Navigation device and method

Abstract

A navigation device is disclosed which is operable to generate an output indication representing whether or not journey conditions are favourable. In at least one embodiment, the navigation device includes a processing resource configured to: calculate for a navigation route, expected journey time information indicating an expected time duration for completing the route; compare the expected journey time with an average journey time for the route; and generate, responsive to the result of said comparison, said output indication representing whether or not journey conditions are favourable.

1 . A navigation device operable to generate an output indication representing whether or not journey conditions are favourable, the navigation device comprising a processing resource configured to:
 calculate for a navigation route, expected journey time information indicating an expected time duration for completing the route;   compare the expected journey time with an average journey time for the route; and   generate, responsive to the result of said comparison, said output indication representing whether or not journey conditions are favourable.   
     
     
         2 . The navigation device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing resource is configured to calculate the expected journey time based on one or more information sources selected from: weather information received from a communications channel; live traffic information received from a communications channel; and pre-stored journey time profiles for road segments in a digital map database. 
     
     
         3 . The navigation device of  claim 2 , wherein the processing resource is configured to calculate the expected journey time information based on a different information source from that used by for obtaining the average journey time. 
     
     
         4 . The navigation device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing resource is configured to calculate the average journey time based on a plurality of journey time profiles each representing a journey time on a respectively different occasion. 
     
     
         5 . The navigation device of  claim 4 , wherein the processing resource is configured to calculate the average journey time by averaging information from the journey time profiles. 
     
     
         6 . The navigation device of  claim 4 , wherein the processing resource is configured to calculate the expected journey time based on one or more journey time profiles. 
     
     
         7 . The navigation device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing resource is configured to generate a warning indication when the expected journey time exceeds the average journey time. 
     
     
         8 . The navigation device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing resource is configured to generate a warning indication when the expected journey time exceeds the average journey time, offset by a threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The navigation device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing resource is configured to repeat processing to refresh calculation of at least one selected from: the expected journey time; the average journey time. 
     
     
         10 . The navigation device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing device is configured to repeat processing in response to at least one of (i) user interaction with the navigation device, and (ii) inputting of a repeat processing command by a user. 
     
     
         11 . The navigation device according to  claim 9 , further comprising a timer, and wherein the processing resource is responsive to trigger signals from the timer, to repeat said processing. 
     
     
         12 . The navigation device according to  claim 11 , wherein the timer generates trigger signals within a time window corresponding to a desired window of use inputted by a user. 
     
     
         13 . The navigation device according to  claim 9 , wherein the timer is implemented by a portion of the processing resource. 
     
     
         14 . The navigation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the navigation device is a portable navigation device. 
     
     
         15 . A method of operation for a navigation device, to generate an output indication representing whether or not journey conditions are favourable, the method comprising: calculating for a navigation route, expected journey time information indicating an expected time duration for completing the route; comparing the expected journey time with an average journey time for the route; and generating, responsive to the result of said comparison, said output indication representing whether or not journey conditions are favourable. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of calculating expected journey time comprises calculating the expected journey time based on one or more information sources selected from: weather information received from a communications channel; live traffic information received from a communications channel; and pre-stored journey time profiles for road segments in a digital map database. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of calculating expected journey time comprises calculating the expected journey time information based on a different information source from that used by for obtaining the average journey time. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of calculating the average journey time based on a plurality of journey time profiles each representing a journey time on a respectively different occasion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of calculating average journey time comprises averaging information from the journey time profiles. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements a method for generating an output indication representing whether or not journey conditions are favourable, the method comprising:
 calculating for a navigation route, expected journey time information indicating an expected time duration for completing the route;   comparing the expected journey time with an average journey time for the route; and   generating, responsive to the result of said comparison, said output indication representing whether or not journey conditions are favourable.   
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory machine-readable record carrier carrying or implementing the computer program of  claim 20 .