Method of utilizing a personal navigation device to suggest alternate routes being identified by recognizable street names

• US 20110060523A1
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Baron, Peter James
• Application Number:
  US12/556,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060523A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/224
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of presenting alternate routes to a user of a personal navigation device includes providing navigation instructions for guiding the user on an original route selected by the user, receiving and analyzing dynamic traffic data, determining the presence of a first alternate route according to the dynamic traffic data, the first alternate route potentially requiring a shorter travel time than the original route, and prompting the user with a choice of following the first alternate route, wherein the first alternate route is described using the name of at least one street associated with the first alternate route.

Claims

1. A method of presenting alternate routes to a user of a personal navigation device, the method comprising:

providing navigation instructions for guiding the user on an original route selected by the user;

receiving and analyzing dynamic traffic data;

determining the presence of a first alternate route according to the dynamic traffic data, the first alternate route potentially requiring a shorter travel time than the original route; and

prompting the user with a choice of following the first alternate route, wherein the first alternate route is described using the name of at least one street associated with the first alternate route.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a response from the user accepting the first alternate route; and

providing navigation instructions for following the first alternate route.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a response from the user rejecting the first alternate route;

determining the presence of a second alternate route according to the dynamic traffic data; and

prompting the user with a choice of following the second alternate route, wherein the second alternate route is described using the name of at least one street associated with the second alternate route.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first alternate route is described using the names of two or more streets associated with the first alternate route.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the name of the at least one street associated with the first alternate route represents a street whose name appears in a signpost located nearby a current location of the personal navigation device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the name of the at least one street associated with the first alternate route represents a first street that is part of the first alternate route, the name of the first street being visible from a road that the personal navigation device is currently traveling on.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the name of the at least one street associated with the first alternate route represents a major street that is part of the first alternate route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the name of the at least one street associated with the first alternate route represents a street that constitutes a proportion of the first alternate route greater than a predetermined percentage of a total distance of the first alternate route.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the user with the choice of following the first alternate route comprises providing an audible prompt to the user, and receiving the response from the user comprises recognizing a spoken response given by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the user with the choice of following the first alternate route comprises providing a visual prompt to the user, and receiving the response from the user comprises receiving a touch response given by the user.

11. A personal navigation device for presenting alternate routes to a user, the personal navigation device comprising:

routing software for providing navigation instructions for guiding the user on an original route selected by the user;

a processor for controlling operation of the personal navigation device, receiving and analyzing dynamic traffic data, and determining the presence of a first alternate route according to the dynamic traffic data, the first alternate route potentially requiring a shorter travel time than the original route; and

a user interface for prompting the user with a choice of following the first alternate route, wherein the first alternate route is described using the name of at least one street associated with the first alternate route.

12. The personal navigation device of claim 11, wherein when the user interface receives a response from the user accepting the first alternate route, the routing software provides navigation instructions for following the first alternate route.

13. The personal navigation device of claim 11, wherein when the user interface receives a response from the user rejecting the first alternate route, the processor determines the presence of a second alternate route according to the dynamic traffic data, and the user interface prompts the user with a choice of following the second alternate route, wherein the second alternate route is described using the name of at least one street associated with the second alternate route.

14. The personal navigation device of claim 11, wherein the first alternate route is described using the names of two or more streets associated with the first alternate route.

15. The personal navigation device of claim 11, wherein the name of the at least one street associated with the first alternate route represents a street whose name appears in a signpost located nearby a current location of the personal navigation device.

16. The personal navigation device of claim 11, wherein the name of the at least one street associated with the first alternate route represents a first street that is part of the first alternate route, the name of the first street being visible from a road that the personal navigation device is currently traveling on.

17. The personal navigation device of claim 11, wherein the name of the at least one street associated with the first alternate route represents a major street that is part of the first alternate route.

18. The personal navigation device of claim 11, wherein the name of the at least one street associated with the first alternate route represents a street that constitutes a proportion of the first alternate route greater than a predetermined percentage of a total distance of the first alternate route.

19. The personal navigation device of claim 11, wherein prompting the user with the choice of following the first alternate route comprises providing an audible prompt to the user, and receiving the response from the user comprises recognizing a spoken response given by the user.

20. The personal navigation device of claim 11, wherein prompting the user with the choice of following the first alternate route comprises providing a visual prompt to the user, and receiving the response from the user comprises receiving a touch response given by the user.