Dynamically integrating offline and online data in a geographic application

• US 10,077,987 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Maurer, Jennifer, Wen, Sean Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torchinsky, Edward
• Application Number:
  US15/167,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20160349063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096833 where different aspects are considered when computing the route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A request for navigation directions for travelling from a source location to a destination location is received. Using data that was stored in a memory of a computing device prior to the request, first navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location are generated, and a request for navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location is transmitted to an online server. After second navigation directions for travelling from the source to the destination are received, it is determined whether a difference between the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions exceeds a threshold level. When the difference between the first navigation directions and the second directions route does not exceed the threshold level, the second navigation directions are merged into the first navigation directions.

Claims

1. A method in a computing device for providing navigation directions, the method comprising:

receiving a request for navigation directions for travelling from a source location to a destination location;

generating, by one or more processors using data that was stored in a memory of the computing device prior to the request, first navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location;

transmitting, using one or more processors, a request for navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location to an online server;

receiving, from the online server, second navigation directions for travelling from the source to the destination, including receiving traffic data;

determining, using one or more processors, whether a difference between the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions exceeds a threshold level; and

in a first instance, when the difference between the first navigation directions and the second directions does not exceed the threshold level, merging the second navigation directions into the first navigation directions, including adding the traffic data to the first navigation directions, and

in a second instance, when the difference between the first navigation directions and the second directions exceeds the threshold level, providing the second navigation directions via a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the difference between the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions includes:

representing each of the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions as a respective set of waypoints, and

comparing the first set to the second set to determine how many waypoints the two sets have in common relative to the sizes of the first set and the second set.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein comparing the first set to the second set includes assigning a larger weight to waypoints proximate to a current location of the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an indication that navigation directions are being retrieved from the online server, along with the first navigation directions.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining previously set route options prior to generating the first navigation directions, and wherein generating the first navigation directions includes applying the previously set route options.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the second navigation directions via the user interface includes:

presenting the first navigation directions as a primary route and

providing the second navigation directions as a selectable alternative.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the first navigation directions via the user interface while the second navigation directions are unavailable;

determining, using one or more processors, that the first navigation directions define a route that traverses an area of at least a certain size, for which the memory of the computing device stores no offline data or only limited data related to places disposed along the route; and

in response to determining that the computing device is within a certain threshold distance of a boundary of the area, automatically providing a notification related to the area via the user interface.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising automatically suggesting a specific category of businesses to search prior to reaching the area, via the user interface.

9. The method of claim 7, further providing an indication of a size of the area.

10. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors,

a user interface; and

a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors configured to implement a method including;

receiving a request for navigation directions for travelling from a source location to a destination location,

generating, using data that was stored in the memory prior to the request, first navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location,

transmitting a request for navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location to an online server,

receiving, from the online server, second navigation directions for travelling from the source to the destination, including receiving traffic data,

determining whether a difference between the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions exceeds a threshold level, and

in a first instance, when the difference between the first navigation directions and the second directions route does not exceed the threshold level, merging the second navigation directions into the first navigation directions including adding the traffic data to the first navigation directions, and

in a second instance, when the difference between the first navigation directions and the second directions exceeds the threshold level, providing the second navigation directions via a user interface.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein determining the difference between the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions includes:

representing each of the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions as a respective set of waypoints, and

comparing the first set to the second set to determine how many waypoints the two sets have in common relative to the sizes of the first set and the second set.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein comparing the first set to the second set includes assigning a larger weight to waypoints proximate to a current location of the computing device.

13. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the method further includes displaying an indication that navigation directions are being retrieved from the online server, along with the first navigation directions.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method comprising:

receiving a request for navigation directions for travelling from a source location to a destination location;

generating, by one or more processors using data that was stored in a memory of the computing device prior to the request, first navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location;

transmitting, using one or more processors, a request for navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location to an online server;

receiving, from the online server, second navigation directions for travelling from the source to the destination, including receiving traffic data;

determining, using one or more processors, whether a difference between the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions exceeds a threshold level; and

in a first instance, when the difference between the first navigation directions and the second directions route does not exceed the threshold level, merging the second navigation directions into the first navigation directions including adding the traffic data to the first navigation directions, and

in a second instance, when the difference between the first navigation directions and the second directions exceeds the threshold level, providing the second navigation directions via a user interface.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein determining the difference between the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions includes:

representing each of the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions as a respective set of waypoints, and

comparing the first set to the second set to determine how many waypoints the two sets have in common relative to the sizes of the first set and the second set.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein comparing the first set to the second set includes assigning a larger weight to waypoints proximate to a current location of the computing device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the method further includes displaying an indication that navigation directions are being retrieved from the online server, along with the first navigation directions.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the method further includes determining previously set route options prior to generating the first navigation directions, and wherein generating the first navigation directions includes applying the previously set route options.