User-controlled alternative routing

• US 10,161,757 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Nesbitt, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US15/229,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20170030727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• 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

Abstract

A user may indicate a preference of a route when alternative routes are available between an origin and a destination. The mapping system may enable a user to identify a region, a point or a set of points to help control, guide or otherwise influence the determination of a route favored by the user. While the identified region, point or set of points may be included in the route, the identified region, point or set of points need not necessarily be included in the route.

Claims

1. A route-determination system, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

at least one processor to execute the instructions to;

receive, from a user device, an indication of a region or location,

wherein the indication is based on a selection, on an interactive map, by a user, the interactive map comprising a resizable indicator for identifying a particular area as the region or location;

identify a plurality of routes, each identified route, of the plurality of routes, comprising one or more links;

determine a cost for each identified route from an origin to a destination, the origin and the destination differing from the indicated region or location;

adjust the determined cost for at least one of the plurality of identified routes based on a proximity between a link of the at least one of the plurality of identified routes and the indicated region or location; and

provide, for display on the user device, a route, of the plurality of identified routes, the route being associated with a lowest cost of the determined cost for each identified route or the adjusted determined cost for the at least one of the plurality of identified routes.

2. The route-determination system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

adjust the determined cost by determining a degree of proximity between the link of the at least one of the plurality of identified routes and the indicated region or location.

3. The route-determination system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

adjust the determined cost by determining a type of the indicated region or location.

4. The route-determination system of claim 3, wherein the determined cost is further based on the type of the indicated region or location.

5. The route-determination system of claim 3, wherein the determined type of the indicated region or location reflects a particular region or location and indicates a preference for a particular route, of the plurality of identified routes, to be closer to the particular region or location than a first region or location associated with the particular route.

6. The route-determination system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a total cost of the route based on the adjusted determined cost.

7. The route-determination system of claim 1, wherein the adjusted determined cost depends on a density of a plurality of links within an area represented in a computer-implemented mapping system, the plurality of links including at least one of the one or more links of the route.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device and from a user device, an indication of a region or location,

wherein the indication is based on a selection, on an interactive map, by a user, the interactive map comprising a resizable indicator for identifying a wide area as the region or location;

identifying, by the device, a plurality of routes, each identified route, of the plurality of routes, comprising one or more links;

determining, by the device, a cost for each identified route from an origin to a destination, the origin and the destination differing from the indicated region or location;

adjusting, by the device, the determined cost for at least one of the plurality of identified routes based on a proximity between a link of the at least one of the plurality of identified routes and the indicated region or location; and

providing, by the device and for display on the user device, a route of the plurality of identified routes, the route being associated with a lowest cost of the determined cost for each identified route or the adjusted determined cost for the at least one of the plurality of identified routes.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

adjusting the determined cost by determining a degree of proximity between the link of the at least one of the plurality of identified routes and the indicated region or location.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

adjusting the determined cost by determining a type of the indicated region or location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determined cost is further based on the type of the indicated region or location.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the determined type of the indicated region or location reflects a particular region or location and indicates a preference for a particular route, of the plurality of identified routes, to be closer to the particular region or location than a first region or location associated with the particular route.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a total cost of the route based on the adjusted determined cost.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the adjusted determined cost depends on a density of a plurality of links within an area represented in a computer-implemented mapping system, the plurality of links including at least one of the one or more links of the route.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive, from a user device, an indication of a region or location,

wherein the indication is based on a selection, on an interactive map, by a user, the interactive map comprising a resizable indicator for identifying a wide area as the region or location;

identify a plurality of routes, each identified route, of the plurality of routes, comprising one or more links;

determine a cost for each identified route from an origin to a destination, the origin and the destination differing from the indicated region or location;

adjust the determined cost for at least one of the plurality of identified routes based on a proximity between a link of the at least one of the plurality of identified routes and the indicated region or location; and

provide, for display on the user device, a route, of the plurality of identified routes, the route being associated with a lowest cost of the determined cost for each identified route or the adjusted determined cost for the at least one of the plurality of identified routes.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to adjust the determined cost for at least one of the plurality of identified routes, cause the one or more processors to:

adjust the determined cost by determining a type of the indicated region or location, and wherein the determined cost is further based on the type of the indicated region or location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the determined type of the indication region or location reflects a particular region or location and indicates a preference for a particular route, of the plurality of identified routes, to be closer to the particular region or location than a first region or location associated with the particular route.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to adjust the determined cost for at least one of the plurality of identified routes, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a degree of proximity between the link of the at least one of the plurality of identified routes and the indicated region or location.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine a total cost of the route based on the adjusted determined cost.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the adjusted determined cost depends on a density of a plurality of links within an area represented in a computer-implemented mapping system, the plurality of links including at least one of the one or more links of the route.