Identification of Location of a Target Address Using Position Information Transmitted by Position Identifying Transmitter in Vicinity of Target Address

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for navigating a vehicle to a target address using position information transmitted by a position identifying transmitter in a vicinity of the target address. A location of a target address is determined by receiving position information for the target address, upon entry of a searching vehicle in search of a target address into a vicinity of the target address, wherein the received position information for the target address is based upon position information transmitted by a position identifying transmitter located in the vicinity of the target address; and generating a navigation route to direct the searching vehicle to the target address using the received position information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for determining a location of a target address, the device comprising:
 a memory; and   at least one hardware device, coupled to the memory, operative to:   upon entry of a searching vehicle in search of a target address into a vicinity of said target address, receive position information for said target address, wherein said received position information for said target address is based upon position information transmitted by a position identifying transmitter located in said vicinity of the target address; and   generate a navigation route-to direct said searching vehicle to said target address using the received position information.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said transmitted position information for said target address is received by said searching vehicle directly from said position identifying transmitter. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said transmitted position information for said target address is received by said searching vehicle indirectly from one or more nearby vehicles that individually obtain address information from position transmitters that the nearby vehicles come in proximity to and relay the obtained address information to passing vehicles to form a relay network. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one hardware device is further configured to employ said relay network to exchange said position information with one or more other nearby vehicles using one or more of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system and a vehicle-to-base station communication system. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said transmitted position information for said target address comprises one or more of latitude/longitude coordinates for said target address and a localized map including said target address. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a vehicle that has obtained position information for said target address deposits said obtained position information into an address depot from which the deposited position information can be obtained by said searching vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the searching vehicle first requests information about the target address from one or more passing vehicles and then only receives information from said one or more passing vehicles about the target address. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said device is integrated into a navigation system in said searching vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one hardware device is further configured to store said received position information in a circular buffer. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one hardware device is further configured to enter said received position information into a navigation system in said searching vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . An article of manufacture for determining a location of a target address, comprising a tangible machine readable recordable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:
 upon entry of a searching vehicle in search of a target address into a vicinity of said target address, receiving position information for said target address, wherein said received position information for said target address is based upon position information transmitted by a position identifying transmitter located in said vicinity of the target address; and   generating a navigation route-to direct said searching vehicle to said target address using the received position information.   
     
     
         12 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , wherein said transmitted position information for said target address is received by said searching vehicle directly from said position identifying transmitter. 
     
     
         13 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , wherein said transmitted position information for said target address is received by said searching vehicle indirectly from one or more nearby vehicles that individually obtain address information from position transmitters that the nearby vehicles come in proximity to and relay the obtained address information to passing vehicles to form a relay network. 
     
     
         14 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , wherein said transmitted position information for said target address comprises one or more of latitude/longitude coordinates for said target address and a localized map including said target address. 
     
     
         15 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , wherein the searching vehicle first requests information about the target address from one or more passing vehicles and then only receives information from said one or more passing vehicles about the target address. 
     
     
         16 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , wherein said position identifying transmitter is associated with one or more of a mail box, a building associated with said target address, a number tag associated with said target address, near an entrance to a neighborhood containing said target address and an Access Point associated with said target address. 
     
     
         17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , wherein said position information for said target address is transmitted by one or more of an owner of a building associated with said target address, an association comprising said target address and an address depot. 
     
     
         18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 17 , wherein said address depot is populated with position information for one or more target addresses by one or more of a neighborhood association, a government entity, a highway authority, a construction company and one or more nearby vehicles. 
     
     
         19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of storing said received position information in a circular buffer. 
     
     
         20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , wherein the generating step further comprises entering said received position information into a navigation system in said searching vehicle.