Systems and Methods for Suggesting Mode of Transport in a Geographic Application

Abstract

A computing device includes one or more processors, a user interface coupled to the one or more processors, and a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions. The instructions cause the computing device to receive, via the user interface, a request for directions for traveling to a destination, without receiving a selection of a mode of transport, determine a current geographic context of the user device, determine a suggested mode of transport for travelling to the destination, based on the current geographic context, obtain directions for travelling to the destination using the suggested mode of transport, and provide the directions via the user interface of the user device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing device comprising:
 one or more processors;   a user interface coupled to the one or more processors; and   a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing thereon instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:
 receive, via the user interface, a request for directions for traveling to a destination, without receiving a selection of a mode of transport, 
 determine a current geographic context of the user device, 
 determine a suggested mode of transport for travelling to the destination, based on the current geographic context, 
 obtain directions for travelling to the destination using the suggested mode of transport, and 
 provide the directions via the user interface of the user device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, to determine the current geographic context of the device, cause the computing device to determine whether the current location of the user device is within an urban area. 
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, to determine the current geographic context of the device, cause the computing device to determine whether the destination is accessible from a current location of the user device via public transportation. 
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, to determine the current geographic context of the device, cause the computing device to determine a distance between a current location of the user device and the destination. 
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, to determine the current geographic context of the device, cause the computing device to determine whether a current location of the user device is within a virtual geographic fence of a car rental facility. 
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, to determine the current geographic context of the device, cause the computing device to determine whether movement of the user device with a specific period of time prior to the determining is consistent with one of driving, walking, or bicycling. 
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, subsequently to providing the directions according to the suggested mode of transport, cause the computing device to:
 determine movement of the user device toward the destination consistent with the suggested mode of transport;   detect a change in the mode of transport prior to the user device reaching the destination, at an intermediate location of the user device;   in response to the detected change, obtain updated directions for travelling from the intermediate location to the destination using the changed mode of transport; and   provide the updated directions via the user interface of the user device.   
     
     
         8 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the suggested mode of transport is one of:
 driving,   walking,   riding public transport, and   bicycling.   
     
     
         9 . A method for providing navigation directions to a user, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a user interface of a user device, a request for directions for traveling to a destination,   determining, by one or more processors, an initial mode of transport for travelling to the destination,   obtaining, by the one or more processors, directions for travelling to the destination in accordance with the initial mode of transport;   providing, by the one or more processors, the directions via the user interface as the user device travels toward the destination using the initial mode of transport;   before the user device reaches the destination, automatically detecting, by the one or more processors, that the user device is now traveling using a new mode of transport different from the initial mode of transport,   obtaining, by the one or more processors, updated directions for travelling to the destination in accordance with the new mode of transport; and   providing, by the one or more processors, the updated directions via the user interface.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the initial mode of transport is one of (i) driving, (ii) walking, (iii) riding public transport, and (iv) bicycling; and   the new mode of transport is another one of the driving, the walking, the riding public transport, and the bicycling.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining each of the initial mode of transport and the new mode of transport includes:
 not receiving a selection of a mode of transport via the user interface,   automatically determining a current geographic context of the user device, and   determining the suggested mode of transport for travelling to the destination based on the current geographic context.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein automatically determining the current geographic context includes determining at least one of:
 (i) determining whether the current location of the user device is within an urban area,   (ii) determining whether the destination is accessible from a current location of the user device via public transportation,   (iii) determining a distance between a current location of the user device and the destination,   (iv) determining whether a current location of the user device is within a virtual geographic fence of a car rental facility, or   (v) determining whether movement of the user device with a specific period of time prior to the determining is consistent with one of driving, walking, or bicycling.