Most convenient point of interest finder apparatus and method

• US 7,698,062 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: McMullen, Michael P., Distler, Peter H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/332,187
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701207-209, 701211-215, 340/995.13, 340/988, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for finding a most convenient point of interest for a traveler traveling along a route to a destination. The method includes the steps of identifying the location of the traveler, receiving one or more traveler-specified convenience criteria (e.g., maximum distance or time off-route to arrive at the point of interest); receiving a traveler-specified type of point of interest (e.g., hotel, sporting goods store, ice cream parlor) indicating the type of point of interest the traveler wishes to go to while traveling to the destination; searching through a database containing points of interests and their locations for points of interest of the type specified by the traveler meeting the traveler-specified convenience criteria; and providing instructions to the traveler to travel to at least one of the points of interest identified in the searching step if the searching step resulted in finding at least one point of interest meeting the convenience criteria.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a most convenient point of interest for a traveler traveling along a route to a destination, comprising the steps of:

identifying a location of a cellular telephone of the traveler;

receiving a traveler-specified type of point of interest indicating the type of point of interest the traveler wishes to go to while traveling to the destination;

receiving from the cellular telephone via a wireless cellular network traveler-specified convenience criteria, wherein the traveler-specified convenience criteria comprises a maximum amount of desired time before the point of interest is reached;

searching through a network server database containing points of interests and their locations for points of interest of the type specified by the traveler meeting the traveler-specified convenience criteria; and

providing via the wireless cellular network to the cellular telephone of the traveler instructions to travel to at least one of the points of interest identified in the searching step if the searching step resulted in finding at least one point of interest meeting the convenience criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of providing a list of all points of interest of the type specified by the traveler meeting the traveler-specified convenience criteria and prompting the traveler to select one of the points of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the convenience criteria comprises the maximum desired travel distance off a previously determined route to the destination to reach the point of interest.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the event that the searching step does not identify any points of interest meeting the convenience criteria, performing the additional step of prompting the user to enter new convenience criteria.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

obtaining at least one of (a) the speed limit for road segments either on the route or for road segments off-route to points of interest, and (b) actual traffic flow rates for road segments either on the route or road segments off-route to the points of interest;

using the speed limits and/or actual traffic flow rates to compute travel times from the current location of the traveler to points of interest in the database; and

using the travel times to select a points of interest in the database meeting the convenience criteria.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the convenience criteria comprises the soonest desired time to reach the point of interest.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the convenience criteria comprises the maximum travel time off a previously determined route to the destination to reach the point of interest.

8. A navigation system providing driving directions to a traveler, comprising

a map database containing points of interests and their locations;

a data processing unit;

a user interface for receiving input information from the traveler and providing a graphical and/or audible means for providing driving directions to the traveler;

a means for determining the current location of a vehicle in which the navigation system is installed; and

a set of instructions stored in memory in the navigation system comprising a most convenient point of interest routine for execution by the processor, wherein the most convenient point of interest routing comprises instructions for;

receiving a traveler-specified type of point of interest indicating the type of point of interest the traveler wishes to go to while traveling to the destination; and

receiving via the user interface one or more traveler-specified convenience criteria pertaining to a point of interest the traveler wishes to go to while traveling to a destination, wherein the convenience criteria comprises a soonest desired time to reach the point of interest;

searching through the map database for locations of points of interest of the type specified by the traveler meeting the traveler-specified convenience criteria; and

wherein the user interface provides driving directions graphically and/or audibly to the traveler providing instructions to the traveler to travel to at least one of the points of interest identified in the searching step if the searching step resulted in finding at least one point of interest in the database meeting the convenience criteria.

9. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for providing a list of all points of interest of the type specified by the traveler meeting the traveler-specified convenience criteria to the traveler via the user interface and prompting the traveler to select one of the points of interest, whereby the instructions provided to the traveler comprise instructions to travel to the selected point of interest.

10. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein the convenience criteria comprise at least one of:

(a) the maximum desired travel distance off a previously determined route to the destination to reach the point of interest;

(b) the maximum travel time off a previously determined route to the destination to reach the point of interest;

(c) the maximum amount of desired time before the point of interest is reached; and

(d) a landmark which must be passed before the point of interest is reached.

11. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein in the event that the searching step does not identify any points of interest meeting the convenience criteria, the instructions prompt the user to reenter new convenience criteria.

12. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein the map database further includes speed limit data for road segments on the route and for off-route road segments to points of interest, and wherein the searching instructions use the speed limit data to compute travel times from the current location of the traveler to points of interest in the database and use the travel times to select a points of interest in the database meeting the convenience criteria.

13. A system for providing driving instructions to a traveler using a cellular telephone to direct the traveler to a most convenient point of interest while the traveler is traveling to a destination, comprising:

a map database; and

a navigation server responsive to queries from the traveler for directions to a most convenient point of interest, the navigation server communicating with the traveler via a wireless communications network, wherein the navigation server comprises;

a data processing unit;

a set of instructions comprising a most convenient point of interest routine for execution by the data processing unit, wherein the most convenient point of interest routine comprises instructions for;

a) receiving a traveler-specified type of point of interest indicating the type of point of interest the traveler wishes to go to while traveling to the destination;

b) receiving one or more traveler-specified convenience criteria pertaining to a point of interest the traveler wishes to go to while traveling to the destination, wherein the traveler-specified convenience criteria comprises a maximum amount of desired time before the point of interest is reached;

c) searching through the map database for locations of points of interest of the type specified by the traveler meeting the traveler-specified convenience criteria, and

a means for providing driving directions to a point of interest meeting the traveler-specified convenience criteria to the traveler.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for providing a list of all points of interest of the type specified by the traveler meeting the traveler-specified convenience criteria to the traveler and prompting the traveler to select one of the points of interest, whereby the driving directions provided to the traveler comprise instructions to travel to the selected point of interest.

15. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the convenience criteria comprise at least one of:

(a) the maximum desired travel distance off a previously determined route to the destination to reach the point of interest;

(b) the soonest desired time to reach the point of interest;

(c) the maximum travel time off a previously determined route to the destination to reach the point of interest; and

(d) a landmark which must be passed before the point of interest is reached.

16. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein in the event that the searching step does not identify any points of interest meeting the convenience criteria, the instructions prompt the user to reenter new convenience criteria.

17. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the map database further includes speed limit data for road segments on the route and for off-route road segments to points of interest, and wherein the searching instructions use the speed limit data to compute travel times from the current location of the traveler to points of interest in the map database and use the travel times to select a point of interest in the database meeting the convenience criteria.

18. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the navigation system further comprises a speech generation engine for providing driving directions to the traveler in the form of speech.

19. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the navigation system provides driving directions to the traveler in the form of text.

20. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the navigation system provides driving directions to the traveler in the form of a map.

21. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein the navigation system obtains real-time traffic flow rate data for road segments either along the route or on off-route segments to the points of interest and uses such traffic flow rate data to compute travel times, and uses such travel times to select a most convenient point of interest meeting the convenience criteria.