Natural Navigational Guidance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016153803-A1
Application number	US-201514953785-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 30, 2015
Priority date	Jan 26, 2012
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Natural navigational guidance provides enhanced guidance instructions that take advantage of unique geographic features along a navigated route to specify maneuver points. Guidance points are clearly visible, unambiguous, and locally unique features in the geography of the maneuver area that can be used to aid the user in discovering the place where the maneuver point is. Within a guidance point selection area, a specific guidance point type has a more strict area within which it can be used. A natural guidance point selection area for an upcoming maneuver to be navigated is determined, and a unique geographic feature within the determined natural guidance point selection area is selected as a natural guidance point for navigation of the upcoming maneuver. A turn-type natural guidance point for an upcoming maneuver to be navigated is generated when the user device is within the natural guidance point selection area.

First claim

1 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . A method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device, comprising:
measuring a current location and direction of travel of a wireless device with respect to an upcoming maneuver point along a navigated route; determining a natural guidance point selection area relating to said upcoming maneuver point; identifying a plurality of locally unique geographic features within said determined natural guidance point selection area; varying a priority of each of said plurality of locally unique geographic features within said determined natural guidance point selection area based on a proximity to said upcoming maneuver point; and outputting audio from said wireless device, said audio relating to one of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having a highest varied priority.

21 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 20 , further comprising:
outputting audio relating to a prepare to-type guidance outside said natural guidance point selection area.

23 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 20 , wherein types of said plurality of locally unique geographic features comprise:
a railroad track; a traffic light; a stop sign; an end of road; a bridge; and a street count.

24 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 20 , wherein said first priority of said plurality of locally unique geographic features, before being varied, is given in a descending order of priority as follows:
a traffic light, a stop sign, an end of road, a railroad track, a bridge, and a street count.

25 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 20 , wherein:
said first starting priority of said plurality of locally unique geographic features, before being varied, is configurable in a network navigation server accessible to said wireless device.

26 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 20 , further comprising:
determining a location on said navigated route at which to begin outputting said audio from said wireless device based on a type of said one of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having said highest varied priority.

27 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 20 , wherein said wireless device comprises:
a smartphone.

28 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 20 , wherein said wireless device comprises:
a tablet.

29 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 20 , wherein:
said natural guidance point selection area does not include area behind said measured current location and direction of travel of said wireless device.

30 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 20 , wherein:
said audio is output from said wireless device as said wireless device approaches said one of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having said highest varied priority within said natural guidance point selection area.

31 . A method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device, comprising:
measuring a current location and direction of travel of a wireless device with respect to an upcoming maneuver point along a navigated route; determining a natural guidance point selection area relating to said upcoming maneuver point; identifying a plurality of locally unique geographic features within said determined natural guidance point selection area, each of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having a first priority based on a type of geographic feature; varying said priority of each of said plurality of locally unique geographic features based on a proximity to said upcoming maneuver point; and outputting audio from said wireless device, said audio relating to one of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having a highest varied priority.

32 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 31 , further comprising:
outputting audio relating to a prepare to-type guidance outside said natural guidance point selection area.

33 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 31 , wherein types of said plurality of locally unique geographic features comprise:
a railroad track; a traffic light; a stop sign; an end of road; a bridge; and a street count.

34 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 31 , wherein said first priority of said plurality of locally unique geographic features, before being varied, is given in a descending order of priority as follows:
a traffic light, a stop sign, an end of road, a railroad track, a bridge, and a street count.

35 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 31 , wherein:
said first starting priority of said plurality of locally unique geographic features, before being varied, is configurable in a network navigation server accessible to said wireless device.

36 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 31 , further comprising:
determining a location on said navigated route at which to begin outputting said audio from said wireless device based on a type of said one of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having said highest varied priority.

37 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 31 , wherein said wireless device comprises:
a smartphone.

38 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 31 , wherein said wireless device comprises:
a tablet.

39 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 31 , wherein:
said natural guidance point selection area does not include area behind said measured current location and direction of travel of said wireless device.

40 . The method of providing audible natural navigational guidance output from a wireless device according to claim 31 , wherein:
said audio is output from said wireless device as said wireless device approaches said one of said plurality of locally unique geographic features having said highest varied priority within said natural guidance point selection area.

Assignees

• Telecomm Systems Inc

Inventors

• Clark Brant Miller
• Goddard Mark
• Kaplan Diego Andres

Classifications

• G01C21/3629 Primary

  Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech (text to speech systems per se G10L13/00) · CPC title

• G01C21/3655

  Timing of guidance instructions · CPC title

• G01C21/3632

  Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows (G01C21/365 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01C21/26

  specially adapted for navigation in a road network · CPC title

• G06V20/588

  Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road · CPC title