Navigation system and methods for generating enhanced search results

1. A navigation system comprising:

a graphical user interface configured for receiving input and displaying content;

a database containing travel related data;

a search engine configured to perform a process for providing search query results, the process comprising the steps of:

receiving, via the graphical user interface, an input for a destination location;

initiating a search query based on the destination location,

identifying, from the travel related data in the database, a list of results based upon the search query,

identifying a set of sub-search categories associated with the list of results,

displaying (i) the list of results in the graphical user interface and (ii) a set of sub-search icons corresponding to the set of sub-search categories,

receiving, via the graphical user interface, a selection of one of the set of sub-search icons,

identifying a refined list of results according to the selection of the one of the set of sub-search icons, and

displaying the refined list of results in the graphical user interface, wherein the set of sub-search icons represent a set of pre-determined categories selected from the group comprising: fuel filling station, restaurant, parking, arts and entertainment, lodging, religious worship structure, educational structure, medical services business, keywords and meta-categories.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the list of results is prioritized based at least in part upon one or more previous travel and query selections.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the set of pre-determined categories, when selected, narrow the list of results based at least in part upon a desired destination.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the set of sub-search icons graphically respectively represent the pre-determined categories for which they are associated.

5. The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is a mobile device, wherein a point of interest (POI) is selected from the refined list of results, and wherein a route to the selected POI is generated.

6. The navigation system according to claim 5 , wherein the travel related data includes information selected from the group comprising: frequency of destination visits, search query time, time-of-day associated with previous search queries, current directional travel, and frequency of the route.

7. For use in conjunction with a navigation system, a method for conveying enhanced search query results comprising the steps of:

initiating a search query, by accessing a database storing geographic related information, based at least in part upon a final destination;

identifying a list of destination results based at least in part upon the search query;

identifying a set of sub-search categories associated with the list of destination results;

displaying, on a navigation systems graphical interface, (i) the list of destination results and (ii) a set of sub-search icons corresponding to the set of sub-search categories;

receiving, via the navigation systems graphical interface, a selection of one of the set of sub-search icons;

identifying a refined list of results according to the selection of one of the set of sub-search icons;

displaying the refined list of results in the navigation systems graphical interface;

receiving a selection of a point of interest (POI) from the refined list of results; and

generating a route to the POI, wherein the set of sub-search categories are selected from the group comprising: fuel filling station, restaurant, parking, arts and entertainment, lodging, religious worship structure, educational structure, and medical services business.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

prioritizing the list of destination results at least in part upon a frequency of visits associated with the destination results.

9. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

prioritizing the list of destination results at least in part by a distance associated with the final destination.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the geographic related information includes roadway information.

11. A method of conveying search query results comprising the steps of:

initiating a search query based at least in part upon a final destination;

identifying, from a database, a list of intermediary destination results based at least in part upon the search query;

displaying the list of intermediary destination results in a graphical interface;

identifying a set of sub-search categories associated with the list of intermediary destination results;

displaying, in the graphical interface, (i) the list of intermediary destination results and (ii) a set of sub-search icons corresponding to the set of sub-search categories;

receiving, via the graphical interface, a selection of one of the set of sub-search icons;

initiating a sub-search based at least in part upon the selection of the one of the set of sub-search icons to identify a list of destination results; and

displaying the list of destination results in the geographical interface, wherein the set of sub-search categories are selected from the group comprising: fuel filling station, restaurant, parking, arts and entertainment, lodging, religious worship structure, educational structure, and medical services business.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the graphical interface is a navigation system.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein a further comprising:

selecting the set of sub-search categories before initiating the search query.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the set of sub-search categories correspond to a default set of sub-search categories.