Reducing driving directions

• US 7,561,965 B1
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MapQuest, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nesbitt, David W., Swartz, Michael Dean, Gearhart, G. Duane
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US12/120,448
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles

Abstract

Techniques are provided for reducing the number of maneuvers presented in narrative driving directions for a route from an origin location to a destination location. To do so, driving directions are not provided for maneuvers for areas with which a person is likely to be familiar, such as neighborhood streets near the person'"'"'s house, office, or another familiar location. A route from a user-specified origin to a user-specified destination is determined. Driving directions are presented only for a portion of the route. The portion of the route for which driving directions are presented may be identified based on an arterial category of roads included in the route.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program that generates a graphical user interface on a display device for using a computer to identify personal preferences for reducing maneuvers in driving directions, the computer program comprising executable instructions that, when executed, are configured to generate a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface comprising:

an origin display configured to enable a user to identify an origin location;

a preference display configured to enable the user to identify a preference for reducing maneuvers in driving directions originating at or near the origin location; and

a control configured to persistently store the preference to be applied when the user requests driving directions for a route that originates at or near the origin location.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the preference display is configured to enable the user to identify a preference for a route that originates at or near the origin location, the preference indicating that the driving directions are to start at a first occurrence of a maneuver involving an Interstate in the driving directions.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the preference display is configured to enable the user to identify a preference for a route that originates at or near the origin location, the preference indicating that the driving directions are to start at a first occurrence of a maneuver involving an Interstate or a U.S. Highway in the driving directions.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein:

the preference display is configured to enable the user to identify a preference for a route that originates at or near the origin location,

the preference indicating that the driving directions are to start at a first occurrence of a maneuver involving an Interstate in the driving directions, and

the maneuver involving the Interstate occurs within a user-identified predetermined distance from the origin location identified in the origin display.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein:

the preference display is configured to enable the user to identify a preference for a route that originates at or near the origin location,

the preference indicating that the driving directions are to start at a first occurrence of a maneuver involving an Interstate or a U.S. Highway in the driving directions, and

the maneuver involving the Interstate or the U.S. Highway occurs within a user-identified predetermined distance from the origin location identified in the origin display.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the identified origin location corresponds to a location identified as a home location and associated with the user.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the identified origin location corresponds to a location identified as an office location and associated with the user.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the identified origin location is selected from multiple locations associated with the user.

9. A system for generating a graphical user interface on a display device for using a computer to identify personal preferences for reducing maneuvers in driving directions, the system comprising a computer and a computer and executable instructions that, when executed, are configured to generate a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface comprising:

an origin display configured to enable a user to identify an origin location;

a preference display configured to enable the user to identify a preference for reducing maneuvers in driving directions originating at or near the origin location; and

a control configured to persistently store the preference to be applied when the user requests driving directions for a route that originates at or near the origin location.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the preference display is configured to enable the user to identify a preference for a route that originates at or near the origin location, the preference indicating that the driving directions are to start at a first occurrence of a maneuver involving an Interstate in the driving directions.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the preference display is configured to enable the user to identify a preference for a route that originates at or near the origin location, the preference indicating that the driving directions are to start at a first occurrence of a maneuver involving an Interstate or a U.S. Highway in the driving directions.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the preference display is configured to enable the user to identify a preference for a route that originates at or near the origin location,

the preference indicating that the driving directions are to start at a first occurrence of a maneuver involving an Interstate in the driving directions, and

the maneuver involving the Interstate occurs within a user-identified predetermined distance from the origin location identified in the origin display.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the preference display is configured to enable the user to identify a preference for a route that originates at or near the origin location,

the preference indicating that the driving directions are to start at a first occurrence of a maneuver involving an Interstate or a U.S. Highway in the driving directions, and

the maneuver involving the Interstate or the U.S. Highway occurs within a user-identified predetermined distance from the origin location identified in the origin display.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the identified origin location corresponds to a location identified as a home location and associated with the user.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the identified origin location corresponds to a location identified as an office location and associated with the user.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the identified origin location is selected from multiple locations associated with the user.