Conveyance mode aware navigation device

Abstract

Illustrative embodiments provide a navigation device for determining an optimal route for a user. The navigation device comprises a location unit capable of determining the present position of the navigation device and a selection unit capable of receiving user input indicating a selected destination. Further, a memory capable of storing information for searching routes, a receiver capable of acquiring current information comprising road, business hour, traffic congestion patterns, conveyance mode and time buffer information relative to the present position and the selected destination to store in the memory and a route identification unit capable of identifying, from among a combination of the stored roads, business hours, traffic congestion patterns, conveyance mode and time buffer information, an optimal route from the present position to the selected destination. Also, the navigation device comprises a notification unit capable of presenting a notification of the optimal route.

1 . A navigation device for identifying an optimal route for a user to a destination, the navigation device comprising:
 a location unit capable of determining the present position of the navigation device;   a selection unit capable of receiving user input indicating a selected destination;   a memory capable of storing information for searching routes;   a receiver capable of acquiring current information comprising road, business hour, traffic congestion patterns, conveyance mode and time buffer information relative to the present position and the selected destination to store in the memory;   a route identification unit capable of identifying, from among a combination of the stored roads, business hours, traffic congestion patterns, conveyance mode and time buffer information, an optimal route from the present position to the selected destination; and   a notification unit capable of presenting a notification of the optimal route.   
   
   
       2 . The navigation device of  claim 1 , wherein the route identification unit further comprises:
 an elapsed time estimator; and   a comparator capable of determining when arrival time is within predefined limits of business hours of the selected destination and when not, using the notification unit to prompt the user to select one of a different route, a different destination, a different time buffer and a different conveyance mode to cause the route identification unit to re-calculate the optimal route.   
   
   
       3 . The navigation device of  claim 1 , wherein the notification unit comprises one or more of an audio indicator, a visual indicator, and a motion indicator. 
   
   
       4 . The navigation device of  claim 1  wherein the conveyance mode comprises one or more of walking, public vehicle, and private vehicle. 
   
   
       5 . The navigation device of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver further comprises capability for acquiring current information comprising road construction indication including detours, business holidays, traffic congestion patterns, and conveyance mode availability and delay information. 
   
   
       6 . A computer implemented method for determining an optimal route to a destination, the method comprising:
 identifying a present position of a navigation device;   selecting the destination to form a selected destination;   acquiring current information comprising road, business hour, traffic congestion patterns, conveyance mode and time buffer information relative to the present position and the selected destination;   storing the acquired information in the memory of the navigation device;   identifying, from among a combination of the stored roads, business hours, traffic congestion patterns, conveyance mode and time buffer information, an optimal route from the current position to the selected destination; and   notifying the user of the optimal route.   
   
   
       7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein determining when arrival time is not within predefined limits of business hours of the selected destination, prompting the user to select one of a different route, a different destination, a different time buffer and a different conveyance mode to cause identification of a new optimal route. 
   
   
       8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein identifying a present position of the navigation device further comprises use of a global positioning satellite receiver. 
   
   
       9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein notifying the user of the optimal route further comprises using one or more of an audio indicator, a visual indicator, and a motion indicator. 
   
   
       10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein identifying the optimal route from the current position to the selected destination further comprises a change in one or more of the stored roads, business hours, traffic congestion patterns, conveyance mode and time buffer information, and the destination. 
   
   
       11 . A computer program product for determining an optimal route to a destination for a user of a navigation device, the computer program product comprising:
 a computer usable recordable type medium tangibly embodying computer executable program code thereon, the computer executable program code comprising:   computer executable program code for identifying a present position of a navigation device;   computer executable program code for selecting the destination to form a selected destination;   computer executable program code for acquiring current information comprising road, business hour, traffic congestion patterns, conveyance mode and time buffer information relative to the present position and the selected destination;   computer executable program code for storing the acquired information in a memory of the navigation device;   computer executable program code for identifying, from among a combination of the stored roads, business hours, traffic congestion patterns, conveyance mode and time buffer information, an optimal route from the current position to the selected destination; and   computer executable program code for notifying the user of the optimal route.   
   
   
       12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , computer executable program code for identifying the optimal route further comprises:
 computer executable program code for an elapsed time estimator;   computer executable program code for a comparator capable of determining when arrival time is within predefined limits of business hours of the selected destination and when not, using the computer executable program code for notifying the user to prompt the user to select one of a different route, a different destination, a different time buffer and a different conveyance mode; and   computer executable program code for identifying a new optimal route.   
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the computer executable program code for notifying further comprises computer executable program code for one or more of an audio indicator, a visual indicator, and a motion indicator. 
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the computer executable program code for selecting the conveyance mode comprises computer executable program code for selecting one or more of walking, public vehicle and private vehicle. 
   
   
       15 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the computer executable program code for acquiring current information further comprises computer executable program code for acquiring current information comprising road construction indication including detours, business holidays, traffic congestion patterns, and conveyance mode availability and delay information.