Integrating Online Navigation Data with Cached Navigation Data During Active Navigation

• US 20150369617A1
• Filed: 06/17/2015
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Ding, Yiyang Joy, Grennan, Kevin Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,927,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• 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: G08G 1/096833 where different aspects are considered when computing the route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

When a portable device cannot connect to a network, offline navigation directions are generated and displayed by obtaining navigation instructions stored on the portable device which direct a user from a first location to a second location. When a network connection later becomes available, the portable device obtains online navigation directions from the first location to the second location from a navigation server. The portable device updates the offline navigation directions in a least disruptive manner, with information from the online navigation directions by determining the difference between the online and the offline navigation directions. If the online and offline navigation directions are similar, the portable device updates the display with estimated time data, traffic data, etc., from the online navigation directions. Otherwise, if there is a significant difference between the online and offline navigation directions, the portable device displays the online navigation directions as an alternative route.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable memory coupled to one or more processors and storing thereon (i) offline map data and (ii) instructions that implement a navigation module that executes on the one or more processors to:

generate offline navigation directions from a first location to a second location using the offline map data,

display the offline navigation directions via a user interface,

subsequent to generating the offline navigation directions, receive online navigation directions from a navigation server via a communication network,

determine a difference metric based at least in part on the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions;

in response to determining that the difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions is below a certain threshold, update the display of the offline navigation directions based at least in part on the online navigation directions, and

in response to determining that the difference metric is not below the threshold, provide the online navigation directions via the user interface as an alternative to the offline navigation directions.

2. The computer-readable memory of claim 1, wherein to determine a difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions, the navigation module executes on the one or more processors to:

compare one or more offline waypoints in the offline navigation directions to one or more online waypoints in the online navigation directions, and

calculate the difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions based on the comparison.

3. The computer-readable memory of claim 2, wherein to calculate the difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions, the navigation module executes on the one or more processors to:

assign a weight to each of the offline waypoints and the online waypoints based on a distance from the computing device to the respective offline or online waypoint, and

calculate a weighted difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions.

4. The computer-readable memory of claim 2, wherein to determine a difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions, the navigation module further executes on the one or more processors to:

compare an estimated time for completing the offline navigation directions to an estimated time for completing the online navigation directions.

5. The computer-readable memory of claim 2, wherein to compare one or more offline waypoints in the offline navigation directions to one or more online waypoints in the online navigation directions, the navigation module further executes on the one or more processors to:

discard each of the offline and online waypoints that have been passed by the computing device, and

compare the offline waypoints which have not been passed by the computing device to the online waypoints which have not been passed by the computing device.

6. The computer-readable memory of claim 1, wherein the navigation module further executes on the one or more processors to:

determine whether to generate the offline navigation directions, the determination based on a current status of the communication network.

7. The computer-readable memory of claim 6, wherein a current status of the communication network is determined based on at least one of:

(i) a quality of service (QoS) of the communication network, or (ii) a type of wireless subscription.

8. The computer-readable memory of claim 1, wherein the navigation module further executes on the one or more processors to:

display an offline indicator via the user interface, wherein the offline indicator signifies to a user that the navigation directions were generated offline.

9. The computer-readable memory of claim of 1, wherein to determine a difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions, the navigation module executes on the one or more processors to:

receive a plurality of sets of online navigation directions from the navigation server, wherein each set of online navigation directions guides a user to the same second location via a different path. and

determine a difference metric between the offline navigation directions and each set of online navigation directions.

10. The computer-readable memory of claim 1, wherein to update the display of the offline navigation directions using the online navigation directions, the navigation module executes on the one or more processors to:

display at least one of;

(i) estimated time data, or (ii) traffic data via the user interface using the online navigation directions.

11. A method for integrating online navigation directions with offline navigation directions, the method comprising:

generating, by one or more processors in a computing device, offline navigation directions from a first location to a second location using offline map data;

displaying, by the one or more processors, the offline navigation directions via a user interface;

subsequent to generating the offline navigation directions, receiving, at the one or more processors, online navigation directions from a navigation server via a communication network;

determining, by the one or more processors, a difference metric based at least in part on the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions;

in response to determining that the difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions is below a certain threshold, updating, by the one or more processors, the display of the offline navigation directions based at least in part on the online navigation directions; and

in response to determining that the difference metric is not below the threshold, providing, by the one or more processors, the online navigation directions via the user interface as an alternative to the offline navigation directions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining a difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions comprises:

comparing, by the one or more processors, one or more offline waypoints in the offline navigation directions to one or more online waypoints in the online navigation directions; and

calculating, by the one or more processors, the difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions based on the comparison.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein calculating the difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions comprises:

assigning, by the one or more processors, a weight to each of the offline waypoints and the online waypoints based on a distance from the computing device to the respective offline or online waypoint; and

calculating, at the one or more processors, a weighted difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein determining a difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions further comprises:

comparing, by the one or more processors, an estimated time for completing the offline navigation directions to an estimated time for completing the online navigation directions.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein comparing one or more offline waypoints in the offline navigation directions to one or more online waypoints in the online navigation directions comprises:

discarding, by the one or more processors, each of the offline and online waypoints that have been passed by the computing device; and

comparing, by the one or more processors, the offline waypoints which have not been passed by the computing device to the online waypoints which have not been passed by the computing device.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, whether to generate the offline navigation directions, the determination based on a current status of the communication network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a current status of the communication network is determined based on at least one of:

(i) a quality of service (QoS) of the communication network or (ii) a type of wireless subscription.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying, by the one or more processors, an offline indicator via the user interface, wherein the offline indicator signifies to a user that the navigation directions were generated offline.

19. The method of claim of 11, wherein determining a difference metric between the offline navigation directions and the online navigation directions comprises:

receiving, at the one or more processors, a plurality of sets of online navigation directions from the navigation server, wherein each set of online navigation directions guides a user to the same second location via a different path; and

determining, by the one or more processors, a difference metric between the offline navigation directions and each set of online navigation directions.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein updating the display of the offline navigation directions using the online navigation directions comprises:

displaying, by the one or more processors, at least one of;

(i) estimated time data, or (ii) traffic data via the user interface using the online navigation directions.