Navigation API Embedding Routing Services

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Solution Overview

Problem

Developing applications that require navigation features without the need for extensive programming resources, as incorporating navigation or map information into non-mapping applications is resource-intensive.

Innovation Solution

Providing a navigation application programming interface (API) that allows developers to embed navigation services into their applications, enabling access to routing information and real-time navigation updates through a communication interface, with customizable event listener interfaces for various navigation events.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a health or fitness application incorporates a bespoke navigation or map interface, then the application can provide navigation functionality, but the programming resources required increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation functionalityVSAvoidprogramming resources
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a navigation service as an intermediary component that sits between the health/fitness application and the navigation interface. This service layer provides standardized methods for obtaining navigation information without requiring the application to implement complex navigation logic directly. The service acts as a mediator that handles the complexity of navigation while keeping the application simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation service is designed as a universal component that can be used by multiple different types of applications (health, fitness, social, etc.) through a common interface. This multi-functional service eliminates the need for each application to create its own bespoke navigation interface, thereby reducing programming resources while maintaining adaptability across different application domains.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If navigation services are integrated into multiple types of applications, then user experience is enhanced, but the complexity of implementing and maintaining navigation functionality increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication typesVSAvoidimplementation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the navigation functionality into distinct, independent components: the navigation service, event listener interfaces, and configuration parameters. This segmentation allows each component to be developed, tested, and maintained separately. The navigation service handles core functionality, while event listener interfaces provide standardized hooks for different application types, reducing overall implementation complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation service accepts configurable parameters that allow it to adapt to different application types and use cases without requiring custom implementation for each. By changing parameters such as event thresholds, update frequencies, and interface configurations, the same navigation service can serve health applications, social applications, and other domains, thereby reducing maintenance complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3374867B1Navigation application programming interface
Publication Date: 2024.01.31 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3374867B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3374867B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3374867B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Navigation application programming interfaces that can be used to embed navigation services in software applications are provided. In one embodiment, the application programming interface includes a first set of instructions specifying one or more first parameters to control the implementation of a navigation service by the software application. The navigation service provides navigation information to a user of the software application. The application programming interface further includes a second set of instructions specifying one or more second parameters to control interaction with a routing engine via the application programming interface to obtain the navigation information. The first set of instructions specify one or more configurable event listener interfaces. The configurable event listener interfaces can be operable to obtain data associated with one or more navigation events to update the navigation information provided as part of the navigation service.