APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLUSTERING POINTS OF INTEREST IN A NAVIGATION SYSTEM

• US 20160069699A1
• Filed: 12/22/2014
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: CHEN, Henry, OEL, Peter, LEE, Chuhee, DHAR, Sagnik, WU, Hsien-Hsun
• Granted Patent: US 9,464,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

A navigation system, apparatus and method utilizing a processor and a sensor, operatively coupled to the processor to determine a location of the navigation system. A navigation input module is configured to receive destination data specifying a destination and a plurality of point-of-interest (POI) data from a user, where the navigation input module is further configured to receive a POI search area value defining an area of search for the POI data from potential route segments. The processor may utilize the POI search area value to search a plurality of areas along the potential route segments to identify at least some of the plurality of POI data that are in closest proximity to the destination, and wherein the processor may be further configured to cluster the identified POI data for simultaneous presentation on a navigational map.

Claims

1. A navigation system, comprising:

a processor;

a sensor, operatively coupled to the processor, the sensor being configured to determine a location of the navigation system; and

a navigation input module, operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the navigation input module is configured to receive destination data specifying a destination and a plurality of point-of-interest (POI) data from a user, wherein the navigation input module is further configured to receive a POI search area value defining an area of search for the POI data from potential route segments;

wherein the processor utilizes the POI search area value to search a plurality of areas along the potential route segments to identify at least some of the plurality of POI data that are in closest proximity to the destination,

and wherein the processor is further configured to cluster the identified POI data for simultaneous presentation on a navigational map.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the POI search area value comprises a limited area of search from a route segment.

3. The navigation system of claim 2, wherein the limited area of search comprises one or more distances extending radially around a point on the route segment.

4. The navigation system of claim 2 wherein the limited area of search comprises a radius of search extending radially around a point on the route segment.

5. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to search the plurality of areas along potential route segments by searching adjacent POI areas of search in one of an overlapping and non-overlapping manner.

6. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to identify an exit along the potential route segment and search the identified exit using the POI search area value.

7. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the POI data comprises generic POIs and specific POIs that are associated with one or more generic POIs, and wherein the processor is configured to cluster at least one of a plurality of generic and specific POIs.

8. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the navigation input module is configured to receive a POI search focus value for defining a focus area relative to the destination in which the processor searches the plurality of areas along the potential route segments.

9. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to dynamically expand or contract the area of search for the POI data in accordance with a delta that is added or subtracted to the POI search area value.

10. A method for searching and clustering points-of-interest (POI) in a navigation system, comprising:

determining a location of a navigation system in a navigation system sensor;

receiving, in a navigation input module operatively coupled to a processor of the navigation system, destination data specifying a destination and a plurality of point-of-interest (POI) data from a user;

receiving, in the navigation input module, a POI search area value defining an area of search for the POI data along potential route segments;

searching a plurality of areas along the potential route segments utilizing the POI search area value in the navigation system to identify at least some of the plurality of POI data that are in closest proximity to the destination; and

clustering the identified POI data for simultaneous presentation on a navigational map.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the POI search area value comprises a limited area of search from a route segment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the limited area of search comprises one or more distances extending radially around a point on the route segment.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the limited area of search comprises a radius of search extending radially around a point on the route segment.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein searching a plurality of areas along the potential route segments comprises searching adjacent POI areas of search in one of an overlapping and non-overlapping manner.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying an exit along the potential route segment and search the identified exit using the POI search area value.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the POI data comprises generic POIs and specific POIs that are associated with one or more generic POIs, and wherein the processor is configured to cluster at least one of a plurality of generic and specific POIs.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a POI search focus value in the navigation input module for defining a focus area relative to the destination in which the processor searches the plurality of areas along the potential route segments.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising dynamically expanding or contracting the area of search for the POI data in the processor in accordance with a delta that is added or subtracted to the POI search area value.

19. A navigation system, comprising:

a processor;

a sensor, operatively coupled to the processor, the sensor being configured to determine a location of the navigation system; and

a navigation input module, operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the navigation input module is configured to receive destination data specifying a destination and a plurality of point-of-interest (POI) data from a user, wherein the navigation input module is further configured to receive a POI search area value defining an area of search for the POI data from potential route segments;

wherein the processor utilizes the POI search area value to search a plurality of areas along the potential route segments to identify at least some of the plurality of POI data that are in closest proximity to the destination,

and wherein the processor is further configured to cluster the identified POI data for simultaneous presentation on a navigational map,

and wherein the processor is further configured to generate a route from the location of the navigation system, the destination and at least one of the POIs in the navigational map based on at least one of speed and distance.

20. The navigation system of claim 19, wherein the POI data comprises generic POIs and specific POIs that are associated with one or more generic POIs, and wherein the processor is configured to cluster at least one of a plurality of generic and specific POIs.