Using routing symbols to describe a driving maneuver

• US 9,696,172 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MapQuest, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmitz, Michael David, Gearhart, G. Duane, Matthews, Marshall B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US15/078,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20160209231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 701400, 701533, 701408, 701437, 701436, 701440, 3409952, 34099519, 34099527, 715771, 715835, 715851, 73178 R
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• 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 21/3658 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: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

Driving directions are presented where a maneuver in the driving directions includes a road symbol and an action symbol. A road symbol identifies the road involved in the particular maneuver, and an action symbol identifies an action to be performed to execute the particular maneuver. In one example, a road symbol, an action symbol and narrative text may be presented in displayed or printed driving directions. In another example, a road symbol and an action symbol may be used to describe a maneuver presented by an on-board or mobile navigation system when the vehicle in which the navigation system is present approaches the point at which the maneuver is to be taken. The road symbol and the action symbol may be presented with, or without, narrative driving directions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating navigation information, the method performed by at least one processor and comprising:

determining an action symbol for an action associated with a maneuver in a route from an origin to a destination, the action symbol being determined based on information identifying the action;

determining a road symbol based on road information associated with the maneuver; and

generating instructions to display, on a device of a user, representations of a road and action symbols for conveying the maneuver to the user, a representation of the action symbol having substantially a same appearance as a road sign used to identify the action.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the road symbol has substantially the same appearance as a road sign used to mark the road associated with the maneuver.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the road symbol is displayed in a position adjacent to the action symbol.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining the information identifying the action associated with the maneuver; and

obtaining the road information associated with the maneuver.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating instructions to display, on the device of the user, narrative text describing the maneuver.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating instructions to display, on the device of the user, a sequence indicator that indicates an order in which the maneuver is to be executed relative to other maneuvers.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating instructions to display, on the device of the user, a distance indicator that indicates a distance along the route between a location of the device and a location at which the maneuver is to be executed.

8. A system for generating navigation information, the system comprising:

a memory device storing instructions; and

at least one processor that executes the instructions to;

determine an action symbol for an action associated with a maneuver in a route from an origin to a destination, the action symbol being determined based on information identifying the action;

determine a road symbol based on road information associated with the maneuver; and

generate instructions to display, on a device of a user, representations of a road and action symbols for conveying the maneuver to the user, a representation of the action symbol having substantially a same appearance as a road sign used to identify the action.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the representation of the road symbol has substantially the same appearance as a road sign used to mark the road associated with the maneuver.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the road symbol is displayed in a position adjacent to the action symbol.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to:

obtain the information identifying the action associated with the maneuver; and

obtain the road information associated with the maneuver.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to:

generate instructions to display, on the device of the user, narrative text describing the maneuver.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor further executes the instructions to:

generate instructions to display, on the device of the user, a sequence indicator that indicates an order in which the maneuver is to be executed relative to other maneuvers.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor further executes the instructions to:

generate instructions to display, on the device of the user, a distance indicator that indicates a distance along the route between a location of the device and a location at which the maneuver is to be executed.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method for generating navigation information, the method comprising:

determining an action symbol for an action associated with a maneuver in a route from an origin to a destination, the action symbol being determined based on information identifying the action;

determining a road symbol based on road information associated with the maneuver; and

generating instructions to display, on a device of a user, representations of a road and action symbols for conveying the maneuver to the user, a representation of the action symbol having substantially a same appearance as a road sign used to identify the action.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the representation of the road symbol has substantially the same appearance as a road sign used to mark the road associated with the maneuver.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the road symbol is displayed in a position adjacent to the action symbol.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

generating instructions to display, on the device of the user, narrative text describing the maneuver.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

generating instructions to display, on the device of the user, a sequence indicator that indicates an order in which the maneuver is to be executed relative to other maneuvers.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, the method further comprising:

generating instructions to display, on the device of the user, a distance indicator that indicates a distance along the route between a location of the device and a location at which the maneuver is to be executed.