Off-board navigation system with personalized navigation database

1. A method for providing information to a remote unit for guiding a user of an off-board vehicle navigation system along a recommended route, the method comprising:

receiving, at a supply location prior to any calculation of the route, a request from a remote unit for a route to a destination and a desired category representing a plurality of closely related points of interest;

calculating a recommended route to the destination in relation to the desired category on a database of roads and categories located at the supply location;

filtering the database to provide a filtered map area including the recommended route and a point of interest among the plurality of closely related points of interest;

receiving, at the supply location, information from the remote unit defining a width substantially perpendicular to the recommended route or a perimeter around each of a plurality of nodes along the recommended route;

determining, at the supply location, sizing of the filtered map area in response to the width or perimeter information; and

transmitting the filtered map area to the remote unit.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at the supply location, capability information regarding the remote unit; and

wherein the determining sizing of the filtered map area includes sizing of the filtered map area in response to the capability information.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the filtering includes filtering the database in relation to a road type within the database.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the filtering includes filtering the database in relation to a plurality of nodes along the recommended route.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the received information is the perimeter; and

the determining sizing of the filtered map area is in response to the perimeter information.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at the supply location, capability information regarding the remote unit; and

wherein the determining sizing of the filtered map includes determining sizing of a perimeter around each of a plurality of nodes along the recommended route in response to the capability information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the transmitting comprises sending information via a wireless communication link.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at the supply location, capability information regarding the remote unit; and

wherein the determining sizing of the filtered map includes determining a perimeter around each of the points of interest in response to the capability information.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the desired category is selected from a plurality of categories.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the plurality of categories is selected from a group comprising restaurants, lodgings, historical sites, beaches, and shopping.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the remote unit includes a personal computer.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the remote unit is located within a vehicle.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the transmitted filtered map area is suitable for guiding a vehicle along the recommended route using map matching.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the remote unit is configured so that the desired category is preloaded and selected into the remote unit before a second route is determined.

15. A method for providing information to a remote unit for guiding a user of an off-board vehicle navigation system along a recommended route, the method comprising:

receiving, at a supply location prior to any calculation of the route, a request from a remote unit for a route to a destination and a desired category representing a plurality of closely related points of interest from a plurality of categories;

receiving, at the supply location, sizing information at least partially defining a filtered map area;

calculating a recommended route to the destination in relation to the desired category on a database of roads and categories located at the supply location;

filtering the database to provide the filtered map area including the recommended route and at least one point of interest among the plurality of closely related points of interest;

determining sizing of the filtered map area in response to the received sizing information; and

transmitting the filtered map area to the remote unit.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising providing an error check, the error check including estimating a size of the filtered map area in relation to a distance to the destination.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the sizing information is definable by a user.

18. A method for providing information to a remote unit for guiding a user of an off-board vehicle navigation system along a recommended route, the method comprising:

receiving, at a supply location prior to any calculation of the route, a request from a remote unit for a route to a destination and a desired category from a plurality of categories, the desired category representing a plurality of closely related points of interest;

receiving, at the supply location, information from the remote unit defining a capability of the remote unit;

calculating a recommended route to the destination in relation to the desired category on a database of roads and categories located at the supply location;

filtering the database to provide a filtered map area including the recommended route and at least one point of interest among the plurality of closely related points of interest;

determining sizing of the filtered map area in response to the capability information; and

transmitting the filtered map area to the remote unit.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein the transmitted filtered map area is suitable for guiding the vehicle along the recommended route using map matching.

20. A method for providing information to a remote unit for guiding a user of an off-board vehicle navigation system along a recommended route, the method comprising:

receiving, at a supply location prior to any calculation of the route, a request from a remote unit for a route to a destination and a desired category, the desired category representing a plurality of closely related points of interest;

calculating a recommended route to the destination in relation to the desired category on a database of roads and categories located at the supply location;

filtering the database to provide a filtered map area including the recommended route and a point of interest among the plurality of closely related points of interest;

receiving client information at the supply location from the remote unit defining at least one of: a width substantially perpendicular to the recommended route, and a perimeter around each of a plurality of nodes along the recommended route;

determining, at the supply location, sizing of the filtered map area in response to the client information; and

transmitting the filtered map area to the remote unit.

21. The method as recited in claim 20 further comprising:

receiving, from the remote unit, information defining a capability of the remote unit; and

determining sizing of the filtered map area in response to the capability information.

22. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein the desired category is selected from a plurality of categories.

23. A method for providing information to a remote unit for guiding a user of an off-board vehicle navigation system along a recommended route, the method comprising:

receiving, at a supply location prior to any calculation of the route, a request from a remote unit for a route to a destination and a desired category, the desired category representing a plurality of closely related points of interest;

calculating a recommended route to the destination in relation to the desired category on a database of roads and categories located at the supply location;

filtering the database to provide a filtered map area including the recommended route and a point of interest among the plurality of closely related points of interest;

receiving, from the remote unit, information defining a capability of the remote unit;

determining, at the supply location, sizing of a perimeter around each of a plurality of nodes along the recommended route in response to the capability information; and

transmitting the filtered map area to the remote unit.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the transmitting comprises sending information via a wireless communication link.

25. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein:

the request from the remote unit includes an intermediate point; and

the determining sizing includes determining sizing of a perimeter around the intermediate point.

26. A method for providing information to a remote unit for guiding a user of an off-board vehicle navigation system along a recommended route, the method comprising:

receiving, at a supply location prior to any calculation of the route, a request from a remote unit for a route to a destination and a desired category, the desired category representing a plurality of closely related points of interest;

calculating a recommended route to the destination in relation to the desired category on a database of roads and categories located at the supply location;

filtering the database to provide a filtered map area including the recommended route and a point of interest among the plurality of points of interest;

receiving, from the remote unit, information defining a capability of the remote unit;

determining, at the supply location, sizing of a perimeter around each of the points of interest in response to the capability information; and

transmitting the filtered map area to the remote unit.

27. The method as recited in claim 26 wherein:

the request from the remote unit includes an intermediate point; and

the determining sizing includes determining sizing of a perimeter around the intermediate point.