Navigation Apparatus Intermittent Server Sync

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Solution Overview

Problem

Navigation apparatuses that rely on external servers for route guidance may provide undesirable routes when unable to access the server, as they cannot account for real-time congestion information, leading to suboptimal route selection.

Innovation Solution

A navigation apparatus that intermittently connects to a navigation server to acquire route information and guidance data, using stored map data to select routes when the server is inaccessible, and sets guidance points based on the last acquired navigation information to prevent undesirable route guidance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the navigation apparatus searches for a route based on stored map data when unable to access the external server, then route guidance can be provided without real-time connectivity, but the selected route may pass through congested sections because real-time traffic information is unavailable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute guidance availabilityVSAvoidreal-time congestion information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation server performs preliminary route search and identifies congested sections before the navigation apparatus operates independently. The server stores this pre-analyzed route information including congestion data, allowing the navigation apparatus to retrieve and use this pre-computed information even when disconnected from the server, thus avoiding congested areas without requiring real-time connectivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If the navigation apparatus continuously connects to the navigation server to acquire latest route information, then real-time congestion information can be obtained, but communication costs and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereal-time traffic informationVSAvoidpower consumption for communication
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation apparatus performs intermittent periodic connections to the navigation server at scheduled intervals or when specific conditions are met (such as reaching certain locations or time thresholds). During these periodic connection periods, the apparatus acquires updated route information including congestion data. Between connection periods, the apparatus operates independently using stored information, thus reducing overall communication frequency and power consumption while still maintaining access to real-time traffic information when needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2887019B1Navigation apparatus and navigation system
Publication Date: 2016.03.09 ALPINE ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2887019B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2887019B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2887019B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

In a smartphone (1), a navigation application (122) provides route guidance such that even in a state in which it is impossible to connect to a navigation server (4) configured to provide navigation information including route data representing a route and guidance data representing a guidance content of a guidance point set on the route, route guidance is provided using navigation information previously acquired from the navigation server (4) when the guidance information includes one or more pieces of not-yet-output guidance data of guidance points and when the number of pieces of not-yet-output guidance data is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. When the number of pieces of not-yet-output guidance data is smaller than the predetermined value, navigation information is generated based on map data stored in storage apparatus and route guidance is provided using the generated navigation information.