Systems and methods for collecting and using user-contributed map data

• US 20090292462A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MapQuest, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Babetski, Joshua J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,515,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• 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: G01C 21/3676 Overview of the route on the road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for collecting and using user-contributed map data. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for collecting maneuver-specific annotations. According to the method, a user is presented with a set of computer-generated driving directions comprising a plurality of maneuvers. In association with presenting to the user the set of driving directions, the method presents to the user an option to submit an annotation for one of the plurality of maneuvers. In response to presenting the option to the user, the annotation is received from the user and stored in association with an identification of the one of the plurality of maneuvers. The stored annotation may be incorporated in the set of computer-generated driving directions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for collecting maneuver-specific annotations, the method comprising:

presenting to a user a set of computer-generated driving directions including a plurality of maneuvers;

in association with presenting to the user the set of driving directions, presenting to the user an option to submit an annotation for one of the plurality of maneuvers; and

in response to presenting the option to the user, receiving the annotation from the user and storing the annotation in association with an identification of the one of the plurality of maneuvers for incorporation in the set of computer-generated driving directions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the set of computer-generated driving directions comprises transmitting a document including the set of directions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the option to submit the annotation comprises providing a link or a button in a document that is transmitted to the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of maneuvers comprise directional data and are associated with a plurality of markers that are stored in a data storage.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to display the set of computer-generated driving directions including the annotation.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a revision of the annotation from the user; and

storing the revision of the annotation with the set of computer-generated directions.

7. A computer-implemented method for generating driving directions augmented by maneuver-specific annotations, the method comprising:

collecting, through a computer-operated driving directions system, a user-submitted annotation for a maneuver;

storing the user-submitted annotation in association with the maneuver;

automatically generating by the computer-operated driving directions system, in response to a user request, a set of driving directions that includes a plurality of maneuvers; and

augmenting one of the plurality of maneuvers in the set of driving directions with the user-submitted annotation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein collecting the user-submitted annotation for the maneuver comprises presenting to a user an option to submit one or more annotations.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein storing the user-submitted annotation in association with the maneuver comprises storing the user-submitted annotation in association with a plurality of markers that are associated with the maneuver.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of maneuvers comprise directional data and are associated with a plurality of markers that are stored in a data storage.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein augmenting one of the plurality of maneuvers in the set of driving directions with the user-submitted annotation comprises evaluating a reliability of the user-submitted annotation.

12. A computer-implemented method for generating driving directions augmented by maneuver-specific annotations, the method comprising:

automatically generating, by a computer-operated driving directions system, in response to a user request, a set of driving directions that includes a plurality of maneuvers;

evaluating a plurality of user-submitted annotations that are stored in a data storage of the computer-operated driving directions system and that are associated with one of the plurality of maneuvers;

selecting one of the user-submitted annotations based on a result of the evaluating; and

augmenting the one of the plurality of maneuvers in the set of driving directions with the selected user-submitted annotation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the plurality of user-submitted annotations comprises:

evaluating a reliability of one or more of the user-submitted annotations.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the plurality of user-submitted annotations comprises:

evaluating a contributor of one or more of the user-submitted annotations.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the plurality of user-submitted annotations comprises:

determining whether a contributor of one or more of the user-submitted annotations is known to the user.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the plurality of user-submitted annotations comprises:

determining whether a contributor of one or more of the user-submitted annotations is known to an individual that is known to the user.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the plurality of user-submitted annotations comprises:

determining whether a contributor of one or more of the user-submitted annotations has received a positive feedback score.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the plurality of user-submitted annotations comprises:

determining whether one or more of the user-submitted annotations includes content of interest to the user.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the plurality of user-submitted annotations comprises:

evaluating preferences information stored in a profile of the user.

20. A system for generating driving directions augmented by maneuver-specific annotations, the system comprising:

a data storage storing a plurality of user-submitted annotations; and

a server, the server;

automatically generating, in response to a user request, a set of driving directions that includes a plurality of maneuvers,

evaluating ones of the plurality of user-submitted annotations that are associated with one of the plurality of maneuvers,

selecting one of the user-submitted annotations based on a result of the evaluating, and

augmenting the one of the plurality of maneuvers in the set of driving directions with the selected user-submitted annotation.