IP Library Granted Patent US 11,308,175
Granted Patent B2
US 11,308,175 · App. 16/455,255 · Granted Apr 19, 2022

Method and apparatus for enhancing a geolocation database

Inventors: Nils Lenke (Rheinbach, DE); Mohammad Mehdi Moniri (Aachen, DE); Reimund Schmald (Aachen, DE); Daniel Kindermann (Aachen, DE)
Assignee: Cerence Operating Company
G06F16/9535G06F16/2379G06F16/29G06F16/9537G01C21/3682
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,308,175
App. No.
16/455,255
Granted
Apr 19, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

While current voice assistants can respond to voice requests, creating smarter assistants that leverage location, past requests, and user data to enhance responses to future requests and to provide robust data about locations is desirable. A method for enhancing a geolocation database (“database”) associates a user-initiated triggering event with a location in a database by sensing user position and orientation within the vehicle and a position and orientation of the vehicle. The triggering event is detected by sensors arranged within a vehicle with respect to the user. The method determines a point of interest (“POI”) near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event. The method, responsive to the user-initiated triggering event, updates the database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at an entry of the database associated with the POI. The database and voice assistants can leverage the enhanced data about the POI for future requests.

Claims (60)

1. A computer-implemented method for enhancing a geolocation database, the method comprising:

associating a user-initiated triggering event, detected by at least one sensor arranged within a transportation vehicle with respect to a user, with a representation of a geographical location in an entry of a geolocation database as a function of a sensed position and orientation of the user within the transportation vehicle and a position and orientation of the transportation vehicle;

determining a point of interest, the point of interest being from among multiple representations of points of interest stored in the geolocation database near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event;

in response to the user-initiated triggering event, updating the geolocation database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at the entry of the geolocation database associated with the point of interest;

detecting the user-initiated triggering event by the transportation vehicle by detecting a user visit to the location; and

in response to detecting the user-initiated triggering event by detecting the user visit to the location, detecting completion of the user visit and requesting user feedback about the point of interest after the user visit;

wherein updating the geolocation database includes adding the user feedback to the entry.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recommending a point of interest using the updated geolocation database.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: filtering the user-initiated triggering event by determining whether the user-initiated triggering event exceeds a given threshold; wherein associating the user-initiated triggering event with the location in a geolocation database includes associating only the user-initiated triggering events determined to exceed the given threshold.

4. A computer-implemented method for enhancing a geolocation database, the method comprising:

associating a user-initiated triggering event, detected by at least one sensor arranged within a transportation vehicle with respect to a user, with a representation of a geographical location in an entry of a geolocation database as a function of a sensed position and orientation of the user within the transportation vehicle and a position and orientation of the transportation vehicle;

determining a point of interest, the point of interest being from among multiple representations of points of interest stored in the geolocation database near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event;

in response to the user-initiated triggering event, updating the geolocation database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at the entry of the geolocation database associated with the point of interest;

detecting the user-initiated triggering event by the transportation vehicle by detecting a user gaze;

correlating a direction of the user gaze with the point of interest near the location; and

updating an entry of the geolocation database by adding an indication that the user viewed the point of interest.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising associating the user query with the point of interest.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising recommending a route to the user using the updated location database.

7. A computer-implemented method for enhancing a geolocation database, the method comprising:

associating a user-initiated triggering event, detected by at least one sensor arranged within a transportation vehicle with respect to a user, with a representation of a geographical location in an entry of a geolocation database as a function of a sensed position and orientation of the user within the transportation vehicle and a position and orientation of the transportation vehicle;

determining a point of interest, the point of interest being from among multiple representations of points of interest stored in the geolocation database near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event;

in response to the user-initiated triggering event, updating the geolocation database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at the entry of the geolocation database associated with the point of interest;

associating the user query with the point of interest;

detecting the user-initiated triggering event by the transportation vehicle by detecting a user query;

associating the user query with the point of interest;

a plurality of user-initiated triggering events, detected by a plurality of other transportation vehicles, with respective locations in a geolocation database; and

recommending a route to the user,

wherein updating the geolocation database includes updating real-time locations of objects associated with the plurality of other transportation vehicles, and

wherein recommending the route to the user further includes querying the updated location database in real-time and determining velocities of objects associated with the plurality of other transportation vehicles reported in the geolocation database.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: associating an emotional category based on the detected user background speech with the location.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising filtering the user-initiated triggering event by determining whether the user-initiated triggering event exceeds a given threshold, wherein associating the user-initiated triggering event with the location in a geolocation database includes associating only the user-initiated triggering events determined to exceed the given threshold.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, in response to detecting the user-initiated triggering event by detecting the user visit to the location, detecting completion of the user visit and requesting user feedback about the point of interest after the user visit, wherein updating the geolocation database includes adding the user feedback to the entry.

11. A system for enhancing a geolocation database, the system comprising:

at least one sensor arranged within a transportation vehicle with respect to a user of the transportation vehicle;

a processor; and

a memory with instructions stored thereon such that, when the instructions are executed by the processor the processor:

associates a user-initiated triggering event, detected by the least one sensor, with a representation of a geographical location in an entry of a geolocation database as a function of a sensed position and orientation of the user within the transportation vehicle and a position and orientation of the transportation vehicle;

determines a point of interest, the point of interest being from among multiple representations of points of interest stored in the geolocation database near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event; and

responsive to the user-initiated triggering event, updates the geolocation database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at the entry of the geolocation database associated with the point of interest, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect the user-initiated triggering event by the transportation vehicle by detecting a user visit to the location, wherein the processor is further configured to:

respond to detecting the user-initiated triggering event by detecting the user visit to the location, detect completion of the user visit and to request user feedback about the point of interest after the user visit;

wherein updating the geolocation database includes adding the user feedback to the entry.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to associate an emotional category based on the detected user background speech with the location.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to recommend a route to the user using the updated location database.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to recommend a route to the user using the updated location database.

15. A system for enhancing a geolocation database, the system comprising:

at least one sensor arranged within a transportation vehicle with respect to a user of the transportation vehicle;

a processor; and

a memory with instructions stored thereon such that, when the instructions are executed by the processor the processor:

associates a user-initiated triggering event, detected by the least one sensor, with a representation of a geographical location in an entry of a geolocation database as a function of a sensed position and orientation of the user within the transportation vehicle and a position and orientation of the transportation vehicle;

determines a point of interest, the point of interest being from among multiple representations of points of interest stored in the geolocation database near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event; and

in response to the user-initiated triggering event, updates the geolocation database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at the entry of the geolocation database associated with the point of interest, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect the user-initiated triggering event by the transportation vehicle by detecting a user gaze;

correlate a direction of the user gaze with the point of interest near the location; and

update an entry of the geolocation database by adding an indication that the user viewed the point of interest.

16. A system for enhancing a geolocation database, the system comprising: at least one sensor arranged within a transportation vehicle with respect to a user of the transportation vehicle; a processor; and a memory with instructions stored thereon such that, when the instructions are executed by the processor, the processor: associates a user-initiated triggering event, detected by the at least one sensor, with a representation of a geographical location in an entry of a geolocation database as a function of a sensed position and orientation of the user within the transportation vehicle and a position and orientation of the transportation vehicle; determines a point of interest, the point of interest being from multiple representations of points of interest stored in the geolocation database near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event; and, in response to the user-initiated triggering event, updates the geolocation database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at the entry of the geolocation database associated with the point of interest, wherein the processor is further configured to recommend a route to the user using the updated location database, wherein the processor is further configured to: associate a plurality of user-initiated triggering events, detected by a plurality of other transportation vehicles, with respective locations in a geolocation database; wherein updating the geolocation database includes updating real-time locations of objects associated with the plurality of other transportation vehicles; wherein recommending the route to the user further includes querying the updated location database in real-time and determining velocities of objects associated with the plurality of other transportation vehicles reported in the geolocation database.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to associate the user query with the point of interest.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to recommend a point of interest using the updated geolocation database.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to: filter the user-initiated triggering event by determining whether the user-initiated triggering event exceeds a given threshold and wherein associating the user-initiated triggering event with the location in a geolocation database includes associating only the user-initiated triggering events determined to exceed the given threshold.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect the user-initiated triggering event by the transportation vehicle by detecting at least one of a user emotion, a user gaze, a user query, a user visit to the location, and user background speech.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE (REEL 052935 / FRAME 0584) Recorded Jan 2, 2025
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 069797/0818 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 15, 2020
From: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 052935/0584 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2020
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 052927/0335 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2020
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 052114/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 7, 2019
From: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 050953/0133 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2019
From: LENKE, NILS; SCHMALD, REIMUND; KINDERMANN, DANIEL; MONIRI, MOHAMMAD MEHDI
To: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 049931/0205 →