Changing Frequency of Navigational Notifications Based On Travel Patterns

• US 20120158283A1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: ARASTAFAR, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes

Abstract

A navigation-enabled device has a memory operatively coupled to a processor for executing a navigation application, a speaker operatively coupled to the processor for providing navigational notifications, and a position-determining system for determining a current location to enable the processor to identify a current route on which the device is located. The processor is configured to determine whether the current route is a familiar path and vary a frequency of the navigational notifications based on whether the current route is a familiar path.

Claims

1. A method of providing navigational notifications, the method comprising:

identifying a current route;

determining whether the current route is a familiar path; and

varying a frequency of the navigational notifications based on whether the current route is a familiar path.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein determining whether the current route is a familiar path comprises a prior step of learning travel patterns.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein learning travel patterns comprises:

storing a list of route segments over which the device has traveled;

storing a number of times the device has traveled each of the route segments;

storing dates when the route segments were traveled;

computing a route familiarity quotient based on the number of times a route segment was traveled and how long ago the route segment was traveled; and

comparing the route familiarity quotient to a predetermined threshold to determine whether the route is to be classified as familiar.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein determining whether the current route is a familiar path comprises determining whether the device is located in a familiar geographical area.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adjusting the frequency of the navigational notifications based on weather data.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adjusting the frequency of the navigational notifications based on road condition data.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adjusting the frequency of the navigational notifications based on traffic data.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a voice command;

adjusting the frequency of the navigational notifications based on the voice command.

9. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions in code which when loaded into memory and executed on a processor of a GPS-enabled navigation device is adapted to perform acts of:

identifying a current route;

determining whether the current route is a familiar path; and

varying a frequency of the navigational notifications based on whether the current route is a familiar path.

10. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 9 further comprising code that causes the device learn travel patterns.

11. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 10 wherein the code for learning travel patterns is configured to cause the device to:

store a list of route segments over which the device has traveled;

store a number of times the device has traveled each of the route segments;

store dates when the route segments were traveled;

compute a route familiarity quotient based on the number of times a route segment was traveled and how long ago the route segment was traveled; and

compare the route familiarity quotient to a predetermined threshold to determine whether the route is to be classified as familiar.

12. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the code is configured to cause the device to adjust the frequency of the navigational notifications based on weather data.

13. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the code is configured to cause the device to adjust the frequency of the navigational notifications based on traffic data.

14. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the code is configured to cause the device to adjust the frequency of the navigational notifications based on road condition data.

15. A navigation-enabled device comprising:

a memory operatively coupled to a processor for executing a navigation application;

a speaker operatively coupled to the processor for providing navigational notifications;

a position-determining system for determining a current location to enable the processor to identify a current route on which the device is located; and

wherein the processor is configured to;

determine whether the current route is a familiar path; and

vary a frequency of the navigational notifications based on whether the current route is a familiar path.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a radiofrequency transceiver for receiving weather data, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the frequency of the navigational notifications based on the weather data.

17. The device as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a radiofrequency transceiver for receiving road condition data, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the frequency of the navigational notifications based on the road condition data.

18. The device as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a radiofrequency transceiver for receiving traffic data, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the frequency of the navigational notifications based on the traffic data.

19. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the processor is configured to learn travel patterns.

20. The device as claimed in claim 19 wherein the processor is configured to learn travel patterns by:

storing in the memory a list of route segments over which the device has traveled;

storing in the memory a number of times the device has traveled each of the route segments;

storing in the memory dates when the route segments were traveled;

computing a route familiarity quotient based on the number of times a route segment was traveled and how long ago the route segment was traveled; and

comparing the route familiarity quotient to a predetermined threshold to determine whether the route is to be classified as familiar.