Dynamic destination navigation system

• US 9,026,367 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Paek, Tim, Bahl, Paramvir, Bennett, Paul N.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US13/533,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 701/533, 455/456.1, 455/414.2, 709/219
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides a method for navigating to dynamic destinations. The method includes associating a leader mobile device with a follower mobile device. The method also includes displaying, on the follower mobile device, a first path from a follower vehicle to a first location of a leader vehicle. The follower vehicle is associated with the follower mobile device. The leader vehicle is associated with the leader mobile device. The method further includes displaying, on the follower mobile device, a second path from the follower vehicle to a second location of the leader vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for navigating to dynamic destinations, comprising:

associating a leader mobile device with a follower mobile device;

displaying, on the follower mobile device, a first path from a follower vehicle, associated with the follower mobile device, to a first location of a leader vehicle, associated with the leader mobile device;

displaying, on the follower mobile device, a second path from the follower vehicle to a second location of the leader vehicle;

automatically determining that a traffic condition is impeding the leader vehicle;

automatically transforming the leader mobile device to a new follower mobile device, based on the determination; and

automatically transforming the follower mobile device to a new leader mobile device, based on the determination.

2. The method recited in claim 1, comprising:

displaying a user selection on the leader mobile device, wherein the user selection is configured to initiate a conversation between the leader mobile device and the follower mobile device; and

displaying the user selection on the follower mobile device.

3. The method recited in claim 2, comprising:

displaying, on the follower mobile device, a trail associated with a map, wherein the trail represents a path from a departure location of the leader vehicle and a current location of the leader vehicle;

displaying the trail on the follower mobile device;

displaying the current location of the leader vehicle on the follower mobile device; and

displaying the first path and the second path separately from the trail, wherein the first path and the second path comprise turn-by-turn directions.

4. The method recited in claim 3, comprising:

displaying the trail on the leader mobile device; and

displaying a current location of the follower on the leader mobile device.

5. The method recited in claim 1, comprising:

determining that the follower vehicle is not following the leader vehicle; and

presenting a message on the leader mobile device indicating that the follower vehicle is not following the leader vehicle.

6. The method recited in claim 1, comprising displaying an alternate path from the follower vehicle to the leader vehicle, wherein the alternate path comprises a shorter path than the first path.

7. The method recited in claim 1, comprising presenting a message, on the follower mobile device, in association with a landmark at a time when the follower vehicle is approaching the landmark, wherein the message is associated with the leader mobile device.

8. The method recited in claim 1, comprising determining an alternate route to the second path in response to determining that traffic conditions associated with the first vehicle cause a greater delay than the alternate route.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein determining the alternate route is based on a preference associated with the leader mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second path is different from a path of the leader vehicle to the second location.

11. A system for navigating to dynamic destinations, comprising:

a processing unit; and

a system memory, wherein the system memory comprises code configured to direct the processing unit to;

associate a leader mobile device with a plurality of follower mobile devices, wherein each of the mobile devices is associated with one of a plurality of follower vehicles;

determine a first path from each of the follower vehicles to a first location of a leader vehicle, wherein the leader vehicle is associated with the leader mobile device;

determine a second path from each of the follower vehicles to a second location of the leader vehicle;

automatically determine that a traffic condition is impeding the leader vehicle;

automatically transform the leader mobile device to a new follower mobile device, based on the determination; and

automatically transform the follower mobile device to a new leader mobile device, based on the determination.

12. The system recited in claim 11, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to:

present the first path from each of the follower vehicles on each of follower mobile devices associated with each of the follower vehicles;

present the second path from each of the follower vehicles on the follower mobile devices; and

present the second path from each of the follower vehicles on the leader mobile device.

13. The system recited in claim 11, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to:

change the leader mobile device to one of the follower mobile devices;

change another of the follower mobile devices to a new leader mobile device; and

determine, for each of the follower mobile devices, a path from each of the follower vehicles to a new leader vehicle associated with the new leader mobile device.

14. The system recited in claim 13, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to present, on each of follower mobile devices associated with each of the follower vehicles, the path from each of the follower vehicles to the new leader vehicle.

15. The system recited in claim 11, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to:

identify a trailing vehicle of the follower vehicles, wherein an intermediate destination is disposed between the leader vehicle and the trailing vehicle, and wherein the intermediate destination is specified by a user selection; and

determine a third path from the trailing vehicle to the intermediate destination.

16. The system recited in claim 15, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to present the third path on a follower mobile device associated with the trailing vehicle.

17. The system recited in claim 11, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to:

determine that one of the follower vehicles is not following the leader vehicle based on a one or more specified parameters; and

present a message on the leader mobile device indicating that the one of the follower vehicles is not following the leader vehicle.

18. The system recited in claim 11, comprising code configured to direct the processing unit to present a message, on the follower mobile devices, in association with a landmark at a time when each of the follower vehicles is approaching the landmark, wherein the message is associated with one of the follower mobile devices or the leader mobile device.

19. One or more computer-readable storage media, comprising code configured to direct a processing unit to:

associate a leader mobile device with a follower mobile device;

determine a first path from a follower vehicle, associated with the follower mobile device, to a first location of a leader vehicle, associated with the leader mobile device;

present the first path from the follower vehicle on the follower mobile device;

determine a second path from the follower vehicle to a second location of the leader vehicle;

present the second path from the follower vehicle on the follower mobile device;

automatically determine that a traffic condition is impeding the leader vehicle;

automatically transform the leader mobile device to a new follower mobile device, based on the determination; and

automatically transform the follower mobile device to a new leader mobile device, based on the determination.