IP Library › Granted Patent US 12663281
Granted Patent B2
US 12663281 · App. 18/622,495 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Devices and methods for comparing and selecting alternative navigation routes

Inventors: Bradford Moore (San Francisco, CA); Christopher Blumenberg (San Francisco, CA); Marcel Van Os (Santa Cruz, CA); Graham Gyatt (El Granada, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G01C21/3626G01C21/20G01C21/3415G01C21/36G01C21/3664G01C21/3673G01C21/3676
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12663281
App. No.
18/622,495
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Devices, methods, and machine-read le media to facilitate intuitive comparison and selection of calculated navigation routes are disclosed. An electronic device for navigation includes a touch-sensitive screen and a processing module for displaying a map, calculating a number or navigation routes simultaneously on the touch-sensitive screen, and receiving a selection of a route. Callouts, or markers for presenting key information about each route, are also displayed discretely on the map. Navigation tiles including key route information and route pictorials can also be created and displayed for each calculated route.

Claims (46)

1 . A method comprising:

displaying on a map a navigation route including a first segment associated with a first transit mode type, a second segment associated with a second transit mode type, and a third segment associated with a third transit mode type, wherein the first transit mode type, second transit mode type, and third transit mode type correspond to different transit mode types from a plurality of transit mode types comprising train transit, bus transit, vehicle transit, and walking, wherein displaying the navigation route comprises:

displaying the first segment, associated with the first transit mode type, using a first type of visual representation corresponding to the first transit mode type;

displaying the second segment, associated with the second transit mode type, using a second type of visual representation corresponding to the second transit mode type;

displaying the third segment, associated with the third transit mode type, using a third type of visual representation corresponding to the third transit mode type,

wherein the first type, second type, and third type of visual representations include different visual symbols associated respectively with the different transit mode types;

identifying a first change of transit mode type at a first location on the map where the navigation route changes from the first segment associated with the first transit mode type to the second segment associated with the second transit mode type;

displaying, at the first location on the map, a transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator to indicate the first change of transit mode type at the first location for navigating along the navigation route;

wherein the transit mode type change indicator is displayed at locations where there is a change in transit mode types and not displayed at locations where is no change in transit mode types;

identifying a second change of transit mode type at a second location on the map where the navigation route changes from the second segment associated with the second transit mode type to the third segment associated with the third transit mode type; and

displaying, at the second location on the map, the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator to indicate the second change of transit mode type at the second location for navigating along the navigation route.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator comprises a symbol having a selected shape.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator includes a selected color.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying, simultaneously with the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator, an identifier of the navigation route.

5 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, causes performance of operations comprising:

displaying on a map a navigation route including a first segment associated with a first transit mode type, a second segment associated with a second transit mode type, and a third segment associated with a third transit mode type, wherein the first transit mode type, second transit mode type, and third transit mode type correspond to different transit mode types from a plurality of transit mode types comprising train transit, bus transit, vehicle transit, and walking, wherein displaying the navigation route comprises:

displaying the first segment, associated with the first transit mode type, using a first type of visual representation corresponding to the first transit mode type;

displaying the second segment, associated with the second transit mode type, using a second type of visual representation corresponding to the second transit mode type;

displaying the third segment, associated with the third transit mode type, using a third type of visual representation corresponding to the third transit mode type,

wherein the first type, second type, and third type of visual representations include different visual symbols associated respectively with the different transit mode types;

identifying a first change of transit mode type at a first location on the map where the navigation route changes from the first segment associated with the first transit mode type to the second segment associated with the second transit mode type;

displaying, at the first location on the map, a transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator to indicate the first change of transit mode type at the first location for navigating along the navigation route;

wherein the transit mode type change indicator is displayed at locations where there is a change in transit mode types and not displayed at locations where is no change in transit mode types;

identifying a second change of transit mode type at a second location on the map where the navigation route changes from the second segment associated with the second transit mode type to the third segment associated with the third transit mode type; and

displaying, at the second location on the map, the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator to indicate the second change of transit mode type at the second location for navigating along the navigation route.

6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator comprises a symbol having a selected shape.

7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator includes a selected color.

8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , the operations further comprising:

displaying, simultaneously with the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator, an identifier of the navigation route.

9 . An electronic device, comprising:

a display screen;

one or more hardware processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, causes performance of operations comprising:

displaying on a map a navigation route including a first segment associated with a first transit mode type, a second segment associated with a second transit mode type, and a third segment associated with a third transit mode type, wherein the first transit mode type, second transit mode type, and third transit mode type correspond to different transit mode types from a plurality of transit mode types comprising train transit, bus transit, vehicle transit, and walking, wherein displaying the navigation route comprises:

displaying the first segment, associated with the first transit mode type, using a first type of visual representation corresponding to the first transit mode type;

displaying the second segment, associated with the second transit mode type, using a second type of visual representation corresponding to the second transit mode type;

displaying the third segment, associated with the third transit mode type, using a third type of visual representation corresponding to the third transit mode type,

wherein the first type, second type, and third type of visual representations include different visual symbols associated respectively with the different transit mode types;

identifying a first change of transit mode type at a first location on the map where the navigation route changes from the first segment associated with the first transit mode type to the second segment associated with the second transit mode type;

displaying, at the first location on the map, a transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator to indicate the first change of transit mode type at the first location for navigating along the navigation route;

wherein the transit mode type change indicator is displayed at locations where there is a change in transit mode types and not displayed at locations where is no change in transit mode types;

identifying a second change of transit mode type at a second location on the map where the navigation route changes from the second segment associated with the second transit mode type to the third segment associated with the third transit mode type; and

displaying, at the second location on the map, the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator to indicate the second change of transit mode type at the second location for navigating along the navigation route.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator comprises a symbol having a selected shape.

11 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the transit mode-agnostic, transit mode type change indicator includes a selected color.