Devices and methods for comparing and selecting alternative navigation routes

• US 10,422,654 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moore, Bradford, Blumenberg, Christopher, Van Os, Marcel, Gyatt, Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Isaac G
• Application Number:
  US13/486,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20130103313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 701 15, 701200, 701201, 701204, 701209, 701210, 701533, 382113
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• 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 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• 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 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3676 Overview of the route on the road map

Abstract

Devices, methods, and machine-readable media to facilitate intuitive comparison and selection of calculated navigation routes are disclosed. An electronic device for navigation includes a touch-sensitive screen and a processing module for displaying a map, calculating a number or navigation routes simultaneously on the touch-sensitive screen, and receiving a selection of a route. Callouts, or markers for presenting key information about each route, are also displayed discretely on the map. Navigation tiles including key route information and route pictorials can also be created and displayed for each calculated route.

Claims

1. An electronic device for navigation comprising:

a display screen; and

a processing module coupled to the display screen, the processing module for;

displaying a map on the display screen at a first zoom level;

calculating a plurality of routes extending from a starting point to a destination point;

displaying the plurality of calculated routes simultaneously on the display screen at the first zoom level;

for each of the plurality of calculated routes, displaying an associated callout overlaid on the route, each callout indicating the associated calculated route and at least one attribute of a set of attributes related to the associated calculated route;

in response to receiving a selection of the callout associated with a route of the plurality of routes, altering the callout to display at least one other attribute of the set of attributes, wherein a set of off-screen calculated routes of the plurality of calculated routes is not displayed on the map; and

for each of the different set of off-screen calculated routes, displaying an offscreen route callout overlaid on the route, each offscreen route callout including the set of attributes related to the associated calculated route.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of calculated routes are superimposed on the map.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein each route of the plurality of calculated routes is highlighted and differentiable from all other displayed routes.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein each route of the plurality of calculated routes is highlighted in a different color.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further for displaying at least one route more prominently than the other displayed routes.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further for displaying a start point indicator and a destination point indicator.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the processing module is further for receiving a selection of a route from the plurality of calculated routes, wherein the selected route further comprises at least one route-change indicator, the route-change indicator representing a location for a navigation instruction for the associated route.

17. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of calculated routes is a first plurality, wherein the processing module is further for:

recalculating a second plurality of calculated routes at predetermined intervals; and

displaying a callout overlaid on the route for each of the second plurality of calculated routes.

18. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured for:

recalculating a new plurality of calculated routes; and

displaying a callout overlaid on the route for each of the new plurality of calculated routes.

19. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of calculated routes is a first plurality, wherein the processing module is further for:

recalculating a second plurality of calculated routes based at least on an input from a user; and

displaying a callout overlaid on the route for each of the second plurality of calculated routes.

20. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of calculated routes is a first plurality, wherein the processing module is further for:

recalculating a second plurality of calculated routes upon the occurrence of a predetermined event; and

displaying a callout overlaid on the route for each of the second plurality of calculated routes.

8. A method for identifying a plurality of navigation routes, the method comprising:

displaying a map including geographical identifying information, wherein the map is displayed at a particular zoom factor of a plurality of zoom factors;

calculating a plurality of navigation routes, each navigation route having a same starting point and a same destination point as other routes in the plurality of routes, each navigation route being identified by an associated callout overlaid on the route;

displaying a set of the plurality of navigation routes that are superimposed over the map at the particular zoom factor;

identifying a location for each of the callouts on the map so that each callout identifies its associated navigation route for the particular zoom factor, wherein when a route of the plurality of calculated routes is not in the set of displayed routes at the particular zoom factor, the callout associated with the route is still identified on the map;

overlaying each callout at the callout'"'"'s identified location on the map at the particular zoom factor, wherein each callout displays at least one attribute of a set of attributes associated with the associated navigation route;

in response to receiving a selection of a callout for a route displaying at least one other attribute of the set of attributes, wherein a set of routes of the plurality of calculated routes is not displayed on the map; and

for each of the different set of off-screen calculated routes, displaying an offscreen route callout overlaid on the route, each offscreen route callout including the set of attributes related to the associated calculated route.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the callouts comprise at least a route name.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the map is displayed at one of the zoom factors based on at least one of the following navigation factors:

speed limit;

distance to a next turn; and

distance to a Point of Interest.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least two of the plurality of navigation routes share a portion of a common route.

12. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for controlling an electronic device, the program executable by at least one processing unit, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

displaying a map on the display screen at a first zoom level;

calculating a plurality of navigation routes extending from a starting point to a destination point;

displaying the plurality of calculated routes simultaneously on the display screen at the first zoom level;

for each of the plurality of calculated routes, displaying an associated callout overlaid on the route, each callout indicating the associated calculated route and at least one attribute of a set of attributes related to the associated calculated route;

in response to receiving a selection of the callout associated with a route of the plurality of routes, altering the callout to display at least one other attribute of the set of attributes, wherein a set of off-screen calculated routes of the plurality of calculated routes is not displayed on the map; and

for each of the different set of off-screen calculated routes, displaying an offscreen route callout overlaid on the route, each offscreen route callout including the set of attributes related to the associated calculated route.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 further comprising a set of instructions for displaying a context-appropriate menu based upon an input from a user.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein at least one navigation route of the plurality of navigation routes has a transit portion that requires use of a transit vehicle to traverse, the program further comprising sets of instructions for:

accessing a set of transit data related to the transit vehicle'"'"'s traversal of the transit portion; and

displaying a set of transit schedules from the set of transit data on the screen of the electronic device.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the set of instructions for calculating the plurality of navigation routes comprises a set of instructions for calculating a total travel time based at least on the timing of the accessed transit schedules, wherein the set of attributes further comprises the total travel time.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the set of transit data comprises transit prices, wherein the set of instructions for calculating the plurality of navigation routes comprises a set of instructions for calculating a total price based on the transit prices necessary to travel the transit portion of the navigation route.