Navigation device displaying travel information

Abstract

A navigation device, programmable with map data and a navigation application that enables a route to be planned between two user-defined places; the device is operable to read a removable memory card storing the device operating system, the navigation application, and the map data. It does not need to store the operating system in mask ROM; hence, customisation for a specific country requires only that the appropriate memory card be inserted at the time of use.

1 . A navigation device, programmable with map data and a navigation application that enables a route to be planned between two user-defined places, wherein the device is operable to read a memory card that can be inserted into and removed from the device, the card storing the device operating system, the navigation application, and the map data. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  in which the device does not store its operating system in internal ROM but instead reads if off from the memory card. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  in which the memory card is a SD card. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising internal XIP (execute In Place) Flash ROM programmed with a boot loader. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4  programmed so that on boot up the boot loader prompts for the user to insert the supplied memory card. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  programmed so that once the user inserts the memory card, it copies a special system file from the memory card into RAM, the system file including the operating system and the navigation application. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  programmed so that once copying of the system file is complete, control will be passed to the navigation application, which starts and accesses non-volatile data from the memory card. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  programmed so that when the device is subsequently switched off, the RAM contents is preserved so that the boot up procedure only has to occur the first time the device is used. 
     
     
         9 . A method of programming a navigation device with a map database and software that enables a route to be planned between two user-defined places, wherein the method comprises the step of: connecting the device to a memory card, the memory card storing the device operating system, the navigation application, and the map data, and in which the card can be inserted into and removed from the device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  in which the device does not store its operating system in internal ROM but instead reads if off from the memory card. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  in which the memory card is a SD card. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  in which the device comprises XIP Flash ROM programmed with a boot loader and the method comprises the step of the boot loader prompting for the user to insert the supplied memory card on boot up. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  in which, once the user inserts the memory card, it copies a special system file from the memory card into RAM, the system file including the operating system and the navigation application. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  in which, once copying of the system file is complete, control will be passed to the navigation application, which starts and accesses non-volatile data from the memory card. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  in which, when the device is subsequently switched off, the RAM contents is preserved so that the boot up procedure only has to occur the first time the device is used.