System and method for storing and providing routes
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of providing directions comprising:
- receiving a request for map information from a plurality of mobile devices as the mobile devices travel along a route, the request identifying the geographical location of a mobile device as it changes over time;
storing the route traveled by each of the mobile devices based on the changing geographical locations received from each device;
transmitting map information to the mobile devices in response to the request for map information and based on the geographical locations associated with the request;
receiving, from a user, a request for directions from a starting location to an ending location;
providing directions to the user based on a stored route, the starting location and the ending location.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one aspect, a system and method is provided whereby map-related requests from mobile devices are used to store and aggregate routes. The routes are then used to determine optimum directions in response to subsequent requests.
50 Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A method of providing directions comprising:
-
receiving a request for map information from a plurality of mobile devices as the mobile devices travel along a route, the request identifying the geographical location of a mobile device as it changes over time; storing the route traveled by each of the mobile devices based on the changing geographical locations received from each device; transmitting map information to the mobile devices in response to the request for map information and based on the geographical locations associated with the request; receiving, from a user, a request for directions from a starting location to an ending location; providing directions to the user based on a stored route, the starting location and the ending location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A system of providing directions to end user computers comprising:
-
a plurality of mobile devices, each mobile device comprising a component to determine the geographic location of the device; a computer in communication with the plurality of mobile devices; the computer comprising a processor and instructions executable by the processor; the instructions comprising;
receiving and storing a set of geographic locations periodically received from each mobile device;
receiving a request for a route between a starting point and ending point;
selecting the route based on either (a) a set containing locations at or near the starting and ending point and locations there between or (b) a set containing locations at or near the starting and ending point and locations there between by joining the sets received from a plurality of mobile devices; anda plurality of end user computers in communication with the computer so as to provide the requests for routes to the computer, and to receive the routes in response, over a network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A method of receiving directions comprising
sending a request of directions from an end user computer to a server, the request identifying a first point-of-interest (POI) and a second POI; - and
receiving, from the server and in response to the request, directions between the first POI and second POI; the directions being determined by the server by; selecting a route from a plurality of routes stored in a database, each route comprising a route traveled by a mobile device, the selected route identifying a route between the first POI and the second POI, and the directions corresponding with the selected route. - View Dependent Claims (27)
- and
-
28. A method of changing map information comprising:
-
receiving a plurality of requests for map information from a plurality of computers, each request identifying the location of the computer and where the location changes over time, the map information comprising information identifying streets; providing map information in response to the request; changing the map information if the locations received from the computers do not correspond with information identifying streets. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A method of selecting a route between a first point and a second point, the method comprising:
-
receiving route information from a first plurality of mobile devices as the mobile devices travel along a first route, the route information identifying the route traveled by the devices; receiving route information from a second plurality of mobile devices as the mobile devices travel along a second route; a first point being the same on both the first and second route, a second point being the same on both the first and second route, but the first and second routes otherwise being different between the first and second route; receiving a request from a user for directions between the first point and second point; selecting the portion of the first route between the first and second points if the received route information identifies a larger number of mobile devices traveling the first route than the second route; selecting the portion of the second route between the first and second points if the received route information identifies a larger number of mobile devices traveling the second route than the first route; and transmitting the selected route to the user.
-
Specification