Natural navigational guidance

• US 9,217,644 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Artax LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Clark, Brant Miller, Goddard, Mark, Kaplan, Diego Andres
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAZZARA, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/751,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20130197798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 701/428
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3655 Timing of guidance instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance
• 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: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road

Abstract

Natural navigational guidance, provides enhanced guidance instructions that take advantage of unique geographic features along a navigated route to specify maneuver points. Guidance points are clearly visible, unambiguous, and locally unique features in the geography of the maneuver area that can be used to aid the user in discovering the place where the maneuver point is. Within a guidance point selection area, a specific guidance point type has a more strict area within which it can be used. A natural guidance point selection area for an upcoming maneuver to be navigated is determined, and a unique geographic feature within the determined natural guidance point selection area is selected as a natural guidance point for navigation of the upcoming maneuver. A turn-type natural guidance point for an upcoming maneuver to be navigated is generated when the user device is within the natural guidance point selection area.

Claims

1. A method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device, comprising:

receiving, at a wireless device from a network navigation server, an upcoming maneuver point to be navigated from said wireless device;

measuring a current location and direction of travel of said wireless device with respect to said upcoming maneuver point;

determining a natural guidance point selection area relating to said upcoming maneuver point;

varying priorities of a plurality of locally unique geographic features within said determined natural guidance point selection area based on a proximity to said upcoming maneuver point; and

outputting audio from said wireless device, said audio relating an upcoming maneuver to be navigated at said upcoming maneuver point to one of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having a highest varied priority.

2. The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising:

outputting audio relating to a prepare to-type guidance outside said natural guidance point selection area.

3. The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein types of said plurality of locally unique geographic features comprise:

a railroad track;

a traffic light;

a stop sign;

an end of road;

a bridge; and

a street count.

4. The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein a starting priority of said plurality of locally unique geographic features, before being varied, is given in a descending order of priority as follows:

a traffic light,

a stop sign,

an end of road,

a railroad track,

a bridge, and

a street count.

5. The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

a starting priority of said plurality of locally unique geographic features, before being varied, is configurable in said network navigation server accessible to said wireless device.

6. The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a location on a navigated route at which to begin outputting said audio from said wireless device based on a type of said one of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having said highest varied priority.

7. The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said wireless device is a smartphone.

8. The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said wireless device is a tablet.

9. The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said natural guidance point selection area does not include area behind said measured current location and direction of travel of said wireless device.

10. The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said audio is output from said wireless device as said wireless device approaches said one of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having said highest varied priority within said natural guidance point selection area.