Navigation system

• US 7,941,270 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hughes, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTON, SPENCER D
• Application Number:
  US10/559,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20070093955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,538 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/206, 701/208, 701/209, 340/995.24, 340/989, 340/990, 340/991, 340/993, 340/995.12, 340/995.15, 340/995.16, 340/996, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams

Abstract

A method and system for providing navigational instructions. A signal is received from a first device. The signal specifies a destination location, a second device, and a request for at least one route leading to the destination location such that the at least one route is to be sent to the second device. During or after the signal is received from the first device, a device type of the second device is determined. At least one set of images is sent to the second device. Each set of images defines a unique route leading to the destination location. A total number of the sets of images and a content of each set of images are a function of the determined device type.

Claims

1. A method for providing navigational instructions, said method comprising:

a service centre receiving a signal from a first device, said signal specifying a destination location, a receiving device selected from the group consisting of the first device and a second device, and a request for at least one route leading to the destination location such that the at least one route is to be sent to the receiving device; and

in response to said receiving the signal from the first device, said service centre sending at least one set of images to the receiving device, wherein each set of images of the at least one set of images defines a unique route leading to the destination location, wherein the at least one set of images comprises a plurality of sets of images, wherein the signal specifies a starting location, wherein the service centre comprises a database that includes multiple locations and multiple sets of images leading to different destination locations, wherein the method further comprises said service centre determining that the database does not comprise the starting location specified in the signal, and wherein the unique routes defined by the sets of images of the plurality of sets of images consists of all possible unique routes to the destination location that are stored in the database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving device specified in the signal is the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving device specified in the signal is the second device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises the at least one set of images, and wherein the method further comprises:

said service centre receiving a vote on a usefulness of each received image in the at least one set of images; and

said service centre modifying the database in dependence upon said received votes, wherein said modifying comprises at least one of replacing, deleting, and amending at least one image in the at least one set of images in the database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending the at least one set of images to the receiving device comprises sending the first set of images to the receiving device two images at a time.

6. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage device, comprising computer readable program code for performing a method for providing navigational instructions, said method comprising:

a service centre receiving a signal from a first device, said signal specifying a destination location, a receiving device selected from the group consisting of the first device and a second device, and a request for at least one route leading to the destination location such that the at least one route is to be sent to the receiving device; and

in response to said receiving the signal from the first device, said service centre sending at least one set of images to the receiving device, wherein each set of images of the at least one set of images defines a unique route leading to the destination location, wherein the at least one set of images comprises a plurality of sets of images, wherein the signal specifies a starting location, wherein the service centre comprises a database that includes multiple locations and multiple sets of images leading to different destination locations, wherein the method further comprises said service centre determining that the database does not comprise the starting location specified in the signal, and wherein the unique routes defined by the sets of images of the plurality of sets of images consists of all possible unique routes to the destination location that are stored in the database.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the receiving device specified in the signal is the first device.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the receiving device specified in the signal is the second device.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the database comprises the at least one set of images, and wherein the method further comprises:

said service centre receiving a vote on a usefulness of each received image in the at least one set of images; and

said service centre modifying the database in dependence upon said received votes, wherein said modifying comprises at least one of replacing, deleting, and amending at least one image in the at least one set of images in the database.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein said sending the at least one set of images to the receiving device comprises sending the first set of images to the receiving device two images at a time.

11. A system comprising a service centre, said service centre comprising a database for storing images of locations and a computer program product for performing a method for providing navigational instructions using images in the database, said method comprising

a service centre receiving a signal from a first device, said signal specifying a destination location, a receiving device selected from the group consisting of the first device and a second device, and a request for at least one route leading to the destination location such that the at least one route is to be sent to the receiving device;

and

in response to said receiving the signal from the first device, said service centre sending at least one set of images to the receiving device, wherein each set of images of the at least one set of images defines a unique route leading to the destination location, wherein the at least one set of images comprises a plurality of sets of images, wherein the signal specifies a starting location, wherein the service centre comprises a database that includes multiple locations and multiple sets of images leading to different destination locations, wherein the method further comprises said service centre determining that the database does not comprise the starting location specified in the signal, and wherein the unique routes defined by the sets of images of the plurality of sets of images consists of all possible unique routes to the destination location that are stored in the database.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiving device specified in the signal is the first device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiving device specified in the signal is the second device.

14. The system of claim 11, where the database comprises the at least one set of images, and wherein the method further comprises:

said service centre receiving a vote on a usefulness of each received image in the at least one set of images; and

said service centre modifying the database in dependence upon said received votes, wherein said modifying comprises at least one of replacing, deleting, and amending at least one image in the at least one set of images in the database.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said sending the at least one set of images to the receiving device comprises sending the first set of images to the receiving device two images at a time.

16. A method for providing navigational instructions, said method comprising:

a service centre receiving a signal from a first device, said signal specifying a destination location, a receiving device selected from the group consisting of the first device and a second device, and a request for at least one route leading to the destination location such that the at least one route is to be sent to the receiving device; and

in response to said receiving the signal from the first device, said service centre sending at least one set of images to the receiving device, wherein each set of images of the at least one set of images defines a unique route leading to the destination location,

wherein the at least one set of images comprises a plurality of sets of images,

wherein each set of images comprises a furthest image that is furthest from the destination location,

wherein the furthest images of the plurality of sets of images collectively form on a ring of images surrounding the destination location,

wherein the ring of images is shaped as a circle whose center is at the destination location,

wherein the at least one set of images comprises a first set of images and a second set of images,

wherein the unique route defined by the first set of images is a first unique route leading to the destination location from a first starting location on the circle,

wherein the unique route defined by the second set of images is a second unique route leading to the destination location from a second starting location on the circle,

wherein the first unique route comprises a first image at the first starting location on the circle, an inner image at an inner location inside the circle, and a destination image at the destination location, and

wherein the second unique route comprises a second image at the second starting location on the circle, the inner image at the inner location inside the circle, and the destination image at the destination location.

17. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage device, comprising computer readable program code for performing a method for providing navigational instructions, said method comprising:

a service centre receiving a signal from a first device, said signal specifying a destination location, a receiving device selected from the group consisting of the first device and a second device, and a request for at least one route leading to the destination location such that the at least one route is to be sent to the receiving device; and

in response to said receiving the signal from the first device, said service centre sending at least one set of images to the receiving device, wherein each set of images of the at least one set of images defines a unique route leading to the destination location,

wherein the at least one set of images comprises a plurality of sets of images,

wherein each set of images comprises a furthest image that is furthest from the destination location,

wherein the furthest images of the plurality of sets of images collectively form on a ring of images surrounding the destination location, and

wherein the ring of images is shaped as a circle whose center is at the destination location,

wherein the at least one set of images comprises a first set of images and a second set of images,

wherein the unique route defined by the first set of images is a first unique route leading to the destination location from a first starting location on the circle,

wherein the unique route defined by the second set of images is a second unique route leading to the destination location from a second starting location on the circle,

wherein the first unique route comprises a first image at the first starting location on the circle, an inner image at an inner location inside the circle, and a destination image at the destination location, and

wherein the second unique route comprises a second image at the second starting location on the circle, the inner image at the inner location inside the circle, and the destination image at the destination location.

18. A system comprising a service centre, said service centre comprising a database for storing images of locations and a computer program product for performing a method for providing navigational instructions using images in the database, said method comprising

a service centre receiving a signal from a first device, said signal specifying a destination location, a receiving device selected from the group consisting of the first device and a second device, and a request for at least one route leading to the destination location such that the at least one route is to be sent to the receiving device;

and

in response to said receiving the signal from the first device, said service centre sending at least one set of images to the receiving device, wherein each set of images of the at least one set of images defines a unique route leading to the destination location,

wherein the at least one set of images comprises a plurality of sets of images,

wherein each set of images comprises a furthest image that is furthest from the destination location,

wherein the furthest images of the plurality of sets of images collectively form on a ring of images surrounding the destination location, and

wherein the ring of images is shaped as a circle whose center is at the destination location,

wherein the at least one set of images comprises a first set of images and a second set of images,

wherein the unique route defined by the first set of images is a first unique route leading to the destination location from a first starting location on the circle,

wherein the unique route defined by the second set of images is a second unique route leading to the destination location from a second starting location on the circle,

wherein the first unique route comprises a first image at the first starting location on the circle, an inner image at an inner location inside the circle, and a destination image at the destination location, and

wherein the second unique route comprises a second image at the second starting location on the circle, the inner image at the inner location inside the circle, and the destination image at the destination location.