Navigation apparatus, server apparatus and method of collecting parking location information

1. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a processing resource operably coupled to a receiver for location-related data and arranged to perform location determination, the processing resource supporting a parking location determination module and an inference engine operably coupled to a database;

wherein the parking location determination module is arranged to determine when the location determined is substantially unchanged and to determine that the location determined constitutes a candidate parking location in response to the location determined remaining substantially unchanged for a predetermined period of time or more than the predetermined period of time, and

wherein the inference engine is arranged to access the database to determine whether the candidate parking location is a valid or known candidate parking location.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a user interface for communicating with a user.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the processing resource and the user interface are arranged to solicit input from the user as to whether the candidate parking location is an actual parking location.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the processing resource is arranged to obtain permission to share the identity of the candidate parking location.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the processing resource is arranged to communicate the identity of the candidate parking location in response to obtaining the permission to share the identity of the candidate parking location.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the parking location determination module is arranged to determine whether the candidate parking location is a roadside location.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the parking location determination module is arranged to store the substantially unchanged location and identify reoccurrence of use of the candidate parking location; and the parking location determination module is arranged to infer from a frequency of the reoccurrence being greater than or equal to a predetermined event value that the candidate parking location is an actual parking location.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the parking location determination module is arranged to store the substantially unchanged location and identify instances of other stored substantially unchanged locations within a predetermined distance of the substantially unchanged location; and the parking location determination module is arranged to identify a pattern in the stored substantially unchanged locations indicative of a collection of parking locations, thereby inferring that the candidate parking location is an actual parking location.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the parking location determination module is arranged to identify use of different substantially unchanged locations over a period of time.

10. A vehicle comprising the navigation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .

11. A navigation information system comprising:

a server apparatus;

a navigation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ; and

a communications network, the navigation apparatus being capable of communicating with the server apparatus via the communication network;

wherein the navigation apparatus is arranged to communicate the identity of the candidate parking location to the server apparatus.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the server apparatus is arranged to respond to requests from the navigation apparatus for an identity of a parking location conforming to a predetermined criterion.

13. The navigation information system of claim 11 further comprising a database comprising known, legal parking locations.

14. A method of collecting parking location information, the method comprising:

analysing location data relating to change of location of a navigation apparatus with time;

determining when a location of the navigation apparatus is substantially unchanged;

determining that the location determined constitutes a candidate parking location in response to the location determined remaining substantially unchanged for a predetermined period of time or more than the predetermined period of time; and

determining whether the candidate parking location is a valid or known candidate parking location.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

soliciting a user as to whether the candidate parking location is an actual parking location.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

obtaining permission to share the identity of the candidate parking location.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

determining whether the candidate parking location is a roadside location.

18. A method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

storing the substantially unchanged location;

identifying reoccurrence of use of the candidate parking location;

inferring from a frequency of the reoccurrence being greater than or equal to a predetermined event value that the candidate parking location is an actual parking location.

19. A method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

storing the substantially unchanged location;

identifying instances of other stored substantially unchanged locations within a predetermined distance of the substantially unchanged location;

identifying a pattern in the stored substantially unchanged locations indicative of a collection of parking locations; and

inferring that the candidate parking location is an actual parking location.

20. A computer program element comprising computer program code means to make a computer execute the method as claimed in claim 14 .

21. A computer program element as claimed in claim 20 , embodied on a computer readable medium.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising updating a parking location database with the candidate parking location, when the candidate parking location is unknown and legal.