ROUTE GUIDANCE USING TEXT

• US 20150338231A1
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Teraguchi, Masayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,066,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968

Abstract

A computer implemented method for performing route guidance using text includes obtaining an optimal route that connects a start point and an end point of a route input by a user; comparing a route history stored in a memory with the optimal route and extracting a route portion from the optimal route, the route portion being replaceable by a route portion in the route history; creating route guidance for the route portion extracted from the optimal route by using a text indication known to the user, the known text indication specifying the replaceable route portion in the route history; and creating route guidance for a route portion in the optimal route, the route portion being not replaceable by a route portion in the route history, by using a new text indication that specifies the route portion that is not replaceable.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for performing route guidance using text, the method comprising:

obtaining an optimal route that connects a start point and an end point of a route input by a user;

comparing a route history stored in a memory with the optimal route and extracting a route portion from the optimal route, the route portion being replaceable by a route portion in the route history;

creating route guidance for the route portion extracted from the optimal route by using a text indication known to the user, the known text indication specifying the replaceable route portion in the route history; and

creating route guidance for a route portion in the optimal route, the route portion being not replaceable by a route portion in the route history, by using a new text indication that specifies the route portion that is not replaceable.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimal route and the route history are each obtained as a graph that includes a plurality of nodes and edges between two adjacent nodes, and a route portion in the route history and a route portion in the optimal route each include the nodes and the edges that form part of the graph.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the known text indication and the new text indication are created for each of at least one edge that forms part of the graph.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the known text indication and the new text indication are created as one text indication that corresponds to a plurality of successive edges that form part of the graph.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting a replaceable route portion from the optimal route includes extracting corresponding route portions from among a plurality of route portions in the route history in descending order of the number of past extractions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting a replaceable route portion from the optimal route includes extracting a route portion from the optimal route, the route portion overlapping a route portion in the route history.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein creating route guidance using a text indication known to the user, the known text indication specifying the replaceable route portion in the route history, includes creating route guidance so as to enable the user to uniquely recognize the route portion specified by the known text indication.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the route guidance created by using the known text indication and the new text indication to a terminal operable by the user; and

displaying, on a display screen of the terminal, the route guidance that has been received.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the route guidance is route guidance for car navigation, and the start point and the end point of the route are a place of departure and a destination of a travel route respectively.