Natural navigational guidance

• US 9,470,541 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• 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): Antonucci, Anne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAZZARA, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/644,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20150185038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 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 visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless navigation device, comprising:

determining a geographic location of said wireless navigation device based on location data provided by a navigation application program;

measuring a current location and direction of travel of a wireless navigation device with respect to an upcoming maneuver point based on map data characterizing a geographic area;

determining a natural guidance point selection area relating to said upcoming maneuver point based on said map data;

determining available geographic features from a plurality of geographic features within said natural guidance point selection area based on said map data, wherein each geographic feature includes a plurality of visual characteristics identified in said map data;

comparing each geographic feature against each other geographic feature based on said respective plurality of visual characteristics to determine at least one locally unique geographic feature from said available geographic features;

selecting a highest priority locally unique geographic feature of said at least one locally unique geographic features within said determined natural guidance point selection area based on a proximity of said highest priority locally unique geographic feature to said upcoming maneuver point; and

displaying visual navigation guidance on said wireless navigation device, said visual navigation guidance relating an upcoming maneuver to be navigated at said upcoming maneuver point to said highest priority locally unique geographic feature.

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

outputting audio relating to said displayed visual navigation guidance.

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

outputting audio relating to a prepare to-type navigational guidance when said wireless navigation device is at a location outside said natural guidance point selection area.

4. The method of providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein types of said at least one locally unique geographic feature comprise:

a railroad track;

a traffic light;

a stop sign;

an end of road;

a bridge; and

a street count.

5. The method of providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein a starting priority of said at least one of locally unique geographic feature, before being varied based on a proximity of each to said at least one of locally unique geographic feature, 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.

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

a starting priority of said at least one of locally unique geographic feature, before being varied based on a proximity of each to said at least one locally unique geographic feature, is configurable in a network navigation server accessible to said wireless navigation device.

7. The method of providing visual 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 displaying said visual navigation on said wireless navigation device based on a type of said selected highest priority one of said at least one locally unique geographic feature.

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

said wireless navigation device is a smartphone including said navigation application program.

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

said wireless navigation device is a tablet computer including said navigation application program.

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

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

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

outputting audio from said wireless navigation device as said wireless navigation device approaches said selected highest priority one of said at least one locally unique geographic feature.

12. Apparatus for providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless navigation device, said wireless device including a processor to execute instructions, said instructions to:

determine a geographic location of said wireless navigation device based on location data provided by a navigation application program;

measure a current location and direction of travel of a wireless navigation device with respect to an upcoming maneuver point based on map data characterizing a geographic area;

determine a natural guidance point selection area relating to said upcoming maneuver point based on said map data;

determine available geographic features from a plurality of geographic features within said natural guidance point selection area based on said map data, wherein each geographic feature includes a plurality of visual characteristics identified in said map data;

comparing each geographic feature against each other geographic feature based on said respective plurality of visual characteristics to determine at least one locally unique geographic feature from said available geographic features;

select a highest priority locally unique geographic feature of said at least one of locally unique geographic features within said determined natural guidance point selection area based on a proximity of said highest priority locally unique geographic feature to said upcoming maneuver point; and

display visual navigation guidance on said wireless navigation device, said visual navigation guidance relating an upcoming maneuver to be navigated at said upcoming maneuver point to said highest priority locally unique geographic feature.

13. The apparatus for providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 12, said instructions further comprising:

outputting audio relating to said displayed visual navigation guidance.

14. The apparatus for providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 12, said instructions further comprising:

means for outputting audio relating to a prepare to-type navigational guidance when said wireless navigation device is at a location outside said natural guidance point selection area.

15. The apparatus for providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 12, wherein types of said at least one locally unique geographic feature comprise:

a railroad track;

a traffic light;

a stop sign;

an end of road;

a bridge; and

a street count.

16. The apparatus for providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 12, wherein:

a starting priority of said at least one locally unique geographic feature, before being varied based on a proximity of each to said at least one locally unique geographic feature, is configurable in a network navigation server accessible to said wireless navigation device.

17. The apparatus for providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 12, said instructions further comprising:

means for determining a location on a navigated route at which to begin displaying said visual navigation on said wireless navigation device based on a type of said selected highest priority one of said at least one locally unique geographic feature.

18. The apparatus for providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 12, wherein:

said wireless navigation device is a smartphone including said navigation application program.

19. The apparatus for providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 12, wherein:

said wireless navigation device is a tablet computer including said navigation application program.

20. The apparatus for providing visual natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 12, wherein:

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