Intuitive preview of upcoming navigational instructions

• US 9,243,921 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Faaborg, Alexander James, Kaplan, Joshua Robin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US14/267,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20150233722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.27, 358/1.2, 701/431
• 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 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3655 Timing of guidance instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1843 Changing size or raster resolution
• 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: G09B 29/003 Maps

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing an intuitive preview of upcoming navigational instructions are provided. One example method for providing navigational instruction includes obtaining, by one or more computing devices, navigational information describing a sequence of navigational maneuvers associated with a route. The method includes determining, by the one or more computing devices, a distance between each navigational maneuver and the previous sequential navigational maneuver. The method includes displaying, by the one or more computing devices, a user interface providing a sequence of indicators respectively representing the sequence of navigational maneuvers. A space between each indicator and the previous sequential indicator is proportional to the distance between the navigational maneuver represented by such indicator and the navigational maneuver represented by the previous sequential indicator.

Claims

1. A method for providing navigational instruction, the method comprising:

obtaining, by one or more computing devices, navigational information describing a sequence of navigational maneuvers associated with a route;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a distance between each navigational maneuver and the previous sequential navigational maneuver;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a current speed at which a user is travelling;

identifying, by the one or more computing devices, which of the sequence of navigational maneuvers the user is expected to reach within a threshold amount of time based at least in part on the current speed at which the user is travelling; and

displaying, by the one or more computing devices, a user interface providing a sequence of indicators respectively representing the sequence of navigational maneuvers, wherein the sequence of indicators provided in the user interface represent only the navigational maneuvers that the user is expected to reach within the threshold amount of time;

wherein a space between each indicator and the previous sequential indicator is proportional to the distance between the navigational maneuver represented by such indicator and the navigational maneuver represented by the previous sequential indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of determining the current speed and identifying which of the sequence of navigational maneuvers the user is expected to reach within a threshold amount of time are performed on a periodic basis such that the sequence of indicators provided on the user interface continuously represent only the navigational maneuvers that the user is expected to reach within the threshold amount of time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the one or more computing devices, when one of the sequence of navigational maneuvers has been performed; and

removing from the user interface, by the one or more computing devices, the indicator representing the completed navigational maneuver when it is determined that such navigational maneuver has been performed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of indicators included in the user interface are presented at different positions along a first axis of the user interface that is representative of distance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of indicators comprises a sequence of graphical icons respectively describing the sequence of navigational maneuvers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of indicators comprises a sequence of textual entries respectively describing the sequence of navigational maneuvers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between each navigational maneuver and the previous sequential navigational maneuver comprises a driving distance associated with the route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between each navigational maneuver and the previous sequential navigational maneuver comprises a travel time associated with the route.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between each navigational maneuver and the previous sequential navigational maneuver comprises a current expected travel time determined based at least in part on the route and traffic data.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein the user interface does not include a map or other graphical representation of the route.

10. A device comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a positioning system; and

a display;

wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to perform operations, the operations comprising;

obtaining navigational information describing a route;

determining a current position of the device;

determining a plurality of upcoming maneuvers based at least in part on the navigational information and the current position of the device, wherein determining the plurality of upcoming maneuvers based at least in part on the navigational information and the current position of the device comprises;

determining a current speed at which the device is travelling; and

identifying a plurality of expected maneuvers that the device will reach within a threshold amount of time based at least in part on the navigational information, the current position of the device, and the current speed at which the device is travelling; and

providing on the display a plurality of indicators respectively representing the plurality of expected maneuvers, wherein a space is provided between each pair of adjacent indicators, and wherein the space between each pair of adjacent indicators is proportional to a distance between the pair of maneuvers such pair of indicators represent.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the distance between each pair of maneuvers comprises a driving distance.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the distance between each pair of maneuvers comprises a travel time.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the distance between each pair of maneuvers comprises a current expected travel time based at least in part on the route and obtained traffic data.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of indicators comprises one of a plurality of graphical icons or a plurality of textual entries.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein:

providing on the display the plurality of indicators respectively representing the plurality of upcoming maneuvers comprises providing on the display the plurality of indicators at a plurality of intervals along a y-axis of the display;

the interval between each pair of adjacent indicators is proportional to the distance between the pair of maneuvers such pair of indicators represent; and

the memory stores further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to perform further operations, the further operations comprising scrolling the plurality of indicators upwards along the y-axis based at least in part on the current position of the device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations, the operations comprising:

obtaining navigational information describing a plurality of upcoming maneuvers, wherein a plurality of distances are respectively associated with the plurality of upcoming maneuvers;

determining a current position and a current speed;

determining a scale of a distance axis of a user interface based at least in part on the current speed;

identifying one or more of the upcoming maneuvers for display based at least in part on the scale of the distance axis and the plurality of distances respectively associated with the plurality of upcoming maneuvers; and

displaying, along the distance axis of the user interface, one or more indicators respectively representing the one or more of the upcoming maneuvers.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein identifying one or more of the upcoming maneuvers for display based at least in part on the scale of the distance axis and the plurality of distances respectively associated with the plurality of upcoming maneuvers comprises identifying one or more of the upcoming maneuvers for display based at least in part on the current position, the scale of the distance axis, and the plurality of distances respectively associated with the plurality of upcoming maneuvers.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein:

the distance axis comprises a y-axis of the user interface;

the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores further instructions for performing further operations comprising scrolling the y-axis upwards as the plurality of upcoming maneuvers are performed.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable of claim 16, wherein displaying, along the distance axis of the user interface, one or more indicators respectively representing the one or more of the upcoming maneuvers comprises displaying the one or more indicators along the distance axis of the user interface at respective positions that respectively correspond to the respective distances of the upcoming maneuvers from the current position.