Power saving system for navigation device

Abstract

A navigation system using a mobile terminal, GPS receiver and navigation software, wherein the navigation software is arranged to switch the mobile terminal into a power saving mode if there are no further instructions needed for a determined period of time or distance. The power saving functionality comprises turning the backlight off and changing the visualization of the display for better readability without the backlight.

1 . A method for power saving in a navigation device comprising a display, the device being capable of acquiring the current location of the device and a user specified desired destination, the method comprising the steps of: 
 requesting navigation information for a route based on the acquired current location and the desired destination;    displaying said requested route on said display of said navigation device and guiding a user along said route;    determining a span value for the next expected guiding information;    determining a threshold value for power saving management; and    comparing said span value to said threshold value and activating the power saving mode if said span value exceeds said threshold value.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the power saving mode further comprises turning off the background light of the display of said navigation device.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the power saving mode comprises changing a display color.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the power saving mode comprises changing a font size.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the power saving mode comprises changing a size of guidance icons of the displayed information.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the power saving mode is an independent feature of said navigation device that activates after a certain time of inactivity and the step of comparing said span value to said threshold value sends an activity signal when said threshold value exceeds said span value.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the next expected guiding information comprises a junction requiring instruction.  
     
     
         8 . A navigation device for guiding the user from the current location to a destination, the portable device being capable of executing a software application and arranged to communicate with a positioning module for receiving the current location of the device, which navigation device is further arranged to: 
 request navigation information for a route based on the acquired current location and the desired destination;    display said requested route on said display of said navigation device and guiding a user along said route;    determine a span value for the next expected guiding information;    determine a threshold value for power saving mode; and    compare said span value to said threshold value and activating the power saving if said span value exceeds said threshold value.    
     
     
         9 . A navigation device according to  claim 8 , wherein the power saving mode is further arranged to turn off the background light of the display of said navigation device.  
     
     
         10 . A navigation device according to  claim 8 , wherein the power saving mode changes a color of guidance icons of the displayed information.  
     
     
         11 . A navigation device according to  claim 8 , wherein the power saving mode changes a font size of guidance icons of the displayed information.  
     
     
         12 . A navigation device according to  claim 8 , wherein the power saving mode changes a size of guidance icons of the displayed information.  
     
     
         13 . A navigation device according to  claim 8 , wherein the power saving management is an independent feature of said navigation device that activates after a certain time of inactivity and the step of comparing said span value to said threshold value sends an activity signal when said threshold value exceeds said span value.  
     
     
         14 . A navigation device according to  claim 8 , wherein the navigation device comprises a built-in GPS receiver.  
     
     
         15 . A navigation device according to  claim 8 , wherein the navigation device is coupled to a separate GPS receiver.  
     
     
         16 . A navigation software application for a mobile device comprising a display, the device being capable of acquiring the current location of the device and a user specified desired destination, the software application, when executed in a navigation device, arranged to perform the following steps of: 
 requesting navigation information for a route based on the acquired current location and the desired destination;    displaying said requested route on said display of said navigation device and guiding a user along said route;    determining a span value for the next expected guiding information;    determining a threshold value for power saving mode; and    comparing said span value to said threshold value and activating the power saving if said span value exceeds said threshold value.    
     
     
         17 . A navigation software application according to  claim 16 , wherein the power saving mode further comprises turning off the background light of the display of said navigation device.  
     
     
         18 . A navigation software application according to  claim 16 , wherein the power saving mode further comprises changing the colors of guidance icons of the displayed information.  
     
     
         19 . A navigation software application according to  claim 16 , wherein the power saving mode further comprises a font size of guidance icons of the displayed information.  
     
     
         20 . A navigation software application according to  claim 16 , wherein the power saving mode further comprises a size of guidance icons of the displayed information.  
     
     
         21 . A navigation software application according to  claim 16 , wherein the power saving mode is an independent feature of said navigation device that activates after a certain time of inactivity and the step of comparing said span value to said threshold value further comprises sending an activity signal when said threshold value exceeds said span value.