Method and Apparatus for Providing a Navigation Summary

• US 20100191463A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Scalf, Mark, Berry, Joseph J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09685 where the complete route is computed only once and not updated
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver

Abstract

A route between locations includes a detailed set of directions to get from a present location to a destination. A route summary is provided, showing a subset of the roads needed to be traveled to go from the present location to the destination. The route summary is determined at least in part based on a set of rules for evaluating the roads in the route for inclusion in the route summary.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of summarizing a navigation route comprising:

receiving input specifying a destination;

determining a navigation route to the destination;

evaluating one or more roads on the route based at least in part on one or more predefined criteria;

including a subset of the one or more roads in the route summary based at least in part on the evaluating; and

outputting the route summary.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

determining a present location, and wherein the determining a route to be traveled is based at least in part on predefined mapping rules.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more roads has a base value assigned thereto.

4. The method of claim 3, further including:

assigning a weighted value to at least one of the one or more roads

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the weighted value assigned to a road is equal to the base value multiplied by the distance traveled on the road.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the road with a highest weighted value is always included in the summary.

7. The method of claim 4, further including:

receiving input from a personal navigation device.

8. The method of claim 4, further including:

receiving input from a vehicle navigation device.

9. The method of claim 4, further including:

receiving input from remote source.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein a second road with a second highest weighted value is included in the summary if and only if the second highest weighted value is greater than or equal to a predefined percentage of the weighted value of the road with the highest weighted value.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting further includes sending an SMS message including the route summary to a wireless device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting further includes delivering an email including the route summary.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting further includes displaying the route summary on an in-vehicle display.

14. A computer-implemented route-summarizing apparatus including:

direction receiving programmed logic circuitry to receive input specifying a destination;

direction determining programmed logic circuitry to determine a set of directions between at least a first location and the destination, wherein the directions include at least road names and distances traveled on roads;

road evaluating programmed logic circuitry to evaluate one or more of the roads included in the directions based at least in part on one or more predetermined criteria; and

summary building programmed logic circuitry to include one or more of the roads included in the directions in a route summary based at least in part on the evaluation results provided by the road evaluating programmed logic circuitry.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further including:

delivery programmed logic circuitry to deliver the route summary.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further including:

road weighting programmed logic circuitry for assigning a weighted value to one or more of the roads included in the directions.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the direction receiving programmed logic circuitry receives input from a personal navigation device.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the direction receiving programmed logic circuitry receives input from a remote source.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the direction receiving programmed logic circuitry receives input from a vehicle navigation system.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, further including:

a transceiver to send at least map data requests and responsively receive at least map data; and

at least one storage location for storing at least map data.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the route summary is delivered in the form of an SMS message.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the route summary is delivered in the form of a voice message.