Photo: USPTO
As everybody knows already, Google Maps remains the go-to app for everything related to navigation and transit directions. Still, Apple is making big efforts to change this in the long term.
The Cupertino-based tech giant is investing massively in Apple Maps, and the overhaul the company announced earlier this year is living proof in this regard.
But Apple doesn’t just want to roll out new features for Apple Maps but also develop new functionality that would go live in the coming years and actually improve the way we use the app.
One of the new ideas to overhaul Apple Maps is described in a patent called “in-venue transit navigation,” which would allow the application to actually provide users with directions when using transit directions.
What this feature does is display information on how to get around in transit locations, especially in case you need to change buses or trains but get on board from a different point.
“One example of such a venue is transit station. The navigation application identifies a portion of the route that includes two locations within a station, such as an access point (e.g., an entrance or exit) of the transit station and a platform within the station at which a transit vehicle arrives. The application identifies a path between the two locations (e.g., between an access point and a platform, between two platforms within the station, between a platform and another location within the station, or between any arbitrary two locations within the station),” Apple explains.
While this part of the patent suggests the navigation app would be able to recognize the signs that are already around, Apple also explains an existing database of navigation directions could be used for the very same purpose.
“The application provides several turn-by-turn navigation instructions for navigating the path based on actual instructions signs that are displayed within the station to provide guidance for traveling between different locations in the station. For some embodiments, surveyors manually curate the instruction signs by traversing through the station and recording the instruction signs,” Apple says.
The patent was filed in September 2016 and published in November this year.
But Apple doesn’t just want to roll out new features for Apple Maps but also develop new functionality that would go live in the coming years and actually improve the way we use the app.
One of the new ideas to overhaul Apple Maps is described in a patent called “in-venue transit navigation,” which would allow the application to actually provide users with directions when using transit directions.
What this feature does is display information on how to get around in transit locations, especially in case you need to change buses or trains but get on board from a different point.
“One example of such a venue is transit station. The navigation application identifies a portion of the route that includes two locations within a station, such as an access point (e.g., an entrance or exit) of the transit station and a platform within the station at which a transit vehicle arrives. The application identifies a path between the two locations (e.g., between an access point and a platform, between two platforms within the station, between a platform and another location within the station, or between any arbitrary two locations within the station),” Apple explains.
While this part of the patent suggests the navigation app would be able to recognize the signs that are already around, Apple also explains an existing database of navigation directions could be used for the very same purpose.
“The application provides several turn-by-turn navigation instructions for navigating the path based on actual instructions signs that are displayed within the station to provide guidance for traveling between different locations in the station. For some embodiments, surveyors manually curate the instruction signs by traversing through the station and recording the instruction signs,” Apple says.
The patent was filed in September 2016 and published in November this year.
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