Systems and methods for initiating mapping exit routines and rating highway exits

• US 9,435,660 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MapQuest, Inc. (System1 LLC)
• Inventors: Nesbitt, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENE, DANIEL LAWSON
• Application Number:
  US14/055,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20150106011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 701/412
• 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 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for inferring a user'"'"'s intent to stop at a predefined location or breakpoint along a predetermined route, such as an exit along a highway, and to enable users to report back to systems maintaining exit or breakpoint Point of Interest (POI) data. An application executing on a user'"'"'s mobile device may infer or query the user'"'"'s intent upon detecting a deviation away from the route and to use this as a “check-in” at a predefined location corresponding to the point of deviation. Then further check-ins and ratings at amenities/locations associated with the exit can also be used to enhance the rating and popularity of the predefined location (e.g., highway exit) itself. The ratings and popularity of highway exits provide relevant content related to the highest rated or most popular breakpoints located along their route of travel.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying deviation points along a route of travel, the method comprising:

monitoring a current location of a mobile device of a user traveling along a portion of a predetermined route toward a specified destination location;

detecting a point of deviation from which the mobile device of the user moves away from the predetermined route based on the monitoring step;

comparing the detected point of deviation to a database of one or more highway exits and inferring the user'"'"'s intent to stop at one of the highway exits proximate to the detected point of deviation based on the comparison;

obtaining information related to one or more points of interest associated with the detected point of deviation or the highway exit proximate to the detected point of deviation; and

interrupting routing of the user to the specified destination location to instead provide routing options to one or more of the points of interest associated with the detected point of deviation or the highway exit, for display to the user via a display of the mobile device based on the obtained information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more points of interest are located within a predetermined distance or drive time from the point of deviation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a dedicated geographic positioning system (GPS) navigation device including route guidance features.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inferring an intent of the user to visit at least one of the one or more points of interest associated with the point of deviation based on the obtained information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the inferring step comprises:

determining whether a total number of the one or more points of interest associated with the detected point of deviation exceeds a predetermined threshold quantity; and

inferring the user'"'"'s intent to visit at least one of the one or more points of interest based on the determination.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the inferring step comprises:

obtaining traffic data associated with the portion of the predetermined route;

obtaining data related to the one or more points of interest associated with the point of deviation;

calculating a probability score representing a likelihood of the user'"'"'s intent to visit at least one of the one more points of interest based on the obtained traffic data and data related to the one or more points of interest; and

inferring the user'"'"'s intent based on the calculated probability score.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the inferring step comprises:

determining whether a popularity score associated with the point of deviation exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

inferring the user'"'"'s intent to visit at least one of the one or more points of interest based on the determination.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the point of deviation is a predefined geographic location associated with the portion of the predetermined route, and the determining step further comprises:

accessing a database mapping the predefined geographic location corresponding to the detected point of deviation to the associated popularity score.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the portion of the predetermined route of travel is a highway, and the predefined geographic location corresponding to the point of deviation is an exit located along the highway.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined popularity score is based on a number of times the exit has been used as a deviation point by users traveling along the highway during a predetermined period of time.

11. A system for rating deviation points along a route of travel, the system comprising:

a memory having processor-readable instructions stored therein; and

a processor configured to access the memory and execute the processor-readable instructions, which when executed by the processor configures the processor to perform a plurality of functions, including functions to;

monitor a current location of a mobile device of a user traveling along a portion of a predetermined route toward a specified destination location;

detect a point of deviation from which the mobile device of the user moves away from the predetermined route based on the monitoring step;

compare the detected point of deviation to a database of one or more highway exits and inferring the user'"'"'s intent to stop at one of the highway exits proximate to the detected point of deviation based on the comparison;

obtain information related to one or more points of interest associated with the detected point of deviation or the highway exit proximate to the detected point of deviation; and

interrupt routing of the user to the specified destination location to instead provide routing options to one or more of the points of interest associated with the detected point of deviation or the highway exit, for display to the user via a display of the mobile device based on the obtained information.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more points of interest are located within a predetermined distance or drive time from the point of deviation.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile device is a dedicated geographic positioning system (GPS) navigation device including route guidance features.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the functions performed by the processor further comprise functions to:

infer an intent of the user to visit at least one of the one or more points of interest associated with the point of deviation based on the obtained information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the functions performed by the processor comprise functions to:

determine whether a total number of the one or more points of interest associated with the detected point of deviation exceeds a predetermined threshold quantity; and

infer the user'"'"'s intent to visit at least one of the one or more points of interest based on the determination.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the functions performed by the processor comprise functions to:

obtain traffic data associated with the portion of the predetermined route;

obtain data related to the one or more points of interest associated with the point of deviation;

calculate a probability score representing a likelihood of the user'"'"'s intent to visit at least one of the one more points of interest based on the obtained traffic data and data related to the one or more points of interest; and

infer the user'"'"'s intent based on the calculated probability score.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the functions performed by the processor comprise functions to:

determine whether a popularity score associated with the point of deviation exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

infer the user'"'"'s intent to visit at least one of the one or more points of interest based on the determination.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the portion of the predetermined route of travel is a highway, and the predefined geographic location corresponding to the point of deviation is an exit located along the highway.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the predetermined popularity score is based on a number of times the exit has been used as a deviation point by users traveling along the highway during a predetermined period of time.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform functions to:

monitor a current location of a mobile device of a user traveling along a portion of a predetermined route toward a specified destination location;

detect a point of deviation from which the mobile device of the user moves away from the predetermined route based on the monitoring step;

compare the detected point of deviation to a database of one or more highway exits and inferring the user'"'"'s intent to stop at one of the highway exits proximate to the detected point of deviation based on the comparison;

obtain information related to one or more points of interest associated with the detected point of deviation or the highway exit proximate to the detected point of deviation; and

interrupt routing of the user to the specified destination location to instead provide routing options to one or more of the points of interest associated with the detected point of deviation or the highway exit, for display to the user via a display of the mobile device based on the obtained information.