—l—
`
`Description
`
`TECHNIQUE FOR EFFECTIVE NAVIGATION
`BASED ON USER PREFERENCES
`
`Field of the Invention
`
`The invention relates to a navigation
`
`technique, and more particularly to a technique for
`
`navigation subject to user preferences.
`
`10
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`15
`
`20
`
`Background of the Invention
`
`Recently, navigation systems based on global
`
`technology were developed for
`positioning system (GPS)
`use in an automobile.
`Such navigation systems are
`
`capable of receiving signals from a constellation of
`
`satellites which is part of the GPS. Based on the
`
`received signals, one such navigation system identifies
`
`the automobile's location, e.g.,
`
`in latitude and
`
`longitude.
`
`The navigation system also detects the
`
`automobile's speed and direction. With geographic
`
`information stored in an on-board computer in the
`
`automobile,
`
`the navigation system is capable of audio—
`
`visually communicating to a user instructions for
`
`reaching a given destination.
`
`Similarly, a GPS navigation device in hand—held
`
`form enables a user carrying the device to monitor
`
`his/her planned route leading to a given destination.
`
`25
`
`NoWadays,
`
`in general, hand-held devices for information
`
`organization and communications are popular and have been
`
`proliferating.
`
`For example, use of cellular phones for
`
`communications is ubiquitous. Use of personal data
`
`assistants (PDAs), e.g., PALM type hand-held devices,
`equally ubiquitous for organizing personal information
`
`is
`
`30
`
`including meeting schedules,
`
`telephone listing, address
`
`information, etc. More recently, hand—held communicators
`
`emerged which have cellular communication and modem
`
`facilities integrated into a PDA,
`
`thereby enabling a user
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`

`

`-2-
`
`to communicate data in a wireless manner, e.g.,
`
`to send
`
`and receive email, and to upload and download information
`
`frOm websites via the Internet.
`
`Summary of the Invention
`
`Traditionally, a navigation device, e.g., a GPS
`
`navigation system used in an automobile, provides a user
`
`with directions to a given destination.
`
`The navigation
`
`typically provides the shortest navigated route in terms
`
`of distance to the given destination. However, we have
`
`expanded the concept of the traditional navigation to
`
`broadly include providing a navigated route Subject to
`
`user preferences,
`
`together with information concerning
`
`facilities and events surrounding the navigated route for
`
`the user's convenience.
`
`The navigated route is selected
`
`to satisfy a trip's purpose.
`
`Such a trip's purpose may
`
`be (1)
`
`to reach a given destination as in prior art,
`
`and/or (2)
`
`to perform certain tasks enroute or at the
`
`.destination, which may include purchasing business
`
`supplies, shopping for gifts, dining, obtaining
`
`entertainments, etc.
`
`To realize (2),
`
`the navigator
`
`arrangement in accordance with the invention allows for
`
`storage of user profiles including user preferences such
`
`as preferred types of restaurants, shops, entertainments,
`etc.
`
`In accordance with an aspect of the invention,
`
`each user profile corresponds to one of the user's
`
`personae.
`
`For example,
`
`the user business profile
`
`corresponding to the user's business persona may be
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`different from the user personal profile corresponding to
`
`3O
`
`his/her personal persona.
`
`For instance,
`
`the user
`
`business profile may include fine-dining type restaurants
`
`for business meetings while the user personal profile may
`
`instead include fast-food type restaurants for personal
`
`dining. Thus,
`
`the navigator arrangement in accordance
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`

`

`_3_
`
`with the invention provides a navigated route,
`
`together
`
`with information concerning the favorite facilities and
`
`events surrounding the navigated route, which satisfy the
`
`preferences in a selected user profile.
`
`In accordance with another aspect of the
`
`invention,
`
`the user can adopt a second person's profile
`
`for a trip's purpose particular to that second person,
`
`thereby temporarily assuming the second person's persona
`
`to achieve such a trip's purpose.
`
`invention,
`
`In accordance with yet another aspect of the
`the actual navigated route selected by the
`
`inventive navigator arrangement may depend on the mode of
`
`transportation specified by the user.
`
`For example,
`
`driving and walking are two different modes of
`
`transportation.
`
`The selected route for driving may be
`
`very different from that for walking, even though they
`
`may accomplish the same trip's purpose.
`
`The routes from
`
`which the inventive navigator arrangement selects for
`
`driving have to be passable by an automobile, which
`
`exclude, e.g.,
`
`foot bridges, and walk paths through
`
`buildings, parks, fields, forests, etc.
`
`On the other
`
`hand,
`
`the routes from which the inventive navigator
`
`arrangement selects for walking have to be safe to
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`pedestrians, which exclude, e.g., highways,
`etc.
`
`25
`
`freeways,
`
`In accordance with still yet another aspect of
`
`the invention,
`
`the actual route selected by the inventive
`
`navigator arrangement may also depend on external
`
`conditions, e.g.,
`
`traffic, weather and road conditions.
`
`3O
`
`Thus, based on the information concerning such external
`
`conditions received from, say, a server via the Internet,
`
`the inventive navigator arrangement selects the most'
`
`time—efficient route, e.g., one that requires the least
`
`travel time,
`
`to accomplish the trip's purpose despite any
`
`35
`
`adverse traffic, weather and road conditions.
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`

`

`-4-
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`In accordance with a further aspect of the
`
`invention, a user may prescribe one or more roadblocks
`
`specifying certain prohibited areas or paths from which
`
`the route selected by the inventive navigator arrangement
`
`deviates.
`
`For example, it may be sensible to place
`
`roadblocks around high crime areas especially when the
`A
`user is new in town and unfamiliar with those areas.
`roadblock may be permanent or temporary.
`For example, a
`
`temporary roadblock may be placed on certain streets
`
`where a parade is held which lasts for-several hours.
`
`Similar to a roadblock, a blockade may be imposed to
`
`block transmission of certain information to the
`
`inventive navigator arrangement which concerns, e.g.,
`
`uninteresting facilities or events.
`
`Brief Description of the Drawing
`
`Further aspects, features and advantages of the
`
`invention will become apparent from the following
`
`detailed description taken in conjunction with the
`
`accompanying drawing showing an illustrative embodiment
`of the invention,
`in which:
`
`Fig.
`
`l is a block diagram of a navigator
`
`arrangement in accordance with the invention;
`
`10
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`15
`
`20
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`25
`
`a display in the arrangement of Fig. 1;
`
`Fig. 2 illustrates a registration page shown on
`
`Fig.
`
`3 illustrates a profile setting page shown
`
`on the display;
`
`‘
`
`Fig. 4 illustrates the format of a user record
`
`stored in a memory of the arrangement of Fig. 1;
`
`Fig. 5 illustrates a setup where the
`
`arrangement of Fig.
`
`l communicates with a remote server
`
`through a communications network;
`
`Fig.
`
`6 illustrates a personal favorite list
`
`shown on the display;
`
`Fig.
`
`7 illustrates preset profiles shown on the
`
`3O
`
`35
`
`

`

`display;
`
`Fig.
`
`8 illustrates a navigation page shown on
`
`the display;
`
`Fig.
`
`9 illustrates a directions page shown on
`
`5
`
`the display;
`
`Fig. 10 is a flow chart depicting a navigation
`
`process based on certain information in the record of
`
`Fig. 4;
`
`10
`
`the display;
`
`Fig. 11 illustrates a map viewer page shown on
`
`'15
`
`.20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`Fig. 12 illustrates a restaurant page shown on
`
`the display;
`
`Fig. 13 illustrates a restaurant menu page
`
`shown on the display; and
`
`Fig. 14 illustrates an inquiry page where a
`
`user is presented a choice of blockades in accordance
`
`with the invention.
`
`Detailed Description
`
`Fig.
`
`1 illustrates navigator arrangement 100
`
`embodying the principles of the.invention for navigation
`
`subject to user preferences. Navigator arrangement 100
`
`in this instance is realized as a hand—held device, which
`
`may be "docked" or connected to another device or system
`
`to enhance its functionality, which may include a
`
`terminal, workstation, computer system, or an automobile
`system described, e.g.,
`in U.S. Patent No. 6,009,355 V
`
`issued to Obradovich et al. on December 28, 1999.
`
`As shown in Fig. 1, navigator arrangement 100
`
`includes processor 103, memory 108, display driver 111,
`
`display 113, user interface 115, external interfaces 117,
`
`GPS receiver 119, communication unit 120. Memory 108 is
`
`used to store software and data for processor 103 to
`
`carry out various operations of arrangement 100.
`
`In this
`
`instance,
`
`the stored software includes a navigator
`
`

`

`—6-
`
`browser similar to the well known NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR or
`
`MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER web browser for browsing
`
`information provided, e.g., by servers connected to the
`
`Internet.
`
`In particular,
`
`the navigator browser works
`
`compatibly with the standard hypertext transfer protocol
`
`(HTTP), hypertext markup language (HTML), virtual reality
`
`markup language (VRML), graphics interchange format
`
`(GIF),
`
`JAVA applets, etc.
`
`10
`
`crystal display (LCD)} Through display driver 111,
`
`Display 113 may include a conventional liquid
`
`processor 103 controls the display of text and graphics
`
`on display 113 in a predetermined format. USer interface
`
`115 may comprise conventional audio circuitry including a
`
`microphone and speaker for the user to communicate with
`
`arrangement 100 via audio media. User interface 115 may
`
`also comprise an indicator device, e.g., a mouse,
`
`touchpad, roller ball, or a combination thereof, which
`
`enables a user to move a cursor on display 113 and to,
`
`e.g., point and click at a displayed option or an icon to
`
`select same.
`
`In addition,
`
`interface 115 may incorporate
`
`well—known touch—screen circuitry (not shown). With this
`
`circuitry,
`
`the user can interact with processor 103,
`
`e.g., using a finger or a stylus to touch the surface of
`
`display 113 which is tactile—sensitive. Processor 103
`
`receives from the touch screen circuitry a signal
`
`identifying the location on display 113 where it has been
`
`touched.
`
`If such a location matches the predetermined
`
`location of one of displayed options or icons, processor
`
`103 determines that the option or icon has been selected.
`
`Otherwise, a cursor is placed at the touched location on
`
`display 113, prompting for an input from the user.
`
`The user input may be realized using a virtual
`
`keyboard shown on display 113 also provided by the touch-
`
`screen circuitry.
`
`In a well known manner, characters are
`
`input by touching the corresponding keys on the virtual
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`3O
`
`35
`
`

`

`-7-
`
`keyboard. Alternatively, processor 103 may be programmed
`
`to recognize handwritten characters, and may receive
`through the touch-screen circuitry images of characters
`
`drawn by the user on display 113. Any recognized
`
`characters corresponding to the drawn images then become
`
`the user input. Still alternatively,
`
`through one of
`
`external interfaces 117, arrangement 100 can be connected
`to a keyboard device or a personal computer
`(PC) having a
`keyboard for user input.
`
`.10
`
`However, we have recognized that the
`
`traditional ways of inputting data to a hand—held device
`
`are inefficient.
`
`For example, user input by drawn images
`
`of characters is often susceptible to inaccurate
`
`character recognition by the device,
`
`thus requiring
`
`repeated input of the same characters, which is
`
`frustrating. Limited by the size of a display in a hand—
`
`held device, a virtual keyboard does not afford much room
`
`to each character key thereon. As a result, data entry
`
`using the virtual keyboard is also error prone.
`
`Inputting data to a hand—held device using a physical
`
`keyboard connected thereto is undesirable because of the
`
`15
`
`20
`
`bulkiness of the keyboard, which defeats the purpose of
`
`having the hand—held device for its easy transportability
`
`in the first place.
`
`'
`
`25
`
`‘
`
`However, navigator arrangement 100 is designed
`
`pursuant to an object to minimize data entry by the user.
`
`To the extent possible, databases in arrangement 100 are
`
`pre—populated with data, which the user may edit to
`
`satisfy his/her needs.
`
`In addition, arrangement 100
`
`allows for downloading of data from a remote source to
`
`supplement and update the databases in arrangement 100,
`
`and to provide thereto just—in—time information,
`
`including, e.g.,
`
`latest traffic, weather, map and other
`
`information.
`
`To that end,
`
`transceiver 121 in
`
`communication unit 120 includes, e.g., cellular telephone
`
`3O
`
`35
`
`

`

`—8—
`
`icircuitry for transmitting and receiving information via
`
`a wireless communications network, e.g.,
`
`the well known
`
`advanced mobile phone service (AMPS) network, digital
`
`AMPS network, personal communications service (PCS)
`
`network, global system for mobile communications (GSM)
`
`network, etc. Modem 123 is used for modulating and
`
`demodulating carriers carrying the information through
`
`data channels, e.g., cellular digital packet data (CDPD)
`
`Channels,
`
`in the wireless communications network.
`
`Traditionally, a navigation device, e.g., a GPS
`
`navigation system used in an automobile, provides a user
`
`with directions to a given destination.
`
`The navigation
`
`typically provides the shortest navigated route in terms
`
`of distance to the given destination. However, we have
`
`expanded the concept of the traditional navigation to
`
`broadly include providing a navigated route subject to
`
`user preferences,
`
`together with information concerning
`
`facilities and events surrounding the navigated route for
`
`the user's convenience.
`
`The navigated route is selected
`
`to satisfy a trip's purpose.
`
`Such a trip's purpose may
`
`be (1)
`
`to reach a given destination as in prior art,
`
`and/or (2)
`
`to perform certain tasks enroute or at the
`
`destination, which may include purchasing business
`
`supplies, shopping for gifts, dining, obtaining
`
`entertainments, etc.
`
`To realize (2), navigator
`
`arrangement 100 in accordance with the invention alloWs
`
`for storage of user profiles including user preferences
`
`such as preferred types of restaurants, shops,
`
`entertainments, etc.
`
`In accordance with an aspect of the invention,
`
`each user profile corresponds to one of the user's
`
`personae.
`
`For example,
`
`the uSer business profile
`
`corresponding to the user's business persona may be
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`3O
`
`different from the user personal profile corresponding to
`
`35
`
`his/her personal persona.
`
`For instance,
`
`the user
`
`

`

`-9-
`
`business profile may include fine—dining type restaurants
`
`for business meetings while the user personal profile.may
`
`instead include fast—food type restaurants for personal
`
`dining. Other profiles may include a vacation profile
`
`which corresponds to the user's vacation persona and may
`
`include a different set of preferred restaurants, shops,
`
`entertainments, etc.
`
`In accordance with another aspect of the
`
`10
`
`the user can adopt a second person's profile
`invention,
`for a certain trip's purpose,
`thereby temporarily
`
`15
`
`20
`
`assuming the second person's persona, especially when
`
`arrangement 100 is shared by more than one person.
`
`For
`
`example, where a husband and wife share the use of
`
`arrangement 100,
`
`the husband may utilize the wife's
`
`profile in arrangement 100 to shop for a gift for the
`
`wife's birthday. Based on the profile corresponding to
`
`the wife's personal persona, arrangement 100 provides a
`
`navigated route,
`
`together with information concerning the
`
`wife's personal favorite shops surrounding the route. Of
`
`course, each user's profiles may be protected against
`
`uninvited intruders.
`
`In that case, aCcess to the
`
`profiles may require verification of a personal
`
`identification number
`
`(PIN) or password, or other well
`
`known secure access measures- Profiles may also be
`
`'25
`
`imported or downloaded into arrangement 100 from an
`
`external source or from another arrangement similar to
`
`arrangement 100.
`
`Thus,
`
`in accordance with the invention,
`
`30
`
`35
`
`arrangement 100 provides a navigated route,
`
`together with
`
`information concerning the favorite facilities and events
`
`surrounding the navigated route, which satisfy the
`
`preferences in a selected user profile.
`
`In this
`
`instance, such information comes from an external source,
`
`e.g., a server connected to the Internet, and is
`
`communicated to arrangement 100 through communication
`
`

`

`-10-
`
`unit 120.
`
`In accordance with another aspect of the
`
`invention,
`
`the actual navigated route selected by
`
`arrangement 100 may depend on the mode of transportation
`
`specified by the user.
`
`For example, driving and walking
`
`are two different modes of transportation.
`
`The selected
`
`route for driving may be very different from that for
`
`walking, even though they may accomplish the same trip's
`
`purpose.
`
`The routes from which arrangement 100 selects
`
`10
`
`for driving have to be passable by an automobile, which
`
`exclude, e.g.,
`
`foot bridges, and walk paths through
`
`buildings, parks, fields, forests, etc.
`
`On the other
`
`hand,
`
`the routes from which arrangement 100 selects for
`
`walking have to be safe to pedestrians, which exclude,
`
`15
`
`e.g., highways,
`
`freeways, etc.
`
`In accordance with yet another aspect of the
`
`invention,
`
`the actual route selected by arrangement 100
`
`may also depend on external conditions, e.g., traffic,
`
`weather and road conditions. Thus, based on the
`
`'20
`
`information concerning such external conditions received
`
`from, say, a server via the Internet, arrangement 100
`selects the most time—efficient rOute, e.g., one that
`
`requires the least travel time,
`
`to accomplish the trip's
`
`purpose despite any adverse traffic, weather and road
`
`25
`
`conditions.
`
`In accordance with still yet another aspect of
`
`the invention, a uSer may prescribe one or more
`
`roadblocks
`
`specifying certain prohibited areas or paths
`
`from which the route selected by arrangement 100
`
`deviates.
`
`For example, it may be sensible to place
`
`roadblocks around high crime areas especially when the
`
`user is new in town and unfamiliar with those areas.
`
`A
`
`roadblock may be permanent or temporary.
`
`For example, a
`
`temporary roadblock may be placed on certain streets
`
`where a parade is held which lasts for several hours.
`
`30
`
`35
`
`

`

`-11-
`
`Similar to a roadblock, a blockade may be imposed to
`
`block transmission of certain information to arrangement
`
`100 which concerns, e.g., uninteresting facilities or
`events.
`
`When a user initially utilizes arrangement 100
`
`the
`for navigation in accordance with the invention,
`navigator browser in arrangement 100 opens a REGISTRATION
`
`page on display 113. Fig.
`
`2 illustrates such a
`
`REGISTRATION page where the user is prompted for entering
`
`his/her personal data, e.g., his/her name, age, sex,
`
`marital status, occupation, city, education, religion and
`
`number of children.
`
`After the entry of the personal data,
`
`the
`
`navigator browser opens a PROFILE SETTING page on display
`
`113. Fig.
`
`3 illustrates such a PROFILE SETTING page for
`
`the user to set up a profile corresponding to one of
`
`his/her personae.
`
`The user here is afforded a choice of
`
`"business", "personal" and "vacation" personae in box
`
`203,
`
`By way of example,
`
`the user in this instance wants
`
`to set up a “personal" profile which includes preferences
`
`of the user while on personal travel
`
`(as opposed to
`
`business travel or vacation travel). Thus,
`
`the user may
`
`use a stylus to touch the "personal" option (as opposed
`
`to the "business" or "vacation" option)
`
`in box 203 on
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`display 113 to select the option.
`
`In addition,
`
`the user is prompted to select
`
`preferences in different categories to be included in
`
`his/her personal profile.
`
`For example,
`
`these categories
`
`may comprise MUSIC category 205, ENTERTAINMENT category
`
`207, SHOPPING category 209, RECREATION category 211,
`
`SPORTS category 213, RESTAURANTS category 215 and
`
`SERVICES category 217.
`
`In this instance,
`
`the user
`
`selects COUNTRY option 231, and JAZZ option 235 in MUSIC
`
`category 205 for his/her music preferences. Similarly,
`
`the user may also select any options in other categories
`
`30
`
`35
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`

`

`-12-
`
`for inclusion in his/her personal profile.
`
`Each selected
`
`option is illustratively indicated by a check mark at the
`
`option, Other profiles such as a business profile and
`vacation profile may be similarly set up.
`V
`
`5
`
`Continuing the above example, after setting up
`
`his/her personal profile,
`
`the user selects SUBMIT option
`
`241.
`
`In response, processor 103 in Fig.
`
`l obtains from
`
`GPS receiver 119 data concerning the GPS coordinates of
`
`the current location of arrangement 100. Based on the
`
`10
`
`signals from a constellation of satellites which form
`
`part of the GPS, receiver 119 in a well known manner
`
`determines the GPS coordinates in question. Processor
`
`103 then creates a record associated with the user. Fig.
`
`4 illustrates the format of such a record (denoted 400)
`
`15
`
`created by processor 103 in memory 108. Record 400
`
`comprises section 503 containing the aforementioned
`
`personal data including, among others,
`
`the user's name
`
`which identifies record 400. Section 505 contains any
`
`business profile set up by the user.
`
`.Section 507 in this
`
`20
`
`instance contains the personal profile described above.
`
`Section 509 contains any vacation profile set up by the
`
`user. Section 511 contains the aforementioned GPS data
`
`indicating the current location of arrangement 100.
`
`Section 513 contains map and related information, based
`
`25
`
`on which processor 103 is capable of generating maps
`
`which correspond to different modes of transportation,
`
`e.g., by automobile, on foot or by rail.
`
`Such map and
`
`related information also includes identities of
`
`facilities and events, and the GPS coordinates
`
`30
`
`identifying the locations of.such facilities and events
`
`on the maps. Section 515 contains business favorites
`
`which are determined based on the personal data in
`
`section 503, business profile in section 505 and GPS data
`
`in section 511. Similarly, section 517 contains personal
`
`35
`
`favorites which are determined based 0n the personal data
`
`

`

`-13-
`
`in section 503, personal profile in section 507 and GPS
`
`data in section 511; and section 519 contains vacation
`
`favorites which are determined based on the personal data
`
`in section 503, vacation profile in section 509 and GPS
`
`5
`
`data in section 511.
`
`It should be noted at this point
`
`that the information in sections 513, 515, 517 and 519 is
`
`provided by a navigation server connected to the
`
`Internet.
`
`Continuing the above example, processor 103 in
`
`10
`
`this instance causes the navigator browser in arrangement
`100 to generate a request to the navigation server for
`the map and related information in section 513 and
`
`personal favorites in section 517. This request contains
`
`the personal data in section 503, personal profile in
`
`15
`
`section 507, GPS data in Section 511, a pre—assigned
`
`Internet protocol
`
`(IP) address for identifying the
`
`browser as the request originator, and a predetermined
`
`uniform resource locator (URL)
`
`identifying the navigation
`
`server on the Internet.
`
`It should be noted that the GPS
`
`20
`
`data in section 511 is refreshed continually and in
`
`particular each time immediately before a request is sent
`
`to the navigation server to reflect the most current
`
`location of arrangement 100.
`
`The request is formatted in
`
`accordance with the requisite protocols including the
`
`25 well known transmission control protocol/Internet
`
`protocol
`
`(TCP/IP)
`
`in this instance.
`
`Referring to Fig. 5, processor 103 causes
`
`communication unit 120 in navigator arrangement 100 to
`
`establish a dial—up connection through wireless
`
`3O
`
`communications network 613 to access server 622
`
`maintained by an Internet service provider (ISP).
`
`The
`
`aforementioned request is then transmitted to access
`
`server 622 through the established connection. Upon
`
`receipt of the request, based on the URL therein, access
`
`35
`
`server 622 routes the request to navigation server 630
`
`

`

`-14-
`
`identified by the URL.
`
`It should be noted at this point
`
`that server 622 may not be the only access server on the
`
`Internet serving arrangement 100 and the like.
`
`It will
`
`be appreciated that more access servers similar to server
`
`622 are geographically distributed for effective
`
`communications with arrangement 100 and the like.
`
`Navigation server 630 which may be a host
`
`computer provides the navigation service in accordance
`
`with the invention. Among other things, server 630
`
`receives data from different sources and maintains
`
`numerous databases therein including a map database, a
`
`weather database, a traffic database, a road-condition
`
`database, a subscriber database, a non—subscriber
`
`database, etc.
`
`The map database provides data concerning maps
`
`covering various geographic areas. Each map includes
`
`layers corresponding to different modes of
`
`transportation.
`
`For example, a first map layer
`
`corresponds to travel by automobile; a second map layer
`
`corresponds to travel on foot; a third map layer
`
`'
`
`corresponds to travel by rail; etc.
`
`The map layers can
`
`be combined to facilitate travel by more than one mode of
`
`transportation. Buildings,
`
`locations, streets,
`
`roadways
`
`and the like in the map layers are defined and identified
`
`in the database by their GPS coordinates.
`
`The weather database contains data concerning
`
`weather conditions in various geographic areas, which is
`
`collected and updated by server 630 from time to time
`
`using such systems as the United States satellite
`
`systems, Delta radars,
`
`local area radars, etc.
`
`The data
`
`concerning the weather conditions is stored in the
`
`weather database according to the GPS coordinates
`
`defining the areas affected by the weather conditions,
`
`respectively. As such, each weather condition is readily
`
`mapped to the area defined by the corresponding GPS
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`'30
`
`35
`
`

`

`-15-
`
`coordinates in the map layers.
`
`Similarly,
`
`the traffic and road—condition
`
`databases each contain data concerning traffic and road
`
`conditions, which is updated and derived by serVer 630
`frOm official traffic and road—condition reports
`
`furnished by local departments of transportation, and
`
`from data provided by well known radar systems such as
`
`line—of—sight radars, and Doppler radars each with
`terrain following capabilities,
`to sense surrounding
`
`traffic and road conditions.
`
`The data concerning the
`
`traffic conditions (road conditions) is stored in the
`
`traffic (road—condition) database according to the GPS
`
`coordinates defining the areas affected by the traffic
`
`conditions (road conditions), respectively. As such,
`
`each traffic condition (road condition) is readily mapped
`
`to the area defined by the corresponding GPS coordinates
`
`in the map layers.
`
`The subscriber database in server 630 contains
`
`data concerning commercial facilities and events, e.g.,
`
`department stores, gas stations, concerts, etc., which
`
`subscribe to the navigation service. With payment of a
`
`subscription fee,
`
`the subscribers may appear in the map
`
`layers for promotional purposes.
`
`The identities of the
`
`subscribers are stored in the subscriber database
`
`according to the GPS coordinates of the locations of such
`
`subscribers, along with other information concerning
`
`their address, contact phone number, web URL, busineSs
`
`hours, advertisement, promotion, directory, etc.
`
`The non—subscriber database in server 630
`
`contains data concerning public facilities (e.g., parks,
`
`hospitals and rest stops) and civic and charity eVents
`
`which are selected to appear in the map layer without
`
`payment of a subscription fee.
`
`The identities of sudh
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`non—subscribers are stored in the non—subscriber database
`
`35
`
`according to the GPS coordinates of their locations,
`
`

`

`—l6—
`
`(along with other information concerning their address,
`
`contact phone number, web URL, charity or civic
`
`functions, etc.
`
`Continuing the above example, upon receiving
`
`the request from arrangement 100, based On the personal
`
`data, personal profile and GPS data therein, server 630
`
`determines the user's personal favorites as requested,
`
`e.g., favorite personal facilities and events, within a
`
`limited navigation coverage, e.g., defined by a
`
`predetermined radius from the GPS coordinates identified
`
`by the GPS data.
`
`Such favorite facilities and events may
`
`be selected from the above—described subscriber and non—
`
`subscriber databases.
`
`In addition, based on the map,
`
`weather,
`
`traffic,
`
`road—condition, subscriber and non-
`
`subscriber databases, server 630 provides the requested
`
`map and related information, which concerns (i)
`
`the map
`
`layers affording the limited navigation coverage,
`
`(ii)
`
`the weather, traffic and road conditions relevant to the
`
`10
`
`15
`
`coverage,
`
`(iii) the subscribers and non—subscribers
`
`20
`
`appear in the coverage, and (iv) a time stamp indicating
`
`when the map and related information is provided.
`
`Since
`
`even with the same navigation coverage,
`
`the weather,
`
`traffic and road conditions in (ii) vary with time.
`
`As
`
`such,
`
`the map and related information is time—sensitive
`
`,25
`
`and thus includes the time stamp in (iv)
`
`to ensure its
`
`just—in—time provision.
`
`Server 630 then transmits a response which
`
`contains (a)
`
`the IP address of the navigator browser in
`
`arrangement 100 to which the response is destined,
`
`(b)
`
`3O
`
`the personal favorite facilities and events just
`
`determined, and the GPS coordinates thereof, and (c)
`
`the
`
`map and related information,
`
`in accordance with the
`
`predetermined protocols. Upon receiving the response,
`
`processor 103 in arrangement 100 causes the received (b)
`
`35
`
`and (c)
`
`to be stored in sections 517 and 513 of record
`
`

`

`-17-
`
`400, respectively.
`
`When the content of section 517 is modified, as
`
`is in this case,
`
`the resulting list of personal favorites
`
`is automatically displayed for the user's review. Fig.
`
`6
`
`illustrates such a personal favorite list (denoted 651)
`
`shown on display 113 which includes, e.g.,
`
`“Home Depot,"
`
`"Wells Fargo," “Vons,” "Chevron," "Jack in the Box,"
`
`....
`
`It should be noted at this point that the
`
`personal favorites selected by server 630 may varvaith
`
`the GPS data identifying the current location of
`
`arrangement 100, even though the personal data and
`
`personal profile remain the same. This stems from the
`
`fact that the selected favorite facilities and events may
`
`be limited to certain areas. When such facilities or
`
`events are outside the current navigation coverage,
`
`they
`
`are either eliminated or substituted by server 630 with
`
`similar facilities or events,
`
`in accOrdance with
`
`predetermined program instructions in server 630.
`
`For
`
`example, "Jack in the Box“ which is a popular fast food
`
`restaurant in California but unavailable in New York may
`
`be substituted with "Wendy's" when the navigation
`
`coVerage includes New York.
`
`In addition, server 630 may
`
`add to the personal favorite list those facilities and
`
`events which satisfy the personal data and personal
`
`profile, and which would otherwise be unavailable had it
`
`not been the current navigation coverage.
`
`Advantageously, when a user travels from one
`
`navigation coverage to another, based On the same
`
`personal data and personal profile and the current
`
`personal favorite list, server 630 can "clone“ personal
`
`favorite lists which correspond to different navigation
`
`coverages. Similarly, server-630 can clone business
`
`favorite lists corresponding to different navigation
`
`coverages based on the same personal data and business
`
`profile and the current business favorite list, and
`
`10
`
`15
`
`‘20
`
`25
`
`3O
`
`35
`
`

`

`-18—
`
`vacation favorite lists corresponding to different
`
`navigation coverages based on the same personal data and
`
`vacation profile and the current vacation favorite list.
`
`Thus, with arrangement 100,
`
`the user's lifestyle is
`
`maintained as much as possible despite traveling from
`
`place to place.
`6 tends to be overinclusive.
`List 651 in Fig.
`The user is afforded EDIT option 653 to modify the list
`
`_
`
`to satisfy his/her needs.
`
`For example,
`
`to delete an item
`
`in list 651,
`
`the item is selected,
`
`followed by a
`
`selection of EDIT option 653. Processor 103 overwrites
`
`the content of section 517 of record 400 with the
`
`resulting list of personal favorites.
`
`As mentioned before,
`
`the user may sometimes
`
`want
`
`to adopt another person's profile for a certain
`
`trip's purpose, e.g., buying a gift for that person.
`
`Thus,
`
`the user is also afforded preset profiles in
`
`arrangement 100,
`
`from which the user may select.
`
`'Such
`
`preset profiles may be aCcessed by selecting PRESET
`
`PROFILE option 239 on the PROFILE SETTING page of Fig. 3.
`
`Fig.
`
`7 illustrates preset Profiles 1 through 6
`
`corresponding to profiles of a typical "Man,"
`
`"Woman,"
`
`"Business Man," "Business Woman," "Senior Citizen," and
`
`"Teenager." For example,
`
`the user may be a female and
`
`want to buy a gift for a man in a business setting.
`
`In
`
`that case,
`
`the user may want to view the preferences in
`
`Profile 3 of a business man using VIEW option 703, and
`
`may select such a profile using SELECT option 705,
`
`thereby assuming a

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