System and method of using automatically-identified prominent establishments in driving directions

• US 8,688,377 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Urbach, Shlomo, Ron, Lior, Geller, Felix
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US13/399,192
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 701/25, 701/400, 701/408, 701/425, 701/426, 701/436, 701/438, 701/522, 701/523, 340988-99528, 455/456.1, 455/456.2
• US Class Current: 701/522
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route

Abstract

A system and method provides turn-by-turn directions by identifying placemarks, such as businesses or other landmarks that appear along a traveled route. The system may determine whether signage is associated with each placemark along the route and whether the signage is visible from the route. The system may also determine how prominent the signage is from the route. The system selects the placemark by determining how easily the placemark may be identified from the route, based on the signage'"'"'s visibility and prominence. The selected placemark may then be identified in connection with the turn-by-turn directions.

Claims

1. A method of generating turn-by-turn directions, the method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a request for turn-by-turn directions, the request including a first location and a second location;

identifying a route between the first location and the second location;

identifying a plurality of placemarks that are located along the route, the plurality of placemarks each including a visible characteristic that is associated with the placemark;

accessing an image corresponding to a location along the route;

identifying the visible characteristic within the image that corresponds to at least one of the plurality of placemarks, the visible characteristic having an area associated therewith;

accessing depth information to determine a distance of the visible characteristic from the image'"'"'s location;

multiplying the area of the visible characteristic within the image by a depth factor to determine a physical size of the visible characteristic;

determining an identifiability score for the visible characteristic of the placemarks based, at least in part, on the determined physical size of the visible characteristic;

selecting at least one of the plurality of placemarks based on the visible characteristic'"'"'s identifiability score; and

generating, by the server, a set of turn-by-turn directions that includes the selected placemark.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visible characteristic'"'"'s identifiability score is calculated from at least one of:

the visible characteristic'"'"'s visibility from the route, the visible characteristic'"'"'s prominence from the route, and the placemark'"'"'s notoriety.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visible characteristic'"'"'s visibility is determined by:

identifying one or more text strings within the image; and

determining an extent to which the text string matches a name of a given one of the plurality of placemarks located along the route.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the visible characteristic'"'"'s prominence from the route is determined by:

accessing an image corresponding to a location along the route;

identifying a text string within the image that corresponds to one of the plurality of placemarks; and

determining a viewing angle covered by the text string.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the accessing, identifying, and determining steps are performed on a plurality of images and wherein the visible characteristic'"'"'s prominence is determined by calculating an average viewing angle covered by the text strings in the plurality of images.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the viewing angle covered by the text string is determined by comparing the width of the text string with the width of the image.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the viewing angle covered by the text string is determined by comparing the area of the text string with the area of the image.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the placemark'"'"'s notoriety is determined by evaluating whether the placemark corresponds to an entity having a plurality of locations throughout a predefined region.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the placemark'"'"'s notoriety is determined by evaluating whether the placemark is designated as being well known within a predefined region.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated turn-by-turn direction includes a command to take an action relative to the position of the selected placemark.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the set of turn-by-turn directions to a client device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying content associated with the selected placemark; and

transmitting the content with the set of turn-by-turn directions to a client device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the content is information associated with a business.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the content is at least one:

a coupon, an advertisement, or a website.

15. A device for generating turn-by-turn directions, the device comprising:

a memory including a first part for storing instructions and a second part for storing turn-by-turn directions; and

a processor coupled to the member, the processor configured to execute the instructions to;

receive a request for turn-by-turn directions, the request including a first location and a second location;

identify a route between the first location and the second location;

identify a plurality of placemarks that are located along the route, the plurality of placemarks including signage that is associated with the placemark;

access an image corresponding to a location along the route;

identify signage text within the image that corresponds to one of the plurality of placemarks;

compare the width of the signage text with the width of the image;

determine an identifiability score for the signage along the route based, at least in part, on the comparison between the width of the signage text and width of the image;

selecting at least one of the plurality of placemarks based on the signage'"'"'s identifiability score; and

generate a set of turn-by-turn directions that includes the selected placemark.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the signage'"'"'s identifiability score is determined by:

the signage'"'"'s visibility from the route, the signage'"'"'s prominence from the route, and the placemark'"'"'s notoriety.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the signage'"'"'s visibility is determined by:

identifying one or more text strings within the image; and

determining the extent to which the text string matches the name of a given one of the plurality of placemarks located along the route.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the signage'"'"'s prominence from the route is determined by:

identifying a text string within the image that corresponds to one of the plurality of placemarks; and

determining a viewing angle covered by the text string.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the signage'"'"'s prominence from the route is determined by:

identifying a text string within the image that corresponds to one of the plurality of placemarks;

accessing depth information to determine a distance of the text string from the image'"'"'s location; and

multiplying the area of the text string within the image by a depth factor in order to determine a physical size of the text string.

20. A method of generating turn-by-turn directions, the method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a request for turn-by-turn directions, the request including a first location and a second location;

identifying a route between the first location and the second location;

identifying a plurality of placemarks that are located along the route, the plurality of placemarks each including a visible characteristic that is associated with the placemark;

accessing a plurality of images corresponding to locations along a portion of the route;

calculating, based on the plurality of images, an average identifiability score of the visible characteristic for one or more of the plurality of placemarks;

selecting at least one of the plurality of placemarks based on the visible characteristic'"'"'s average identifiability score; and

generating, by the server, a set of turn-by-turn directions that includes the selected placemark.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the average identifiability score is calculated based on images that were taken within a predetermined distance from a particular location along the route.