LANDMARK-BASED ROUTING

• US 20080319659A1
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Jin, Ofek, Eyal, Horvitz, Eric J., Couckuyt, Jeffrey D., Paulin, Alan, Zhuge, Yue, Swartz, Tanya Lisa, Qian, Zhenyu, Wu, Xin, Schwartz, Joseph, Lombardi, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• 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 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Driving directions can be helpful if in addition to spatial information, landmark information is provided. Landmarks assist in adding context to directions as well as allowing for a greater likelihood of success of an operator following directions. There can be employment of physical identification of landmarks as well as processing regarding the utility of a landmark in regards to driving directions. Driving directions can be highly useful if integrated landmarks relate to knowledge possessed by an operator of a vehicle. Landmark based driving direction can be integrated with advertisements that relate to the directions.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a modification component that integrates landmark information upon a route; and

a transmission component that emits an integrated route to an auxiliary location.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reception component that obtains information that concerns creation of the route.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the reception component obtains the route from an auxiliary location.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a generation component that creates the route.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor that collects information utilized in modification of the route.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising storage that holds a landmark database that is used in integration of landmark information to the route.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an analysis component that performs an operation upon information related to the route.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a calculation component that performs at least one estimation in relation to an operator perception of a landmark, wherein the estimation is used in integration of landmarks upon the route.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising artificial intelligence that makes an inference or determination on what landmark information to integrate upon the route.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input component that obtains information from the user that is used in creation of the route.

11. An automated route generation method, comprising:

generating directions from a start location to an end location; and

adding at least one landmark identifier to the directions.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising obtaining the start location and the end location.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending directions with at least one landmark identifier to a supplemental locality.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising obtaining feedback that concerns directions with at least one landmark identifier.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising checking if a subsequent landmark should be added to the directions after addition of a previous landmark.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising adding a subsequent landmark to the directions.

17. A system, comprising:

means for identifying landmarks based on visual effectiveness; and

means for augmenting directions with identified landmark information.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for determining a probability of usefulness of at least one identified landmark.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for selecting at least one landmark to augment upon directions based on determined probability of usefulness of at least one identified landmark.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for presenting augmented directions to a user operating a vehicle.