Method and system for visualizing shared route information

• US 8,417,447 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2009
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barkai, Gilad, Har'El, Nadav, Roitman, Haggai
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T
• Application Number:
  US12/581,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,269 Days
• Field of Search: 701/400, 701409-411, 701/418, 701/420, 701424-425, 701428-430
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

A method and system for visualizing shared route information are provided. The method includes receiving a route query from a user and retrieving multiple route results for the query for display as an overlay on a map. The method further includes processing the route results for display by dividing each route result into sub-routes, wherein a sub-route is a portion of a route between intersections with other routes and aggregating the sub-routes across the route results. Each sub-route in the route results is scored according to a defined scoring basis and represented in the display according to the relative score to other sub-routes. A user can select a displayed sub-route and the method filters the route results to remove any routes not including the selected sub-route and displays the narrowed results.

Claims

1. A method for visualizing shared route information, comprising:

managing by a server, a database including a plurality of user-provided routes uploaded to the server by a plurality of different users;

receiving a query from a user;

retrieving multiple user-provided routes matching the query from the database;

dividing each retrieved route into sub-routes, wherein a sub-route is a portion of a route between intersections with other routes;

aggregating the sub-routes across the retrieved routes;

scoring each aggregated sub-route according to a defined scoring basis, dependent on the user-provided routes; and

displaying the aggregated sub-routes of the multiple retrieved routes overlaid on a map, such that each sub-route is displayed with at least one attribute representing its score;

wherein the receiving, retrieving, dividing, aggregating, scoring and displaying steps are implemented in either of;

a) computer hardware; and

b) computer software embodied in a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a displayed aggregated sub-route; and

filtering the retrieved routes based on the selected aggregated sub-route and displaying the filtered routes.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein filtering carries out a faceted search, wherein a route has facets of sub-routes within it.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the defined scoring bases include one or more of the following;

sub-route popularity;

sub-route used in user'"'"'s own routes;

sub-route importance;

sub-route speed;

sub-route fits user'"'"'s preferences;

sub-route scenic-ness;

sub-routes not visited by the user.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, including mapping the query to stored routes in a data repository.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the scoring basis is defined by the user providing the query.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein scoring each aggregated sub-route comprises scoring based on a number of retrieved routes including the sub-route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the aggregated sub-routes comprises displaying each sub-route with a line width, style or color dependent on the score of the sub-route.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the aggregated sub-routes comprises displaying each sub-route with a score label next to the sub-route.

10. A computer program product for visualizing shared route information, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

computer program instructions operative to;

manage a database of user-provided routes;

receive a query from a user;

retrieve multiple user-provided routes matching the query from the database;

divide each retrieved route into sub-routes, wherein a sub-route is a portion of a route between intersections with other routes;

aggregate the sub-routes across the retrieved routes;

score each aggregated sub-route according to a defined scoring basis, dependent on the user-provided routes; and

represent each aggregated sub-route in a display overlaid on a map according to a score of the sub-route;

wherein said program instructions are stored on said computer readable medium.

11. A system for visualizing shared route information, comprising:

a data repository storing map information and user-provided routes uploaded to the server by a plurality of different users;

a computer-based query input mechanism to receive route queries; and

a processor configured to retrieve from the repository routes matching a query received by the query input mechanism, to determine sub-routes included in the matching routes, wherein a sub-route is a portion of a route between intersections with other routes, to assign scores to the determined sub-routes according to a defined scoring basis dependent on the matching routes; and

to prepare for display the determined sub-routes, such that each sub-route in the display is represented according to a relative score of the sub-route.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a user selection mechanism for selecting a displayed sub-route; and

a filtering mechanism to filter the route results based on the selected sub-route.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the filtering mechanism carries out a faceted search, wherein a route has facets of sub-routes within it.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, including:

the data repository includes a history of a user'"'"'s own routes and wherein the defined scoring basis is dependent on the history.

15. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the defined scoring bases include one or more of the following;

sub-route popularity;

sub-route used in user'"'"'s own routes;

sub-route importance;

sub-route speed;

sub-route fits user'"'"'s preferences;

sub-route scenic-ness;

sub-routes not visited by the user.

16. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

representing each sub-route relative to other sub-routes includes one or more of;

dashing of lines with different lengths of dashes;

colour of lines;

saturation or opacity of lines;

width of lines;

style of lines;

label next to sub-route.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to assign scores to the aggregated sub-routes using a user selected scoring basis defined by the user providing the query.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to assign a score to each aggregated sub-route based on a number of retrieved routes including the sub-route.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor represents each sub-route with a line width, style or color dependent on the score of the sub-route.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor represents each sub-route with a score label next to the sub-route.