System and method for searching for points of interest along a route

• US 8,738,288 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Pfeifle, Martin, Suh, Jonghyun, Gumhold, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US14/098,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20140095064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 173 Days
• Field of Search: 701/410
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• 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: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A method and system for searching for points of interest along a route is disclosed. A relation that includes records that associate link identifiers, point of interest identifiers, and distances between the links and the points of interest is generated during the compilation process of a first version of a geographic database. The relation is stored in compiled database products. When a compiled database product is being used by a navigation system, for example, navigation application software programs use the relation to accurately and efficiently find points of interest along a computed route.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a geographic database including link identifier values for a plurality of links that represent portions of paths; and

a processor configured to receive a selected link identifier value and identify at least one point of interest located apart from a link specified by the selected link identifier and within a predefined distance from the link specified by the selected link identifier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the geographic database includes a relation for each link identifier value that identifies the points of interest within the predefined distance from the plurality of links.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface configured to receive an input associated with the selected link identifier value.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the input is a destination location in a geographic region.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the input is a selected point of interest.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predefined distance is variable as a function of a type of path represented by the link specified in the selected link identifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predefined distance is set to a small value in urban areas and a large value in rural areas.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a positioning device configured to generate location data for the apparatus, wherein the selected link identifier value is selected based on the location data.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one point of interest located apart from the link is stored in the geographic database in a binary large object.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a geographic database;

an input device configured to receive an input identifying a data entry of the geographic database; and

a controller configured to identify links of the geographic database within a predetermined distance from a feature represented by the data entry.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the feature represented by the data entry is a point of interest or a road.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the data entry of the geographic database is identified from a reverse routing algorithm that starts with a point of interest.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the predetermined distance is a function of a type of path in a route based on the data entry.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the predefined distance is set to a small value in urban areas and a large value in rural areas.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to generate a relation between the links of the geographic database and the data entry.

16. A navigation system comprising:

a geographic database including node data and link data; and

a processor configured to identify link data of the geographic database within a predetermined distance from a selected feature of the geographic database.

17. The navigation system of claim 16, wherein the selected feature is a link that represents a path in a route.

18. The navigation system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined distance is a function of a type of the path in the route.

19. The navigation system of claim 16, wherein the selected feature is a point of interest.

20. The navigation system of claim 19, wherein a database entry associates the link data of the geographic database within the predetermined distance from a route to the point of interest.