System and method for vehicle navigation with multiple abstraction layers

1. A method comprising:

receiving data sets from a plurality of sources;

generating, by use of a data processor, a routing overlay based on a routing to a selected destination;

generating, by use of the data processor and data from the data sets, a plurality of navigation abstraction layers corresponding to the routing, a portion of the plurality of navigation abstraction layers covering the same map area, except each layer of the portion including a different isolation of map features;

generating at least one navigation abstraction layer by smoothing or simplifying the shape of the routing overlay, the smoothing or simplifying including orthogonally adjusting segments of the routing overlay to produce an overlay having segments that are generally horizontal or vertical; and

presenting at least one of the plurality of navigation abstraction layers to a user via a display interface.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data sets include collected data and map data.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 including generating at least one navigation abstraction layer by removing all but the most important map features.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 including generating at least one navigation abstraction layer by highlighting one or more next actions the user must perform to follow the routing.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 including generating at least one navigation abstraction layer by highlighting one or more next actions the user must perform to follow the routing, the highlighting being personalized for a particular user based on historical data.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 including generating at least one navigation abstraction layer by highlighting one or more next actions the user must perform to follow the routing, the highlighting being personalized for a particular vehicle based on vehicle sensor data.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 including automatically generating a routing to a proximate location based on a status of the vehicle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 including automatically assigning a level of importance to a plurality of navigation actions.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 including automatically substituting a near destination for a previously selected destination.

10. A system comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a vehicle navigation system, executable by the one or more data processors, to:

receive data sets from a plurality of sources;

generate a routing overlay based on a routing to a selected destination;

generate, by use of data from the data sets, a plurality of navigation abstraction layers corresponding to the routing, a portion of the plurality of navigation abstraction layers covering the same map area, except each layer of the portion including a different isolation of map features;

generate at least one navigation abstraction layer by smoothing or simplifying the shape of the routing overlay, the smoothing or simplifying including orthogonally adjusting segments of the routing overlay to produce an overlay having segments that are generally horizontal or vertical; and

present at least one of the plurality of navigation abstraction layers to a user via a display interface.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the data sets include collected data and map data.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10 being configured to generate at least one navigation abstraction layer by removing all but the most important map features.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10 being configured to generate at least one navigation abstraction layer by highlighting one or more next actions the user must perform to follow the routing.

14. The system as claimed in claim 10 being configured to generate at least one navigation abstraction layer by highlighting one or more next actions the user must perform to follow the routing, the highlighting being personalized for a particular user based on historical data.

15. The system as claimed in claim 10 being configured to generate at least one navigation abstraction layer by highlighting one or more next actions the user must perform to follow the routing, the highlighting being personalized for a particular vehicle based on vehicle sensor data.

16. The system as claimed in claim 10 being configured to automatically generate a routing to a proximate location based on a status of the vehicle.

17. The system as claimed in claim 10 being configured to automatically assign a level of importance to a plurality of navigation actions.

18. The system as claimed in claim 10 being configured to automatically substitute a near destination for a previously selected destination.

19. A non-transitory machine-useable storage medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive data sets from a plurality of sources;

generate a routing overlay based on a routing to a selected destination;

generate, by use of data from the data sets, a plurality of navigation abstraction layers corresponding to the routing, a portion of the plurality of navigation abstraction layers covering the same map area, except each layer of the portion including a different isolation of map features;

generate at least one navigation abstraction layer by smoothing or simplifying the shape of the routing overlay, the smoothing or simplifying including orthogonally adjusting segments of the routing overlay to produce an overlay having segments that are generally horizontal or vertical; and

present at least one of the plurality of navigation abstraction layers to a user via a display interface.

20. The machine-useable storage medium as claimed in claim 19 wherein the data sets include collected data and map data.