POINT OF INTEREST BASED DIRECTIONS IN A MAPPING APPLICATION

• US 20110178697A1
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Gloria, Nakajima, Taido, Mincey, Tyler
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for defining a route from a starting point to a destination. The route can include several steps, each including an instruction directing a user to move in a particular manner, and a reference around or near which to follow the instruction. To assist the user in following the directions, a step can include one or more points of interest serving as references. In particular, points of interest having high visibility (e.g., relative to street signs) can be selected to serve as references for the directions. The device can select which points of interest to use based on any suitable criteria, including for example based on the distance of a point of interest from a location where a step requires an instruction, as well as based on visibility attributes of the points of interest.

Claims

1. A method for providing directions to a destination, comprising:

identifying a starting point and a destination;

defining a route from the starting point to the destination, wherein the route comprises at least two steps, each step comprising an instruction and a reference;

identifying a point of interest having a minimal visibility in the vicinity of a step; and

using the identified point of interest as the reference for the step.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for a step, identifying a location to which the instruction applies;

defining a geographic region in the vicinity of the location that includes the location; and

identifying a point of interest from the geographic region.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining the entrance point and exit point of the route in the geographic region; and

adjusting the boundaries of the geographic region based on the determined entrance point and exit point.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting further comprises:

increasing the distance from the identified location to the entrance point.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting further comprises:

decreasing the distance from the identified location to the exit point.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying a boundary point of interest beyond the geographic region; and

indicating in the step that if the boundary point of interest is passed, the step was not followed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing a visibility quantity associated with the point of interest with a minimum threshold; and

wherein using further comprises using the identified point of interest in response to determining that the visibility quantity associated with the point of interest exceeds the minimum threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that the visibility quantity is less than the minimum threshold; and

using a street name instead of the point of interest in response to determining that the visibility quantity is less than the minimum threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the instruction comprises at least one of an instruction to;

turn;

continue;

exit;

bear;

go towards; and

go in the direction of.

10. A method for selecting a point of interest for use in providing directions, comprising:

identifying a step in directions, wherein the step comprises an instruction and a reference;

identifying a location at which the step occurs;

defining a set of points of interest within a minimum distance of the identified location;

calculating a visibility quantity for each of the points of interest of the defined set; and

selecting the point of interest having a calculated visibility quantity that exceeds a threshold to be the reference of the step.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a plurality of points of interest having visibility quantities that exceed the threshold to be a plurality of references for a single step.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the plurality of references are each associated with different instructions.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

ordering the plurality of points of interest based on the visibility quantities.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining the distance between the step and a next step; and

defining the minimum distance based on the determined distance between the step and the next step.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the minimum distance from the location varies based on the direction from the location.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein calculating further comprises:

retrieving a plurality of visibility attributes associated with each of the points of interest; and

extracting a value from the retrieved plurality of attributes.

17. A device for generating directions to a destination, comprising control circuitry operative to:

retrieve a route from a starting point to a destination, the route comprising a plurality of steps;

identify a location associated with a step;

select a point of interest in the vicinity of the location, wherein the point of interest has a visibility index that exceeds a particular threshold; and

incorporate the selected point of interest in the step.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising communications circuitry, and wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

direct the communications circuitry to provide the starting point and destination to a remote source; and

direct the communications circuitry to receive, from the remote source, the route between the starting point and the destination.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

identify a plurality of points of interest in the vicinity of the location; and

select one of the plurality of points of interest based on at least one of visibility attributes of each of the points of interest and the distance of each of the points of interest from the location.

20. Computer readable media for providing directions to a destination, comprising a computer-readable instructions for:

identifying a starting point and a destination;

defining a route from the starting point to the destination, wherein the route comprises at least two steps, each step comprising an instruction and a reference;

identifying a point of interest having a minimal visibility in the vicinity of a step; and

using the identified point of interest as the reference for the step.

21. The computer readable media of claim 20, further comprising additional computer-readable instructions for:

for a step, identifying a location to which the instruction applies;

defining a geographic region in the vicinity of the location that includes the location; and

identifying a point of interest from the geographic region.

22. The computer readable media of claim 20, further comprising additional computer-readable instructions for:

comparing a visibility quantity associated with the point of interest with a minimum threshold; and

wherein using further comprises using the identified point of interest in response to determining that the visibility quantity associated with the point of interest exceeds the minimum threshold.