US 11,972,616 B2
Enhanced navigation instructions with landmarks under difficult driving conditions
Yan Mayster, Aurora, CO (US); and Brian Edmond Brewington, Superior, CO (US)
Assigned to Google LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Appl. No. 16/617,902
Filed by Google LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 9, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/012884
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 27, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/106309, PCT Pub. Date May 28, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/769,646, filed on Nov. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0349368 A1, Nov. 5, 2020
Int. Cl. G06V 20/58 (2022.01); G01C 21/36 (2006.01)
CPC G06V 20/582 (2022.01) [G01C 21/3602 (2013.01); G01C 21/3644 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
obtaining initial directions for a driving route for a driver of a vehicle, the directions for use in routing the vehicle from a starting point to a destination, the initial directions including an indication of a first landmark;
obtaining previously captured imagery of one or more locations along the route;
identifying the first landmark located in the previously captured imagery;
receiving, by one or more processors of a computer device, real-time imagery obtained by a camera located in the vehicle;
receiving, by the one or more processors, real-time non-verbal audio input obtained by a microphone located in the vehicle;
comparing, by the one or more processors in real-time at the time the real-time imagery was received, at least one image from the real-time imagery against at least one image from the previously captured imagery to determine whether the first landmark would be observable by the driver of the vehicle;
determining, by the one or more processors, in real-time, based on the comparing and the received real-time non-verbal audio input, that the first landmark would be obscured from a viewpoint of the driver of the vehicle;
identifying, by the one or more processors in response to determining that the first landmark would be obscured, at least one second landmark from the real-time imagery, the at least one second landmark being different than the first landmark and observable from the viewpoint of the driver of the vehicle;
modifying, by the one or more processors in real-time, prior to providing the indication of the first landmark in the initial directions as output to the driver, the initial directions for the driving route to replace the indication of the first landmark with an indication of the at least one second landmark;
analyzing, by the one or more processors, aggregated driver information to determine whether the driver is likely to correctly follow the modified driving directions; and
selecting additional verbal or audible cues to provide for output with the modified driving directions based on whether the driver is likely to correctly follow the modified driving directions.