TomTom Files Patent for Mapping with Digital Images

Limitations on the level of graphical detail incorporated into current mapping software may sometimes leave you wondering exactly which turn you are supposed to be taking. It is quite often the case that the tiny images on your GPS display can be somewhat ambiguous, especially on Sat Navs with smaller screens, which can result in confusion when it comes to reading your directions.

TomTom may be offering a potential solution to this problem according to a patent recently filed, outlining a new method of route mapping which incorporates digital images of the road ahead in a move to eliminate any ambiguity in the graphical display.
Sat Navs of the future may integrate a tiny camera which can record real world images and present them when necessary. These images could be used to form the basis of your mapping dispay, allowing for a reduction in the sometimes ambiguous directions presented on your device.

Whether or not these images would take the form of real time video footage, or simply digital stills presented at crucial turning points, hasn’t been clarified. It is likely though, that digital stills would be presented at certain points in the mapped route.

It isn’t yet clear when this new technology will be released, if at all, but it certainly represents an exciting development and shows that manufacturers are always pushing for improvements in the technology at your disposal.