Systems and methods for avoiding location-dependent driving restrictions

• US 10,401,182 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Greenberg, Merav, Agassi, Uri
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US15/840,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20190178660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 701423
• 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 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3655 Timing of guidance instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for generating restriction-based navigation directions to avoid areas having location-dependent driving restrictions. An electronic device receives a user request for navigation directions from an origin location to a destination location. The electronic device determines multiple sets of navigation directions between the origin location and the destination location, and compares each set of navigation directions to locations associated with driving restrictions to identify driving restrictions that apply to the user'"'"'s request for navigation directions. Based on rules associated with an identified driving restriction, and user-provided information related to the identified driving restriction, the electronic device determines whether the identified driving restriction applies to the user. Then the electronic device identifies a set of navigation directions that avoids locations associated with the identified driving restriction, and presents the identified set of navigation directions on a map display.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating navigation directions to avoid areas having location-dependent driving restrictions, comprising:

receiving, by an electronic device, a user request for navigation directions from an origin location to a destination location;

determining, by a navigation application of the electronic device, one or more sets of navigation directions, each of which directs a user of the electronic device from the origin location to the destination location;

comparing, by the electronic device, one or more of;

the origin location, the destination location, or the one or more sets of navigation directions to locations associated with a plurality of driving restrictions, each of the plurality of driving restrictions associated with a different set of rules, to identify a driving restriction related to air quality from among the plurality of driving restrictions that applies to the user request for navigation directions;

prompting, by the electronic device, the user of the electronic device to provide information related to the identified driving restriction;

determining, by the electronic device, based on the information and the set of rules associated with the identified driving restriction, that the identified driving restriction applies to the user of the electronic device;

identifying, by the electronic device, a set of navigation directions of the one or more sets of navigation directions that avoids the locations associated with the identified driving restriction that applies to the user of the electronic device; and

providing, by the electronic device, the identified set of navigation directions to the user of the electronic device to avoid the locations associated with the identified driving restriction.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the origin location is associated with a first driving restriction having a first set of rules, and wherein the destination location is associated with a second driving restriction having a second set of rules.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the electronic device, an indication of a warning to the user when one or more of;

(i) a current location of the user;

(ii) the origin location;

(iii) the destination location;

or (iv) the one or more sets of navigation directions is associated with the identified driving restriction.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sets of rules associated with each of the plurality of driving restrictions include one or more of:

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on current air pollution levels in the one or more locations;

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on whether the user has a permit associated with each location;

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on a license plate number associated with the vehicle;

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on a type of the vehicle;

or

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on an age of the vehicle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the identified driving restriction applies to the user of the electronic device is further based on a date and/or a time that the user will be in a location associated with the identified driving restriction.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a change in or a removal of one of the plurality of driving restrictions, based on input from one or more other users.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sets of navigation directions include a plurality of maneuvers for directing the user from the origin location to the destination location, and each set of navigation directions includes a different set of maneuvers.

8. An electronic device for generating navigation directions to avoid areas having location-dependent driving restrictions, comprising:

one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server device to;

receive a user request for navigation directions from an origin location to a destination location;

determine one or more sets of navigation directions, each of which directs a user of the electronic device from the origin location to the destination location;

compare one or more of;

the origin location, the destination location, or the one or more sets of navigation directions to locations associated with a plurality of driving restrictions, each of the plurality of driving restrictions associated with a different set of rules, to identify a driving restriction related to air quality from among the plurality of driving restrictions that applies to the user request for navigation directions;

prompt the user of the electronic device to provide information related to the identified driving restriction;

determine, based on the information and the set of rules associated with the identified driving restriction, that the identified driving restriction applies to the user of the electronic device;

identify a set of navigation directions of the one or more sets of navigation directions that avoids the locations associated with the identified driving restriction that applies to the user of the electronic device; and

provide the identified set of navigation directions to the user of the electronic device to avoid the locations associated with the identified driving restriction.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the origin location is associated with a first driving restriction having a first set of rules, and wherein the destination location is associated with a second driving restriction having a second set of rules.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

provide an indication of a warning to the user when one or more of;

(i) a current location of the user;

(ii) the origin location;

(iii) the destination location;

or (iv) the one or more sets of navigation directions is associated with the identified driving restriction.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the sets of rules associated with each of the plurality of driving restrictions include one or more of:

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on current air pollution levels in the one or more locations;

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on whether the user has a permit associated with each location;

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on a license plate number associated with the vehicle;

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on a type of the vehicle;

or

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on an age of the vehicle.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to determine that the identified driving restriction applies to the user of the electronic device is based on a date and/or a time that the user will be in a location associated with the identified driving restriction.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to receive an indication of a change in or a removal of one of the plurality of driving restrictions, based on input of one or more other users.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the one or more sets of navigation directions include a plurality of maneuvers for directing the user from the origin location to the destination location, and each set of navigation directions includes a different set of maneuvers.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for generating navigation directions to avoid areas having location-dependent driving restrictions that, when executed by one or more processors in an electronic device, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a user request for navigation directions from an origin location to a destination location;

determine one or more sets of navigation directions, each of which directs a user of the electronic device from the origin location to the destination location;

compare one or more of;

the origin location, the destination location, or the one or more sets of navigation directions to locations associated with a plurality of driving restrictions, each of the plurality of driving restrictions associated with a different set of rules, to identify a driving restriction related to air quality from among the plurality of driving restrictions that applies to the user request for navigation directions;

prompt the user of the electronic device to provide information related to the identified driving restriction;

determine, based on the information and the set of rules associated with the identified driving restriction, that the identified driving restriction applies to the user of the electronic device;

identify a set of navigation directions of the one or more sets of navigation directions that avoids the locations associated with the identified driving restriction that applies to the user of the electronic device; and

provide the identified set of navigation directions to the user of the electronic device to avoid the locations associated with the identified driving restriction.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the origin location is associated with a first driving restriction having a first set of rules, and wherein the destination location is associated with a second driving restriction having a second set of rules.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

provide an indication of a warning to the user when one or more of;

(i) a current location of the user;

(ii) the origin location;

(iii) the destination location;

or (iv) the one or more sets of navigation directions is associated with the identified driving restriction.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the sets of rules associated with each of the plurality of driving restrictions include one or more of:

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on current air pollution levels in the one or more locations;

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on whether the user has a permit associated with each location;

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on a license plate number associated with the vehicle;

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on a type of the vehicle;

or

a rule restricting a vehicle from one or more locations based on an age of the vehicle.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to determine that the identified driving restriction applies to the user of the electronic device is based on a date and/or a time that the user will be in a location associated with the identified driving restriction.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to receive an indication of a change in or a removal of one of the plurality of driving restrictions, based on input of one or more other users.