Human-like global positioning system (GPS) directions

• US 8,954,279 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karumuri, Ram Suman
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRUSHABER, FREDERICK M
• Application Number:
  US13/926,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20140379261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 701/540
• US Class Current: 701/540
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a user, a request for a route from a first geolocation to a second geolocation; and calculating the route from the first geolocation to the second geolocation. The route includes one or more segments and a set of navigation instructions of the segments. The method also includes accessing a data store for one or more pre-determined paths determined at least in part by previous location data of the user. Each pre-determined path comprising an abbreviated navigation instruction. The method also includes identifying one or more pre-determined paths that coincide with one or more of the segments; modifying the set of navigation instructions by replacing the navigation instructions of the coinciding segments with the abbreviated navigation instruction of each identified pre-determined path; and providing, to the user, the modified set of navigation instructions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by a computing device, receiving, from a user, a request for a route from a first geolocation to a second geolocation;

by the computing device, calculating the route from the first geolocation to the second geolocation, the route comprising one or more segments and a set of navigation instructions of the segments;

by the computing device, accessing a data store for one or more inferred paths determined at least in part by previous location data of the user, each inferred path comprising an abbreviated navigation instruction;

by the computing device, identifying one or more inferred paths that coincide with one or more of the segments;

by the computing device, modifying the set of navigation instructions by replacing the navigation instructions of the coinciding segments with the abbreviated navigation instruction of each identified inferred path; and

by the computing device, providing, to the user, the modified set of navigation instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the modified set of navigation instructions comprises:

providing, by the computing device, turn-by-turn instructions for segments not coinciding with the identified inferred paths; and

providing, by the computing device, the abbreviated navigation instruction comprising information associated with an ending geolocation of each identified inferred paths.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification comprises identifying a highest ranked inferred path that coincides with one or more of the segments, the ranking being based on one or more criteria.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying the highest ranked inferred path comprises ranking the pre-determined paths based at least in part on a length of the inferred path.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying the highest ranked pre-determined path comprises ranking the inferred paths based on frequency each inferred path is traveled by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the computing device, re-calculating one or more of the segments if a starting or ending geolocation of one or more of the identified inferred paths does not coincide with a starting or ending geolocation of the segments.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data store is a local storage of the computing device.

8. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software configured when executed to:

receive, by a user, a request for a route from a first geolocation to a second geolocation;

calculate the route from the first geolocation to the second geolocation, the route comprising one or more segments and a set of navigation instructions of the segments;

access a data store for one or more inferred paths determined at least in part by previous location data of the user, each inferred path comprising an abbreviated navigation instruction;

identify one or more inferred paths that coincide with one or more of the segments;

modify the set of navigation instructions by replacing the navigation instructions of the coinciding segments with the abbreviated navigation instruction of each identified inferred path; and

provide, to the user, the modified set of navigation instructions.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein software is further configured to:

provide turn-by-turn instructions for segments not coinciding with the identified inferred paths; and

provide the abbreviated navigation instruction comprising information associated with an ending geolocation of each identified inferred paths.

10. The media of claim 8, wherein the software is further configured to identify a highest ranked inferred path that coincides with one or more of the segments, the ranking being based on one or more criteria.

11. The media of claim 10, wherein the software is further configured to rank the inferred paths based at least in part on a length of the inferred path.

12. The media of claim 10, wherein the software is further configured to rank the pre-determined paths based on frequency each inferred path is traveled by the user.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein the software is further configured to re-calculate one or more of the segments if a starting or ending geolocation of one or more of the identified inferred paths does not coincide with a starting or ending geolocation of the segments.

14. The media of claim 8, wherein the data store is a local storage of the computing device.

15. A device comprising:

a processor; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to the processor and embodying software that;

receive, by a user, a request for a route from a first geolocation to a second geolocation;

calculate the route from the first geolocation to the second geolocation, the route comprising one or more segments and a set of navigation instructions of the segments;

access a data store for one or more inferred paths determined at least in part by previous location data of the user, each inferred path comprising an abbreviated navigation instruction;

identify one or more inferred paths that coincide with one or more of the segments;

modify the set of navigation instructions by replacing the navigation instructions of the coinciding segments with the abbreviated navigation instruction of each identified inferred path; and

provide, to the user, the modified set of navigation instructions.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein software is further configured to:

provide turn-by-turn instructions for segments not coinciding with the identified inferred paths; and

provide the abbreviated navigation instruction comprising information associated with an ending geolocation of each identified inferred paths.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the software is further configured to identify a highest ranked inferred path that coincides with one or more of the segments, the ranking being based on one or more criteria.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the software is further configured to rank the inferred paths based at least in part on a length of the inferred path.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the software is further configured to rank the inferred paths based on frequency each inferred path is traveled by the user.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the software is further configured to re-calculate one or more of the segments if a starting or ending geolocation of one or more of the identified inferred paths does not coincide with a starting or ending geolocation of the segments.