Point of interest search, identification, and navigation

• US 8,335,643 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2010
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Vandivier, Karl Douglas, Wisniewski, Dean T., Schneider, Mark, Brace, Jennifer L., Aldighieri, Paul, Patel, Vilay, Broadwater, Charles Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H
• Application Number:
  US12/853,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 701/410, 701/411, 701/412, 701/418, 701/420, 701/426, 701/438
• US Class Current: 701/411
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

A computer-implemented navigation method for identifying one or more points of interest (POI) in a geographic location includes calculating a navigation route and receiving a reference point input. The reference point input may be unrelated to the navigation route and usable for identifying one or more POIs. The method further includes receiving one or more search parameters for searching for one or more POIs with respect to the reference point and identifying the one or more POIs based on the search parameters and reference point. The method also includes presenting the one or more POIs on a vehicle computer display.

Claims

1. A navigation system for navigating to one or more points of interest, the system comprising:

at least one vehicle computer configured to;

receive a reference point, unrelated to a navigation route, for identifying one or more POIs;

receive one or more search parameters for searching for one or more POIs with respect to the reference point;

receive sorting criteria for sorting the POIs, wherein the sorting criteria includes at least one of a rating, a price, a time, alphabetical order, or reverse alphabetical order;

identify the one or more POIs based on the search parameters, the sorting criteria and the reference point;

receive a selection of the one or more POIs sorted based on the sorting criteria;

calculate the navigation route to the selected one or more POIs in response to the selection; and

present the navigation route.

2. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle computer is configured to calculate the navigation route to the one or more sorted POIs during navigation of a navigation route.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle computer is further configured to modify an original navigation route to include the navigation route to the one or more sorted POIs, wherein the original navigation route is calculated before calculating the navigation route to the one or more sorted POIs.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising at least one display, wherein the vehicle computer is further configure to present the navigation route to the one or more sorted POIs and the original navigation route on the display.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle computer is further configured to:

receive one or more POIs stored in memory;

determine one or more identified POIs correlating with the stored POIs; and

present the one or more POIs correlating with the stored POIs on a vehicle computer.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle computer configured to receive one or more search parameters is further configured to:

receive at least two search parameters; and

identify the one or more POIs based on the at least two search parameters and the sorting criteria.

7. A system comprising:

a vehicle computer configured to;

calculate a navigation route;

receive a reference point, unrelated to the navigation route, for identifying points of interest (POIs);

search POIs using search parameters, defined by received input, relative to the reference point;

predict the search parameter as the input is being received

identify POIs discovered in the search correlating with POIs stored on the vehicle computer; and

present the correlating POIs on a vehicle display.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle computer is further configured to receive the one or more POIs as a waypoint on the navigation route.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the at least one vehicle computer is further configured to:

receive at least two search parameters relative to the reference point; and

identify the one or more POIs correlating with the stored POIs based on the at least two search parameters.