Navigation apparatus and mapping system using personal contacts

Abstract

A navigation apparatus and method which uses personal contact-based route guidance. A route guidance generator receives information about personal contacts including a location, a description and a rating value for route guidance and generates route guidance suitable for navigation applications. The personal contacts based guidance can be combined with normal street and maneuver based guidance.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 storing, by at least one hardware processor, personal contact information of a plurality of personal contacts of a user in a database, the personal contacts information comprising a plurality of contact identifiers, corresponding location information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, and corresponding contact information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, the contact information comprising data configured to be used to communicate with the corresponding personal contact;   receiving, by the at least one hardware processor, a request for a map from a computing device of the user, the request including an attribute selected by the user via the computing device;   selecting, by the at least one hardware processor, one or more personal contacts of the plurality of personal contacts based on the one or more personal contacts having the attribute;   generating, by the at least one hardware processor, the map including a corresponding indication for each one of the selected one or more personal contacts; and   causing, by the at least one hardware processor, the generated map to be displayed on the computing device of the user.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the attribute comprises being a family member of the user. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the attribute comprises being a professional associate of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the attribute comprises being a client of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the attribute comprises being located within a selected range of a specified address. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the attribute comprises being located within a selected range of a specified city. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the attribute comprises being within a selected range of a geographic destination of a route from a geographic origin to the geographic destination, the route having been requested by the user via the computing device. 
     
     
         22 . A system comprising:
 at least one hardware processor; and   a memory storing a set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the at least one hardware processor to perform operations comprising:
 storing personal contact information of a plurality of personal contacts of a user in a database, the personal contacts information comprising a plurality of contact identifiers, corresponding location information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, and corresponding contact information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, the contact information comprising data configured to be used to communicate with the corresponding personal contact; 
 receiving a request for a map from a computing device of the user, the request including an attribute selected by the user via the computing device; 
 selecting one or more personal contacts of the plurality of personal contacts based on the one or more personal contacts having the attribute; 
 generating the map including a corresponding indication for each one of the selected one or more personal contacts; and 
 causing the generated map to be displayed on the computing device of the user. 
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the attribute comprises being a family member of the user. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the attribute comprises being a professional associate of the user. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the attribute comprises being a client of the user. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the attribute comprises being located within a selected range of a specified address. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the attribute comprises being located within a selected range of a specified city. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the attribute comprises being within a selected range of a geographic destination of a route from a geographic origin to the geographic destination, the route having been requested by the user via the computing device. 
     
     
         29 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by at least one hardware processor, cause the at least one hardware processor to perform operations comprising:
 storing personal contact information of a plurality of personal contacts of a user in a database, the personal contacts information comprising a plurality of contact identifiers, corresponding location information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, and corresponding contact information for each one of the plurality of contact identifiers, the contact information comprising data configured to be used to communicate with the corresponding personal contact;   receiving a request for a map from a computing device of the user, the request including an attribute selected by the user via the computing device;   selecting one or more personal contacts of the plurality of personal contacts based on the one or more personal contacts having the attribute;   generating the map including a corresponding indication for each one of the selected one or more personal contacts; and   causing the generated map to be displayed on the computing device of the user.   
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the attribute comprises being a family member of the user. 
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the attribute comprises being a professional associate of the user. 
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the attribute comprises being a client of the user. 
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the attribute comprises being located within a selected range of a specified address. 
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the attribute comprises being located within a selected range of a specified city.