Abstract: A vehicle route guidance system is provided that may dynamically determine one or more possible destinations within a predetermined distance of a current location of a vehicle having the vehicle route guidance system. The vehicle route guidance system may determine respective routes to the one or more possible destinations and may access price information with respect to the one or more possible destinations. For each of the one or more possible destinations, the vehicle route guidance system may estimate a cost of fuel to be consumed by the vehicle to reach respective ones of the one or more possible destination based on received traffic information, a respective route, and vehicle fuel consumption information. The vehicle route guidance system may provide information for guiding the vehicle to one of the one or more possible destinations having a lowest total overall cost.

Abstract: A method in a wireless communications device for transmitting current location information representing a current location of the wireless communications device. The method entails, from within a communication application executing on a processor of the wireless communications device, causing the wireless communications device to obtain the current location information representing the current location of the wireless communications device, including the current location information in a communication generated from within the communication application, and transmitting the communication that includes the current location information. The method optionally entails a further step of performing a reverse look-up of GPS coordinates representing the current location to determine address information for including in the communication. Location information, such as maps or URLs to maps can be sent directly from an e-mail application or instant messenger without having to separately launch a mapping application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method that enables a user to save locations (e.g., addresses, landmarks, etc.) to a central storage location system from within third party applications and then automatically have access to saved location information on registered, client devices, including navigational devices. Third party applications send saved locations, as well as information identifying the applicable users, to a central storage location system. The central storage location system stores location information associated with each saved location in a database (e.g., address and corresponding geocodes). Each location is saved in association with a unique ID corresponding to the user that saved the location. The central storage location system provides each saved location to registered client devices associated with the user that saved the location.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying points-of-interest. In one aspect, a method includes determining a position and a heading of a mobile device, defining a zone of interest based on the position and heading of the mobile device, identifying one or more points of interest (POIs) that are located within the zone of interest, determining, for each of the identified POIs, a distance between the mobile device and the respective POI, selecting one or more of the identified POIs based on the distances, and displaying information identifying the selected POIs on a user interface of the mobile device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of operating a telematics enabled mobile vehicle communication system. The method includes receiving a navigation request from a user interface to a telematics unit, receiving a location signal defining an approximate geographic location of the telematics unit to the telematics unit, analyzing the navigation request and the location signal to produce a navigation route defined by a plurality of navigation points including an initial navigation point and one or more additional navigation points, producing a local navigation zone and a global navigation zone based on the analyzed location signal wherein each navigation zone defines a geographic area concentrically radiating from a known geographic location, determining which navigation zone the initial navigation point is within, and producing navigation instructions that provide direction to navigation points along the navigation route and are based on the determined navigation zone and the navigation route.

Abstract: An electronic device can provide an interactive map with non-visual output, thereby making the map accessible to visually impaired users. The map can be based on a starting location defined based on a current location of the electronic device or on a location entered by the user. Nearby paths, nearby points of interest, or directions from the starting location to an ending location can be identified via audio output. Users can touch a screen of the electronic device in order to virtually explore a neighborhood. A user can be alerted when he is moving along or straying from a path, approaching an intersection or point of interest, or changing terrains. Thus, the user can familiarize himself with city-level spatial relationships without needing to physically explore unfamiliar surroundings.

Abstract: An intersection guidance method using Point of Interest (POI) information and a navigation system are provided. An intersection guidance method using POI information, the intersection guidance method including: retrieving a route to a destination set by a user and providing guidance about the route; providing, when an intersection is sensed on the route, guidance about a turn in the intersection using surrounding POI information of the intersection.

Abstract: In order to notify a user that a facility is present in the neighborhood of a route to a destination, a mobile phone includes a location obtaining portion to obtain a present location (S03, S09), a destination setting portion to set a point of destination (S02), a departure point setting portion to set a point of departure (S04), a facility extraction portion to extract facility information of a facility located in the neighborhood of a route from the point of departure to the destination from among facility information included in map information (S08), and a light emission control portion to give notification at a prescribed timing if at least one facility information is extracted by the facility extraction portion (S14).

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying points-of-interest. In one aspect, a method includes determining a location of a mobile device, and automatically identifying a point-of-interest (POI) located within a predetermined distance of the location. The method also includes providing, on a user interface of the mobile device, a rating control for allowing the user to rate the identified POI, and receiving the rating for the identified POI from the user, using the rating control.

Abstract: A route guide method includes collecting state information of respective points of interest (POIs) and storing the collected state information in a state information database, extracting state information of one or more candidate POIs with reference to the state information database according to a request for the state information of the one or more candidate POIs, and applying the extracted state information of the candidate POIs to routes to the respective POIs to guide a user along the routes to the respective candidate POIs.

Abstract: Disclosed is a navigation device including a guidance route calculation unit 3 for calculating a guidance route by using point information about a destination, point information about a current position, and map information, a guidance map generating unit 5 for generating a guidance route map by using the calculated guidance route and the map information, a guidance route surrounding facility icon arrangement unit 6 for extracting a facility icon required for the calculated guidance route according to a facility icon extraction rule, and for determining an offset arrangement position of this facility icon, and a display unit 11 for attaching the facility icon at the above-mentioned determined offset arrangement position on the above-mentioned guidance route map to display the facility icon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for presenting points of interest (POIs) via a graphical user interface (GUI) on an apparatus. Generally, data is received via a global positioning system (GPS) and map data is received via a communications network. Next, a reference location is determined, and based on the reference location a search area is determined. Next, POIs are found within said search area, wherein said reference location is comprised within said search area, and then said POIs are organized in a multilevel hierarchy tree. Finally, the found POIs are presented on the GUI.

Abstract: Provided is a navigation device which can automatically display on a map screen, an icon of a facility, information of which is not held in the navigation device. According to the navigation device (2), when it is judged that content information received from a roadside radio device (1) contains “object facility coordinate information” and “icon image information”, these information are written into a facility information table (252). When displaying a map screen and an existing facility icon on a display unit (22), it is judged whether the facility information table (252) contains facility icon information having coordinate information contained within a range indicated by the map screen. If YES, the corresponding facility icon is overlay-displayed on the map screen and the existing facility icon.

Abstract: The class of k Nearest Neighbor (k NN) queries in spatial networks has been studied in the literature. Existing approaches for k NN search in spatial networks assume that the weight of each edge in the spatial network is constant. However, real-world edge-weights are time-dependent and vary significantly in short durations, hence invalidating the existing solutions. The problem of k NN search in time-dependent spatial networks, where the weight of each edge is a function of time, is addressed herein. Two indexing schemes (Tight Network Index and Loose Network Index) are proposed to minimize the number of candidate nearest neighbor objects and reduce the invocation of the expensive fastest-path computation in time-dependent spatial networks. We demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed solution via experimental evaluations with real-world data-sets, including a variety of large spatial networks with real traffic-data.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for autonomously determining a set of destinations. A landmark module stores a plurality of landmarks from a database. An identification module identifies a first current location and direction of the vehicle. In response to receiving a help command from the help button, a destination module determines a first set of destinations from the plurality of landmarks, the first current location, and the first current direction. A prompt module audibly prompts a driver to navigate the vehicle to the first set of destinations. A navigation module determines if the driver is navigating towards the first direction. In response to the driver not navigating the vehicle toward at least one destination of the first set of destinations, the navigation module may direct the identification module to identify a second current location and direction of the vehicle and the destination module to determine a second set of destinations.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying points-of-interest. In one aspect, a method includes identifying points-of-interest (POIs) associated with one or more of multiple, selected geographic areas, and determining, for each of the multiple geographic areas, a score associated with the identified POIs. The actions also include generating a combined score for each identified POI based on the determined scores associated with the respective POI, selecting a subset of the identified POIs based at least on the combined scores, and displaying a link to the POIs in the subset.

Abstract: Provided is a technology of a navigation device which is capable of identifying an intersection or the like based on designation of an incomplete name of a street in which an input of a first keyword and an input of a second keyword are received, and a connection point of a first street having a street name which includes at least in part the first keyword and a second street having a street name which includes at least in part the second keyword is identified, to thereby save the user, who is not always familiar with the geography of a search target area, from the inconvenience of inputting a complete name of the first street, based on which the second street is retrieved and selected and an intersection point of the first street and the second street is identified.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for generating a street map that includes a position identifier that identifies a location on the street map. The method and system may also generate and display a plurality of images representative of the location of the position identifier. A user may interact with a position identifier or one of several scroll icons to view images of other locations on the street map and/or to obtain driving directions between two locations.

Abstract: A method of providing augmented Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation can include detecting movement of a GPS enabled mobile device along a navigational route and displaying a photographic image on a display of the GPS enabled mobile device responsive to detecting movement of the GPS enabled mobile device along the navigational route provided by the GPS enabled mobile device. Related devices and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for identifying a location of interest between a user and an identified endpoint and creating a user preference profile containing at least one location of interest to the user. A sampling bandwidth is designated based on current distance to the identified endpoint, wherein the navigation unit dynamically expands the sampling bandwidth as the user approaches within a predetermined distance of the endpoint. At least one user preference profile location of interest is selected that is within the sampling bandwidth that is between the user and the indentified endpoint. A sampling vector is computed for the at least one location of interest within the sampling bandwidth, and the user is alerted to the sampling vector for the at least one location of interest within the sampling bandwidth.

Abstract: A technique for efficient processing of annotations in images such as panoramic images is herein disclosed. In an embodiment, a first user annotation is received for a feature in a first panorama, and a second user annotation for the same feature is received in a second panorama. The coordinates for the feature can then be generated by computing the intersection between data generated for the first user annotation and for the second user annotations.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for displaying points-of-interest (“POIs”) on a digital map are disclosed. One such method includes: presenting a digital map on a graphical display of an electronic device, wherein the digital map comprises map tiles and corresponds to a geographic region; receiving free-hand user input selecting a portion of the digital map; delimiting the portion of the digital map selected by the user; determining one or more of the POIs whose geographic coordinates are within the portion of the digital map selected by the user; and displaying a graphic for each of the determined POIs, wherein the displayed graphic is displayed on the digital map at the geographic coordinates of each of the determined one or more POIs.

Abstract: A travel information service system and a method of providing a travel information service which can perform guidance of travel information appropriate for a travel purpose and a travel type are provided. The method of providing the travel information service includes: a first operation of providing a travel course for each area and point of interest (POI) information for each course using a user interface; a second operation of creating a travel route based on user selection of the travel course for each area and the POI information for each course; and a third operation of performing map guidance based on the created travel route.

Abstract: A facility-around-route retrieval device includes a map disk 3 for storing map data and facility data, a route calculation unit 13 for calculating a route to a destination by using the map data stored in the map disk, a facility retrieval condition setting unit 16 for setting a facility retrieval condition, and a facility-around-route retrieval unit 17 for retrieving, in a case where a facility around the route calculated in the route calculation unit is retrieved in accordance with the condition set in the facility retrieval condition setting unit, the facility present only on a side of a traveling lane of a vehicle of a divided road from the facility data stored in the map disk when the route includes the divided road.

Abstract: A method of displaying a navigation map includes determining a route of a vehicle. A two-dimensional footprint of a building disposed within a geographic area is received within the vehicle. The geographic area includes the route of the vehicle. Attribute information associated with the building is received. The attribute information is received within the vehicle. A visual representation of the building is rendered based upon the two-dimensional footprint and the attribute information.

Abstract: A system for transferring information for at least one person in the area of an airport, comprising a) at least one personal end device which can be worn by the at least one person, b) a detection means for detecting the current spatial position of the at least one person in the area of the airport, c) a control means for determining at least one target time for a station located along the path to a flight gate assigned to the at least one person and/or for determining a path of the at least one person from a pre-determined position to the flight gate assigned to the person.

Abstract: A multi-step animation sequence for smoothly transitioning from a map view to a panorama view of a specified location is disclosed. An orientation overlay can be displayed on the panorama, showing a direction and angular extent of the field of view of the panorama. An initial specified location and a current location of the panorama can also be displayed on the orientation overlay. A navigable placeholder panorama to be displayed in place of a panorama at the specified location when panorama data is not available is disclosed. A perspective view of a street name annotation can be laid on the surface of a street in the panorama.

Abstract: Provided is a method and an apparatus for automatically determining practicality of a trip. A mobile device obtains at least one point of interest among a starting location and a finishing location for a trip. In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, for each point of interest, the mobile device automatically determines an indication of practicality for making the point of interest an intermediate location to be visited during the trip based on both the starting location and the finishing location for the trip. By considering both the starting location and the finishing location, the points of interest can be presented to the user in a manner that reflects how practical it is to visit the points of interest given that the user is to end up at the finishing location.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for processing locations and distances related to resources referenced in search results. Location data for an entity are processed to determine physical locations of an entity. The physical locations are used to generate a coverage area data, and the location data and coverage area data are associated with Internet resources of the entity. The coverage area data and location data are used to filter search results and adjust the rank of individual search results that are responsive to a query associated with a query location.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for defining a route from a starting point to a destination. The route can include several steps, each including an instruction directing a user to move in a particular manner, and a reference around or near which to follow the instruction. To assist the user in following the directions, a step can include one or more points of interest serving as references. In particular, points of interest having high visibility (e.g., relative to street signs) can be selected to serve as references for the directions. The device can select which points of interest to use based on any suitable criteria, including for example based on the distance of a point of interest from a location where a step requires an instruction, as well as based on visibility attributes of the points of interest.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information distribution method based on geographical location information of a mobile terminal. The method includes obtaining current geographical location information of the mobile terminal; based on an acquiring mode used to obtain the current geographical location information, determining a positioning accuracy of the mobile terminal's current geographical location information; based on the determined positioning accuracy, determining a distribution mode used to distribute information to the mobile terminal, wherein the distribution mode includes a location-based distribution mode and the combination mode of location-based distribution and relation-based distribution; and distributing information to the mobile terminal using the determined distribution mode.

Abstract: A car navigation system 1 includes a HDD map 110 and a cached map 109. Map data for entire area is stored in the HDD, and map data used by a route search unit 115 and a guidance unit 116 are stored in the cached map 109. A cached map area specifying unit 108 specifies map data files that should be stored in the cached map 109 for each navigation application, and stores the names of the specified map data files, linked to the respective navigation applications, into a navigation application consistency management table 103. A consistency judgment unit 104 monitors an update status of a data file of which name stored in the navigation application consistency management table 103, and stores the update status (completed or not completed) into the navigation application consistency management table 103.

Abstract: A power charging station administration device administrates available time slot information and installation site information set by an administrator of an in-vehicle battery charger, that is, the available time slot information representing time slots at which the in-vehicle battery charger is available and the installation site information representing the installation site of the in-vehicle battery charger using an administration. An information publication unit publishes the available time slot information and the installation site information administrated by the administration unit on a homepage. An occupant of a vehicle A other than the administrator of the in-vehicle battery charger can use the in-vehicle battery charger by verifying the published information during time slots at which the in-vehicle battery charger is available.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for executing a telecommand on a geostationary satellite, and an apparatus and method for verifying a telecommand execution status on a geostationary satellite ground control system. When a telecommand on a satellite is executed, the satellite generates command execution verification words for the executed telecommand and adds the generated command execution verification words to a telemetry transfer frame, and thus a satellite ground control system can easily verify the telecommand execution.

Abstract: Architecture that enables location based notifications (e.g., geo-fences) using standard polygons the capture of complex regions. As applied to geo-fencing, it extends geo-fencing beyond the mere representation of the virtual perimeter (fenced) area. More specifically, the architecture takes into consideration geographical and demographical features, such as the layout of the roads and streets, the types of available of transportation (e.g., car, bus, walk, biking, etc.), the traffic conditions, and the dynamic properties of a point of interest (POI) such as opening hours, total wait time, etc.

Abstract: In a navigation device, user profiles may be stored and used to navigate a user who may be driving in a vehicle, on foot, or in another mode of transportation. Each user profile corresponds to one of the user's personae. In one embodiment the user business profile corresponds to the user's business persona, which is different from the user personal profile corresponding to the user's personal persona. The navigation device provides the user with a navigated route, together with information concerning the favorite facilities and events surrounding the navigated route, which satisfy the preferences in a selected user profile. In some embodiments, blockages may be established using the device to avoid selected areas, e.g., high crime areas, in the navigated route, or to block transmission of selected information concerning, e.g., uninteresting facilities and events, to the navigation device.

Abstract: A method for automatically creating points of interest by identifying geographic information on a screen of a portable navigation device. A first geographic information is retrieved from an information page shown in the screen of the portable navigation device and recognized by comparing with the first geographic information with a geographic information of landmarks stored in a map database of the portable navigation device. It is determined whether the first geographic information is in the map database. If the geographic information is in the map database, a first GPS coordinate corresponding to the first geographic information is obtained and stored as a first POI.

Abstract: Technology is generally described for computing paths between geographical localities. The technology can receive a request for a path between two or more geographical localities, and compute a path based at least on a popularity rating of intermediate geographical localities.

Abstract: A computer generated 3-dimensional map display includes a reference icon identifying an observation point in the geographic area defined by the map, the map being presented on a curved surface which extends from a first plane to a second plane which is substantially orthogonal to the first plane. The observation point is located in the first plane. The display is configured such that the height of landmarks and buildings in a defined foreground of the reference icon are presented normal to the first plane, the height of land marks and buildings at a defined far distance are presented normal to the second plane and the height of land marks and buildings in a defined middle ground are presented normal to the non-linear portion of the curved surface. The geographic area represented can be translated along the curved surface to provide a perception that the reference icon is roaming through the displayed geographic area.

Abstract: A method of operating a navigation system to provide a route guidance message for traveling a route is disclosed. A preferred name of a feature visible from a road segment is obtained from a geographic database associated with the navigation system. A guidance message stating the preferred name of the feature visible from the road segment is determined. The preferred name includes at least one visible descriptor selected from a group consisting of a color of the identified feature, a building material of the identified feature, a shape of the identified feature, an architectural style of the identified feature, and a decorative element of the identified feature.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying points-of-interest. In one aspect, a method includes accessing, by a mobile device, two or more search results, each of the search results identifying a respective point-of-interest (POI), and determining a distance between the mobile device and each POI. The method may also include selecting a directional icon for each POI based on the distance to the respective POI, and displaying, by the mobile device, information identifying the POIs and, for each POI, the directional icon selected for the respective POI.

Abstract: A destination retrieving method including: analyzing map data to define a relation between points of interest (POIs) as a POI relation; and providing a search result in the tree structure based on the POI relation when retrieving a destination name is provided.

Abstract: A navigation device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the navigation device includes a storage device to store map information and points of interest (POIs), the POIs including description information and location information; and a display to display stored POIs at a location of the map information, based upon the location information, POIs being selectively retrievable from a remote location for subsequent storage and display.

Abstract: A navigation device includes a map information acquiring unit 47 and 48 for acquiring map information, a positioning unit 46 for measuring a vehicle position, an input unit 34 and 45 for inputting a search condition for a search for facilities which are search objects, a facility searching unit 50 for, when the vehicle position measured by the positioning unit is located on a dedicated road whose exits and entrances are predetermined, searching through the map information acquired by the map information acquiring unit for facilities existing on the dedicated road and facilities existing at a predetermined distance or less from an exit of the dedicated road, those facilities satisfying the search condition inputted from the input unit, and a display unit 32 and 43 for displaying the facilities searched for by the facility searching unit in order of increasing distance from the vehicle position measured by the positioning unit.

Abstract: Locations having similar names are identified and placed in groups. The naming similarity includes how names or portions of names are spelled and/or pronounced. The names within the groups are then ranked by priority. The ranking is calculated using one or more attributes in a geographic database, such as the number of road segments associated with a named location, the population associated with a named location, distance to a named location, and administrative level of a named location. The ranking may be used during destination entry, when providing route guidance and/or maps, and when providing additional information to a user of a navigation system, such as demographic information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing point of interest (POI) information of a mobile terminal. The method and apparatus extract POI information, where the POI information and/or associated road information is included in an image captured by a camera. Location information of an image capture place and image capture direction information are read from the digital photo image, and the POI information corresponding to the location and image capture direction information is extracted from a map data, and the extracted POI information is thereafter displayed on the digital photo image.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates generating a point of interest related to a map. An interface component can collect a portion of annotation data from two or more users, wherein the portion of annotation data is associated with a digital map and includes at least one of a map location and a user specific description of the map location. An annotation aggregator can evaluate annotation data corresponding to the map location on the digital map. The annotation aggregator can create a point of interest (POI) for the map location based upon the evaluation and populates the digital map with at least one of an identified location extracted from two or more users or a universal description extracted from two or more users.

Abstract: A navigation system includes a touch screen for receiving a touch input and displaying a navigation map, mode-switching means for issuing a mode-switching command to switch the navigation system into an input mode, a memory for storing a database, and a controller to recognize a handwriting input or a gesture input to acquire an input information, search the database for a facility information corresponding to the input information, and show facilities represented by the facility information in the navigation map.

Abstract: A routing module identifies POIs that can be reached from a route with a cost less than distance m. A routing engine performs a reverse exploration on nodes in the planned route to locate POIs from which the route can be reached with a cost of less than a second cost n. POIs identified as being reachable from the route with a cost of less than m, and from which the route is reachable with a cost less than n are then further filtered to identify a subset of the POIs for which the sum of the time or distance from the route to the POI and the time or distance from the POI back to the route is less than a threshold time or distance, t.

Abstract: A novel display control and information management system seamlessly integrates layered and slotted formatted data from local and remote sources to provide a highly versatile information display. The system permits selective control of display and display features so that complex data and data flows can be seamlessly accessed with enhanced cognition of salient information by a user.