Dynamic destination navigation system

• US 10,145,697 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Paek, Tim, Bahl, Paramvir, Bennett, Paul N.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US15/478,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20170219363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• 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 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides a method for navigating to dynamic destinations. The method includes associating a leader mobile device with a follower mobile device. The method also includes displaying, on the follower mobile device, a first path from a follower vehicle to a first location of a leader vehicle. The follower vehicle is associated with the follower mobile device. The leader vehicle is associated with the leader mobile device. The method further includes displaying, on the follower mobile device, a second path from the follower vehicle to a second location of the leader vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for improved navigation to dynamic destinations, comprising:

generating a caravan comprising a leader and one or more followers travelling to a destination;

determining a first route for the leader to travel to an intermediate destination;

directing the leader to travel the first route to the intermediate destination;

determining a second route for one of the followers to travel to the intermediate destination;

determining that the second route leads the one follower to the intermediate destination in less time than following the leader along the first route; and

directing the one follower to travel the second route to the intermediate destination.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

presenting a user selection on a mobile device of the leader, wherein the user selection is configured to initiate a conversation between the leader and the one follower; and

presenting the user selection on a mobile device of the one follower.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising initiating the conversation between the leader and the one follower in response to an activation of the user selection.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

presenting, on a mobile device of the leader, the first route in association with a first map comprising a current location of the leader; and

presenting, on a mobile device of the one follower, the second route in association with a second map comprising a current location of the one follower.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising:

presenting, on the mobile device of the leader, the second route in association with the second map; and

presenting, on the mobile device of the one follower, the first route in association with the first map.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first route and the second route comprise turn-by-turn directions.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising presenting a message, on the mobile device of the leader or the one follower, describing a landmark within the first route or the second route.

8. A system for navigating to dynamic destinations, comprising:

a processing unit; and

a system memory, wherein the system memory comprises code configured to direct the processing unit to;

generate a caravan comprising a leader and one or more followers travelling to a destination;

determine a first route for the leader to travel to an intermediate destination;

direct the leader to travel the first route to the intermediate destination;

determine a second route for one of the followers to travel to the intermediate destination;

determine that the second route leads the one follower to the intermediate destination in less time than following the leader along the first route;

direct the one follower to travel the second route to the intermediate destination; and

initiate a conversation between the leader and the one follower on a mobile device of the leader and a mobile device of the one follower.

9. The system of claim 8, the system memory comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to:

present a user selection on a mobile device of the leader, wherein the user selection is configured to initiate a conversation between the leader and the one follower; and

present the user selection on a mobile device of the one follower, wherein the conversation is initiated in response to an activation of the user selection.

10. The system of claim 8, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to:

present, on a mobile device of the leader, the first route in association with a first map comprising a current location of the leader; and

present, on a mobile device of the one follower, the second route in association with a second map comprising a current location of the one follower.

11. The system of claim 10, comprising:

presenting, on the mobile device of the leader, the second route in association with the second map; and

presenting, on the mobile device of the one follower, the first route in association with the first map.

12. The system of claim 8, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to present a message, on the mobile device of the leader, describing a landmark within the first route.

13. The system of claim 12, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to present a message, on the mobile device of the one follower, describing a landmark within the second route.

14. One or more computer-readable storage media, comprising code configured to direct a processing unit to:

generate a caravan comprising a leader and one or more followers travelling to a destination;

determine a first route for the leader to travel to an intermediate destination;

direct the leader to travel the first route to the intermediate destination;

determine a second route for one of the followers to travel to the intermediate destination;

determine that the second route leads the one follower to the intermediate destination in less time than following the leader along the first route;

direct the one follower to travel the second route to the intermediate destination;

present, on a mobile device of the leader, the first route in association with a first map comprising a current location of the leader; and

present, on a mobile device of the one follower, the second route in association with a second map comprising a current location of the one follower.

15. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 14, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to present, on the mobile device of the leader, the second route in association with the second map.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to present, on the mobile device of the one follower, the first route in association with the first map.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 14, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to initiate a conversation between the leader and the one follower on the mobile device of the leader and the mobile device of the one follower.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to:

present a user selection on the mobile device of the leader, wherein the user selection is configured to initiate a conversation between the leader and the one follower; and

present the user selection on the mobile device of the one follower, wherein the conversation is initiated in response to an activation of the user selection.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 14, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to present a message, on the mobile device of the leader, describing a landmark within the first route.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 14, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to present a message, on the mobile device of the one follower, describing a landmark within the second route.