Method of collecting information for a geographic database for use with a navigation system

• US 8,301,641 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq B.V.
• Inventors: Rossio, Sara B., Wiklund, Christopher S., Dannenbring, Aaron J., Srivastava, Deepesh, van Rooij, Eriv
• Primary Examiner(s): PANNALA, SATHYANARAYA R
• Application Number:
  US12/549,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20110055224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 707/749, 701200-201, 701/208, 709/749
• US Class Current: 707/749
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

A method of collecting data for a geographic database for use with a navigation system is disclosed. A feature visible from a road segment is identified. A guidance feature point object is defined at a location at the road segment where the identified feature is most visibly prominent. Additionally, an importance rating and a preferred name for the identified feature are determined. Data representing the guidance feature point object, importance rating and the preferred name are stored in the geographic database on a computer readable medium.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of collecting data for a geographic database for use with a navigation system comprising:

identifying a feature visible from a first road segment;

defining a guidance feature point object at a location at the first road segment where the identified feature is visibly prominent;

determining an importance rating for the identified feature indicating a level of visual distinctiveness as compared to other features surrounding the identified feature;

creating a preferred name for the identified feature, wherein the preferred name visually distinguishes the identified feature from other features in a surrounding area and is selected from a group consisting of a color of the identified feature, a building material of the identified feature, a shape of the identified feature, an architectural style of the identified feature, and a decorative element of the identified feature;

storing data representing the guidance feature point object in a geographic database on the computer readable medium;

storing the importance rating for the identified feature in the geographic database on the computer readable medium; and

storing the preferred name for the identified feature in the geographic database on the computer readable medium.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the importance rating considers a level of visibility obstruction of the identified feature from the location of the guidance feature point object.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the importance rating considers a likelihood that a visible appearance of the identified feature will change.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the importance rating considers whether a visible appearance of the identified feature is impacted by a season.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the importance rating considers both a size of the identified feature and a distance of the identified feature from the road segment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the importance rating considers a length of the identified feature.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the guidance feature point object is not at an entrance to the identified feature.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the guidance feature point object is not at an address point location of the identified feature.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a second road segment from which the feature is visible; and

storing data in the geographic database that associates the second road segment with the guidance feature point object.

10. A computer-implemented method of collecting data for a geographic database for use with a navigation system comprising:

identifying a feature visible from a first road segment;

defining a guidance feature point object at a location at the first road segment where the identified feature is most visibly recognizable;

collecting at least one importance attribute indicating a level of visual distinctiveness as compared to other features surrounding the identified feature, wherein the at least one importance attribute is selected from a group consisting of a permanence attribute representing a likelihood that a visible appearance of the identified feature is constant, a seasonal dependency attribute representing whether the visible appearance is impacted by a season, a visibility attribute representing a level of visibility obstruction, a relative distance attribute representing a visual prominence considering both a size of the identified feature and a distance of the identified feature from the first road segment, and a feature extent attribute representing a length of the identified feature;

creating a preferred name attribute representing a name describing a visually distinguishing aspect of the identified feature;

storing data representing the guidance feature point object in the geographic database on a computer readable medium;

storing the preferred name for the identified feature in the geographic database on the computer readable medium; and

storing the importance attribute for the identified feature in association with the preferred name for the identified feature in the geographic database on the computer readable medium.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

computing a calculated importance value representing the importance of the identified feature for route guidance when traveling the first road segment; and

storing the calculated importance value for the identified feature in the geographic database on the computer readable medium.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of computing the calculated importance value considers at least two of the importance attributes and applies at least two weighing factors.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of computing the calculated importance value uses a score associated with one of the corresponding importance attributes and applies a weighing factor.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the preferred name is selected from a group consisting of a color of the identified feature, a building material of the identified feature, a shape of the identified feature, an architectural style of the identified feature, a decorative element of the identified feature, and a local nickname of the identified feature.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

identifying a second road segment from which the feature is visible; and

storing data in the geographic database that associates the second road segment with the guidance feature point object.

16. A computer-implemented method of collecting data for a geographic database for use with a navigation system comprising:

identifying a plurality of features visible from a road segment, wherein each of the plurality of features is associated with a guidance feature point object at a location at the road segment where the respective identified feature is useful for guidance;

calculating importance values for the plurality of features;

selecting a preferred name for at least one of the plurality of features, wherein the preferred name is selected from a group consisting of a color of the identified feature, a building material of the identified feature, a shape of the identified feature, an architectural style of the identified feature, a decorative element of the identified feature, and a nickname of the identified feature;

storing data representing the guidance feature point object in the geographic database on a storage medium;

storing the preferred name for the identified feature in the geographic database on the storage medium; and

selecting a highest importance value from the importance values for the plurality of features.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

collecting at least one importance attribute selected from a group consisting of a permanence attribute representing a likelihood that a visible appearance of the identified feature is constant, a seasonal dependency attribute representing whether the visible appearance is impacted by a season, a visibility attribute representing a level of visibility obstruction, a relative distance attribute representing a visual prominence considering both a size of the identified feature and a distance of the identified feature from the first road segment, a feature extent attribute representing a length of the identified feature, and a preferred name attribute representing a name describing a visually distinguishing aspect of the identified feature; and

storing the importance attribute for the identified feature in the geographic database on the computer readable medium.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the location of the guidance feature point object is not at an access point to the feature.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the location of the guidance feature point object is not at an address point location of the feature.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

outputting the preferred name that is associated with the highest importance value.