Navigation system and methods for generating enhanced search results

• US 8,600,577 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bourque, Francis, Gupta, Sanjay, Hansen, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US12/345,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20100168994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/209, 715/738
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• 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 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases

Abstract

A navigation system and various methods of using the system are described herein. Search query results generated by the system are listed and prioritized based upon travel related information and contextual information. Intermediary locations can be accessed based upon prioritizing search queries.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a graphical user interface configured for receiving and displaying travel related data;

a map database containing geographic related data;

a historical database containing historical travel related data and contextual travel related data, wherein the contextual travel related data includes first information concerning frequency of destination visits; and

a search engine configured to perform a process for providing ranked search query results, the process comprising the steps of;

initiating a search query, wherein an indication of a final destination selected by a user is received prior to the initiating of the search query;

accessing the map database and the historical database so as to retrieve at least some of the geographic related data, the historical travel related data, and the contextual travel related data including the first information;

generating a list of results based upon the search query;

prioritizing the results based in-part upon the at least some of the geographic related data, the historical travel related data, and the contextual travel related data including the first information accessed from the historical database and map database, wherein

the prioritizing is determined at least in part by the time of day associated with the search query and further based at least in part upon prior travel data;

displaying the list in the interface based upon the prioritizing, wherein the list does not include at least one of the results that was removed from the list because at least one location of the at least one result has already been passed en route to the final destination; and

upon there being a selection of a first of the results displayed in the list, further generating based upon the at least some geographic related data an intermediate route to an intermediate destination corresponding to the selected first result and further providing the intermediate route in addition to directions to the final destination;

wherein at least one portion of the prioritizing is performed an additional time prior to the displaying of the list if a final destination route changes.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the contextual travel related data additionally includes additional information selected from the group comprising search query time, time-of-day associated with previous search queries, current directional travel, weather conditions, traffic conditions, current time of day and frequency of current route.

3. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein the historical database includes information selected from the group consisting of previous search queries, prior travel routes, prior locations visited, type of prior location visited and deviation distance from route for previously chosen locations.

4. The navigation system according to claim 3, wherein the results are prioritized and listed based at least in part upon previous travel and query selections.

17. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the additional information includes the time-of-day associated with previous search queries.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one prioritizing operation is performed an additional time prior to the displaying of the list if a final destination route changes.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least some of the historical travel related data is associated with an additional user that is other than the user for whom the prioritizing is being performed.

5. A method of conveying search query results comprising the steps of:

initiating a search query based at least in part upon a final destination, wherein an indication of the final destination selected by a user is received prior to the initiating of the search query;

accessing a map database to retrieve geographical map related information;

accessing an additional database to retrieve historical travel related information;

accessing the additional database to retrieve contextual travel related information, wherein the contextual travel related information includes both (i) frequency of destination visit data and (ii) additional data concerning time-of-day associated with previous search queries;

generating by way of a processing device a list of prioritized intermediary destination results based at least in part upon the search query, historical travel related information and contextual travel related information including the frequency of destination visits data, the time of day associated with the search query and prior travel data;

displaying the list on a graphical interface, wherein the list does not include at least one of the results that was removed from the list because at least one location of the at least one result has already been passed en route to the final destination; and

upon there being a selection of a first of the results displayed in the list, further generating based upon the geographical map related information an intermediate route to an intermediary destination corresponding to the selected first result and further providing the intermediate route in addition to directions to the final destination.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a prioritizing of the list of prioritized intermediary destination results is determined at least in part by the distance associated with the final destination.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the geographic information includes roadway information.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the prioritizing is determined at least in part by locations visited within about 1 hour of the search query.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the prioritizing is determined at least in part by music played concurrent with the search query.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the intermediary destination is proximal to a final destination route.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the intermediary destination is distal to a final destination route.

12. The method according to claim 5, wherein the graphical interface is a navigation system.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the intermediary destination is a location other than a starting location and the final destination.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of identifying the user and accessing data from a database associated with the user.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the database is at a remote location and the accessing is performed wirelessly.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the identifying comprises accessing a wireless device associated with the user.

20. The navigation system according to claim 13, wherein the historical database is configured to identify music recently played by the user and assigns a mood value to the music, wherein the prioritizing is at least in part based upon the mood value.