Patent ID: 7881863

Claim:
In a vehicle navigation system having an output screen, a method for providing an option to a user of the vehicle navigation system for requesting an alternative travel route from an existing route between a first location to a second location, comprising the steps of: calculating the existing travel route between the first location and the second location; displaying the calculated existing travel route in the output screen; acquiring traffic information from a remote location; displaying a portion of the acquired traffic information that is located along the displayed existing travel route in the output screen; providing an option to the user to calculate the alternative travel route to the second location that avoids the displayed portion of traffic information; calculating the alternative travel route, if the user selects the provided option; and displaying the alternative travel route in the output screen, if the alternative travel route has been calculated; wherein the step of calculating the alternative travel route further comprises: translating the acquired traffic information into one or more speed values associated with a plurality of road links between the first location and the second location; using a routing algorithm having a cost function to determine a plurality of candidate alternative travel routes from the first location to the second location, the cost function taking into account at least the speed values associated with the plurality of road links between the first location and the second location; and selecting one of the plurality of candidate alternative travel routes based on the cost function as the alternative travel route.