Positioning open area maps

• US 8,825,387 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq B.V.
• Inventors: Mays, Joseph P., Seegers, Peter A., Gale, William N., Stroila, Matei N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHALEN, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US12/179,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/433, 701/434, 701/541, 701/300, 701/301, 340/955.1
• US Class Current: 701/433
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• 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: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Open area maps as well as related features, systems, and methods are disclosed. For example, one method comprises translating coordinates associated with an open area map into real-world coordinates. The open area map is positioned within a geographic map as a function of the real-world coordinates. The geographic map represents a real-world area around the open area map. The open area map includes an image of a layout representing a pedestrian walkable area, and the open area map is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the layout.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

translating coordinates associated with an open area map into real-world coordinates; and

positioning the open area map within a geographic map as a function of the real-world coordinates, the geographic map representing a real-world area around the open area map, wherein the open area map is stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium,

wherein the open area map includes an image of a layout representing a floor plan including a pedestrian walkable area, wherein a grid is associated with the image of the layout representing the pedestrian walkable area, the grid including a plurality of contiguous tiles, wherein at least a portion of the grid is designated as navigable and associated with a navigable area in the layout representing the pedestrian walkable area, and

wherein the open area map is displayed on a user interface of a device and configured to provide point-to-point routing within the navigable area as a function of the grid, the point-to-point routing including calculating a route formed of any adjacent tiles of the plurality of contiguous tiles such that any area of the grid designated as navigable can be routed to,

wherein at least two of the plurality of contiguous tiles are connection tiles, each of which link to a different a road segment of the real-world area around the open area map and external to the open area map, and

wherein the route includes the at least two connection tiles, the road segments, and the adjacent tiles of the plurality of contiguous tiles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-world coordinates comprise Universal Transverse Mercator coordinates.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-world coordinates comprise longitude and latitude coordinates.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic map comprises a road network map configured to provide real-world vehicle navigation functions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the image of the layout comprises an image of a building floor plan, a park layout, or a parking lot layout.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the contiguous tiles of the plurality of contiguous tiles are uniformly spaced.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a portion of the plurality of contiguous tiles is designated as non-navigable.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the open area map is configured to be previewed, and wherein when the open area map is previewed, point-to-point routing is not enabled.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an animated transition from the geographic map and the road segment to the open area map and the pedestrian walkable area.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a display presenting a graphical representation of a building;

a first graphical representation of a floor within the graphical representation of the building; and

a first open area map associated with the first graphical representation of the floor, the first open area map including an image of a layout of a first floor plan, wherein a first grid is associated with the image of the layout of the first floor plan, wherein a first portion of the first grid is designated as navigable and associated with a navigable area in the layout of the first floor plan and a second portion of the first grid is designated as non-navigable and associated with a non-navigable area in the layout of the first floor plan,

wherein the first open area map is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the navigable area in the layout of the first floor plan as a function of the first grid, the point-to-point routing within the navigable area in the layout of the first floor plan including route calculation for point-to-point routing by an end user using the apparatus, wherein the route calculation includes two or more connection links to different road segments in a real-world area around the first open area map.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first graphical representation of the floor is configured to be highlighted.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first open area map is displayed in a separate window after the first graphical representation moves out from the graphical representation of the building.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first open area map or a portion thereof is displayed in the first graphical representation of the floor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein text associated with the first open area map is displayed above associated regions of the first open area map.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a second graphical representation of a floor within the graphical representation of the building; and

a second open area map associated with the second graphical representation of the floor, the second open area map including an image of a layout of a second floor plan, wherein a second grid is associated with the image of the layout of the second floor plan, wherein at least a portion of the second grid is designated as navigable and associated with a navigable area in the layout of the second floor plan,

wherein the second open area map is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the navigable area in the layout of the second floor plan as a function of the second grid, the point-to-point routing within the navigable area in the layout of the second floor plan including route calculation not dependent upon one or more path segments external determined prior to point-to-point routing by the end user using the apparatus, and wherein the first open area map and the second open area map are linked via an indoor connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a graphical representation of the indoor connection between the first graphical representation of the floor and the second graphical representation of the floor is displayed.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the graphical representation of the indoor connection corresponds to an elevator, a stairwell, or an escalator.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the graphical representation of the building is positioned within a geographic map based on real-world coordinates associated with the first open area map.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first grid comprises a mesh including a plurality of tiles.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first open area map comprises a plurality of reference regions compiled with the mesh.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of reference regions comprise polygons having boundaries corresponding to respective reference image objects in the image of the layout of the first floor plan.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the boundaries are based on a vectorization of the image.

23. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first graphical representation of the floor is configured to partially move out from the graphical representation of the building when selected and wherein the first open area map provides point-to-point routing while the first graphical representation of the floor is partially extended.

24. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first graphical representation of the floor is configured to partially move out from the graphical representation of the building when selected, wherein the first graphical representation of the floor is configured to be previewed while the first graphical representation of the floor is partially extended, and wherein when the first graphical representation is previewed, point-to-point routing is not enabled.

25. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first open area map is configured to be previewed, and wherein, when the first open area map is previewed, point-to-point routing is not enabled.

26. A method of routing comprising:

identifying a destination selected external to an open area map, the open area map including an image of a layout representing a real-world area in which a person walks about, wherein a grid is associated with the image of the layout representing the real-world area in which a person walks about,

wherein at least a portion of the grid is designated as navigable and associated with a navigable area in the layout representing the real-world area in which a person walks about, and

wherein the open area map is displayed on a user interface of a device and the device is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the navigable area as a function of the grid and outside of the navigable area as a function of one or more path segments external to the open area map;

calculating a route from an origin point in the open area map to a plurality of outer points in the open area map wherein each of the plurality of outer points is linked to one or more path segments external to the open area map;

providing data to display at least a portion of a path from the origin point to one or more of the plurality of outer points based on the calculation, the outer points associated with a geographic map configured for navigation based on a different scheme than the point-to-point routing of the open area map; and

calculating a route from each of the plurality of outer points toward the selected destination based on the geographic map and the one or more path segments external to the open area map.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the open area map is aligned with the geographic map based on real-world coordinates associated with the open area map.