Method and system for providing walking instructions with route guidance in a navigation program

• US 6,208,934 B1
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navigation Technologies Corp. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Friederich, Matthew, Casino, Roy, Jaugilas, John M., Kalisetty, Shiva, Weiland, Richard J., Doddapaneni, Srinivasa, Bechtolsheim, Stephan V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/234,154
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/25, 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/212, 701/213, 701/214, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/209
• 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 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A system and method are that provide an end user of a navigation program with information about walking to a desired destination in combination with information about driving to or close to the desired destination. In addition to the calculation of a route for driving to the desired destination, the navigation program uses data in a geographic database to calculate one or more routes to reach the desired destination by walking from locations within a walking threshold around the desired destination. In calculating these one or more walking routes, the navigation program uses the data in the geographic database to assess the suitability of roads around the desired destination for pedestrian travel. In calculating these one or more walking routes, the navigation program can also include road segments in the walking routes without regard for travel restrictions that only apply to vehicular traffic. Additionally, if the navigation program is installed in a vehicle, the navigation program may indicate the walking distance to the desired destination along one of the calculated walking routes as the vehicle approaches the desired destination. Additionally, the navigation program may provide the end user with walking directions to walk to the desired destination along one of the calculated walking routes.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a computer-based navigation program for providing route guidance to a desired destination, the method comprising the steps of:

after calculating a first route to be driven toward the desired destination with the computer-based navigation program that uses a geographic database that includes data representing segments of roads in a geographic area and while still traveling toward the desired destination, calculating a second route using the geographic database, wherein said second route provides for reaching the desired destination by foot; and

providing an end user of the computer-based navigation program with information for walking said second route.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

using a set of criteria when calculating said second route, wherein said set of criteria is used to assess whether represented road segments are usable by pedestrians.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said set of criteria eliminates from consideration road segments that are part of controlled access roads and road segments that are part of ramps to controlled access roads.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said set of criteria permits calculation of said second route with travel along one way streets opposite from a permitted direction of vehicular travel.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

transmitting data into a portable electronic device from an in-vehicle navigation system in which said navigation program is installed, wherein said data provide the end user with directions for walking said second route.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information for walking said second route comprises a walking distance to the desired destination from a current position of a vehicle in which the end user is an occupant.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

when calculating said second route, using a walking threshold distance wherein said second route does not exceed in length said walking threshold distance.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said walking threshold distance is configurable by the end user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said information for walking said second route comprises a walking distance to the desired destination along said second route.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said information for walking said second route comprises directions for walking along said second route.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of calculating a second route comprises the steps of:

evaluating road segment data entities from said geographic database, wherein said road segment data entities represent road segments leading to the desired destination and wherein said step of evaluating comprises assessing attributes associated with each road segment data entity for suitability for pedestrian travel; and

forming a list of road segment data entities, wherein the road segment data entities on said list represent a plurality of road segments that form a continuous route leading to said desired destination.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of said attributes includes an indication whether pedestrian travel is permitted along the road segment.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said first route to be driven toward the desired destination is directed to a parking area near the desired destination, and

wherein said information for walking said second route includes directions for walking from said parking area to the desired destination.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

after providing an end user of the computer-based navigation program with information for walking said second route, updating said information as a vehicle in which said end user is an occupant approaches the desired destination.

15. A navigation system installed in a vehicle comprising:

a positioning system that determines a present position of the vehicle;

a geographic database that includes information about roads in a geographic area; and

navigation programming responsive to said positioning system and said geographic database,

wherein said navigation programming comprises;

driving route calculation and guidance routines that determine a driving route toward a desired destination from the present position of the vehicle using data from the geographic database and that provide an end user of the navigation system with information for driving toward the desired destination from the present position of the vehicle; and

walking route calculation and guidance routines that use data from the geographic database, determine at least one walking route to the desired destination from a location around the desired destination and provide the end user with information for walking to the desired destination along said walking route, wherein the walking route calculation and guidance routines exclude from inclusion in said at least one walking route road segments that are not suitable for travel by foot.

16. The invention of claim 15 comprising:

a user-interface through which said information for driving toward said desired destination and said information for walking to said desired destination are provided to the end user.

17. The invention of claim 15 wherein said information for walking to said desired destination comprises a walking distance along said at least one walking route to the desired destination from said present position of the vehicle.

18. The invention of claim 15 wherein said information for walking to said desired destination comprises instructions for walking along said at least one walking route to the desired destination from said present position of the vehicle.

19. The invention of claim 15 wherein said navigation programming further includes a routine that provides updated information for walking to the desired destination along at least one of said walking routes as the vehicle approaches the desired destination.

20. A geographic database stored on a computer readable medium comprising:

road segment data entities that represent segments of roads upon which persons can travel in a geographic area including roads upon which only vehicular traffic is permitted, segment of roads upon which only non-vehicular traffic is permitted, and segment of roads upon which both vehicular traffic and non-vehicular traffic are permitted, wherein each of said road segment data entities is associated with data indicating a type of means of conveyance permitted to travel upon the road segment represented by the road segment data entity, and wherein said data indicating a type of means of conveyance includes at least motorized vehicle and pedestrian.

21. A method of providing route guidance to an end user of a navigation application program comprising the steps of:

upon receiving an identification of a desired destination and a starting location, identifying a plurality of parking facilities located around the desired destination;

for each parking facility of said plurality of parking facilities identified in the previous step,

calculating a driving route from the starting location to said parking facility;

calculating a walking route from said parking facility to said desired destination;

determining a cost factor associated with said driving route;

determining a cost factor associated with said walking route; and

summing the cost factors associated with the driving route to a parking facility and the walking route from the same parking facility to form a combined cost factor for a combination route through the parking facility;

comparing the combined cost factors for the combination routes for the plurality of parking facilities; and

selecting one combination route based upon said step of comparing.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said cost factor is an estimated time of travel.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of selecting includes selecting the one combination route that has a better cost factor than any other combination route.

24. A method of providing route guidance to an end user of a navigation application program comprising the steps of:

upon receiving an identification of a desired destination and a starting location, identifying a plurality of parking facilities located around the desired destination;

receiving messages via wireless communications from said plurality of parking facilities indicating parking space availability at each of said plurality of parking facilities;

calculating a driving route from the starting location to one of said plurality of parking facilities at which parking is available;

calculating a walking route from the one of said plurality of parking facilities to which the driving route was calculated to said desired destination;

providing the end user with instructions to drive to the one of said plurality of parking facilities at which parking is available.