METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A ROUTE FORECAST USER INTERFACE

• US 20160291820A1
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: MAK, Oliver, POCHKIN, Toly
• Granted Patent: US 10,365,112 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 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An approach is provided for a route forecast user interface. The approach involves determining at least one target geographic point and at least one target time of arrival at the at least one target geographic point. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a calculation of at least one reachability forecast with respect to one or more transportation parameters. The at least one reachability forecast indicates whether at least one user can reach the at least one target geographic point at the at least one target time from at least one starting location, at least one starting time, or a combination thereof with respect to the one or more transportation parameters. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a generation of one or more representations of the at least one reachability forecast. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more representations in at least one calendar-based user interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining at least one target geographic point and at least one target time of arrival at the at least one target geographic point;

causing, at least in part, a calculation of at least one reachability forecast with respect to one or more transportation parameters, wherein the at least one reachability forecast indicates whether at least one user can reach the at least one target geographic point at the at least one target time from at least one starting location, at least one starting time, or a combination thereof with respect to the one or more transportation parameters;

causing, at least in part, a generation of one or more representations of the at least one reachability forecast; and

causing, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more representations in at least one calendar-based user interface.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the one or more transportation parameters include, at least in part, one or more means of transport, one or more routing preferences, or a combination thereof.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one visual characteristic of the one or more representations based, at least in part, on the at least one reachability forecast,

wherein the at least one visual characteristic includes, at least in part, a color, an icon, or combination thereof.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein determining the color for the one or more representations comprises at least one of the following:

specifying a first color as the color if at least one user can reach the at least one target geographic point earlier than a specified time period before the at least one target time;

specifying a second color as the color if the at least one user can reach the at least one target geographic point later than a specified time period but before the at least one target time; and

specifying a third color as the color if the at least one user cannot reach the at least one target geographic point earlier than the at least one target time.

5. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the at least one target geographic point and the at least one target time of arrival from at least one appointment scheduled in at least one calendar of at least one user; and

determining the at least one starting point, the at least one starting time, or a combination thereof from at least one other appointment scheduled in the at least one calendar, at least one current location of the at least one user, at least one current time, at least one specified location, at least one specified time, or a combination thereof.

6. A method of claim 5, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more representations of the at least one reachability forecast between the at least one appointment and the at least one other appointment in the at least one calendar-based user interface.

7. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more representations as one or more interactive elements in the at least one calendar-based user interface,

wherein one or more user interactions with the one or more interactive elements causes, at least in part, a presentation of information related to the at least one reachability forecast, the one or more transportation parameters, or a combination therefore.

8. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one recommended transportation parameter from among the one or more transportation parameters based, at least in part, on the at least one reachability forecast; and

causing, at least in part, a presentation of the at least one recommended transportation parameter in the at least one calendar-based user interface.

9. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining contextual information associated with travel between the at least one starting location and the at least one target geographic point, wherein the contextual information includes, at least in part, weather information, traffic information, or a combination thereof; and

causing, at least in part, a presentation of the contextual information with or as part of the one or more representations.

10. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining available time for reaching the at least one target geographic point at the at least one target time based, at least in part, on the at least one reachability forecast; and

determining one or more recommendation points of interest based, at least in part, on the available time.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine at least one target geographic point and at least one target time of arrival at the at least one target geographic point;

cause, at least in part, a calculation of at least one reachability forecast with respect to one or more transportation parameters, wherein the at least one reachability forecast indicates whether at least one user can reach the at least one target geographic point at the at least one target time from at least one starting location, at least one starting time, or a combination thereof with respect to the one or more transportation parameters;

cause, at least in part, a generation of one or more representations of the at least one reachability forecast; and

cause, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more representations in at least one calendar-based user interface.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more transportation parameters include, at least in part, one or more means of transport, one or more routing preferences, or a combination thereof.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine at least one visual characteristic of the one or more representations based, at least in part, on the at least one reachability forecast,

wherein the at least one visual characteristic includes, at least in part, a color, an icon, or combination thereof.

14. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein determining the color for the one or more representations causes the apparatus to further:

specify a first color as the color if at least one user can reach the at least one target geographic point earlier than a specified time period before the at least one target time;

specify a second color as the color if the at least one user can reach the at least one target geographic point later than a specified time period but before the at least one target time; and

specify a third color as the color if the at least one user cannot reach the at least one target geographic point earlier than the at least one target time.

15. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the at least one target geographic point and the at least one target time of arrival from at least one appointment scheduled in at least one calendar of at least one user; and

determine the at least one starting point, the at least one starting time, or a combination thereof from at least one other appointment scheduled in the at least one calendar, at least one current location of the at least one user, at least one current time, at least one specified location, at least one specified time, or a combination thereof.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more representations of the at least one reachability forecast between the at least one appointment and the at least one other appointment in the at least one calendar-based user interface.

17. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more representations as one or more interactive elements in the at least one calendar-based user interface,

wherein one or more user interactions with the one or more interactive elements causes, at least in part, a presentation of information related to the at least one reachability forecast, the one or more transportation parameters, or a combination therefore.

18. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

determining at least one target geographic point and at least one target time of arrival at the at least one target geographic point;

causing, at least in part, a calculation of at least one reachability forecast with respect to one or more transportation parameters, wherein the at least one reachability forecast indicates whether at least one user can reach the at least one target geographic point at the at least one target time from at least one starting location, at least one starting time, or a combination thereof with respect to the one or more transportation parameters;

causing, at least in part, a generation of one or more representations of the at least one reachability forecast; and

causing, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more representations in at least one calendar-based user interface.

19. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the one or more transportation parameters include, at least in part, one or more means of transport, one or more routing preferences, or a combination thereof.

20. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:

determining at least one visual characteristic of the one or more representations based, at least in part, on the at least one reachability forecast,

wherein the at least one visual characteristic includes, at least in part, a color, an icon, or combination thereof.

21. -48. (canceled)