Navigation system and methods for generating enhanced search results

• US 10,527,442 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bourque, Francis, Gupta, Sanjay, Hansen, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Rodney P
• Application Number:
  US14/720,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20160146625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 701532
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A navigation system and various methods of using the system are described herein. Search query results are refined by the system and are prioritized based at least in part upon sub-search categories selected during the searching process. Sub-searches can be represented by graphical icons displayed on the user interface.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a graphical user interface configured for receiving input and displaying content; and

a processor for executing a search engine to provide search query results, the processor configured to;

receive, via the graphical user interface, an input for a final destination,

initiate a search query based on the final destination,

identify, from travel related data stored in a database and based upon the search query, a plurality of points of interest (POIs) associated with the final destination,

identify a plurality of sub-search categories associated with the plurality of POIs,

cause the graphical user interface to display (i) the plurality of POIs, and (ii) a plurality of icons, wherein the plurality of icons are respectively visually representative of the plurality of sub-search categories,

after causing the graphical user interface to display the plurality of POIs and the plurality of icons, receive a keyword via the graphical user interface,

identify a refined list of POIs of the plurality of POIs based on (i) the keyword and (ii) proximity metrics to the final destination, and

cause the graphical user interface to display (i) the refined list of POIs, and (ii) for each POI in the refined list of POIs, a proximity metric of the proximity metrics.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, via the graphical user interface, a selection of one of the plurality of icons.

3. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

further refine the refined list of POIs according to the selection of the one of the plurality of icons, and

cause the graphical user interface to display the further refined list of POIs.

4. The navigation system according to claim 3, wherein to further refine the refined list of results, the processor is configured to:

further refine the refined list of results further based on the final destination.

5. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, via the graphical user interface, a selection of a point of interest (POI) from the refined list of POIs, and

generate a route to the POI.

6. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

prioritize the plurality of POIs based at least in part upon one or more previous travel and query selections.

7. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-search categories are selected from the group comprising:

fuel filling station, restaurant, parking, arts and entertainment, lodging, religious worship structure, educational structure, medical services business, keywords, and meta-categories.

8. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the travel related data includes information selected from the group comprising:

frequency of destination visits, search query time, time-of-day associated with previous search queries, current directional travel, and frequency of the route.

9. A computer-implemented method for conveying enhanced search query results comprising the steps of:

receiving, via a graphical user interface, an input for a final destination;

initiating a search query, by accessing a database storing geographic related information, based at least in part upon the final destination;

identifying a plurality of points of interest (POIs) associated with the final destination based at least in part upon the search query;

identifying a plurality of sub-search categories associated with the plurality of POIs;

displaying, in the graphical user interface, (i) the plurality of POIs, and (ii) a plurality of icons, wherein the plurality of icons are respectively visually representative of the plurality of sub-search categories;

after displaying, in the graphical user interface, the plurality of destination POIs and the plurality of icons, receiving a keyword via the graphical user interface;

identifying a refined list of POIs of the plurality of POIs based on (i) the keyword and (ii) proximity metrics to the final destination; and

displaying, in the graphical user interface, (i) the refined list of POIs, and (ii) for each POI in the refined list of POIs, a proximity metric of the proximity metrics.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, via the graphical user interface, a selection of one of the plurality of icons.

11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10, further comprising:

further refining the refined list of POIs according to the selection of the one of the plurality of icons; and

displaying the further refined list of POIs in the graphical user interface.

12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a point of interest (POI) from the refined list of POIs; and

generating a route to the POI.

13. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9, further comprising:

prioritizing the plurality of POIs at least in part based on a frequency of visits associated with the POIs.

14. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of sub-search categories are selected from the group comprising:

fuel filling station, restaurant, parking, arts and entertainment, lodging, religious worship structure, educational structure, medical services business, keywords, and meta-categories.

15. A computer-implemented method of conveying search query results comprising the steps of:

receiving, via a graphical interface, an input for a final destination;

initiating a search query based at least in part upon the final destination;

identifying, from a database, a plurality of intermediary points of interest (POIs) based at least in part upon the search query;

displaying the plurality of intermediary POIs in the graphical interface;

identifying a plurality of sub-search categories associated with the plurality of intermediary POIs;

displaying, in the graphical interface, (i) the plurality of intermediary POIs, and (ii) a plurality of icons, wherein the plurality of icons are respectively visually representative of the plurality of sub-search categories;

after displaying, in the graphical user interface, the plurality of intermediary POIs and the plurality of icons, receiving a keyword via the graphical user interface;

initiating a sub-search, based at least in part upon (i) the keyword, and (ii) proximity metrics to the final destination, to identify a list of POIs; and

displaying, in the user interface, (i) the list of POIs, and (ii) for each POI in the list of POIs, a proximity metric of the proximity metrics.

16. The computer-implemented method according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of sub-search categories are selected from the group comprising:

fuel filling station, restaurant, parking, arts and entertainment, lodging, religious worship structure, educational structure, medical services business, keywords, and meta-categories.

17. The computer-implemented method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, via the graphical user interface, a selection of one of the plurality of icons.

18. The computer-implemented method according to claim 17, further comprising:

identifying a refined list of POIs according to the selection of the one of the plurality of icons; and

displaying the refined list of POIs in the graphical user interface.

19. The computer-implemented method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a point of interest (POI) from the list of POIs; and

generating a route to the POI.