Navigation application

• US 9,182,243 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2012
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: van Os, Marcel, Blumenberg, Christopher, Vulcano, Emanuele, Moore, Bradford A., Pylappan, Seejo K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Application Number:
  US13/632,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20130345959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,136 Days
• Field of Search: 701/431, 701/432, 701/436, 701/440, 701/454
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• 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 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3638 including 3D objects and buildings three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects G06T17/00; geographic models G06T17/05
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• 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 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/00 Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a navigation application that presents a novel navigation presentation on a device. The application identifies a location of the device, and identifies a style of road signs associated with the identified location of the device. The application then generates navigation instructions in form of road signs that match the identified style. To generate the road sign, the application in some embodiments identifies a road sign template image for the identified style, and generates the road sign by compositing the identified road sign template with at least one of text instruction and graphical instruction. In some embodiments, the road sign is generated as a composite textured image that has a texture and a look associated with the road signs at the identified location.

Claims

1. A machine readable medium storing a navigation program for execution by at least one processing unit of a device, the navigation program comprising sets of instructions for:

identifying a current location of the device and a destination location;

identifying a style of road signs associated with the identified current location of the device;

generating a plurality of navigation instructions for a plurality of junctures along a route from the current location to the destination location; and

presenting the plurality of navigation instructions in the form of navigation banners with a style that matches the identified style of the road signs, as the device travels along the route, wherein a particular navigation banner with a first appearance is presented for a duration of time before modifying the first appearance of the particular navigation banner to a second appearance in order to draw attention to the particular navigation banner.

2. The machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for presenting the plurality of navigation instructions comprises sets of instructions for:

identifying a road sign template image for the identified style; and

for each of the plurality of navigation instructions, compositing the identified road sign template image with at least one of a text instruction and a graphical instruction to generate a composite navigation banner.

3. The machine readable medium of claim 2, wherein the set of instructions for compositing comprises a set of instructions for generating a composite textured image that has a texture and a look associated with the style of the road signs at the identified location.

4. The machine readable medium of claim 2, wherein the text instruction specifies a maneuver at a juncture along the route, while the graphical instruction comprises a direction indicator that pictorially illustrates the maneuver at the juncture.

5. The machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for modifying the first appearance of the particular navigation banner comprises a set of instructions for modifying the first appearance of the particular navigation banner to the second appearance for another duration of time before returning to the presentation of the particular navigation banner with the first appearance.

6. The machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for modifying the first appearance of the particular navigation banner comprises a set of instructions for producing a lighting effect that makes part or all of the particular navigation banner glow.

7. The machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the set of instructions for producing the lighting effect comprises a set of instructions for projecting light that passes across the particular navigation banner.

8. The machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the lighting effect brightens a sequence of contiguous segments of the particular navigation banner in order to generate an effect of a light source spanning across the particular navigation banner.

9. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a navigation program for execution by at least one processing unit of a device, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

identifying two successive maneuvers for two consecutive junctures that are close to each other along a navigated route; and

presenting concurrently a first navigation banner and a second navigation banner to describe the two maneuvers.

10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions for presenting the first and second navigation banners comprises sets of instructions for:

generating the first navigation banner with a surface over which a first set of navigation instructions for a first maneuver is placed;

generating the second navigation banner with a surface over which a second set of navigation instructions for a second maneuver is placed, wherein the first set of navigation instructions comprises more navigation information than the second set of navigation instructions; and

presenting the first and second navigation banners concurrently.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:

identifying a third maneuver for a third junction that is not close to any other junction along the navigated route; and

presenting a third navigation banner without any additional navigation banners in order to describe the third maneuver.

12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the second navigation banner is smaller than the first navigation banner.

13. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 12, wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:

removing the first navigation banner after the device passes the first juncture associated with the first maneuver; and

replacing the second navigation banner with a larger third navigation banner that describes with additional navigation information the second maneuver.

14. A method of generating a navigation presentation, the method comprising:

identifying a current location of the device and a destination location;

identifying a style of road signs of a geographical area associated with the identified current location of the device;

generating a plurality of navigation instructions for a plurality of junctures along a route from the current location to the destination location; and

presenting the plurality of navigation instructions in the form of navigation banners with a style that matches the identified style of the road signs in the geographical area, as the device travels along the route, wherein a particular navigation banner with a first appearance is presented for a duration of time before modifying the first appearance of the particular navigation banner to a second appearance in order to draw attention to the particular navigation banner.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein presenting the plurality of navigation instructions comprises:

identifying a road sign template image for the identified style; and

for each of the plurality of navigation instructions, compositing the identified road sign template image with at least one of text instruction and graphical instruction to generate a composite navigation banner.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein compositing the identified road sign template image comprises generating a composite textured image that has a texture and a look associated with the style of the road signs at the identified location.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein modifying the first appearance of the particular navigation banner comprises modifying the first appearance of the particular navigation banner to the second appearance for another duration of time before returning to the presentation of the particular navigation banner with the first appearance.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein modifying the first appearance of the particular navigation banner comprises producing a lighting effect that makes part or all of the particular navigation banner glow.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein a navigation banner'"'"'s style matches the identified style of the road signs by having a color that matches a color of the road signs of the geographical area.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein a navigation banner'"'"'s style matches the identified style of the road signs by having a highway shield that matches highway shields used in the road signs of the geographical area.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein a navigation banner'"'"'s style matches the identified style of the road signs by having a texture that matches a texture used in the road signs of the geographical area.

22. The method of claim 14, a navigation banner'"'"'s style matches the identified style of the road signs by having (i) a color that matches a color of the road signs of the geographical area, (ii) a texture that matches a texture used in the road signs of the geographical area, and (iii) a highway shield that matches highway shields used in the road signs of the geographical area.