System and method for an intelligent multi-modal user interface for route drawing

• US 7,216,034 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Korhonen, Panu, Vitikainen, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Thu V.
• Application Number:
  US10/377,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20040172191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701206-209, 701211-213, 342/357.13, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases

Abstract

A system and method for providing an interactive, multi-modal interface used to generate a route drawing. A mobile terminal display initially displays map data indicative of a user'"'"'s region of interest. Through a series of audible, visual, and tactile excitations, the user interacts with the route drawing system to generate a desired route to be superimposed upon the user'"'"'s region of interest. User preferences are used by the system to intelligently aid the user in selection of each segment of the route to be drawn. An analysis of each segment, as well as an analysis of the final route, is performed so that the attributes of the route, along with the graphical representation of the route itself, may be stored either locally within the mobile terminal or remotely within a map server.

Claims

1. A method for generating a route drawing on a mobile terminal display, comprising:

displaying map data indicative of a region of interest on the mobile terminal display;

setting user preferences associated with the route drawing; and

facilitating user-initiated multi-modal excitations via the mobile terminal to cause multiple route segments of the route drawing to be interactively superimposed upon the region of interest, wherein the user preferences are used to prioritize placement of any one or more of the multiple route segments; and

prompting user interaction through feedback to specify placement of any one or more of the multiple route segments during superimposition of the route drawing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multi-modal excitations comprise a plurality of user interface types.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of user interface types comprise at least one of audible, visual, and tactile.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the audible user interface type includes voice commands.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the visual user interface type includes commands entered via the display of the mobile terminal.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the tactile user interface type includes a vibration emanating from the mobile terminal.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein displaying map data indicative of a region of interest comprises selecting a center datum for the region of interest.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein selecting the center datum comprises identifying a region within a wide area map displayed on the mobile terminal display.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein selecting the center datum comprises entering an address of a desired location.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein selecting the center datum comprises entering a name of a landmark.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein superimposing multiple route segments onto the region of interest comprises:

selecting a starting point on the region of interest;

placing a first route segment at the starting point; and

placing consecutive route segments end to end, wherein the route segments are confined to be within pathways defined by the region of interest.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein a wait state interrupts the placement of the next consecutive route segment due to inadequate definition of the placement.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a prompt is provided in response to the wait state to signal a need for additional placement parameters.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the prompt is signaled by at least one of audible, visual, and tactile cue.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein attributes associated with each route segment are communicated as each route segment is placed onto the region of interest.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the route drawing to determine final parameters indicative of the route; and

communicating the final parameters.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising storing the route drawing and the final parameters indicative of the route.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the storing occurs local to the mobile terminal.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the storing occurs remotely on a map data server.

20. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a notification of route attributes relating to one or more of the route segments via a user interface of the mobile terminal, wherein the notification provided via the user interface comprises any one or more of an audio, visual, and tactile notification.

21. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a mobile terminal for generating a route drawing on the display of the mobile terminal by performing steps comprising:

displaying map data indicative of a region of interest on the mobile terminal display;

accepting user preferences associated with the route drawing;

receiving user-initiated multi-modal excitations via the mobile terminal, the multi-modal excitations being indicative of interactive route segment placement commands; and

superimposing each route segment onto the region of interest, wherein the user preferences and the interactive route segment placement commands are used to optimize placement of each route segment.