Using route narrative symbols

• US 7,076,363 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2003
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: America Online Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmitz, Michael David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/620,378
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/209, 701/211, 701/208, 340/995.19, 340/995.24, 340/990, 340/995.27, 340/988, 340/995.1, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence

Abstract

Techniques are provided for displaying a route symbol with narrative driving directions. A route symbol for a particular maneuver may be used to represent the road to which the maneuver relates. For example, one type of a route symbol that may be used to represent a road may be an interstate route symbol that has substantially the same appearance (e.g., substantially the same or similar shape, and/or substantially the same coloration) as an interstate route sign used to mark the interstate itself. Another example of a type of a route symbol that represents a road is an highway route symbol that looks substantially the same as a highway route sign used to mark a state highway. A route symbol used for the display of a maneuver also may include route symbols that are related to the type of maneuver, such as the type of a turn, described by the maneuver.

Claims

1. A method for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the method comprising:

accessing maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination, wherein the maneuver information comprises text information;

presenting, as a constituent part of the driving directions, a first maneuver along the route involving a particular interstate;

presenting, as another constituent part of the driving directions, a second maneuver along the route involving the particular interstate, such that the first and second maneuvers are presented consecutively among the driving directions; and

associating an interstate shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign with less than all presented maneuvers being presented along the route and involving the particular interstate.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a highway shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as a highway road sign and includes a road number with a maneuver of driving directions maneuver that represents only a first occurrence of a particular highway having the road number in the list of maneuvers for the route.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein associating a highway shield route symbol comprises associating a highway shield route symbol that has substantially the same shape as a highway road sign.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein associating a highway shield route symbol comprises associating a highway shield route symbol that has substantially the same coloration as a highway road sign.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a turn route symbol with a maneuver based on a turn angle of the maneuver when the maneuver does not represent a first occurrence of a particular interstate having a particular road number in the list of maneuvers for the route and the maneuver does not represent a first occurrence of a particular highway having a particular road number in the list of maneuvers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a slight left turn route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of a slight left turn.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a slight right turn route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of a slight right turn.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a sharp left turn route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of a sharp left turn.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a sharp right turn route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of a sharp right turn.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a merge route symbol with a maneuver that includes an angle of a merge of two roads.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating an exit route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of an exit from a highway or an interstate.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein at most one route symbol is associated with a particular maneuver.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

applying priority information to determine a route symbol type of several route symbol types to be associated with a maneuver of the driving directions that does not represent a first occurrence of a particular interstate; and

associating the route symbol type with the maneuver.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying driving directions including the interstate shield route symbol associated with a maneuver.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the driving directions are displayed by a system provided through an Internet service provider.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the driving directions are displayed by a printer associated with a client system.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the driving directions are displayed by a display device associated with a client system.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the driving directions are displayed by a display device associated with a vehicle on-board navigation system.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the interstate shield route symbol is associated with the maneuver that represents only the first occurrence of the particular interstate among multiple consecutive driving directions involving the particular interstate, and

the method further comprising presenting the route symbol with a later maneuver that appears in the driving directions and that involves the particular interstate if the later maneuver is separated by at least one intermediary maneuver from the multiple consecutive driving directions involving the interstate.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the road comprises an interstate and the graphical road-identifying symbol comprises an interstate shield route symbol.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a turn route symbol with a maneuver based on a turn angle of the maneuver when the maneuver does not represent a first occurrence of a particular road having a particular road number in the list of maneuvers for the route and the maneuver does not represent a first occurrence of a particular road having a particular road number in the list of maneuvers.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a slight left turn route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of a slight left turn.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a slight right turn route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of a slight right turn.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a sharp left turn route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of a sharp left turn.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a sharp right turn route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of a sharp right turn.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating a merge route symbol with a maneuver that includes an angle of a merge of two roads.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein associating the turn route symbol comprises associating an exit route symbol with a maneuver that includes a turn angle of an exit.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein at most one route symbol is associated with a particular maneuver.

29. A method for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the method comprising:

accessing maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination;

associating an interstate shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign and includes a road number with a maneuver of the driving directions that represents a first occurrence of a particular interstate having the road number in a list of maneuvers for the route; and

repeating the associating until all first occurrences of particular interstates are associated with corresponding interstate shield route symbols.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising repeating the associating until all occurrences of particular interstates are associated with corresponding interstate shield route symbols.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the road comprises an interstate and the graphical road-identifying symbol comprises an interstate shield route symbol.

32. A method for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the method comprising:

accessing maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination; and

associating an interstate shield route symbol that has substantially the same shape as an interstate road sign and includes a road number with a maneuver of the driving directions that represents a first occurrence of a particular interstate having the road number in a list of maneuvers for the route.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the road comprises an interstate and the graphical road-identifying symbol comprises an interstate shield route symbol.

34. A method for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the method comprising:

accessing maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination; and

associating an interstate shield symbol that has substantially the same coloration as an interstate road sign and includes a road number with a maneuver of the driving directions that represents a first occurrence of a particular interstate having the road number in a list of maneuvers for the route.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the road comprises an interstate and the graphical road-identifying symbol comprises an interstate shield route symbol.

36. A method for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the method comprising:

accessing maneuver information representing driving directions for a route from an origin to a destination, wherein the maneuver information comprises textual information;

accessing priority information that includes, for each of several route symbol types, a priority and a condition;

determining a route symbol of the several route symbol types to be associated with a maneuver of the driving directions based on a priority associated with the route symbol and the maneuver fulfilling a condition associated with the route symbol; and

associating the route symbol with the maneuver,

wherein;

each maneuver in the list of maneuvers for the route is associated with at most one route symbol.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising associating a highway shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as a highway road sign and includes a road number with a second maneuver of driving directions that represents an occurrence of a particular highway having the road number in the list of maneuvers for the route.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the priority associated with and used as a basis for determining the route symbol is a priority associated with a route symbol type corresponding to the route symbol.

39. A method for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the method comprising:

accessing maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination;

associating an interstate shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign and includes a road number with a maneuver of the driving directions that represents a first occurrence of a particular interstate having the road number in a list of maneuvers for the route; and

repeating the associating until all first occurrences of particular interstates are associated with corresponding interstate shield route symbols.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising repeating the associating until all occurrences of particular interstates are associated with corresponding interstate shield route symbols.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein the road comprises an interstate and the graphical road-identifying symbol comprises an interstate shield route symbol.

42. A method for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the method comprising:

accessing maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination;

applying priority information to determine a route symbol of several route symbol types to be associated with a maneuver of the driving directions; and

associating the route symbol with the maneuver,

wherein;

a graphical road-identifying symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign and includes a road number is associated with a maneuver of the driving directions that represents an occurrence of a particular road having the road number in a list of maneuvers for the route,

each maneuver in the list of maneuvers for the route is associated with at most one route symbol, and

the graphical road-identifying symbol comprises a route symbol of a country other than the United States.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the road comprises an interstate and the graphical road-identifying symbol comprises an interstate shield route symbol.

44. A computer-readable medium or propagated signal having embodied thereon a computer program configured to display driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the medium or signal comprising one or more code segments configured to:

access maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination, wherein the maneuver information comprises text information;

present, as a constituent part of the driving directions, a first maneuver along the route involving a particular interstate;

present, as another constituent part of the driving directions, a second maneuver along the route involving the particular interstate, such that the first and second maneuvers are presented consecutively among the driving directions; and

associate an interstate shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign with less than all presented maneuvers being presented along the route and involving the particular interstate.

45. The medium of claim 44 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to associate a highway shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as a highway road sign and includes a road number with a maneuver of driving directions maneuver that represents only a first occurrence of a particular highway having the road number in the list of maneuvers for the route.

46. The medium of claim 45 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to associate a turn route symbol with a maneuver based on a turn angle of the maneuver when the maneuver does not represent a first occurrence of a particular interstate having a particular road number in the list of maneuvers for the route and the maneuver does not represent a first occurrence of a particular highway having a particular road number in the list of maneuvers.

47. The medium of claim 44 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to:

apply priority information to determine a route symbol type of several route symbol types to be associated with a maneuver of the driving directions that does not represent a first occurrence of a particular interstate; and

associate the route symbol type with the maneuver.

48. The medium of claim 44 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to display driving directions including the interstate shield route symbol associated with a maneuver.

49. The medium of claim 44 wherein:

the interstate shield route symbol is associated with the maneuver that represents only the first occurrence of the particular interstate among multiple consecutive driving directions involving the particular interstate, and

the code segments are further configured to present the route symbol with a later maneuver that appears in the driving directions and that involves the particular interstate if the later maneuver is separated by at least one intermediary maneuver from the multiple consecutive driving directions involving the interstate.

50. A computer-readable medium or propagated signal having embodied thereon a computer program configured to display driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the medium or signal comprising one or more code segments configured to:

access maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination;

associate an interstate routing symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign and includes a road number with the a first maneuver of the driving directions that represents a first occurrence of a particular interstate having the road number in a list of maneuvers for the route; and

repeat the associating until all first occurrences of particular interstates are associated with corresponding interstate shield route symbols.

51. The medium of claim 50 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to repeat the associating until all occurrences of particular interstates are associated with corresponding interstate shield route symbols.

52. A computer-readable medium or propagated signal having embodied thereon a computer program configured to display driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the medium or signal comprising one or more code segments configured to:

access maneuver information representing driving directions for a route from an origin to a destination, wherein the maneuver information comprises text information;

access priority information that includes, for each of several route symbol types, a priority and a condition;

determine a route symbol of the several route symbol types to be associated with a maneuver of the driving directions based on a priority associated with the route symbol and the maneuver fulfilling a condition associated with the route symbol; and

associate the route symbol with the maneuver,

wherein;

each maneuver in the list of maneuvers for the route is associated with at most one route symbol.

53. The medium of claim 52 wherein a highway shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as a highway road sign and includes a road number is associated with a second maneuver of driving directions that represents an occurrence of a particular highway having the road number in the list of maneuvers for the route.

54. A computer-readable medium or propagated signal having embodied thereon a computer program configured to display driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the medium or signal comprising one or more code segments configured to:

access maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination;

apply priority information to determine a route symbol of several route symbol types to be associated with a maneuver of the driving directions; and

associate the route symbol with the maneuver,

wherein;

an interstate shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign and includes a road number is associated with a maneuver of the driving directions that represents an occurrence of a particular interstate having the road number in a list of maneuvers for the route, and

each maneuver in the list of maneuvers for the route is associated with at most one route symbol, and

the interstate shield route symbol comprises a highway shield route symbol of a country other than the United States.

55. A system for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the system:

means for accessing maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination, wherein the maneuver information comprises text information;

means for presenting, as a constituent part of the driving directions, a first maneuver along the route involving a particular interstate;

means for presenting, as another constitute part of the driving directions, a second maneuver along the route involving the particular interstate, such that the first and second maneuvers are presented consecutively among the driving directions; and

means for associating an interstate shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign with less than all presented a maneuvers being presented along the route and involving the particular interstate.

56. The system of claim 55 further comprising means for associating a highway shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as a highway road sign and includes a road number with a maneuver of driving directions maneuver that represents only a first occurrence of a particular highway having the road number in the list of maneuvers for the route.

57. The system of claim 56 further comprising means for associating a turn route symbol with a maneuver based on a turn angle of the maneuver when the maneuver does not represent a first occurrence of a particular interstate having a particular road number in the list of maneuvers for the route and the maneuver does not represent a first occurrence of a particular highway having a particular road number in the list of maneuvers.

58. The system of claim 55 further comprising:

means for applying priority information to determine a route symbol type of several route symbol types to be associated with a maneuver of the driving directions that does not represent a first occurrence of a particular interstate; and

means for associating the route symbol type with the maneuver.

59. The system of claim 55 further comprising means for displaying driving directions including the interstate shield route symbol associated with a maneuver.

60. The system of claim 55 wherein:

the interstate shield route symbol is associated with the maneuver that represents only the first occurrence of the particular interstate among multiple consecutive driving directions involving the particular interstate, and

the processor is further configured to present the route symbol with a later maneuver that appears in the driving directions and that involves the particular interstate if the later maneuver is separated by at least one intermediary maneuver from the multiple consecutive driving directions involving the interstate.

61. A system for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the system comprising:

means for accessing maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination;

means for associating an interstate shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign and includes a road number with a maneuver of the driving directions that represents a first occurrence of a particular interstate having the road number in a list of maneuvers for the route; and

means for repeating the associating until all first occurrences of particular interstates are associated with corresponding interstate shield route symbols.

62. The system of claim 61 further comprising means for repeating the associating until all occurrences of particular interstates are associated with corresponding interstate shield route symbols.

63. A system for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the system comprising:

means for accessing maneuver information representing driving directions for a route from an origin to a destination, wherein the maneuver information comprises text information;

means for accessing priority information that includes, for each of several route symbol types, a priority and a condition;

means for determining a route symbol of the several route symbol types to be associated with a maneuver of the driving directions based on a priority associated with the route symbol and the maneuver fulfilling a condition associated with the route symbol; and

means for associating the route symbol with the maneuver,

wherein;

each maneuver in the list of maneuvers for the route is associated with at most one route symbol.

64. The system of claim 63 further comprising means for associating a highway shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as a highway road sign and includes a road number with a second maneuver of driving directions that represents an occurrence of a particular highway having the road number in the list of maneuvers for the route.

65. A system for displaying driving directions having multiple maneuvers, the system further comprising:

means for accessing maneuver information for a route from an origin to a destination;

means for applying priority information to determine a route symbol of several route symbol types to be associated with a maneuver of the driving directions; and

means for associating the route symbol with the maneuver,

wherein;

an interstate shield route symbol that has substantially the same appearance as an interstate road sign and includes a road number is associated with a maneuver of the driving directions that represents an occurrence of a particular interstate having the road number in a list of maneuvers for the route,

each maneuver in the list of maneuvers for the route is associated with at most one route symbol, and

the interstate shield route symbol comprises a highway shield route symbol of a country other than the United States.