folloWing a calculated route to a destination and the
`destination Was a knoWn type of point of interest (e.g., a
`restaurant), then the categoriZation function 230 identi?es
`the destination type of the trip as “restaurant” and stores data
`indicating “restaurant” in the driver history database 222.
`The categoriZation function 230 may also store additional
`data about the type of restaurant visited (eg Italian,
`Chinese, etc.) or the restaurant chain (e.g., McDonalds), if
`applicable.
`The categoriZation function 230 can identify the type of a
`destination to Which an end user travels even if the end user
`has not requested that a route be calculated to the destina
`tion. For example, if the end user travels to a grocery store
`and parks in a parking lot of the grocery store, the catego
`riZation function 230 can determine that the end user has
`driven to a grocery store by matching the location Where the
`end user parked his/her vehicle to the location of the parking
`lot of the grocery store. The categoriZation function 230
`obtains data indicating the location of the grocery store from
`the geographic database 122. The categoriZation function
`230 obtains data indicating the location Where the end user
`parked his/her vehicle from the positioning equipment 196
`located in the end user’s navigation system.
`The categoriZation function 230 can also identify desti
`nations to Which an end user travels by reference to a list of
`stored personal destinations. According to this embodiment,
`the navigation system 110 alloWs each end user to store a
`number of personal destinations. These destinations may
`include the end user’s home, place of businesses, homes of
`relatives, or other destinations. The list of personal destina
`tions identi?es the location of each destination, e.g., by
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`address, name, coordinates, road segment, etc. The list of
`personal destinations may be stored on the navigation server
`120 or locally on the end user’s computing platform 130.
`The categoriZation function 230 uses an end user’s list of
`personal destinations to determine Whether the end user has
`made a trip to any of these destinations.
`The categoriZation function 230 can also identify desti
`nations to Which an end user travels by using the end user’s
`input, e.g., querying the end user.
`The types of data shoWn in FIG. 3 are only some of the
`kinds of information that are stored by the driving history
`storage component 220 of the driving pro?le program 200.
`In alternative embodiments, the driving history storage
`component 220 may store additional or other kinds of
`information. For example, counts of the number of trips to
`each destination can be stored (e.g., 100 trips to Work over
`a three month period). Average travel times may be calcu
`lated and stored.
`Referring to FIG. 2, the driving pro?le program 200
`includes a driving activity analysis and proposal component
`240. The driving activity analysis and proposal component
`240 receives data from the driving history storage compo
`nent 230. The driving activity analysis and proposal com
`ponent 240 analyZes the driving activity of each end user.
`The driving analysis and proposal component 240
`includes several functions. The driving analysis and pro
`posal component 240 includes a characteriZation function
`242. The characteriZation function 242 attempts to identify
`Which trips a user makes are recurring and Which are
`non-recurring. The characteriZation function 242 also
`attempts to identify Which trips that a user makes are
`required and Which are optional. The characteriZation func
`tion 242 also attempts to identify ?exible and in?exible time
`constraints for different kinds of trips. For example, a trip to
`Work may be categoriZed as a required trip, Whereas a trip
`to the grocery store may be categoriZed as optional. Atrip to
`a church service may be categoriZed as a required trip With
`an in?exible time constraint. A trip to a cinema may be
`categoriZed as an optional trip With a ?exible time con
`straint.
`After categoriZing the trips made by a user, the driving
`analysis and proposal component 240 identi?es proposed
`changes to the end user’s driving activity. The driving
`analysis and proposal component 240 includes a proposal
`generating function 250. The proposal-generating function
`250 attempts to identify possible changes that the end user
`can make in his/her driving activity that Would reduce the
`amount of time or expense incurred by the end user While
`ful?lling the purposes for Which the end user makes the
`trips.
`The proposal-generating function 250 performs an analy
`sis of an end user’s driving activity after an initial period of
`time has elapsed during Which the end user’s driving activity
`has been monitored by the data collection component 210
`and data about the driving activity has been stored by the
`driving history storage component 220. The initial period of
`time may be con?gurable. In one embodiment, the initial
`period of time is one month. In alternative embodiments, the
`initial period of time may be less than a month or longer than
`a month. After the initial period of time has passed, the
`proposal-generating function 250 may be operated at any
`time. The proposal-generating function 250 may be operated
`as frequently as desired.
`The proposal-generating function 250 performs several
`kinds of analysis. Some or all these types of analysis may be
`performed by default. Alternatively, the proposal-generating
`function 250 may be con?gured by the end user so that only
`some of the different types of analysis are performed.
`
`7
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`US 6,944,533 B2
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`7
`One type of analysis performed by the proposal
`generating function 250 is trip aggregation. The trip aggre
`gation analysis examines the trips made by the end user over
`a period of time. The proposal-generating function 250 may
`develop a proposal to combine certain trips.
`Another type of analysis performed by the proposal
`generating function 250 is time-shifting. The time-shifting
`analysis examines the times that the end user travels to
`destinations and compares these time to historical data on
`traffic congestion. Using the time-shift analysis, the
`proposal-generating function 250 may develop a proposal to
`change the times at Which certain trips are taken.
`Another type of analysis performed by the proposal
`generating function 250 is substitution. The substitution
`analysis examines the destinations to Which the end user
`travels to determine Whether other destinations of the same
`type may be more convenient. Using the substitution
`analysis, the proposal-generating function 250 may develop
`a proposal to substitute one destination of a given type for
`another destination of the same type.
`Another type of analysis performed by the proposal
`generating function 250 is car-pooling. The car-pooling
`analysis examines the times that the end user travels to
`certain destinations and compares these times and destina
`tions to the times and destinations of other users Who are
`conveniently located to the user. Using the carpooling
`analysis, the proposal-generating function 250 may develop
`a proposal to carpool With other drivers for certain trips.
`These are only some of the types of analysis that the
`proposal-generating function 250 performs. Any type of
`analysis that examines an end user’s driving activity over
`time and determines Ways to save the end user time or
`expense may be used.
`The driving pro?le program 200 includes a pro?le report
`component 260. The pro?le report component 260 provides
`the end user With a report 264 that includes a pro?le of
`his/her driving activity over a period of time. In preparing
`the report 264, the pro?le report component 260 receives
`data from the driving history storage component 230 and the
`categoriZation function 230. The report 264 may indicate the
`amounts of time that the end user spends traveling to certain
`types of destinations. The report may also indicate the
`percentages of time spent traveling to each of the different
`types of destinations. The report may include other infor
`mation. For example, the report may include a “time Wast
`age factor.” The “time Wastage factor” is an indication of
`hoW much time the driver spends unnecessarily driving,
`making unnecessary stops, etc.
`The report 264 may be obtained by the end user via
`his/her navigation platform 130. Alternatively, the end user
`may obtain the report 264 via a personal computer 266 via
`the data netWork 170.
`According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the report 264
`provided to the end user also includes suggestions about
`hoW the end user can save time and/or expense by modifying
`his/her driving activity. In preparing the suggestions, the
`pro?le report component 260 uses data from the proposal
`generating component 250.
`According to a further aspect of the embodiment of FIG.
`2, the driving pro?le program 200 also includes an interac
`tive feature 270. The interactive feature 270 operates in
`conjunction With the pro?le report component 260. The
`interactive feature 270 alloWs an end user Who has received
`a pro?le report 264 to propose his/her oWn driving activity
`modi?cations and receive estimates from the driving pro?le
`program 200 of the effects such user-suggested modi?ca
`tions Would have on the time and expense of the end user’s
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`driving activity. This alloWs an end user to try out virtual
`schedules to see hoW they compare to his/her existing
`schedule and the suggestions of the driving pro?le program.
`The interactive feature 270 also alloWs an end user to see the
`estimated effects of folloWing only some of the suggestions
`made by the driving pro?le program. Once the end user
`decides to take any of the suggestions of the driving pro?le
`program, a schedule can be doWnloaded into the end user’s
`computing platform, personal digital assistant, navigation
`system, etc.
`
`EXAMPLE 1
`
`The driving pro?le program identi?es the number of trips
`made by a user to the same destinations. For example, the
`driving pro?le program identi?es that the end user makes on
`average 12 trips to the grocery store every month With each
`trip taking 11/2 hours including 20 minutes of driving time.
`The driving pro?le program reports the number of trips (e. g.,
`12), the amount of time (18 hours), the driving time (4
`hours) and the percentage of time this represents out of the
`total time that the end user spends driving each month (e.g.,
`10%). The driving pro?le program then make suggestions
`hoW the end user can save time. This may include making
`feWer trips, stopping at the grocery store on the Way home
`from Work, or using an on-line grocery service. Each of
`these alternatives is presented With the amount of time that
`could be saved.
`For exampl