Alternative routes

US11209278B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• TomTom International B.V. · NL

Inventors

• Felix Godafoss König · Berlin, DE
• Michael Marte · Berlin, DE
• Jose F. Santiago Nunez · Amsterdam, NL
• Kees Wesselius · Wormer, NL
• Stanislav Zheltov · Amsterdam, NL
• Thomas Gerhard Helmut Schickinger · Berlin, DE
• William Breen · Akron, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 20, 2015
• Grant date: Dec 28, 2021
• Expiry date: Sep 11, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01C21/3676
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method is disclosed for determining a route taken by a user at a decision point in a navigable network in an area covered by an electronic map. The map comprises a plurality of segments representing navigable segments of the navigable network in the area covered by the electronic map. A user is travelling along a main route from an origin to a destination. An upcoming decision point is identified, and one or more alternative routes between the decision point and the destination generated. Data indicative of each route is stored in a route pool, associated with data indicative of the outgoing segment at the decision point that forms part of the route. Each route passes along a different outgoing segment, and which segments are all different to an outgoing segment included in a continuation of the main route. When the user has passed through the decision point, it is determined whether the current position of the user lies on the outgoing segment forming the continuation of the main route. If so, the main route continues to be used as the main route after passing through the decision point. If not, it is determined whether the current position is on an outgoing segment associated w…