Nicholas E Smith

US Patent:

6473770, Oct 29, 2002

Filed:

Oct 23, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/044580

Inventors:

Michael Livshutz - Niles IL
Vijaya S. Israni - Hoffman Estates IL
Richard A. Ashby - Blue River IL
Paul M. Bouzide - Chicago IL
Srinivasa Doddapaneni - Chicago IL
Robert P. Fernekes - Wooddale IL
Matthew Friederich - Berwyn IL
John C. Jasper - Arlington Heights IL
William McDonough - Glen Ellyn IL
James A. Meek - Palatine IL
Senthil K. Natesan - Carol Stream IL
Nicholas E. Smith - Oak Park IL

Assignee:

Navigation Technologies Corp. - Chicago IL

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

707103, 707 1, 707 4, 707 5, 707200, 707100, 701201, 701206, 701208, 701214

Abstract:

A geographic database for use with a navigation application program that provides navigation features to an end-user. The geographic database includes a plurality of data records of a first type and a plurality of data records of a second type. The plurality of records of the first type are organized into a plurality of parcels, each of which includes a plurality of data records of the first type and the plurality of records of the second type are organized into a plurality of parcels, each of which includes a plurality of data records of the second type. The parcels of data records of the first type are interleaved with the parcels of data records of the second type. This interleaving enables navigation functions that use these different types to access these different types more quickly and efficiently, thereby enhancing navigation system performance. Also disclosed is a method for forming a geographic database that includes a plurality of data records that represent geographic features and which can be used in a navigation system. The method includes the step of interleaving parcels containing pluralities of data records of a first type with parcels containing pluralities of data records of a second type.

US Patent:

6507850, Jan 14, 2003

Filed:

Dec 20, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/467276

Inventors:

Michael Livshutz - Niles IL
Richard A. Ashby - Blue River WI
Paul M. Bouzide - Chicago IL
Srinivasa Doddapaneni - Chicago IL
Robert P. Fernekes - Cary IL
Matthew Friederich - Berwyn IL
Vijaya S. Israni - Hoffman Estates IL
John C. Jasper - Arlington Heights IL
William McDonough - Glen Ellyn IL
James A. Meek - Palatine IL
Senthil K. Natesan - Carol Stream IL
Nicholas E. Smith - Oak Park IL

Assignee:

Navigation Technologies Corp. - Chicago IL

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

707104, 707100, 707 2, 707 4, 707200, 701208, 701209, 701214, 701206, 701201, 711157, 711173

Abstract:

A geographic database for use with a navigation application program that provides navigation features to an end-user. The geographic database includes a plurality of data records of a first type and a plurality of data records of a second type. The plurality of records of the first type are organized into a plurality of parcels, each of which includes a plurality of data records of the first type and the plurality of records of the second type are organized into a plurality of parcels, each of which includes a plurality of data records of the second type. The parcels of data records of the first type are interleaved with the parcels of data records of the second type. This interleaving enables navigation functions that use these different types to access these different types more quickly and efficiently, thereby enhancing navigation system performance. Also disclosed is a method for forming a geographic database that includes a plurality of data records that represent geographic features and which can be used in a navigation system. The method includes the step of interleaving parcels containing pluralities of data records of a first type with parcels containing pluralities of data records of a second type.

US Patent:

61848239, Feb 6, 2001

Filed:

May 1, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/071721

Inventors:

Nicholas E. Smith - Oak Park IL
Richard A. Ashby - Blue River WI
Vijaya Israni - Hoffman Estates IL

Assignee:

Navigation Technologies Corp. - Rosemont IL

International Classification:

H04B 7185
G01S 502

US Classification:

34235713

Abstract:

An architecture for a geographic database that supports the identification and use of names for intersections of roads located in a geographic region, and methods for use and formation thereof. The geographic database includes data that represent components of a road network in a geographic region. The geographic database includes a first plurality of data entities each of which represents an intersection of roads in the road network and a second plurality of data entities each of which represents a name of one of the components of the road network. The geographic database includes a third plurality of data entities each of which associates one of the first plurality of data entities with one of the second plurality of data entities. The third plurality of data entities are referenced by other data entities in the geographic database and by indices to allow a navigation application program using the geographic database to identify intersections of roads in the geographic region by name and to use the name of an intersection for the purpose of location identification and route guidance. Also disclosed is an improved process for forming substitute data records to represent complex physical geographic features thereby facilitating operation of a navigation system by reducing processing requirements for certain functions.