Patent ID: 9212920
Filing Date: 2015-12-15
Classification: G01C,G08G

Abstract:
1. A method for providing driving directions for a trip, comprising: obtaining a start point for a trip; obtaining an end point for the trip; obtaining a start time and a start date for the trip; obtaining traffic volume information and updating a database with the traffic volume information; obtaining delay information representing potential causes of delay; correlating the delay information with preselected statistical limits to determine whether the delay information should be used to update the database; responsive to a positive determination, updating the database with the delay information; constructing a graph of a plurality of potential routes linking the start point to the end point, wherein the graph comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links connecting the nodes; assigning a weight to each of said plurality of links based on the stored traffic volume information and the potential causes of delay; applying a shortest path algorithm to obtain a proposed route of shortest duration from said plurality of potential routes, wherein the proposed route includes selected segments and wherein at least one of the selected segments includes a note relating to a predicted delay identified on an unselected alternative segment to the at least one selected segment, based on one or both of the stored traffic volume information and the stored potential causes of delay; reviewing the selected segments of the proposed route and generating a text explanation for each of the selected segments that includes the note relating to the predicted delay identified on the unselected alternative segment to the selected segment; displaying to the user on the display a map of the proposed route; and displaying to the user, on the display of the map of the proposed route, for each of the selected segments having the note, the text explanation relating to the note, thereby providing the user a rationale for not selecting the unselected alternative segment instead of the selected segment.