COMPUTING NAVIGATION DEVICE WITH ENHANCED ROUTE DIRECTIONS VIEW

• US 20090254268A1
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Figueroa, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,359,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn

Abstract

Systems, methods and a graphical user interface are provided for enhancing a computing navigation device route directions view. A system is disclosed including a computing navigation device configured to identify a route for travel. The route includes one or more geographic locations along the route. The computing navigation device is further configured to receive media from a media service via a computer network, wherein each media includes associated geographic information indicating that the media relates to the one or more geographic locations. The computing navigation device is further configured to display the media in a route directions view of a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A system for enhancing a computing navigation device route directions view, comprising:

a computing navigation device configured to identify a route for travel, the route including one or more geographic locations along the route, and the computing navigation device being further configured to receive media from a media service via a computer network, wherein each media includes associated geographic information indicating that the media relates to the one or more geographic locations, and the computing navigation device being further configured to display the media in a route directions view of a graphical user interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the route is a planned route for travel, and the computing navigation device is configured to contact a map service via the computer network to download the planned route for travel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the route is a detected route of travel, and wherein the computing navigation device further includes a global positioning system receiver configured to determine the one or more geographic locations along the route.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein media includes images and/or video.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographic information includes latitude and longitude to associate the media with the one or more geographic locations.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated geographic information of the media further includes cardinal direction.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the media at the media service includes metadata to identify the media as having been captured under predetermined conditions at the one or more geographic locations, the graphical user interface including a settings interface configured to receive a user selected extended data parameter to select media to be downloaded from the media service as having been captured under a selected predetermined condition.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein metadata identifies the media as being one or more extended data types being selected from the group consisting of weather information, traffic conditions, road conditions, time, date, day, and night.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing navigation device includes a map module configured to receive a map and one or more graphical elements from a map service indicative of a planned route for travel, a media module configured to receive the media from the media service, and a route module configured to receive global position coordinates from a GPS system indicative of a detected route of travel.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the graphical user interface includes a route pane for displaying the route, and a media pane for displaying the media.

11. A method for enhancing a computing navigation device route directions view comprising:

identifying a route for travel, the route including one or more geographic locations along the route;

receiving media corresponding to the geographic locations along the route, from a media service via a computer network, wherein each media includes associated geographic information indicating that the media relates to one or more of the geographic locations; and

displaying one or more route elements for traveling to the geographic locations along the route, and the media associated with the geographic locations in a graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the route elements include graphical elements displayed on a map.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the route elements include text elements configured to provide instructions to traverse the route for travel.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a user selected extended data parameter for selecting one or more extended data types wherein the extended data types are selected from the group consisting of weather information, traffic conditions, road conditions, time, date, day, and night.

15. A graphical user interface of an enhanced computing navigation device route directions view comprising:

a route pane configured to display a route including one or more route elements, each route element having an associated geographic location along the route; and

a media pane configured to display media corresponding to the one or more geographic locations along the route, the media including geographic information used to associate the media with the geographic locations, and being downloaded from a media service via a computer network.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 15, wherein the media includes images and/or video.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the images include one more of a street view, an aerial view, and video depicting movement along the path.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 15, wherein at least some of the media downloaded from the media service includes metadata to identify the media as having been captured under predetermined conditions at the one or more geographic locations, and further comprising a settings interface configured to receive a user selected extended data parameter to selectively download media as having been captured under a selected predetermined condition.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 15, wherein the one or more route elements include graphical elements displayed on a map and/or textual elements providing instructions to traverse the route for travel.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 15, further comprising a settings interface configured to receive a user selected extended data parameter for selecting one or more extended data types wherein the extended data types are selected from the group consisting of weather information, traffic conditions, road conditions, time, date, day, and night.