Google Inc.

Keith Ito

Andrew Miller

Michael Siliski

Ramesh Balakrishnan

Lalitesh Kumar Katragadda

James Robert Muller

Iljya Kalai

James Christopher Norris

John Nicholas Jitkoff

Jerry Howard Morrison

Michael J Lebeau

Michael J LeBeau

Ole Cavelie

Andrey Yuryevich Ulanov

Ole CaveLie

Harlan Hile

James S Norris

Andrey Yurevich Ulanov

Andrew Tesch Miller

Andrew T Miller

A computer-implemented method includes receiving at a computer server system, from a computing device that is remote from the server system, a string of text that comprises a search query. The method also includes identifying one or more search results that are responsive to the search query, parsing a document that is a target of one of the one or more results, identifying geographical address information from the parsing, generating a specific geographical indicator corresponding to the one search result, and transmitting for use by the computing device, data for automatically generating a navigational application having a destination at the specific geographical indicator.

Navigation queries

Ranking of geographic information includes receiving information about geographic features, identifying documents based on the information, each document being associated with one of the geographic features, and generating a rank score for each document based on one or more properties of the geographic feature associated with the document.

Ranking of geographic information

Providing information includes identifying documents that are responsive to a query, some of the documents each being associated with a geographic feature, and providing a list of the documents in a sequence that is determined based on rank scores derived from one or more properties of the geographic features associated with the documents.

A path made up of several points including an origin, a destination, and intermediate points, is determined. Map data is fetched from an external map database to a local memory of a client device prior to detecting a need to use the map data for rendering maps at the client device. To this end, respective priorities of the points are determined, amounts of map data to be fetched are determined based on the determined priorities, and map data is fetched in accordance with the determined priorities, so that a first amount of map data is fetched for a point with a first priority and a second amount of map data for a point with a second priority, where the first amount is greater from the second amount. Respective digital maps of the one the geographic areas are generated using the pre-fetched map data stored in the local memory.

Pre-fetching map tile data along a route

Systems and methods of route guidance on a user device are provided. In one aspect, a system and method transmit partitions of map data to a client device. Each map partition may contain road geometries, road names, road network topology, or any other information needed to provide turn-by-turn navigation or driving directions within the partition. Each map partition may be encoded with enough data to allow them to be stitched together to form a larger map. Map partitions may be fetched along each route to be used in the event of a network outage or other loss of network connectivity. For example, if a user deviates from the original route and a network outage occurs, the map data may be assembled and a routing algorithm may be applied to the map data in order to direct the user back to the original route.

Method and apparatus of route guidance

The present application describes techniques for fetching map data as a selected subset of entire map data available, by selecting map data tiles corresponding to an area that encompasses a first route and to an area encompassing a secondary route based on the first route. An amount of map data accessed may be adjusted based on a priority of the secondary route.

Method of pre-fetching map data for rendering and offline routing

A computer-implemented navigational method includes transmitting, from a mobile computing device to a computer server system, data that can be used to determine a start point and an end point of a trip. The method also includes receiving navigational information defining a route between the start point and the end point, and a plurality of digital photographic images that have previously been taken along the route, sensing motion of the mobile computing device along the route, and displaying updated images from the plurality of images that substantially match a geographic position of the mobile computing device along the route.

Navigation images

The present application describes techniques for fetching map data as a selected subset of entire map data available by selecting map data tiles corresponding to an area that encompasses a route. An amount of map data accessed may be adjusted based on a priority assigned to areas or points along the route. A sequence of map data may be accessed based on a priority assigned to sets of map data.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Keith Ito