Navigation system with enhanced point of interest arrival guidance

• US 8,706,410 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Chowanic, Andrea Bowes
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALLACE, DONALD JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/549,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20140019039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/426
• 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

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for delivering arrival guidance comprising of receiving inputs defining a destination point of interest (POI). The method includes determining whether the destination POI has a parent-child POI relationship with respect to a second POI. The method further includes outputting guidance at a predetermined distance from the destination POI, wherein the guidance comprises a notification concerning the parent-child relationship between the destination POI and the second POI.

Claims

1. A guidance system in a vehicle comprising:

a point of interest (POI) database including one or more attributes indicating a parent-child relationship between two or more POI; and

a processor configured to;

(i) receive input defining a destination POI;

(ii) determine whether a parent-child relationship exists with respect to the destination POI based on the one or more attributes; and

(iii) when the parent-child relationship exists with respect to the destination POI, output arrival guidance indicating the relationship when the vehicle is a predetermined distance from the destination POI, wherein the predetermined distance is based on a type of road the vehicle is traveling on.

2. A guidance system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a parent-child POI relationship exists based on utilization of the parent or child POI'"'"'s address.

3. A guidance system as in claim 1, wherein the attributes include an address, a latitude and/or longitude, or a parent-child POI indicator.

4. A guidance system as in claim 1, wherein the arrival guidance indicates that the destination POI is a parent or child POI.

5. A guidance system as in claim 4, wherein the arrival guidance is output as an audible notification.

6. A guidance system as in claim 4, wherein notification the arrival guidance is output as a visual notification.

7. A guidance system as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is further based on a current speed of the vehicle.

8. A guidance system as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is further based on traffic information.

9. A guidance system as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is further based on a number of lanes on the road.

10. A method for outputting arrival-guidance in a vehicle, comprising:

receiving inputs defining a destination point of interest (POI);

determining whether the destination-POI has a parent-child relationship with respect to a second POI; and

outputting arrival-guidance at a predetermined distance from the destination-POI, wherein the arrival-guidance includes a notification concerning the parent-child relationship and the predetermined distance is based on a road-type the vehicle is traveling on and a speed of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the destination POI contains a parent-child POI relationship includes utilizing a destination POI attribute to determine whether a parent or child POI exists.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the destination POI contains a parent-child POI relationship includes comparing an address of the destination with other POIs, wherein POIs with the same address as the destination are determined to have a parent-child relationship with the destination.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the notification indicates that the destination POI is a parent POI.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the arrival guidance indicates that the destination POI is a child POI.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the arrival guidance is output as an audible notification.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the audible notification is processed by utilizing a text to speech engine.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the notification is output as a visual notification.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the visual notification is output as a list comprising of at least one child POI.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the arrival guidance includes a notification indicating a parent POI in which the destination POI is located within.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

receive inputs defining a destination point of interest (POI);

determine whether the destination-POI has a parent-child POI relationship with respect to a second POI; and

output arrival-guidance in a vehicle upon arrival at the destination-POI, wherein the arrival-guidance includes a notification indicating the parent-child relationship and the arrival-guidance is output based on a road-type the vehicle is traveling on.