Creating route based on image analysis or reasoning

• US 9,702,717 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Caldas, Fabrizio Nascimento, de Lima, Argemiro Jos, de Mattos, Joaquim Siqueira, Gonzales, Leonardo Jos da Costa, Viteri, Guilherme Segantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US15/048,046
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• 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 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for creating a route are disclosed. In embodiments, the method comprises identifying a start location and a destination for a user; identifying defined needs of the user; obtaining satellite imagery of a specified area between the start location and the destination. The satellite imagery is analyzed to identify defined local features affecting the defined needs of the user in the specified area; and a route is selected for the user, from the start location to the destination, based on the defined local features in the specified area. In embodiments, selecting the route includes identifying a plurality of candidate routes from the start location to the destination; generating a score for each of the candidate routes using the defined local features, and selecting one of the candidate routes based on the generated scores for the candidate routes.

Claims

1. A method of creating a route for a user based on satellite imagery analysis, comprising:

identifying a start location and a destination for the user;

identifying defined needs of the user;

obtaining satellite imagery of a specified area between the start location and the destination and storing the satellite imagery in a database;

analyzing the satellite imagery, by using a navigation server computer system, to identify defined local features affecting said defined needs of the user in the specified area, including identifying a multitude of variable local features in the satellite imagery, and prioritizing said variable local features; and

selecting a route for the user, from the start location to the destination, based on the prioritizing of said defined local features in the satellite imagery of the specified area.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting a route includes:

identifying a plurality of candidate routes from the start location to the destination;

generating a score for each of the candidate routes using the defined local features; and

selecting one of the plurality of candidate routes based on the generated scores for the candidate routes.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the generating a score for each of the candidate routes includes:

identifying a group of variables based on the defined needs of the user; and

using said group of variables to generate said score.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prioritizing the variable local features in the satellite imagery includes:

prioritizing the variable features to analyze the satellite imagery through image recognition and extrapolation software.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the identifying a multitude of variable features includes assigning a weight to each of said variable features.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the user is walking from the start location to the destination; and

the selected route is a best route for walking from the start location to the destination based on given criteria.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the user is riding a bicycle; and

the defined needs of the user are due to the user riding the bicycle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying the defined needs of the user includes:

the user inputting a specified condition of the user; and

using the specified condition to determine the defined needs.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing the satellite imagery includes analyzing the satellite imagery for sidewalk width, sidewalk ramps, sidewalk obstacles, terrain, slope, lane width, traffic flow, street direction, and pedestrian crossing signals.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the identifying a start location and a destination for the user includes said navigation server computer system receiving information from a specified mobile communication device used by the user, and using the received information for determining said start location and destination;

and

the selecting a route for the user includes the navigation server computer system selecting the route for the user, and transmitting data to the specified mobile communications device to display the route to the user.

10. A navigation system for creating a route for a user based on satellite imagery analysis, comprising:

a navigation server including a memory for holding data and program instructions; and

one or more processor units connected to the memory for transmitting data to and receiving data from the memory, and said one or more processing units being configured for;

identifying a start location and a destination for the user;

identifying defined needs of the user;

obtaining satellite imagery of a specified area between the start location and the destination;

analyzing the satellite imagery to identify defined local features affecting said defined needs of the user in the specified area, including identifying a multitude of variable local features in the satellite imagery, and prioritizing said variable local features; and

selecting a route for the user, from the start location to the destination, based on the prioritizing of said defined variable local features in the satellite imagery of the specified area.

11. The navigation system according to claim 10, wherein the selecting a route includes:

identifying a plurality of candidate routes from the start location to the destination;

generating a score for each of the candidate routes using the defined local features; and

selecting one of the plurality of candidate routes based on the generated scores for the candidate routes.

12. The navigation system according to claim 11, wherein the generating a score for each of the candidate routes includes:

identifying a group of variables based on the defined needs of the user; and

using said group of variables to generate said score.

13. A navigation system for creating a route for a user based on satellite imagery analysis, comprising:

a navigation server including a memory for holding data and program instructions; and

one or more processor units connected to the memory for transmitting data to and receiving data from the memory, and said one or more processing units being configured for;

identifying a start location and a destination for the user;

identifying defined needs of the user;

obtaining satellite imagery of a specified area between the start location and the destination;

analyzing the satellite imagery to identify defined local features affecting said defined needs of the user in the specified area; and

selecting a route for the user, from the start location to the destination, based on said defined local features in the specified area;

wherein the analyzing the satellite imagery includes;

identifying a multitude of variable features in the satellite imagery; and

prioritizing the variable features to analyze the satellite imagery through image recognition and extrapolation software.

14. The navigation system according to claim 13, wherein the identifying a multitude of variable features includes assigning a weight to each of said variable features.

15. A computer readable program product comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer program code tangibly embodied therein for creating a route for a user based on satellite imagery analysis, the computer program code, when executed in a computer system, performing the following;

identifying a start location and a destination for the user;

identifying defined needs of the user;

obtaining satellite imagery of a specified area between the start location and the destination;

analyzing the satellite imagery to identify defined local features affecting said defined needs of the user in the specified area, including identifying a multitude of variable local features in the satellite imagery, and prioritizing said variable local features; and

selecting a route for the user, from the start location to the destination, based on the prioritizing of said defined local features in the satellite imagery of the specified area.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the selecting a route includes:

identifying a plurality of candidate routes from the start location to the destination;

generating a score for each of the candidate routes using the defined local features; and

selecting one of the plurality of candidate routes based on the generated scores for the candidate routes.

17. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the prioritizing the variable local features in the satellite imagery includes:

prioritizing the variable features to analyze the satellite imagery through image recognition and extrapolation software.

18. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the user is walking from the start location to the destination, and wherein:

the selected route is a best route for walking from the start location to the destination based on given criteria.

19. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the analyzing the satellite imagery includes analyzing the satellite imagery for sidewalk width, sidewalk ramps, sidewalk obstacles, terrain, slope, lane width, traffic flow, street direction, and pedestrian crossing signals.