METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDING POINT OF INTEREST INFORMATION BASED ON USER INTERACTION

• US 20150276423A1
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MapQuest, Inc. (System1 LLC)
• Inventors: YOUNG, Lindsey, McILHANY, Elizabeth Ashby, RINGROSE, George Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,739,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

Computer implemented methods are disclosed for providing to a user, geographical mapping information relating to a trip from a start location to a destination location, the method including. The method includes receiving user input data including at least the destination location, determining a distance between the start location and the destination is equal to or above a pre-determined threshold, and generating and displaying a route from the start location to the destination location on an electronic map based on the user input data. The route may include a pin that is movable by the user along the route. The location of the pin may be received and a snap location along the route closest to the drop location may be calculated. The method may include animating movement of the pin from the drop location to snap location, and displaying the geographical mapping information based on the snap location.

Claims

17. A system for providing to user geographical mapping information relating to a trip from a start location to a destination, the system including:

a data storage device storing instructions for causing computer servers or mobile devices to provide to a user geographical mapping information relating to a trip from a start location to a destination; and

a processing device configured to execute the instructions to perform a method of;

receiving, from a user'"'"'s electronic device and over a network, user input data including at least the destination location;

determining whether a distance between the start location and the destination is equal to or above a pre-determined threshold;

generating and displaying a route from the start location to the destination location on an electronic map based on the user input data;

displaying on the route, in response to determining the distance is equal to or above the pre-determined threshold, a pin movable by the user along the route;

receiving, from the user'"'"'s electronic device, a drop location where the user has dropped the pin along the route;

calculating a snap location along the route closest to the drop location;

animating movement of the pin from the drop location to the snap location; and

displaying the geographical mapping information based on the snap location.

1. A computer-implemented method for providing to a user geographical mapping information relating to a trip from a start location to a destination location, the method including:

receiving, from a user'"'"'s electronic device and over a network, user input data including at least the destination location;

determining whether a distance between the start location and the destination is equal to or above a pre-determined threshold;

generating and displaying a route from the start location to the destination location on an electronic map based on the user input data;

displaying on the route, in response to determining the distance is equal to or above the pre-determined threshold, a pin movable by the user along the route;

receiving, from the user'"'"'s electronic device, a drop location where the user has dropped the pin along the route;

calculating a snap location along the route closest to the drop location;

animating movement of the pin from the drop location to the snap location; and

displaying the geographical mapping information based on the snap location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined distance is input by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the drop location is within a pre-determined distance from the snap location.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising animating and displaying movement of the pin along the route to the drop location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein route information is automatically updated and displayed based on the movement of the pin along the route to the drop location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the snap location along the route closest to the drop location comprises calculating one or more intersections close to the drop location and determining points of interest (POIs) within a predetermined distance from the one or more intersections.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the POIs are based on the user input data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more intersections is a highway exit.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a database of an external content provider based on the drop location and providing a transaction with the external content provider based on the drop location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the pin changes appearance upon movement to the snap location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving further user input data after displaying the geographical mapping information based on the snap location.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the snap location along the route closest to the drop location is based on the shortest travel time from the drop location to the snap location.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the snap location is closer to the destination location than the drop location.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the snap location is closer to the start location than the drop location.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the start location and the destination location are movable.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an intermediate location between the start location and the destination location from the user.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising, further comprising animating and displaying movement of the pin along the route to the drop location.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the steps of receiving, from the user'"'"'s electronic device, a selection of a point along the route, determining and displaying one or more points of interest with a distance range of the selected point along the route on the electronic map, and receiving, from the user'"'"'s electronic device, a selection of at least one of the one or more points of interest, are repeated prior to the step of calculating directions and modified route based on the selection of the at least one of the one or more points of interest.

18-1. The system of claim 17 wherein the step of calculating the snap location along the route closest to the drop location is based on the shortest travel time from the drop location to the snap location.

20. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to provide, to a user, geographical mapping information relating to a trip from a start location to a destination, the method including:

receiving, from a user'"'"'s electronic device and over a network, user input data including at least the destination location;

determining whether a distance between the start location and the destination is equal to or above a pre-determined threshold;

generating and displaying a route from the start location to the destination location on an electronic map based on the user;

displaying on the route, in response to determining the distance is equal to or above the pre-determined threshold, a pin movable by the user along the route;

receiving, from the user'"'"'s electronic device, a drop location where the user has dropped the pin along the route;

calculating a snap location along the route closest to the drop location;

animating movement of the pin from the drop location to the snap location; and

displaying the geographical mapping information based on the snap location.