Time-inclusive route and trip planning

• US 9,140,570 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baird, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): NG, MICHAEL L
• Application Number:
  US13/228,049
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3446 Details of route searching algorithms, e.g. Dijkstra, A*, arc-flags, using precalculated routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

Timing information and deeper trip planning can enhance conventional mapping functionality. A user provides a specified time of arrival and/or departure information along with a starting and end point, and receives a travel route with estimated arrival and departure times based on time-specific information, such as traffic or construction at specific times of day. The user can choose or be prompted to add one or more waypoints along the way. The user can get recommendations for hotels, restaurants, points of interest, and other such locations based on location, time of day, travel time, or other such aspects. Upon selecting a waypoint, the amount of time the user will be at that waypoint and the additional driving time are used to adjust one or more other times of the trip, such as the starting or departure times, or times of other waypoints.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a trip plan, comprising:

receiving information specifying a departure location, a destination location, and time information, the time information indicating a time at which a user intends to at least depart the departure location or arrive at the destination location;

obtaining, using one of at least one computing system, one or more potential route options between the departure location and the destination location;

selecting at least one route option using at least one route selection criterion;

determining, using one of the at least one computing system, an estimated time of departure and an estimated time of arrival for the at least one route option based at least in part upon the received time information;

providing information for the at least one route option, and the estimated times of departure and arrival for the at least one route option, for display to the user;

receiving confirmation of a confirmed route option of the at least one route option;

providing information for at least one suggested waypoint for display to the user based at least in part upon timing information associated with the confirmed route option, the waypoint meeting at least one waypoint suggestion criteria corresponding to the timing information associated with the confirmed route option, the information for the at least one suggested waypoint including at least a respective estimated time of departure and a respective estimated time of arrival for the at least one suggested waypoint;

receiving confirmation of a confirmed waypoint of the at least one suggested waypoint;

receiving from the user a selection as to whether to change the estimated time of departure or the estimated time of arrival of the confirmed route option to account for the confirmed waypoint;

determining, using one of the at least one computing system, updated trip information including updated route information, information for the confirmed waypoint, and at least one of an updated time of departure or an updated time of arrival; and

providing the updated trip information for display to the user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking a position of a computing device associated with the user during a time of the trip plan; and

providing navigation directions to the computing device based at least in part upon the tracked position.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the trip information in response to changes in the tracked position of the computing device with respect to an estimated location of the computing device according to the trip information.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the user to add or remove waypoints while following the trip information; and

automatically updating the trip information to account for the addition or removal of the waypoint.

5. A computer-implemented method of providing navigation directions, comprising:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

receiving a request for directions between a departure location and a destination location;

receiving timing information specifying at least one of a target time of departure and a target time of arrival;

obtaining one or more route options between the departure location and the destination location;

selecting at least one route option based on at least one selection criteria;

determining a departure time and an arrival time for the at least one selected route based at least in part upon the received timing information;

determining at least a suggested waypoint based at least in part on the received timing information;

providing information for the at least the suggested waypoint to the user, the user being able to select the at least the suggested waypoint to be added to the at least one selected route, the information for the at least the suggest waypoint including at least a respective estimated time of departure and a respective estimated time of arrival for the at least the suggested waypoint; and

providing information for the at least one selected route and the departure and arrival times for the at least one selected route for display to a user,

wherein the user is able to confirm one of the at least one selected route based at least in part upon the displayed departure and arrival times for the at least one selected route.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request to add a waypoint to the confirmed route, the request specifying at least one criteria for the waypoint;

determining one or more waypoints satisfying the at least one criteria; and

providing information for the one or more waypoints to the user,

wherein the user is able to select at least one waypoint to be added to the confirmed route.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving confirmation of the at least one selected waypoint;

determining updated directions for the confirmed route to include each selected waypoint;

determining a default dwell time for each selected waypoint;

determining a time of arrival and a time of departure for each selected waypoint; and

providing updated information for the confirmed route including the updated directions, as well as the default dwell time, the time of arrival, and the time of departure for each selected waypoint.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the user is able to adjust the dwell time for each selected waypoint, the adjusted dwell time causing at least one of the time of arrival or time of departure for the selected waypoint to be adjusted accordingly.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

adjusting at least one of the arrival time and the departure time for the confirmed route based on the selected at least one waypoint.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

prompting the user to confirm whether to adjust the arrival time or the departure time for the confirmed route, or a combination thereof, in response to the selected at least one waypoint.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

automatically making a reservation at a determined one of the selected waypoints when a reservation is available or required at the determined waypoint.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether to suggest a type of waypoint for the confirmed route based at least in part upon a length of the confirmed route.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the one or more waypoints are further determined using at least one of historical data, preference data, and behavioral data for the user.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the user is able to specify information about one or more persons joining the user on the confirmed route, the one or more waypoints being further determined using the specified information about the one or more persons.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the at least one route criteria includes at least one of a shortest time, a shortest distance, a least amount of traffic, and most use of freeway.

16. A navigation device, comprising:

a processor;

a display element;

a location determining element; and

a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the navigation device to;

receive a request for directions between a departure location and a destination location, the request further specifying at least one of a target time of departure and a target time of arrival;

determine one or more route options between the departure location and the destination location, as well as a departure time and an arrival time for the one or more route options based at least in part upon the received timing information;

enable a user to select one of the one or more route options as a trip plan based at least in part upon the departure time and arrival time for the selected route option;

receive a request to access navigation information for the trip plan;

determine a current location of the navigation device using the location determining element;

determine at least a suggested waypoint based at least in part on the timing information associated with the selected route option;

display information associated with the at least a suggested waypoint to the user on the display element, wherein the user is able to select the at least a suggested waypoint to be added to the route plan, the information associated with the at least the suggested waypoint including at least a respective estimated time of departure and a respective estimated time of arrival for the at least the suggested waypoint; and

provide route directions and timing information for the route plan on the display element based at least in part upon the determined current location, the navigation device being configured to update at least one of the route directions and timing information based on the current location.

17. The navigation system of claim 16, further comprising a communication mechanism operable to connect to at least one network, and wherein the instructions when executed further cause the navigation device to:

receive a request to add a waypoint to the selected route, the request specifying at least one criteria for the waypoint;

send a request for suggested waypoint information using the communication mechanism, the request including the at least one criteria;

receive suggested waypoint information including information for one or more waypoints matching the at least one criteria; and

display at least a portion of the suggested waypoint information to the user on the display element,

wherein the user is able to select at least one waypoint to be added to the confirmed route.

18. The navigation system of claim 17, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the navigation system to:

determine updated directions for the selected route to include each selected waypoint;

determine a time of arrival, a time of departure, and a dwell time for each selected waypoint; and

provide updated information for the selected route including the updated directions, as well as the default dwell time, the time of arrival, and the time of departure for each selected waypoint.

19. The navigation system of claim 18, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the navigation system to:

prompt the user to confirm whether to adjust the arrival time or the departure time for the selected route, or a combination thereof, in response to the selected at least one waypoint; and

in response, adjust at least one of the arrival time and the departure time for the confirmed route.

20. The navigation system of claim 18, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the navigation system to:

enable the user to request at least one of suggestions and offers for waypoints along the selected route.

21. The navigation system of claim 17, wherein the one or more route options are determined based at least in part upon relative travel times for each route option based at least in part upon traffic patterns for the time of day at which the user is determined to be traveling upon various portions of each route option based at least in part upon the received timing information.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for providing location-specific information, the instructions when executed by a processor causing the processor to:

receive a request for directions between a departure location and a destination location, the request further specifying at least one of a target time of departure and a target time of arrival;

obtain one or more route options between the departure location and the destination location based on at least one selection criteria;

determine a departure time and an arrival time for determined one or more route options based at least in part upon the received timing information;

provide information for the determined one or more route options, including the departure and arrival times for each route option, for display to a user, the user being enabled to select one of the route options based at least in part upon the departure and arrival times;

receive a request to add a waypoint to the selected route option, the request specifying at least one criteria for the waypoint;

determine one or more waypoints based at least in part on the timing information and the at least one criteria;

provide information for the one or more waypoints to the user, the user being enabled to select at least one waypoint to be added to a confirmed route, the information for the one or more waypoints including at least a respective estimated time of departure and a respective estimated time of arrival for the at least one waypoint; and

automatically update at least one of the departure time and the arrival time for the selected route option for each added waypoint.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein

the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

provide a suggestion to the user to drop an existing waypoint or select a new waypoint based at least in part upon a current position of the user along the trip plan, the user being ahead or behind a scheduled amount of progress by more than a determined amount for the existing waypoint.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

access an existing mapping application specified by the user; and

provide the departure location and the destination location to the existing mapping application,

wherein the one or more route options are obtained from the existing mapping application, and

wherein a mapping portion of the existing mapping application is accessible to generate mapping information for display to the user.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein

the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

provide one or more suggestions to the user based at least in part upon information for the selected route option, the one or more suggestions offering at least one of products and services related to at least one aspect of the selected trip option.