Sharing GPS navigation information

• US 9,080,873 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Basson, Sara H., Fairweather, Peter G., Kanevsky, Dimitri, Kelley, Edward E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuelling, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/960,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20130325333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• 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: G01C 21/3856 Data obtained from user input

Abstract

A host application on a host computer system receives annotations made by drivers of respective navigation information displayed to the drivers by GPS devices in vehicles of the respective drivers. The host application saves the annotated navigation information for the respective drivers on a computer readable memory accessible by the host application. The host application receives a request from a first one of the drivers for annotated navigation information made by one or more of the other drivers. Responsive to the request, the host application selects one or more items of the saved annotated navigation information. The host application sends the selected one or more items of the saved annotated navigation information to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers.

Claims

1. A method for providing navigation information to drivers, the method comprising:

receiving routes of the respective drivers from GPS devices of vehicles of the respective drivers by a host application on a host computer system remote from the vehicles;

saving, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, the received routes for the respective drivers;

receiving, by the host application, coordinates of the driver positions from the GPS devices of the vehicles of the respective drivers, the respective coordinates being automatically generated and sent a plurality of times by the respective GPS devices;

storing, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, driver trip times corresponding to ones of the saved routes, wherein the storing is responsive to receiving selections of ones of the saved routes by ones of the drivers and receiving coordinates of driver positions indicating starting and completion of the selected ones of the routes;

receiving, by the host application, a request from a first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes;

identifying, by the host application responsive to receiving the requested route, others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes; and

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, at least one of the identified other saved routes and their corresponding trip times.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indication of what others of the saved routes the first one of the drivers'"'"' requests.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes:

receiving an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes;

and wherein the method includes;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have fastest trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes;

and wherein the method includes;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, others of the saved routes that have the fastest trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have fastest average trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes;

and wherein the method includes;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, others of the saved routes that have the fastest average trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indicated range of time of day and an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were during the indicated range of time of day;

and wherein the method includes sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were during the indicated range of time of day.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indicated category of routes and an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were of the indicated category;

and wherein the method includes sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were categorized in the indicated category by the drivers who created them.

8. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for providing navigation information to drivers, the computer program product having instructions for execution by a computer, wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method comprising:

receiving routes of the respective drivers from GPS devices of vehicles of the respective drivers by a host application on a host computer system remote from the vehicles;

saving, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, the received routes for the respective drivers;

receiving, by the host application, coordinates of the driver positions from the GPS devices of the vehicles of the respective drivers, the respective coordinates being automatically generated and sent a plurality of times by the respective GPS devices;

storing, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, driver trip times corresponding to ones of the saved routes, wherein the storing is responsive to receiving selections of ones of the saved routes by ones of the drivers and receiving coordinates of driver positions indicating starting and completion of the selected ones of the routes;

receiving, by the host application, a request from a first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes;

identifying, by the host application responsive to receiving the requested route, others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes; and

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, at least one of the identified other saved routes and their corresponding trip times.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indication of what others of the saved routes the first one of the drivers requests.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes:

receiving an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes;

and wherein the computer program product includes instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method comprising;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have fastest trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes;

and wherein the computer program product includes instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method comprising;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, others of the saved routes that have the fastest trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have fastest average trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes;

and wherein the computer program product includes instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method comprising;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, others of the saved routes that have the fastest average trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indicated range of time of day and an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were during the indicated range of time of day;

and

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were during the indicated range of time of day.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indicated category of routes and an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were of the indicated category;

and instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method comprising

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were categorized in the indicated category by the drivers who created them.

15. An apparatus for providing navigation information to drivers comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device connected to the processor, wherein the storage device has stored thereon a navigation information program for controlling the processor, and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing;

receiving routes of the respective drivers from GPS devices of vehicles of the respective drivers by a host application on a host computer system remote from the vehicles;

saving, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, the received routes for the respective drivers;

receiving, by the host application, coordinates of the driver positions from the GPS devices of the vehicles of the respective drivers, the respective coordinates being automatically generated and sent a plurality of times by the respective GPS devices;

storing, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, driver trip times corresponding to ones of the saved routes, wherein the storing is responsive to receiving selections of ones of the saved routes by ones of the drivers and receiving coordinates of driver positions indicating starting and completion of the selected ones of the routes;

receiving, by the host application, a request from a first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes;

identifying, by the host application responsive to receiving the requested route, others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes; and

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, at least one of the identified other saved routes and their corresponding trip times.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indication of what others of the saved routes the first one of the driver'"'"' requests.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes:

receiving an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes;

and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have fastest trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes;

and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, others of the saved routes that have the fastest trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have fastest average trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes;

and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, others of the saved routes that have the fastest average trip times and that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indicated range of time of day and an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were during the indicated range of time of day;

and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were during the indicated range of time of day.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indicated category of routes and an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were of the indicated category;

and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing;

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were categorized in the indicated category by the drivers who created them.

22. A method for providing navigation information to drivers, the method comprising:

receiving routes of the respective drivers from GPS devices of vehicles of the respective drivers by a host application on a host computer system remote from the vehicles;

saving, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, the received routes for the respective drivers;

receiving, by the host application, coordinates of the driver positions from the GPS devices of the vehicles of the respective drivers, the respective coordinates being automatically generated and sent a plurality of times by the respective GPS devices;

storing, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, driver trip times corresponding to ones of the saved routes, wherein the storing is responsive to receiving selections of ones of the saved routes by ones of the drivers and receiving coordinates of driver positions indicating starting and completion of the selected ones of the routes;

receiving, by the host application, a request from a first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indicated category of routes and an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were of the indicated category;

identifying, by the host application responsive to receiving the requested route, others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes; and

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, at least one of the identified other saved routes and their corresponding trip times, including sending at least one route categorized by a driver in the indicated category and having start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

23. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for providing navigation information to drivers, the computer program product having instructions for execution by a computer, wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method comprising:

receiving routes of the respective drivers from GPS devices of vehicles of the respective drivers by a host application on a host computer system remote from the vehicles;

saving, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, the received routes for the respective drivers;

receiving, by the host application, coordinates of the driver positions from the GPS devices of the vehicles of the respective drivers, the respective coordinates being automatically generated and sent a plurality of times by the respective GPS devices;

storing, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, driver trip times corresponding to ones of the saved routes, wherein the storing is responsive to receiving selections of ones of the saved routes by ones of the drivers and receiving coordinates of driver positions indicating starting and completion of the selected ones of the routes;

receiving, by the host application, a request from a first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indicated category of routes and an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were of the indicated category;

identifying, by the host application responsive to receiving the requested route, others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes; and

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, at least one of the identified other saved routes and their corresponding trip times, including sending at least one route categorized by a driver in the indicated category and having start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.

24. An apparatus for providing navigation information to drivers comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device connected to the processor, wherein the storage device has stored thereon a navigation information program for controlling the processor, and wherein the processor is operative with the program to execute the program for performing;

receiving routes of the respective drivers from GPS devices of vehicles of the respective drivers by a host application on a host computer system remote from the vehicles;

saving, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, the received routes for the respective drivers;

receiving, by the host application, coordinates of the driver positions from the GPS devices of the vehicles of the respective drivers, the respective coordinates being automatically generated and sent a plurality of times by the respective GPS devices, wherein the receiving of the request from the first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes includes receiving an indicated category of routes and an indication that the first one of the drivers requests others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes and that were of the indicated category;

storing, by the host application on computer readable memory accessible by the host application, driver trip times corresponding to ones of the saved routes, wherein the storing is responsive to receiving selections of ones of the saved routes by ones of the drivers and receiving coordinates of driver positions indicating starting and completion of the selected ones of the routes;

receiving, by the host application, a request from a first one of the drivers for one of the saved routes;

identifying, by the host application responsive to receiving the requested route, others of the saved routes that have start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes; and

sending to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers, by the host application responsive to the request, at least one of the identified other saved routes and their corresponding trip times, including sending at least one route categorized by a driver in the indicated category and having start and destination locations within predetermined distances of start and destination locations of the requested one of the routes.