Method and system for providing travel direction annotations over a network

• US 7,451,045 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Simon, Kimberly DaShawn, Ratliff, Emily Jane
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen; Lin B
• Application Number:
  US11/333,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/211, 340/995.1, 340/13, 340/24, 340/27, 707/5
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

A method and system is provided for providing and storing annotations that pertain to travel directions to a particular destination, the annotations generally including ratings of the accuracy of the directions and errors observed in the directions by prior users. Annotations submitted by users are stored in a central repository, for access by those who subsequently become interested in the directions or the particular destination. A useful embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for providing travel directions over a selected network, wherein a request for directions regarding a specified destination is sent from a requester to a Directions Provider. The Provider retrieves the requested directions and furnishes them to the requestor. The method further includes generating annotations associated with the furnished directions in accordance with a set of rules resulting from one or more decisions made by the requester, and sending the annotations to the requester. The requestor then selectively provides annotations regarding the furnished directions to a central repository.

Claims

1. A method for providing travel directions over a selected network, said method comprising the steps of:

sending a request for directions regarding a specified destination from a requestor to a Directions Provider;

retrieving said requested directions and furnishing them to said requestor;

generating annotations associated with said furnished directions in accordance with a set of rules, and sending said generated annotations to said requestor;

selectively sending annotations provided by said requestor in regard to said furnished directions to a central repository, wherein said annotations provided by said requestor are added to annotations previously contained in said repository, said previously contained annotations being used to generate said annotations sent to said requestor, and said annotations provided by said requestor including one or more corrections to said furnished directions and a numerical rating of the accuracy of said furnished directions;

enabling said requestor to dynamically access direction corrections and ratings contained in said repository; and

establishing a profile of preferences of said requestor, for use in connection with furnishing directions to said requestor, wherein said profile of preferences includes trusted submitters, types of directions, a listing of specific websites that provide directions, and a listing of services for use in accessing and inputting annotations.

2. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for providing travel directions over a selected network, said computer program product comprising:

first instructions for sending a request for directions regarding a specified destination from a requestor to a Directions Provider;

second instructions for retrieving said requested directions and furnishing them to said requestor;

third instructions for generating annotations associated with said furnished directions in accordance with a set of rules resulting from one or more decisions made by said requestor, and sending said generated annotations to said requestor;

fourth instructions for selectively sending annotations provided by said requestor in regard to said furnished directions to a central repository, wherein said annotations provided by said requestor are added to annotations previously contained in said repository, said previously contained annotations being used to generate said annotations sent to said reguestor, and said annotations provided by said requestor including one or more corrections to said furnished directions and a numerical rating of the accuracy of said furnished directions;

fifth instructions for enabling said requestor to dynamically access direction corrections and ratings contained in said repository; and

sixth instructions for establishing a profile of preferences of said requestor, for use in connection with furnishing directions to said requestor, wherein said profile of preferences includes trusted submitters, types of directions, a listing of specific websites that provide directions, and a listing of services for use in accessing and inputting annotations.

3. A system for providing travel directions over a selected network, said system comprising the steps of:

means for sending a request for directions regarding a specified destination from a requestor to a Directions Provider;

means for retrieving said requested directions and furnishing them to said requestor;

means for generating annotations associated with said furnished directions in accordance with a set of rules resulting from one or more decisions made by said requestor, and sending said generated annotations to said requestor;

means for selectively sending annotations provided by said requestor in regard to said furnished directions to a central repository, wherein said annotations provided by said requestor are added to annotations previously contained in said repository, said previously contained annotations being used to generate said annotations sent to said requestor, and said annotations provided by said reguestor including one or more corrections to said furnished directions and a numerical rating of the accuracy of said furnished directions;

means for enabling said reguestor to dynamically access direction corrections and ratings contained in said repository; and

means for establishing a profile of preferences of said reguestor, for use in connection with furnishing directions to said reguestor, wherein said profile of preferences includes trusted submitters, types of directions, a listing of specific websites that provide directions, and a listing of services for use in accessing and inputting annotations.