Navigation Map Display Using Close Known Location Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional interactive maps and wayfinding systems often provide complex navigation instructions that include unnecessary details, making it difficult for users to understand recommended routes, especially on mobile devices with small screens, as they display the entire route from the starting point to the destination without focusing on familiar or close known locations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a close known location to simplify navigation instructions by omitting familiar portions of the route, focusing on the unfamiliar portion from the close known location to the destination, and providing detailed graphical instructions, which can be scaled appropriately for mobile devices, using a database of known locations and a web server to determine and display navigation routes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the entire route from starting point to destination is displayed on the map, then the user can see the complete navigation path, but the map becomes too complex and difficult to understand on mobile devices with small screens
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation route is segmented into two parts: the portion from the starting point to the close known location (which is omitted or simplified), and the portion from the close known location to the destination (which is displayed in detail). This segmentation allows the map to focus on the unfamiliar portion while assuming the user already knows the familiar portion, thereby reducing map complexity while maintaining navigation information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The familiar portion of the route (from starting point to close known location) is extracted and omitted from the detailed map display. Only the unfamiliar portion (from close known location to destination) is retained and displayed in detail. This extraction reduces the amount of information displayed on the map, making it easier to understand on mobile devices while still providing complete navigation instructions through the combination of the simplified route representation and the detailed portion.
2Loss of information
If detailed turn-by-turn navigation instructions are provided for the entire route, then the user receives complete navigation guidance, but the instructions become too complex and time-consuming to process
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation instructions are segmented into two parts: instructions for the familiar portion (from starting point to close known location), which are omitted or simplified, and instructions for the unfamiliar portion (from close known location to destination), which are provided in detail. This segmentation reduces the total number of instructions the user must process while maintaining complete navigation guidance through the combination of the simplified route representation and the detailed portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The detailed turn-by-turn instructions for the familiar portion of the route are extracted and omitted from the navigation instruction display. Only detailed instructions for the unfamiliar portion are retained. This extraction significantly reduces the time required to process navigation instructions while still providing complete guidance, as the user can rely on their existing knowledge of the familiar portion.
3Reliability
If the map displays all known locations and landmarks along the route, then the user has reference points for navigation, but the map becomes cluttered and difficult to interpret
Solution Approach 1:
The map display applies different levels of detail to different portions of the route. The familiar portion (from starting point to close known location) is represented with minimal detail or not at all, while the unfamiliar portion (from close known location to destination) is displayed with full detail including landmarks and reference points. This local quality approach ensures that reference points are provided where needed (in the unfamiliar portion) while avoiding clutter in the familiar portion, thereby maintaining navigation reliability without excessive visual complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is provided for displaying a map having a close known location and a destination and for providing navigation recommendations for traveling from the close known location to the destination. A user may use a mobile device to submit a request for navigation instructions for navigating from a starting point to a destination. The request may be submitted to a web server, to the mobile device itself, or to another device that can provide navigation instructions. The web server/mobile device or other device determines a recommended route based on the starting point and the destination, and attempts to locate a close known location to the destination near the recommended route. Navigation instructions are provided to the user including directions from the close known location to the destination.