System and method for searching for points of interest along a route
View Patent ↗A method and system for searching for points of interest along a route is disclosed. A relation that includes records that associate link identifiers, point of interest identifiers, and distances between the links and the points of interest is generated during the compilation process of a first version of a geographic database. The relation is stored in compiled database products. When a compiled database product is being used by a navigation system, for example, navigation application software programs use the relation to accurately and efficiently find points of interest along a computed route.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a geographic database including link identifier values for a plurality of links that represent portions of paths; and
a processor configured to receive a selected link identifier value and identify at least one point of interest located apart from a link specified by the selected link identifier and within a predefined distance from the link specified by the selected link identifier.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the geographic database includes a relation for each link identifier value that identifies the points of interest within the predefined distance from the plurality of links.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a user interface configured to receive an input associated with the selected link identifier value.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the input is a destination location in a geographic region.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the input is a selected point of interest.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predefined distance is variable as a function of a type of path represented by the link specified in the selected link identifier.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predefined distance is set to a small value in urban areas and a large value in rural areas.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a positioning device configured to generate location data for the apparatus, wherein the selected link identifier value is selected based on the location data.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one point of interest located apart from the link is stored in the geographic database in a binary large object.
10. An apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store a geographic database;
an input device configured to receive an input identifying a data entry of the geographic database; and
a controller configured to identify links of the geographic database within a predetermined distance from a feature represented by the data entry.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the feature represented by the data entry is a point of interest or a road.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the data entry of the geographic database is identified from a reverse routing algorithm that starts with a point of interest.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined distance is a function of a type of path in a route based on the data entry.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the predefined distance is set to a small value in urban areas and a large value in rural areas.
15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to generate a relation between the links of the geographic database and the data entry.
16. A navigation system comprising:
a geographic database including node data and link data; and
a processor configured to identify link data of the geographic database within a predetermined distance from a selected feature of the geographic database.
17. The navigation system of claim 16 , wherein the selected feature is a link that represents a path in a route.
18. The navigation system of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined distance is a function of a type of the path in the route.
19. The navigation system of claim 16 , wherein the selected feature is a point of interest.
20. The navigation system of claim 19 , wherein a database entry associates the link data of the geographic database within the predetermined distance from a route to the point of interest.