Apparatuses and methods for managing route navigation via mobile devices

• US 20090164115A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Zielinski, Ernst, Schink, Roland, Kosakowski, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,341,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for managing route navigation via mobile devices. A route is calculated between a starting point and a destination point. The route is divided into multiple segments based on the complexity of the calculated route, and navigation features are controlled as a function of the segment that corresponds to the user'"'"'s current location. The user may opt to identify one or more segments, or one or more route portions independent of whether or not segmentation has occurred, in order to specify a portion(s) of the route where navigation support is not needed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

calculating a route between a starting point and a destination point;

dividing the route into a plurality of segments based on a complexity of the calculated route; and

controlling at least one route navigation feature as a function of the segment that corresponds to a current location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating user identification of one or more of the segments in which the controlling of the at least one route navigation feature is overridden and one or more of the navigation features are functionally reduced.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating user identification of one or more of the segments in which the controlling of the at least one route navigation feature is overridden and one or more of the navigation features are functionally suspended.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a complexity of the calculated route by identifying a plurality of route types along the calculated route, and wherein dividing the route comprises designating each of the segments as a portion of the calculated route having a contiguous, common route type.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein dividing the route into a plurality of segments based on a complexity of the calculated route comprises:

identifying the complexity of the calculated route by identifying distinguishable route types along the calculated route; and

grouping substantially contiguous spans of the route having common route types to form each of the segments of the calculated route.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein dividing the route into a plurality of segments comprises dividing the route into a plurality of segments based on an extent of curvature of the calculated route.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an extent of curvature along the calculated route;

determining the complexity of the calculated route by establishing distinguishable levels of the curvature along the calculated route; and

wherein dividing the route into a plurality of segments based on the complexity of the calculated route comprises dividing the route into substantially contiguous segments corresponding to the established distinguishable levels of the curvature.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein dividing the route into a plurality of segments comprises dividing the route into a plurality of segments based on a quantity of intersections traversing the calculated route.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling at least one route navigation feature comprises deactivating one or more route presentation or generation features on a segment-by-segment basis.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling at least one route navigation feature comprises controlling operation of a display.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling operation of a display comprises one of turning the display off or reducing its brightness.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising utilizing an audio interface when the display is turned off.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling at least one route navigation feature comprises at least reducing the power consumption of components involved in the at least one navigation feature.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling at least one route navigation feature comprises increasing a time interval between positioning system tracking operations.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling at least one route navigation feature comprises controlling processing resources involved in presenting the calculated route to a user.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing visual indicia along the route, wherein a quantity of the visual indicia placed in each segment is proportional to the complexity of the calculated route at the respective segment.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating user velocity; and

performing GPS location updates at a rate proportional to the velocity of the user.

18. A method comprising:

calculating a route between a starting point and a destination point;

receiving a user-specified identification of one or more parts of the route to be subject to limited navigation support;

applying the limited navigation support to the one or more parts identified for limited navigation support; and

applying a standard navigation support to the one or more parts not identified for limited navigation support.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising dividing the route into a plurality of segments, and wherein receiving a user-specified identification of one or more parts of the route comprises receiving a user-specified identification of one or more of the plurality of segments to be subject to the limited navigation support.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein dividing the route comprises dividing the route into the plurality of segments based on a complexity of the calculated route, and wherein applying a standard navigation support is based on the complexity of the respective segment.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving a user-specified identification of one or more parts of the route comprises receiving a user-specified identification of the one or more parts of the route to be subject to the limited navigation support during the user'"'"'s movement along the route.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the limited navigation support comprises at least deactivating a display that presents the route.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising facilitating user entry of the user-specified identification of the one or more parts of the route that are to be subject to limited navigation support.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising facilitating user-controlled toggling between applying the limited navigation support and the standard navigation support.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the limited navigation support comprises suspending operation of a display for purposes of navigating the route.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the limited navigation support comprises reducing a brightness of a visual presentation on a display for purposes of navigating the route.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the limited navigation support comprises reducing the power consumption of components involved in the at least one navigation feature.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the limited navigation support comprises reducing or suspending navigation feedback associated with the at least one navigation feature.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the limited navigation support comprises increasing a time interval between positioning system tracking operations.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a user interface configured to facilitate user entry of at least a route destination;

a navigation module configured to calculate a route between a route origin and the route destination, and to divide the route into a plurality of segments based on a complexity of the calculated route;

a location identification module configured to identify the user'"'"'s location along the route; and

wherein the navigation module is further configured to control at least one route navigation feature as a function of the segment in which the user is currently located.

31. The apparatus as in claim 30, wherein the navigation module is configured to determine a complexity of the calculated route by identifying a plurality of route types along the calculated route, and to divide the route by designating each of the segments as a portion of the calculated route having a contiguous, common route type.

32. The apparatus as in claim 30, wherein the navigation module is configured to divide the route into the plurality of segments based on an extent of curvature of the calculated route.

33. The apparatus as in claim 30, wherein the location identification module comprises a global positioning system module capable of communicating with global positioning system infrastructure to identify the user'"'"'s location as a function of latitude and longitude.

34. The apparatus as in claim 30, further comprising a display to present at least the calculated route and the user'"'"'s location along the route, wherein the at least one route navigation feature includes the presentation of the calculated route and the user'"'"'s location along the route, and wherein the navigation module is configured to control the presentation on the display as a function of the segment in which the user is currently located.

35. The apparatus as in claim 30, further comprising at least one audio output to audibly present at least instructions for traveling the calculated route, wherein the at least one route navigation feature includes the presentation of the instructions, and wherein the navigation module is configured to control the instructions from the audio output as a function of the segment in which the user is currently located.

36. The apparatus as in claim 30, wherein the at least one route navigation feature includes position tracking along the route, and wherein the navigation module is configured to control the position tracking by the location identification module.

37. The apparatus as in claim 30, wherein the location identification module is further configured to establish the route origin based on the user'"'"'s current location, and wherein the navigation module is configured to calculate the route between the route origin established by the location identification module and the route destination entered via the user interface.

38. The apparatus as in claim 30, wherein the user interface is further configured to facilitate user entry of the route origin.

39. An apparatus comprising:

a navigation module configured to calculate a route between a route origin and a route destination;

a user interface configured to receive a user-specified identification of one or more parts of the route to be subject to limited navigation support; and

a processing module configured to apply the limited navigation support to the one or more parts identified for limited navigation support, and to apply a standard navigation support to the one or more parts not identified for limited navigation support.

40. The apparatus as in claim 39, wherein the navigation module is further configured to divide the route into a plurality of segments, and wherein the user interface is configured to receive a user-specified identification of one or more of the plurality of segments to be subject to the limited navigation support.

41. The apparatus as in claim 39, wherein the user interface is configured to receive the user-specified identification of the one or more parts of the route to be subject to limited navigation support during the user'"'"'s movement along the route, and wherein the processing module is configured to apply the limited navigation support or the standard navigation support depending on a state of the received user-specified identifications.

42. The apparatus as in claim 39, wherein the user interface further comprises one or more user interface mechanisms to facilitate user-controlled toggling between applying the limited navigation support and the standard navigation support.

43. The apparatus as in claim 39, further comprising a display configured to present at least the calculated route, and wherein the processing module is configured to limit visual presentations by the display when limited navigation support is applied.

44. The apparatus as in claim 39, further comprising one or more transceivers to communicate information over-the-air, and wherein the processing module is configured to limit communications by one or more of the transceivers when limited navigation support is applied.

45. Computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a processing system for performing steps comprising:

calculating a route between a starting point and a destination point;

dividing the route into a plurality of segments based on a complexity of the calculated route; and

controlling at least one route navigation feature as a function of the segment that corresponds to a current location.

46. Computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a processing system for performing steps comprising:

calculating a route between a starting point and a destination point;

receiving a user-specified identification of one or more parts of the route to be subject to limited navigation support;

applying the limited navigation support to the one or more parts identified for limited navigation support; and

applying a standard navigation support to the one or more parts not identified for limited navigation support.