Apparatus and method for route navigation of multiple destinations

• US 20080103686A1
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Alberth, William P., Krause, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method for route navigation for multiple destinations. Route parameters can be received and a route (140, 142) can be generated for multiple destinations (132, 134). An estimated time of arrival can be calculated for each destination. An updated estimated time of arrival can be generated for one of the destinations. A messaging service message including the updated time of arrival can be sent to a recipient (122, 124) associated with the respective destination if the updated time of arrival deviates from the original estimated time of arrival.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining route parameters including information corresponding to an origin, information corresponding to a first destination, and information corresponding to a second destination;

associating a recipient with the second destination;

generating a route, the route comprising a first series of segments connecting the origin to the first destination and a second series of segments connecting the first destination to the second destination;

calculating a first estimated time of arrival at the first destination and a second estimated time of arrival at the second destination, the second estimated time of arrival based on a time of traveling the first series of segments and the second series of segments, the second estimated time of arrival also based on a duration of time spent at the first destination; and

sending a message to the recipient associated with the second destination based on the deviation from the second estimated time of arrival, the message including the new second estimated time of arrival.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining an updated second time of arrival; and

sending, if a deviation from the second estimated time of arrival has exceeded a threshold, an updated message to the recipient associated with the second destination, the message including the new second estimated time of arrival.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the duration of time spent at the first location is estimated from one selected from the group of

historical durations spent at the first location and

a period of time entered by the user.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the route is generated based upon one selected from the group of a desired arrival time and a desired departure time at one selected from the group of the first destination and the second destination.

5. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the route parameters include traffic information, and

wherein the route is generated based on avoiding segments having traffic congestion above a traffic congestion threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to the second destination is based on the location of the recipient.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

measuring an amount of time spent at the first destination; and

updating the historical duration of time spent at the first destination with the measured amount of time spent at the first destination.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the historical duration of time spent at the first destination is based on an average of past measured amounts of time spent at the first destination.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting a reminder associated with an amount of time to reach the second destination;

sending a reminder message to the recipient associated with the second destination when a time to reach the second destination is substantially equal to the estimated amount of time to reach the second destination associated with the reminder.

10. A navigation device comprising:

an antenna;

a transceiver coupled to the antenna;

an interface module configured to receive route parameters including information corresponding to an origin, information corresponding to a first destination, and information corresponding to a second destination;

a location determination module;

a controller coupled to the transceiver, the interface module, and the location determination module;

a route generation module coupled to the controller, the route generation module configured to generate a route, the route comprising a first series of road segments connecting the origin to the first destination and a second series of road segments connecting the first destination to the second destination;

a time of arrival calculation module coupled to the controller, the time of arrival calculation module configured to calculate a first estimated time of arrival at the first destination and a second estimated time of arrival at the second destination, the second estimated time of arrival based on a time of traveling the first series of road segments and the second series of road segments, the second estimated time of arrival also based on a historical duration of time spent at the first destination, the time of arrival calculation module also configured to establish a new second estimated time of arrival;

a deviation determination module configured to determine a deviation in the second estimated time of arrival from the new second estimated time of arrival; and

a memory configured to store an association of a recipient with the second destination;

wherein the controller is further configured to send a message to the recipient associated with the second destination, the message including the new second estimated time of arrival.

11. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the location determination module comprises a global positioning system module.

12. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the deviation determination module is configured to determine the deviation in the second estimated time of arrival has exceeded a threshold and the controller can send a message if the deviation in the second estimated time of arrival has exceeded the threshold.

13. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the message comprises one selected from the group of a short messaging service message, a multimedia messaging service message, and an enhanced messaging service message.

14. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the route is generated based upon one selected from the group of a desired arrival time and a desired departure time at one selected from the group of the first destination and the second destination.

15. The navigation device according to claim 10,

wherein the route parameters include traffic information, and

wherein the route is generated based on avoiding road segments having traffic congestion above a traffic congestion threshold.

16. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the information corresponding to the second destination is based on the location of the recipient.

17. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to measure an amount of time spent at the first destination and update the historical duration of time spent at the first destination with the measured amount of time spent at the first destination.

18. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the historical duration of time spent at the first destination is based on an average of past measured amounts of time spent at the first destination.

19. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to set a reminder associated with an amount of time to reach the second destination and send a reminder messaging service message to the recipient associated with the second destination when a time to reach the second destination is substantially equal to the amount of time to reach the second destination associated with the reminder.

20. A selective call receiver comprising:

an antenna;

a transceiver coupled to the antenna;

an interface module configured to receive route parameters including information corresponding to an origin, information corresponding to a first destination, and information corresponding to a second destination;

a global positioning system module;

a controller coupled to the transceiver, the interface module, and the global positioning system module;

a route generation module coupled to the controller, the route generation module configured to generate a route, the route comprising a first series of road segments connecting the origin to the first destination and a second series of road segments connecting the first destination to the second destination;

a time of arrival calculation module coupled to the controller, the time of arrival calculation module configured to calculate a first estimated time of arrival at the first destination and a second estimated time of arrival at the second destination, the second estimated time of arrival based on a time of traveling the first series of road segments and the second series of road segments, the second estimated time of arrival also based on a historical duration of time spent at the first destination, the time of arrival calculation module also configured to establish a new second estimated time of arrival;

a deviation determination module configured to determine a deviation between the second estimated time of arrival and the new second estimated time of arrival has exceeded a threshold; and

a memory configured to store an association of a recipient with the second destination;

wherein the controller is further configured to send a messaging service message to the recipient associated with the second destination when the deviation in the second time of arrival exceeds the threshold, the messaging service message including the new second estimated time of arrival.