Methods and systems for visual addressing

• US 8,670,931 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael F. Mays
• Original Assignee: Michael F. Mays
• Inventors: Mays, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US10/390,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,011 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/206, 701/202, 701/211, 701/208, 701/213, 701/428, 701/431, 701/436, 701/440, 701/441, 340/995, 342/357.13, 345/8, 434/38, 348/222.1, 348/231.3, 358/1.18, 382/278
• US Class Current: 701/428
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method of guiding a traveler, comprising the activities of: obtaining a route from a first approach to a destination; selecting a sequential set of way points along said route, said sequential set of way points chosen to assist a traveler in following said route; capturing a visual image of each way point from said sequential set of way points to form a set of visual images; arranging said set of visual images into a static viewable sequential order; and in response to a user'"'"'s selection of said first approach from a predetermined set of approaches to said destination, providing said set of visual images to said user.

Claims

1. A method of guiding a traveler, comprising the activities of:

from a predetermined network-connected server computer, in response to a traveler'"'"'s selection of a first destination and a selection by said traveler of a first starting point from a predetermined set of predetermined starting points rendered to said traveler, automatically providing to said traveler predetermined information, said predetermined information comprising;

a predetermined route;

an advertisement; and

a predetermined sequential set of visual images arranged in a sequential order, a practicality of said predetermined route verified by a human who physically traversed said predetermined route according to said sequential order, said predetermined information provided to said traveler based on said verified practicality, each visual image from said set of visual images representing a photograph of a unique predetermined way point along said route, each of said predetermined way points lacking said advertisement, said predetermined route comprising, serially, said first starting point, said set of unique way points per said sequential order of said visual images, and said first destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising proving said route.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said traveler a selectable plurality of destinations.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving said traveler'"'"'s selection of said first destination.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to said traveler'"'"'s selection of said first destination from a predetermined set of destinations, providing said traveler said predetermined set of predetermined starting points.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said traveler said predetermined set of predetermined starting points.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving said traveler'"'"'s selection of said first starting point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said first starting point comprises a location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first starting point comprises an approach.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said first starting point comprises a highway.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first starting point comprises a direction of travel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said first starting point comprises an approach and a direction of travel.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined sequential set of visual images is provided to said traveler in a digital format.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined sequential set of visual images is provided to said traveler in a printable format.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined sequential set of visual images is provided to said traveler via a network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined sequential set of visual images is provided to said traveler via Internet.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to said traveler a textual description associated with at least a portion of said route.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to said traveler a video description associated with at least a portion of said route.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to said traveler a video description associated with at least a portion of said route, a playback of said video description controllable by said traveler.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to said traveler an audio description associated with at least a portion of said route.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to said traveler an audio description associated with at least a portion of said route, a playback of said audio description controllable by said traveler.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to said traveler a computer-generated object associated with at least a portion of said route.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined sequential set of visual images is presentable holographically.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined sequential set of visual images is presentable in front of the traveler.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a promotional item associated with at least one visual image from said predetermined sequential set of visual images.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a promotional item associated with at least one route corresponding to said predetermined sequential set of visual images.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a promotional item associated with at least one destination corresponding to said predetermined sequential set of visual images.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a promotional item associated with one of said unique predetermined way points along said route.