GIS point-to-point routing for directions

• US 7,260,474 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, Adam, Thayathil, Sathiaprakash
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAULIEU, YONEL
• Application Number:
  US11/052,043
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701/208, 701117-119, 701213-214, 701 23- 28, 701/211, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/995.12, 340/995.23
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services

Abstract

To provide a convenient selection of origin and/or destination of a route, in an on-line map service, the user is permitted to select and view a map and select any point from the displayed map as one of the points necessary for computation of a route. In an example, the user selects a start point, and the client device provides pixel coordinates of the first selected point. The user then selects the other point from the map, and the client device provides coordinates of the other selected point. A GIS program at the client converts the coordinates to map units and communicates with the server in order to access map information, compute a route, and send back route information for presentation to the user. The resulting route information, for example, may take the form of a map display highlighting the route or textual instructions for traveling the route.

Claims

1. A method of presenting travel route information to a user, comprising:

transmitting a map image through a data communication network to a client device, for display to the user;

downloading a software script to the client device of the user, for causing the client device to convert x and y pixel coordinates of any user selection of a point on the displayed map image to corresponding coordinates of the displayed map;

receiving through the data communication network from the client device converted map coordinates for a user selection of a point selected from anywhere on the displayed map image, as one of a point of origin and a destination point for a travel route;

identifying the other one of the point of origin and the destination point for the travel route;

computing information about a recommended route between the user selected point and the identified point; and

transmitting the information about the recommended route through the data communication network to the client device, for presentation to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user selection of the point selected from anywhere on the map image comprises x and y pixel coordinates of the selected point on the displayed map image; and

the method further comprises converting the x and y pixel coordinates of the selected point to map units for accessing a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the other point comprises receiving through the data communication network from the client device a user selection of the other point, selected from anywhere on the map image.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the user selection of the other point selected from anywhere on the map image comprises x and y pixel coordinates of the selected point on the displayed map image; and

the method further comprises converting the x and y pixel coordinates of the other point to map units for accessing a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map database.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the user selection of the point selected from anywhere on the map image comprises an x and y pixel coordinates of the selected point on the displayed map image; and

the method further comprises converting the x and y pixel coordinates of the selected point to corresponding map units.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of computing information comprises processing the map units for the points and extracting data from the GIS database to formulate the information about the recommended route.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the information about the recommended route comprises a map image illustrating a path of the recommended route between the points.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the information about the recommended route comprises textual directions for maneuvering between the points.

9. A product comprising client/server instructions for programming a computer to implement the steps of the method of claim 1 and a machine readable medium bearing the instructions.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the user through a data communication network from the client device;

wherein the transmitting of the map image through the data communication network is performed in response to receipt of the request.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the script downloading of the software script to the client device is performed together with the transmitting of the map image in response to receipt of the request.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising presenting an initial map to the user via the client device;

wherein;

the received request relates to an interactive user input selection from the initial map presented to the user, and

the transmitted map image is a map image selected from a database based on the selection.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the initial map presented to the user is a large area map,

the selection indicates a position on the large area map for drill down, and

the transmitted map image is an enlargement for an area associated with the indicated drill down position.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the initial map presented to the user represents an area around a current location of the client device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the initial map initial map presented to the user corresponds to a home location for the user designated by profile data.

10. A method of presenting travel route information to a user, comprising:

receiving through a data communication network from a client device a user selection corresponding to a map area;

transmitting a map image of the area through the data communication network to the client device, for display to the user;

downloading a software script to the client device of the user, for causing the client device to convert x and y pixel coordinates of any user selection of a point on the displayed map image to corresponding coordinates of the displayed map;

receiving through the data communication network from the client device converted map coordinates for user selections of origin and destination points selected from anywhere on the displayed map image;

computing information about a recommended route between the user selected origin and destination points; and

transmitting the information about the recommended route through the data communication network to the client device, for presentation to the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information about the recommended route comprises a map image illustrating a path of the recommended route from the origin point to the destination point.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the information about the recommended route comprises textual directions for maneuvering from the origin point to the destination point.

13. A product comprising client/server instructions for programming a computer to implement the steps of the method of claim 10, and a machine readable medium bearing the instructions.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the script downloading of the software script to the client device is performed together with the transmitting of the map image.

21. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

presenting an initial map to the user via the client device;

wherein the user selection relates to a selection from the initial map presented to the user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the initial map presented to the user is a large area map,

the user selection indicates a position on the large area map for drill down, and

the transmitted map image is an enlargement for an area associated with the indicated drill down position.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the initial map initial map presented to the user represents an area around the current location of the client device.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the initial map initial map presented to the user corresponds to a home location for the user designated by profile data.