Abstract: A preferred route may be determined from an origin location to a destination location. The determination is made by processing directed links (e.g., one-way edges) in a graph that includes one or more links and two or more nodes. The determination of a preferred route may include an estimate of the time required at one or more intersections along alternative. Individual routing preferences, such as a preference of a rural over an urban route, also may be considered. Techniques are described that may help reduce the time required to identify a preferred route, including the identification and removal of no outlet routes before processing the directed links and techniques using particular data formats.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for displaying a route symbol with narrative driving directions. A route symbol for a particular maneuver may be used to represent the road to which the maneuver relates. For example, one type of a route symbol that may be used to represent a road may be an interstate route symbol that has substantially the same appearance (e.g., substantially the same or similar shape, and/or substantially the same coloration) as an interstate route sign used to mark the interstate itself. Another example of a type of a route symbol that represents a road is an highway route symbol that looks substantially the same as a highway route sign used to mark a state highway. A route symbol used for the display of a maneuver also may include route symbols that are related to the type of maneuver, such as the type of a turn, described by the maneuver.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method is provided for processing a query for points of interest (POIs) using a hierarchical grid structure representing a geographic area. The method includes receiving a query for POIs; defining a query footprint for the query based on a location corresponding to the query, wherein the query footprint comprises query spatial identifiers for a plurality of levels of the hierarchical grid structure; matching the query spatial identifiers with one or more POI spatial identifiers organized into a plurality of indexes, wherein each one of the plurality of indexes comprises an index of the POI spatial identifiers for one of the plurality of levels; and providing an output specifying one or more POIs corresponding to the matched POI spatial identifiers.

Abstract: Driving directions are presented where a maneuver in the driving directions includes a road symbol and an action symbol. A road symbol identifies the road involved in the particular maneuver, and an action symbol identifies an action to be performed to execute the particular maneuver. In one example, a road symbol, an action symbol and narrative text may be presented in displayed or printed driving directions. In another example, a road symbol and an action symbol may be used to describe a maneuver presented by an on-board or mobile navigation system when the vehicle in which the navigation system is present approaches the point at which the maneuver is to be taken. The road symbol and the action symbol may be presented with, or without, narrative driving directions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing improved generation of textual directions based on positional information. In an implementation, textual directions for traversing a path are generated based on positional information associated with the path. According to a method, positional information that specifies a longitude and latitude at a plurality of times is received and processed to generate a routing graph. The generated routing graph includes nodes and route links that connect the plurality of nodes. Textual directions are generated for traversing a path associated with the positional data, based in part on link information associated with the links of the generated routing graph.

Abstract: A list of places of interest geographically located near a travel route may be generated by accessing a routing database storing shape points capable of defining a travel route, determining a travel route from the shape points stored in the routing database, accessing a place of interest database including geographic centers, selecting from the places of interest database at least one geographic center that is geographically proximate to the travel route, and generating a list of places of interest associated with at least one of the selected geographic centers.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for displaying a route symbol with narrative driving directions. A route symbol for a particular maneuver may be used to represent the road to which the maneuver relates. For example, one type of a route symbol that may be used to represent a road may be an interstate route symbol that has substantially the same appearance (e.g., substantially the same or similar shape, and/or substantially the same coloration) as an interstate route sign used to mark the interstate itself. Another example of a type of a route symbol that represents a road is an highway route symbol that looks substantially the same as a highway route sign used to mark a state highway. A route symbol used for the display of a maneuver also may include route symbols that are related to the type of maneuver, such as the type of a turn, described by the maneuver.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying a route that is configured to travel through multiple points of interest includes receiving a query that includes an origin location, a destination location, and at least a first point of interest and a second point of interest. The method also includes identifying a perimeter that surrounds the received origin and destination locations in response to the query. The perimeter is then used to identify a set of locations for each of the first and second points of interest.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying a route that is configured to travel through multiple points of interest includes receiving a query that includes an origin location, a destination location, and at least a first point of interest and a second point of interest. The method also includes identifying a perimeter that surrounds the received origin and destination locations in response to the query. The perimeter is then used to identify a set of locations for each of the first and second points of interest.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for presenting a route in a manner that emphasizes the route and provides context information. For example, a vivid color or vivid colors may be used to display the route, and pastel colors or other desaturated colors may be used for non-route context information. This may result in a map in which the vivid colors of the route stand out over the faded style of the non-route context information to emphasize the route. In this manner, the map may both emphasize the route and provide context information for the route.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for displaying a map for a route in a ground-based vehicle. The map includes a variable road network map showing finer detail for geographic features near the route and less detail for geographic features farther from the route. The map is displayed based on the travel direction of the ground-based vehicle.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for presenting a route using a route presentation that provides both a context map and one or more detail route maps. Narrative instructions for the route also may be presented. The presentation of the context map and the one or more detail route maps may be interactive. The route presentation also may be user controllable such that a user may control the portions of a route that are printed. The route presentation also may include a re-routing feature that allows a user to request that a new route be identified that avoids a particular maneuver or maneuvers in a route.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for displaying a route symbol with narrative driving directions. A route symbol for a particular maneuver may be used to represent the road to which the maneuver relates. For example, one type of a route symbol that may be used to represent a road may be an interstate route symbol that has substantially the same appearance (e.g., substantially the same or similar shape, and/or substantially the same coloration) as an interstate route sign used to mark the interstate itself. Another example of a type of a route symbol that represents a road is an highway route symbol that looks substantially the same as a highway route sign used to mark a state highway. A route symbol used for the display of a maneuver also may include route symbols that are related to the type of maneuver, such as the type of a turn, described by the maneuver.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for displaying a route symbol with narrative driving directions. A route symbol for a particular maneuver may be used to represent the road to which the maneuver relates. For example, one type of a route symbol that may be used to represent a road may be an interstate route symbol that has substantially the same appearance (e.g., substantially the same or similar shape, and/or substantially the same coloration) as an interstate route sign used to mark the interstate itself. Another example of a type of a route symbol that represents a road is an highway route symbol that looks substantially the same as a highway route sign used to mark a state highway. A route symbol used for the display of a maneuver also may include route symbols that are related to the type of maneuver, such as the type of a turn, described by the maneuver.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for presenting a route using a route presentation that provides both a context map and one or more detail route maps. Narrative instructions for the route also may be presented. The presentation of the context map and the one or more detail route maps may be interactive. The route presentation also may be user controllable such that a user may control the portions of a route that are printed. The route presentation also may include a re-routing feature that allows a user to request that a new route be identified that avoids a particular maneuver or maneuvers in a route.

Abstract: Driving directions are presented where a maneuver in the driving directions includes a road symbol and an action symbol. A road symbol identifies the road involved in the particular maneuver, and an action symbol identifies an action to be performed to execute the particular maneuver. In one example, a road symbol, an action symbol and narrative text may be presented in displayed or printed driving directions. In another example, a road symbol and an action symbol may be used to describe a maneuver presented by an on-board or mobile navigation system when the vehicle in which the navigation system is present approaches the point at which the maneuver is to be taken. The road symbol and the action symbol may be presented with, or without, narrative driving directions.

Abstract: A corridor search process is used to identify locations of interest along a travel route. The corridor search process identifies locations of interest along a travel route by using a grid search process that first identifies shape points that correspond to the travel route. Each shape point is associated with a portion of a grid system used to delineate a region of geography through which the route traverses. The portions of the grid system correspond to a corridor along the travel route. References to redundant portions of the grid system are removed, and locations of interest are identified based on an association between a location of interest with a particular portion of the grid system.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for reducing the number of maneuvers presented in narrative driving directions for a route from an origin location to a destination location. To do so, driving directions are not provided for maneuvers for areas with which a person is likely to be familiar, such as neighborhood streets near the person's house, office, or another familiar location. A route from a user-specified origin to a user-specified destination is determined. Driving directions are presented only for a portion of the route. The portion of the route for which driving directions are presented may be identified based on an arterial category of roads included in the route.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for presenting a route using a route presentation that provides both a context map and one or more detail route maps. Narrative instructions for the route also may be presented. The presentation of the context map and the one or more detail route maps may be interactive. The route presentation also may be user-controllable such that a user may control the portions of a route that are printed. The route presentation also may include a re-routing feature that allows a user to request that a new route be identified that avoids a particular maneuver or maneuvers in a route.