Selective Audio Navigation for Route Complexity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile devices often provide unnecessary audio navigation instructions for familiar routes, disrupting media consumption and user experience.

Innovation Solution

Implementing simplified audio navigation instructions that only present audio cues for complex road segments, user-defined portions, or specified road types, with options to customize based on route familiarity, media playback, and deviation from the route.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If audio navigation instructions are provided for all route segments, then navigation guidance is complete, but user experience deteriorates due to unnecessary prompts for familiar routes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation guidance completenessVSAvoiduser experience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation route is divided into multiple segments, and audio instructions are selectively provided only for specific segments (e.g., complex intersections, unfamiliar areas) rather than all segments. This segmentation allows the system to maintain guidance completeness for critical areas while eliminating unnecessary prompts for familiar routes, thereby improving user experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the route are treated differently based on their characteristics. Complex road segments receive audio instructions while simple, familiar segments do not. This local differentiation allows the system to provide targeted guidance where needed while avoiding disruptive prompts in straightforward areas, resolving the contradiction between complete guidance and user experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If audio navigation instructions are provided continuously, then navigation assistance is always available, but media consumption is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation assistance availabilityVSAvoidmedia consumption disruption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful effect of continuous audio instructions is extracted and eliminated by selectively removing audio prompts for familiar route segments. This extraction allows navigation assistance to remain available for complex areas while preventing disruption to media consumption during straightforward portions of the route.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuous audio instructions, the system uses periodic or selective audio prompts only when necessary (e.g., at complex intersections or when approaching unfamiliar areas). This periodic action maintains navigation assistance availability for critical moments while eliminating continuous disruption to media playback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Ease of operation

If simplified audio instructions are implemented, then user experience improves by reducing unwanted prompts, but navigation guidance may be insufficient for complex routes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser experienceVSAvoidnavigation guidance sufficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The audio instruction system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on real-time conditions. When the user deviates from the planned route or approaches complex areas, the system automatically activates audio instructions. This dynamic adaptation ensures that guidance sufficiency is maintained for complex routes while preserving user experience improvements by avoiding unnecessary prompts for familiar segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms to monitor user behavior and route progress. When deviations or complex situations are detected, audio instructions are activated accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that navigation guidance remains sufficient for complex routes while maintaining user experience benefits by providing instructions only when actually needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If audio instructions are provided for all route segments, then comprehensive guidance is given, but time is wasted listening to unnecessary instructions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguidance comprehensivenessVSAvoidtime listening to instructions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The route is segmented into familiar and unfamiliar portions, and audio instructions are provided only for the latter. This segmentation eliminates time wasted listening to unnecessary instructions for familiar areas while maintaining guidance comprehensiveness for complex segments where it is actually needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of providing audio instructions for all route segments (excessive action), the system provides instructions only for necessary segments (partial action). This partial approach reduces time loss from unnecessary instructions while maintaining sufficient guidance for complex areas, resolving the contradiction between comprehensiveness and time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11473922B2Simplified audio navigation instructions
Publication Date: 2022.10.18 APPLE INC
  • US11473922B2 patent drawing
  • US11473922B2 patent drawing
  • US11473922B2 patent drawing

AI summary

In some implementations, a mobile device can be configured to provide simplified audio navigation instructions. The simplified audio navigation instructions can provide a reduced set of audio navigation instructions so that the audio instructions are only presented to the user when the user wishes to or needs to hear the instructions. A user can enable the simplified audio navigation instructions. The simplified audio navigation instructions can be enabled automatically. The simplified audio navigation instructions can be configured with rules for when to present audio navigation instructions. For example, the rules can specify that audio navigation instructions are to be provided for complex road segments, a user defined portion of a route, or specified road types, among other criteria. The mobile device can be configured with exceptions to the rules such that audio navigation instructions can be presented when the user has, for example, deviated from a defined route.