Route selection

• US 9,261,377 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Krzanowski, Roman, Parsons, Yvonne C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US14/308,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20140303891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 701400-418, 701/423, 701/425, 701/450, 701/487, 701/511, 701/533, 701/537, 701/538, 701/540, 701/541
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• 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 21/3661 Guidance output on an external device, e.g. car radio

Abstract

A request is received to compute a route from a start point to an end point. The route is computed using map data that includes a plurality of map elements, and route data that includes rules associated with the map elements, each of the rules being triggered by a condition flag that specifies a condition according to which the rule should be applied. The route data is based inputs related to driver experience in a geographic area associated with the route, and the inputs are based on stored data and not real-time or near-real-time data.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

specifying, by a user input with a computing device having a processor and a memory, a route rule in advance of first and second conditions relative to a plurality of map elements, the route rule being specified based on stored data, that is not real-time data, representing multiple driver experiences and including user knowledge associated with a geographic area and obtained over a period of time;

presenting to a user, through a user interface, the plurality of map elements associated with the geographic area;

receiving a selection of at least one of the plurality of map elements from the user;

generating, based on an occurrence of the conditions, a route based in part on the route rule and the selected one of the plurality of map elements; and

providing, through the user interface, the route to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a form on the user interface requesting form data regarding the plurality of map elements; and

communicating the form data to a server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the period of time includes at least one of days, weeks, and months.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver experiences are from a plurality of user devices associated with the geographic area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the route rule is specified for a certain time of day based on the driver experiences.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the route rule includes avoiding at least one map element during a specified event at a venue based on the multiple driver experiences.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the route rule includes instructions to avoid at least one map element during a weather condition based on the multiple driver experiences.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

specify, by a user input, a route rule in advance of first and second conditions relative to a plurality of map elements, the route rule being specified based on stored data, that is not real time data, representing multiple driver experiences and including user knowledge associated with a geographic area and obtained over a period of time;

present to a user the plurality of map elements associated with the geographic area;

receive a selection of at least one of the plurality of map elements;

generate, based on an occurrence of the conditions, a route based in part on the route rule and the selected one of the plurality of map elements; and

provide the route to the user.

9. The medium of claim 8, the instructions further comprising:

provide a form to the user requesting form data regarding the plurality of map elements; and

communicate the form data to a server.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein the period of time includes at least one of days, weeks, and months.

11. The medium of claim 8, wherein the driver experiences are from a plurality of sources.

12. The medium of claim 8, wherein the route rule is specified for a certain time of day based on the driver experiences.

13. The medium of claim 8, wherein the route rule includes instructions to avoid at least one map element during a specified event based on the multiple driver experiences.

14. The medium of claim 8, wherein the route rule includes instructions to avoid at least one map element during a weather condition based on the multiple driver experiences.

15. A system, comprising:

a computing device with a processor and a memory, the processor being configured to;

specify, by a user input, a route rule in advance of first and second conditions relative to a plurality of map elements, the route rule being specified based on stored data that is not real-time data, representing multiple driver experiences and including user knowledge associated with a geographic area and obtained over a period of time;

present to a user the plurality of map elements associated with the geographic area;

receive a selection of at least one of the plurality of map elements;

generate, based on an occurrence of the conditions, a route based in part on the route rule and the selected one of the plurality of map elements; and

provide the route to the user.

16. The system of claim 15, the processor further configured to:

provide a form to the user requesting form data regarding the plurality of map elements; and

communicate the form data to a server.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the period of time includes at least one of days, weeks, and months.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the driver experiences are from a plurality of user devices associated with the geographic area.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the route rule is specified for a certain time of day based on the driver experiences.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the route rule includes avoiding at least one map element during a specified event at a venue based on the multiple driver experiences.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the route rule includes avoiding at least one map element during a weather condition based on the multiple driver experiences.