Navigational Lane Guidance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016178391-A1
Application number	US-201615056098-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 26, 2012
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Navigational lane guidance enhances a maneuver display by incorporating full display of available lanes in a freeway, when available in the map data. An otherwise regular turn icon display is replaced with a variable width image that grows to show all available lanes, highlighting lanes usable to complete a navigated maneuver. A new lane TrueType font displays the lane guidance image, with individual characters representing each possible line situation. Since TrueType fonts are vector-based, they can be used to generate the lane images at any size, in a platform-independent fashion. The lane font has direction arrows, which can be combined to form composite arrows; and additional direction arrows as needed to allow replacement of the routing icons currently in use. Lane dividers may also be implemented.

First claim

1 .- 6 . (canceled)

7 . A method of providing navigational lane guidance, comprising:
determining multiple possible lanes available to be taken by a user device; and building a variable width image with TrueType font, said variable width image growing in width based on TrueType font lane characters printed together therein to show all of said multiple possible lanes available to provide navigational lane guidance regarding said multiple possible lanes to be taken.

8 . The method of providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 7 , wherein:
said navigational lane guidance is provided both visually and verbally.

9 . The method of providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 7 , further comprising:
highlighting a plurality of lanes in said variable width image to provide a navigational lane guidance to said multiple possible lanes to be taken to complete a navigated maneuver.

10 . The method of providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 7 , wherein said TrueType font comprises:
a straight lane arrow; a slight left lane arrow; a left lane arrow; a slight right lane arrow; and a right lane arrow.

11 . A method of providing navigational lane guidance, comprising:
determining multiple possible lanes available to be taken by a user device; and generating and using TrueType font printed together to form a graphical representation of an available lane; wherein the combined printed characters being a composite having a variable width image growing in width with TrueType font characters.

12 . The method of providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 11 , further comprising:
displaying all of said multiple possible lanes available to provide navigational lane guidance regarding said multiple possible lanes to be taken.

13 . The method of providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 11 , wherein:
said navigational lane guidance is provided both visually and verbally.

14 . The method of providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 11 , further comprising:
highlighting a plurality of lanes in said variable width image to provide a navigational lane guidance to said multiple possible lanes to be taken to complete a navigated maneuver.

15 . The method of providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 11 , wherein said TrueType font comprises:
a straight lane arrow; a slight left lane arrow; a left lane arrow; a slight right lane arrow; and a right lane arrow.

16 . Apparatus for providing navigational lane guidance, comprising:
means for determining multiple possible lanes available to be taken by a user device; and means for generating and using TrueType font printed together to form a graphical representation of an available lane; wherein the combined printed characters being a composite having a variable width image growing in width with TrueType font characters.

17 . The apparatus for providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 16 , further comprising:
means for displaying all of said multiple possible lanes available to provide navigational lane guidance regarding said multiple possible lanes to be taken.

18 . The apparatus for providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 16 , wherein:
said navigational lane guidance is provided both visually and verbally.

19 . The apparatus for providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 16 , further comprising:
means for highlighting a plurality of lanes in said variable width image to provide a navigational lane guidance to said multiple possible lanes to be taken to complete a navigated maneuver.

20 . The apparatus for providing navigational lane guidance according to claim 16 , wherein said TrueType font comprises:
a straight lane arrow; a slight left lane arrow; a left lane arrow; a slight right lane arrow; and a right lane arrow.

Assignees

• Telecomm Systems Inc

Inventors

• Clark Brant Miller
• Goddard Mark
• Kaplan Diego Andres

Classifications

• G01C21/3667 Primary

  Display of a road map (G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635) · CPC title

• G01C21/3658

  Lane guidance · 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

• G01C21/3644

  Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects · CPC title

• G01C21/3655

  Timing of guidance instructions · CPC title