Outdoor to indoor navigation system

1. A method for guiding a traveler along a predetermined route in a digital map to a specific point of interest (POI) with respect to a three-dimensional structure in real life using a navigation device ( 10 ), said method comprising the steps of:

providing a digitized 3D model ( 16 ) of a physical object in reality;

providing a digital map having at least one road segment ( 14 ) corresponding to a road in reality leading to the 3D model ( 16 );

associating a plurality of spatially distinct points of interest (POIs 20 - 28 ) with the 3D model ( 16 ) corresponding to distinct locations distributed about the physical object in real life, wherein associating the plurality of spatially distinct POIs ( 20 - 28 ) comprises categorizing at least one POI as an exterior portal ( 20 - 26 ) and at least one POI as an interior feature ( 28 );

providing a navigation device ( 10 ) interactive with the digital map and having a display screen ( 12 ); and

on selection by a user of one of the plurality of POIs ( 20 - 28 ) as a destination;

providing directional cues associated with the road segment ( 14 ) leading toward the 3D model ( 16 ) from the display screen ( 12 ) of the navigation device ( 10 );

and, when proximate the physical object, portraying the 3D model ( 16 ) of the physical object on the display screen ( 12 );

providing directional cues ( 33 , 35 ) associated with the 3D model ( 16 ) leading toward the selected POI ( 28 ) on the display screen ( 12 ) of the navigation device ( 10 ), wherein if the selected POI is an interior feature ( 28 ), then navigating to the exterior portal ( 20 - 26 ) prior to providing directional cues ( 35 ) toward the selected POI ( 28 ).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing directional cues includes rendering a directional arrow on the display screen ( 12 ).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, the navigation device ( 10 ) includes a speaker ( 19 ), and said step of providing directional cues includes generating audible instructions ( 17 ) with the speaker ( 19 ).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of associating a plurality of spatially distinct POIs ( 20 - 28 ) includes establishing the POIs as attributes of the 3D model ( 16 ) in the digital map.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of associating a plurality of spatially distinct POIs ( 20 - 28 ) includes categorizing at least one POI as an exterior feature ( 34 ) distinct from the exterior portal ( 20 - 26 ) and interior feature ( 28 ).

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of categorizing at least one POI as an exterior portal includes defining an emergency exit ( 26 ).

7. A storage medium used to store 3D model ( 16 ) attributes for augmenting a digital map according to claim 1 .

8. A method for guiding a traveler along a predetermined route in a digital map to an interior point of interest (POI) inside a three-dimensional structure in real life using a portable navigation device ( 10 ), said method comprising the steps of:

providing a digitized 3D model ( 16 ) of a physical object in reality having an address;

providing a digital map having at least one road segment ( 14 ) corresponding to a road in reality;

associating a plurality of spatially distinct points of interest (POIs 20 - 28 ) with the 3D model ( 16 ) corresponding to POIs in the physical object in real life, at least one POI comprising an exterior portal ( 20 - 26 ) and at least one POI comprising an interior feature ( 28 );

providing a position reading device ( 10 ) interactive with the digital map and having a display screen ( 12 ), the position reading device ( 10 ) configured to ascertain its current position relative to the digital map and indicate the current position on the display screen ( 12 ); wherein

on selection by a user of the interior feature POI ( 28 ) as a destination;

providing directional cues associated with the road segment toward the address of the physical object from the current position of the position reading device ( 10 ); and, when the position reading device ( 10 ) is proximate the address of the physical object, portraying the 3D model ( 16 ) of the physical object on the display screen ( 12 ); and providing initial directional cues ( 33 ) associated with the 3D model ( 16 ) toward the exterior portal POI ( 20 - 26 ), and then providing final directional cues ( 35 ) toward the interior feature POI ( 28 ) when the current position of the position reading device ( 10 ) generally coincides with the exterior portal POI ( 20 - 26 ).

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of providing initial ( 33 ) and final ( 35 ) directional cues includes rendering a directional arrow on the display screen ( 12 ).

10. The method of claim 8 wherein, the position reading device ( 10 ) includes a speaker ( 19 ), and said step of providing initial ( 33 ) and final ( 35 ) directional cues includes generating audible instructions ( 17 ) with the speaker ( 19 ).

11. A storage medium used to store 3D model ( 16 ) attributes for augmenting a digital map according to claim 8 .

12. A navigation device ( 10 ) for guiding a traveler along a predetermined route in a digital map to a specific point of interest (POI) with respect to a three-dimensional structure, the navigation device comprising a display screen ( 12 ), and being interactive with;

a digitized 3D model ( 16 ) of a physical object, with which a plurality of spatially distinct points of interest (POIs 20 - 28 ) are associated, the POIs corresponding to distinct locations distributed about the physical object, wherein the plurality of spatially distinct POIs ( 20 - 28 ) are associated with the 3D model by means to categorize at least one POI as an exterior portal ( 20 - 26 ) and at least one POI as an interior feature ( 28 );

and a digital map having at least one road segment ( 14 ) corresponding to a road leading to the 3D model ( 16 );

wherein the navigation device comprises means to permit user selection of one of the plurality of POIs ( 20 - 28 ) as a destination, and, on selection of the POI, is configured to;

provide directional cues associated with the road segment ( 14 ) leading toward the 3D model ( 16 ) from the display screen ( 12 ) of the navigation device ( 10 ); and,

when proximate the physical object, to portray the 3D model ( 16 ) of the physical object on the display screen ( 12 ) to provide directional cues ( 33 , 35 ) associated with the 3D model ( 16 ) that lead toward the selected POI ( 28 ) on the display screen ( 12 ) of the navigation device ( 10 ), wherein, if the selected POI is an interior feature ( 28 ), the device ( 10 ) is configured to navigate directly to the exterior portal ( 20 - 26 ) prior to providing directional cues ( 35 ) toward the selected POI ( 28 ).

13. The device ( 10 ) of claim 12 wherein the means to provide directional cues comprises a directional arrow rendered on the display screen ( 12 ).

14. The device ( 10 ) of claim 12 , further comprising a speaker ( 19 ), and means to provide directional cues in the form of audible instructions ( 17 ) via the speaker ( 19 ).

15. The device ( 10 ) of claim 12 wherein the plurality of spatially distinct POIs ( 20 - 28 ) are associated with the 3D model by means to establish the POIs ( 20 - 28 ) as attributes of the 3D model ( 16 ) in the digital map.

16. The device ( 10 ) of claim 12 wherein the plurality of spatially distinct POIs ( 20 - 28 ) are associated with the 3D model by means to categorize at least one POI as an exterior feature ( 34 ) distinct from the exterior portal ( 20 - 26 ) and interior feature ( 28 ).

17. The device ( 10 ) of claim 12 wherein means to categorize the at least one POI as an exterior portal includes means to define an emergency exit ( 26 ).