Method of operating a navigation system to provide route guidance

• US 8,442,767 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US12/549,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20110054772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 701/426, 701/438, 701/439, 701/400, 701/423, 701/445, 701/532, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995.24, 382/103
• US Class Current: 701/532
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects

Abstract

A method of operating a navigation system to provide a route guidance message for traveling a route is disclosed. A preferred name of a feature visible from a road segment is obtained from a geographic database associated with the navigation system. A guidance message stating the preferred name of the feature visible from the road segment is determined. The preferred name includes at least one visible descriptor 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.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of operating a navigation system to provide a guidance message for traveling a route comprising at least one road segment, the method comprising:

obtaining data from a geographic database stored on a computer readable medium associated with the navigation system identifying a plurality of features visible from the road segment;

assigning an importance value to each of the identified features based on whether the respective identified feature is described by a building material of the feature that visually distinguishes the identified feature from other features in a surrounding area or not;

assigning an importance weight to each importance value;

calculating, by a processor, an importance rating for each of the identified features, wherein the importance rating is calculated based on a product of the importance weight and the importance value;

determining which of the identified features has a highest calculated importance rating;

obtaining data from the geographic database representing the building material of the identified feature having the highest calculated importance rating; and

providing the guidance message that references the identified feature having the highest calculated importance rating and that states the building material of the referenced identified feature.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining data from the geographic database representing a color of the referenced identified feature, wherein the guidance message further states the color of the referenced identified feature.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining data from the geographic database representing a shape of the referenced identified feature, wherein the guidance message further states the shape of the referenced identified feature.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining data from the geographic database representing an architectural style of the referenced identified feature, wherein the guidance message further states the architectural style of the referenced identified feature.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining data from the geographic database representing a decorative element of the referenced identified feature, wherein the guidance message further states the decorative element of the referenced identified feature.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining data from the geographic database representing a local nickname of the referenced identified feature, wherein the guidance message further states the local nickname of the referenced identified feature.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining data from the geographic database representing a brand name of the referenced identified feature, wherein the guidance message further states the brand name of the referenced identified feature.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the guidance message comprises providing the guidance message via a user interface associated with the navigation system.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the guidance message further states a business name of the referenced identified feature.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the guidance message comprises providing the guidance message as the navigation system passes the identified visible feature.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the guidance message comprises providing the guidance message prior to an intersection.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

modifying the calculated importance rating based on a type of end user of the navigation system.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

modifying one or more of the importance weights assigned to the importance values based on a type of end user of the navigation system.

14. A navigation system comprising:

a processor,

a geographic database stored on a computer readable medium associated with the processor,

a guidance application program executed on the processor to provide a guidance message for traveling a route comprising a road segment,

wherein the guidance application program obtains data from the geographic database identifying a plurality of features visible from the route, calculates an importance rating for each of the identified features, wherein the importance rating is calculated based on whether each identified feature of the plurality of features is described by at least one visible descriptor selected from a group consisting of 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, calculates an importance value for each of the identified features based on a product of the importance weight and the importance rating, determines which of the identified features has a highest calculated importance value, and provides the guidance message that references the identified feature determined to have the highest importance value, the guidance message including the visible descriptor of the referenced identified feature.

15. The navigation system of claim 14 wherein the guidance message further includes a brand name associated with the referenced identified feature.

16. The navigation system of claim 14 wherein if the visible descriptor is not available, the guidance message includes a business name of the referenced identified feature.

17. A computer implemented method of operating a navigation system to provide a guidance message, the method comprising:

obtaining data from a geographic database stored on a computer readable medium associated with the navigation system to identify a plurality of features visible from a road segment;

calculating an importance rating for each of the identified features, wherein the importance rating is calculated as a function of whether the identified feature may be described by at least one visible descriptor selected from a group consisting of 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;

assigning an importance weight to each importance rating;

calculating, by a processor, an importance value for each of the identified features based on a product of the importance weight and the importance rating;

determining which of the identified features has a highest calculated importance value; and

providing a guidance message that references the identified feature determined to have the highest determined importance value and that states the at least one visible descriptor of the referenced identified feature.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the guidance message further includes a brand name associated with the referenced identified feature.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the guidance message further includes a local nickname associated with the referenced identified feature.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing the guidance message when passing the referenced identified feature.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein providing the guidance message comprises providing the guidance message prior to an intersection.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein calculating an importance rating further comprises calculating an importance rating based on a permanence or a seasonal dependence of the referenced identified feature.