1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for releasing navigation data stored on a storage medium.
2. Background Information
Methods for granting rights to use programs and data files for navigation devices in motor vehicles are known from the related art. By purchasing a navigation system, the user normally receives map material stored on a storage medium such as a DVD or a CD, for a wide area such as all of Europe. The individual user is typically only interested in a limited section of the map material, such as only the road-map data of his native country or a neighboring country, when he never travels around in other countries with his own motor vehicle.
Published European patent document EP 1 139 196 describes a method for granting rights to use a data file, which is stored on a storage medium together with at least one additional data file and is provided with an identifier, for use by a single computer system or a limited number of local computer systems. The method is particularly suited for the application of granting rights to use road-map material in navigation systems.
To release the areas of the databases on the storage medium that are desired by the user, there are already products and designs that pursue the objective of keeping the license costs occurring for the user low and still simultaneously carrying along the complete data set for optional use. The business model C-IQ (Intelligent Content on Demand) is known from VDO-Dayton. It relates to a flexible software concept, in which the map contents can be individually selected. In order to reserve particular navigation content, the user requests a suitable access code from a dealer via the Internet or by telephone. This is entered into the navigation system and contains information regarding the desired start date and end date of the license or a particular time period from the time of activation in the system and the desired country or region whose data the user requires.
A similar example is the system concept CANDy (Conditional Access for Navigation Data and Systems) from the internal Bosch department CM-DI/ESN, in the present version 0.2 of Jan. 16, 2004; authors: Listle, Holger.
A disadvantage of the above-mentioned designs is that prior to the trip, the user must consider when he would like to consult which map material. He must make contact with an external office, whether by telephone or by Internet. In particular, when the user does not yet know, at the starting time of the trip, the number of countries or also the order of the countries through which he would like to drive, he is possibly forced to make an expensive phone call from out of the country in order to receive the correct access code from the service center.
Also known from the related art are transaction numbers (TAN), which one obtains in the form of a list as a subscriber in electronic banking. These transaction numbers are used for initiating booking events. The transaction number is regarded as an electronic signature and expires after one-time use.
An object of the present invention is to specify a method, which offers the user a very high degree of flexibility both prior to and during the trip with the motor vehicle.
The method of the present invention comprises the following steps:
This has the advantage that the user only has to have access to a list of temporary codes in the motor vehicle, in order to quickly obtain access to the map material of different countries. He does not have to think about the selected route of his trip prior to the start of the trip, since he can now quickly select the area whose road network should be released, even as a function of the specific traffic situation. The user is now independent from the provision of external services. This also produces cost savings for the service provider, since the service of a call center staffed around the clock does not have to be paid for.
An example refinement of the present invention provides for the list of temporary codes to be sent to the user by mail or electronically. This provides a form that is similar to the idea of transaction numbers (TAN) in banking via the Internet. The user probably has certain experience with such a design.
It is also provided that at least one list of temporary codes be available to the navigation device upon acquisition, particularly in the form of a sticker, a plastic card, or the like. By this means, the user easily becomes used to the manner of functioning of the method according to the present invention for releasing the navigation data.
In this context, it is possible for the last characters to be added onto the sticker, the plastic card, or the like by the user. In this manner, only a small number of stickers are necessary for generating a large number of temporary codes. It is further possible that a list of temporary codes be generated by the navigation system after a password, code, or the like is inputted into the navigation system. This has the advantage that the user does not have to manually input the specific temporary code, but can simply select it, for example, by clicking on a specific position on the video screen.
As shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2004 041 240.5 | Aug 2004 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP05/53559 | 7/21/2005 | WO | 9/14/2007 |