Abstract:
A system and method for determining a current location by the visual identification of retail signage and other readily recognizable landmarks comprising a service center having one or more service agents, a plurality of inbound communication channels allowing the service center to receive a communication from a lost traveler or a traveler unfamiliar with the particular locale, a switch platform in the service center directing the communication received from the traveler to one of the one or more service agents. The lost traveler identifies for the service agent one or more of landmarks the traveler sees proximate to the traveler&#39;s current location. A database is maintained which includes a plurality of records corresponding to the geographic location information for a plurality of landmarks in a given region. A host computer executes a search of the database for the one or more landmarks visually identified by the traveler. The host computer attempts to determine the current geographic location from a search of the database. If successful, the service provider provides to the traveler an indication of the traveler&#39;s current location.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method and system for determining a geographic location. More particularly, the present invention involves the identification of a current geographic location by recognition of retail signage and other readily recognizable displays. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     The ability to obtain reasonably accurate driving directions has dramatically improved in recent years with the advent and availability of a number of online mapping site on the internet. These mapping sites, such as MapQuest and MapBlast, receive and process millions of requests for directions a month. These sites have become hugely popular, in large part, because of their simplicity of use. A user is able to simply type in a starting point and a destination, either within a city or across states. Using the starting point and destination, these map sites produce a map with the route highlighted, along with precise turn-by-turn directions. The directions typically include estimates how much time the trip will take and how many tenths of a mile are in each leg of the trip. These mapping sites typically do not charge for their services. 
     The maps used on these mapping sites are compiled from a plurality of sources of data, including U.S. Geological Survey topographical charts, aerial photographs of roads, U.S. Postal Service delivery maps and local government data. This information is compiled to create a draft map, complete with street names and addresses. Then, roads are physically inspected to ensure the accuracy of the maps. The maps are checked for one-way streets and restricted-access roads. In addition, signs on highway ramps are photographed. The completed maps are stored in a centralized database and maintained with the latest information. 
     To plot a driving route, the computer(s) at these mapping sites calculate the longitude and latitude of the starting point and destination. The computer(s) generates driving directions between the starting point and destination by essentially connecting the dots. 
     The driving directions provided by these online mapping sites have their limitations. The driving directions are typically generated either in a written form (for example, on a printout of the map from an attached printer) or displayed on a computer screen or personal, hand-held device (such as a PalmPilot or other PDA). Such “readable” directions are incongruous with the notion of driving an automobile with both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road. 
     The present assignee has redressed certain of these difficulties by providing a directory assistance service that reduces the need to have directions provided in a “readable” form. For example, in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/054,360 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,700, both of which are incorporated herein by reference, systems are described in which directions are voiced to travelers over a wireless telephone by a service agent (e.g., an operator or a voice response unit (“VRU”)). A traveler using a wireless telephone connects through a wireless switching office to a directory assistance center. The traveler is connected to a directory assistance agent and specifies a desired destination. The traveler&#39;s present position or origination point is determined. A routing algorithm (similar to the ones utilized by the online mapping sites) determines an appropriate route from the caller&#39;s present position or origination point to the destination location. 
     The traveler may remain connected to the directory assistance center for the duration of the trip or disconnect and reconnect as necessary or as desired. When connected to the directory assistance center, the traveler may request an operator or other service agent to provide directions along the chosen route. Depending on the length or complexity of the chosen route, it may be divided into multiple segments, with directions being provided by an operator to the traveler for each segment as the traveler proceeds along the route. 
     A further limitation of the driving directions provided by these online mapping sites is their failure to address the fundamental fact that a traveler, by requesting directions, is conceding a lack of familiarity with the layout and interconnectivity of the streets and roads of a particular locale. The traveler would not need directions if he/she was familiar with all of the streets and roads, and how they interconnect. The driving directions provided by the mapping algorithms attempt to address this problem by providing specific and detailed turn-by-turn directions to the traveler. These turn-by-turn directions are augmented with the distances (down to the tenths of miles) to be traveled on each road. Using the odometer and street signs, it is hoped that the traveler gets from point A to point B with little difficulty. 
     Such a solution is not entirely satisfactory. The solution demands that the traveler know where his/her origination point (“Point A”) is so it can be provided to the mapping algorithm. Where the traveler is beginning at a known location such as a residence or a workplace, this does not present much difficulty. However, when the traveler is in a new city or has gotten lost, determination of the origination point becomes a significant obstacle. The expression, “if I knew where I was, then I would not be lost” carries particular relevance. 
     Thus, there is a need for a method and system which helps a traveler who is in unfamiliar territory or who has gotten lost in his/her travel to determine where he/she is at that particular moment in time. Such a method and system would attempt to maximize the time a traveler&#39;s eyes remain focused on the road. Such a system would also advantageously free or reduce the burden on the traveler to search for and find unfamiliar and imperceptible street signs. Such a system would also reduce the burden on the traveler to scan the dashboard of his/her car for the odometer. Such a system should also present the advantage of using illuminated and easily recognizable sign that would alleviate the demands of driving at night or during harsh weather conditions. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system to allow a traveler to use retail signage or other readily-recognizable landmarks to determine a current location. The use of retail signage or other readily-recognizable landmarks allows a traveler unaccustomed with local streets or unable to see street signs (because of darkness or weather conditions) to determine a current location with relative ease. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide feedback to the customer in the form of other retail signage or readily-recognizable landmarks in the vicinity of or proximate to the traveler&#39;s determined location. This will allow the system to verify that the determined location is in fact the current location of the traveler. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a customer turn-by-turn directions from a current location determined in accordance with the present invention to a desired destination location. The capability to provide directions from a current location to a desired destination location allows a lost traveler the ability to both determine a current location as well as obtain directions to a destination location in fewer interactions. 
     These and other objects are achieved by the present invention which includes a system and method for determining a current location by the visual identification of retail signage and other readily-recognizable landmarks. The system and method comprise a service center having one or more service agents (which are understood to include both interactive voice response systems (IVRs) as well as human operators acting alone or in combination with voice response units (VRUs) and IVRs). A plurality of inbound communication channels allow the service center to receive a communication (typically, in the form of a wireless telephone call) from a lost traveler or a traveler unfamiliar with the particular locale. A switch platform in the service center directs the communication received from the traveler over one of the plurality of inbound channels to one of the one or more service agents. The lost traveler identifies for the service agent one or more landmarks the traveler sees proximate to the traveler&#39;s current location. A database is maintained in the service center or in a centralized information hub. The database includes a plurality of records corresponding to the geographic location information for a plurality of landmarks in a given region. A host computer (which may include or work in combination with a database server) is capable of executing a search of the database for the one or more landmarks visually identified by the traveler. The host computer attempts to determine the current geographic location from a search of the database. If successful, the service provider provides to the traveler an indication of the traveler&#39;s current location. 
     If the system is unable to identify a current location for the traveler, the service provider seeks to obtain additional geographic information about the current location from the traveler. The traveler is asked to identify any additional landmarks in the vicinity of the current location. If there are no readily identifiable landmarks in the immediate vicinity, the traveler can continue on his/her route and reconnect with an operator when a landmark is encountered. The host computer augments its search with the additional geographic information and re-attempts to determine the current location. 
     After the current geographic location of the traveler is determined, the service provider obtains an indication of a destination of the traveler. The host computer, working in cooperation with a second database containing geographic mapping information, determines a route for the traveler to get from the current location to the destination location. The service provider provides at least a portion of the determined route to the traveler. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communications system in which the principles of the invention may be practiced; 
     FIG. 2 provides an illustrative example which demonstrates the principles of the invention; and 
     FIGS. 3-6 are flow charts which describe the operation of the invention in the system of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following embodiments of the present invention will be described in the illustrative context of a directory assistance center capable of providing directory assistance and enhanced directory assistance services, including travel services, restaurant and movie services, and directions services. Those skilled in the art, however, will recognize that the disclosed methods and structures are readily adaptable for broader applications. 
     With reference to FIG. 1, a mobile or ambulatory user (hereinafter referred to as the “traveler”) in a first location uses a communication device such as a wireless telephone or personal digital assistant (such as a Palm Pilot™ or similar hand-held device) to connect to a service center providing a plurality of enhanced directory assistance. It understood that with the ever-expanding capabilities of wireless devices, many types of digital messaging (e.g., email, fax, wireless telephony, paging, WPA) may be used to communicate. All of the these technologies come within the ambit of the present invention. 
     The traveler may connect to the service center over one of many telecommunications networks. Different types of telecommunications networks are well know in the art. As illustrated on FIG. 1, the networks include a public switched telephone network (PSTN)  11 , a publicly accessible wide area network such as the world wide web or internet  12 . With the advent of protocol such as voice over IP, telephony over the internet is becoming more and more common. In addition, the traveler may connect to the service center of a private communication network  13 . 
     The communication is routed over one or more of the communication networks  11 ,  12 ,  13  to the service center  10 . At the service center  10 , the communication is connected to a switch platform  14 . From the switch platform  14 , the communication is connected to a service provider. A service provider as used herein includes without limitation VRUs  18 , human operators  19  such as directory assistance providers as well as operators specially-trained to provide assistance with directions, and interactive voice response systems (IVRs). A service provider may also include a human operator working in conjunction with a VRU and IVR. For example, a IVR may be used to play greeting and closing messages as well as obtain preliminary information from the traveler such as the city, state, street on which the traveler is currently located and the particular direction the traveler is currently traveling. This information is provided to the human operator  19 . A service provider may also includes two or more human operators working together. As is described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/054,360, a pointer or reference is maintained to any database record accessed in conjunction with the handling of a communication from a user. Thus, when a user reconnects to a service agent after being placed on hold or after disconnecting for a period of time, a placeholder exists which will allow a subsequent service provider to pick up where the last service provider left off. 
     A plurality of databases are maintained by the system. Database  17  is similar to the databases that are commercially licensed by the online mapping sites such as MapQuest and MapBlast. They contain geographic coordinate information which allows the identification of any point (address) in the mapping system based on a specification of a longitude and latitude. As explained in greater detail below, the system uses database  17  to pin-point the current location of the traveler as well as determine for the traveler a route from the traveler&#39;s current location to a desire destination. 
     Database  16  contains records for the hundreds of thousands of different residences, business establishments, museums, ball parks, fire and police stations, government offices, airports and other identifiable structures in a particular region or locale. Database  16  may also include records for other identifiable landmarks in the region such as street and highway signs, traffic lights, statutes, parks, beaches, tunnels and bridges. Anything that a traveler may readily recognize and identify, typically through visual means, is understood to be included as a landmark. 
     Each record comprises, to the extent applicable, a telephone number, address, certain descriptive information, and specific geographic coordinates, such as the latitude and longitude. The geographic coordinates of the landmarks are used by the system to pin point the current location of the traveler. As explained in greater detail below, the host computer  15  executes a search of directory database  16  using information provided by the traveler, such as locale information (city, county, state) as well as an identification of one or more visually identifiable landmarks proximate to the traveler&#39;s current location. The search attempts to identify the record in the database  16  corresponding to the one or more visually identifiable landmarks identified by the traveler. If the search is successful, the search returns the geographic coordinates of the identified landmarks. The host computer  15  uses this geographic coordinates returned by the search to execute a search of the geographic database  17  to pin-point the exact current location of the traveler. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, the databases may be maintained at one or more service centers. In an alternative embodiment, the databases may be centrally located at an information hub and accessible over a wide area network. It is understood that databases  16  and  17  may also reside on the same physical structure. 
     FIG. 2 provides illustrative examples which demonstrate the principles of the present invention. A traveler traveling in a car may encounter a number of situations in which the present invention has particular application. Reference is made to the examples provided in FIG. 2 in connection with the description of the operation of the system provided in FIGS. 3-6. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a communication is received at the service center from a user using a communication devices such as a wireless telephone, PDA, pagers or other electronic communications device (step  30 ). The system may provide via VRU  18  a greeting message to the user welcoming him/her into the system. The system typically then connects the user to a service provider (human operator) to determine the type of services required by the user (step  31 ). In an alternative embodiment, an IVR may provide the user with a series of menus having selectable options which provide an automated method for the system to channel user requests to appropriate service providers. 
     After it is determined that the user requires directions-related assistance (step  32 ), a service provider inquires as to the type of directions-related assistance is desired. In the instance in which the user knows his/her current location and simply wants turn by turn directions to a desired destination, the system branches (step  38 ) to FIG.  5 . The service provider receives from the user an indication of the user&#39;s intended destination (step  57 ). The system uses the user&#39;s known current location and the desired destination to generate turn-by-turn directions using database  17  (step  58 ). 
     In the instance in which the users does not know his/her current location, the service provider, through a series of questions and answers, attempts to assemble as much information about the user&#39;s current location as possible (step  36 ). Inquiries are made regarding what city and state the user is currently traveling in. Inquiries are also made regarding the user&#39;s current heading (north/south/east/west). If the user is unable to identify the current heading, inquiries are made into the position of the sun (if visible) relative to the current driving direction. Other inquiries may be made, such as whether the user has just arrived at an airport and the name and kind of road being traveled (highway, street, country road) (step  37 ). 
     Next, as shown on FIG. 4, the service provider inquires into whether the user is able to visually identify any landmarks proximate to the user&#39;s current location (step  40 ). Referring to FIG. 2, suppose the traveler is at point A where there are no visually identifiable landmarks. The user would respond to the service provider&#39;s inquiry that he/she is unable to visually identify any landmarks proximate to the current location. The service provider would request the user to continue on his/her current route, place the call in a wait or hold state, and wait for a return to operator signal (StarBack®) to be issued by the user when the user encounters a visually identifiable landmark (steps  41  and  43 ). The return to operator feature is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,092 issued on Aug. 18, 1998 to Metro One Telecommunications, the assignee of the present application. 
     As the traveler continues on the route, the traveler will eventually approach point C. At point C, the user visually identifies Hospital  23 . The user uses the return to operator feature to recall a service provider. The service provider may be the same service provider previously connected to the user or may be a different service provider. Because the system maintains a pointer to previous transactions between the user and the service center, the system presents to the recalled service provider (regardless of whether it was the previously connected service provider or a different service provider), in an accessible manner, the previously assembled information about the user at steps  36  and  37 . 
     The user, when reconnected to the service provider, identifies the landmark, in this instance, Hospital  23  (step  42 ). The service provider uses the previously assembled information about the user (city, state, street, heading direction) together with the landmark (Hospital  23 ) to search database  16  to identify specific geographic coordinates of the user. It is understood that in certain situations, an identification of the landmark alone is sufficient to generated the specific geographic coordinates. For example, the identification of Yankee Stadium, the White House or the Universal Studios as a landmark will return the specific geographic coordinates without further specification of city and state. 
     The host computer  15  executes a search of database  16  (step  45 ). Using the specific name of Hospital  23 , a search of database  16  will return the address of Hospital  23  as well as the latitude and longitude of Hospital  23 . Host  15  searches database  17  with the geographic coordinates of Hospital  23  returned by the search of database  16 . The search of database  17  pin-points the current location of the user. In a preferred embodiment, host  15  will generate a graphical representation of the map of the locale where the traveler is currently located. Host  15  will cause this graphical representation of the map to appear on the screen of the service provider. If the traveler has a communication device with a capable graphical interface, Host  15  will cause the graphical representation of the map to be transmitted over one of the telecommunications networks to the user&#39;s communication device so it may be displayed to the traveler. 
     To confirm that the user is in the location identified by the system, a landmark adjacent to the landmark identified by the user is located (step  53 ). The adjacent landmark is located by a routine executed on host  15 . The routine searches database  17  to return the geographic coordinates of the road ahead of the traveler&#39;s current location. The routine uses these geographic coordinates to search database  16  to identify one or more landmarks located on the road ahead of the traveler (step  50 ). Referring again to FIG. 2, the routine would return the Macy&#39;s Department store  24 . The service provider voices to the traveler “Do you see a Macy&#39;s coming up on your left hand side?” (step  51 ). If the traveler spots Macy&#39;s, then the system is assured that it has the traveler&#39;s correct current location and heading. 
     If the search of the databases at step  45  fails to return a potential current location of the user or the traveler never spots the expected landmark (i.e., Macy&#39;s)(step  52 ) the system attempts to assemble addition information about the user&#39;s current location (steps  47  and  53 ). With the addition information, the system re-attempts to identify the traveler&#39;s correct current location and heading. 
     Once if is determined that the traveler&#39;s correct current location and heading is determined, the service provider audibly communicates the information to the traveler (step  54 ). The service provider may obtain from the user an indication of the user&#39;s intended destination (step  57 ). Using database  17 , the system generates a travel route from the user&#39;s current location to the intended destination (step  58 ). Directions according the travel route may be provided to the user by the service agent all at one or may be segmented, with each segment provided in turn. The provision of the travel route to a traveler is described in Metro One&#39;s co-pending application Ser. No. 09/054,360. 
     It is to be understood that the above description is only of the preferred embodiments of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is thus limited only as defined in the accompanying claims.