Real-time navigation system for mobile environment

Abstract

A system and method for providing navigational information to a user connected in real-time, such as through a wireless telephone, PDA, or other device. The system provides navigational information to the user in the form most useful to the user, such as according to landmarks, or the number of blocks until the next action. The system also provides directions to points of interest along the user's route. Further, the system allows the user to suspend and resume a session. Also, the system varies the sampling rate at which the user's location is examined, to enhance efficiency and convenience.

1 . A method for providing navigational information to a user, comprising the steps of: receiving a telephone call from the user; determining identity information for the user; recognizing, at least in part from the identity information, that the call is a resumption of a previous call from the user; retrieving historical information regarding the user, said histroical information relating at least in part to the previous call from the user; providing navigational information to the user based at least in part on the historical information.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of recognizing that the call is a resumption of a previous call comprises prompting the user to identify if the call is a resumption of a previous call.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing navigational information to the user comprises transmitting navigational information over a wireless connection.