Traffic Notifications During Navigation

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a navigation application that uses a novel traffic notification scheme for providing traffic related notifications during a navigation presentation that is provided by a device. While providing a navigation presentation, the application iteratively monitors traffic conditions along the route. When traffic conditions meet a set of one or more threshold criteria, the application identifies a type of traffic notification that it should provide from several possible traffic notifications types. Next, without receiving any input from outside of the device, the application provides a traffic notification that is associated with the selected traffic notification type. In some embodiments, the traffic notification types include a notification (1) relating to traffic congestion along the current route, (2) relating to one or more faster routes that can replace the current route, and (3) regarding a road closure or extreme delay along the current route.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of presenting navigation guidance implemented by an application executing on a device, the method comprising:
 presenting, on a display of the device, a first navigation presentation for navigating a first route to a destination;   while presenting the first navigation presentation, presenting an audio notification indicating that a faster route to the destination is available;   in response to presenting the audio notification, monitoring for voice input from a user of the device;   receiving voice input from the user of the device;   recognizing, by the device, a command within the voice input to switch to the faster route; and   in response to the recognition, replacing the first navigation presentation with a second navigation presentation, the second navigation presentation providing navigation guidance for the faster route to the destination.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring further comprises activating, in response to presenting the audio notification, a microphone of the device that can receive voice input from the user of the device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the audio notification is presented for a first time period, further comprising maintaining the microphone in an active state for a second time period that is longer than the first time period. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising presenting a text notification on a display of the device notifying the user of the faster route, wherein the audio notification is an abbreviated version of the text notification. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the text notification indicates an amount of time by which the faster route is faster than the first route. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving traffic condition data regarding traffic conditions along the first route;   determining that the traffic condition data satisfies a notification threshold associated with a faster route prompt; and   in response to the determination, presenting the audio notification indicating that the faster route is available.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recognizing, within the voice input, a command to ignore the faster route; and   in response, maintaining the first navigation presentation on the display of the device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the device, from a route server, a travel time associated with the faster route;   receiving the voice input from the user to switch to the faster route; and   in response to receiving the voice input, downloading route data associated with the faster route from the server.   
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a navigation application for execution by a set of processing units of a device, the navigation application for providing navigation guidance as the device travels a route, the application comprising sets of instructions for:
 presenting, on a display of the device, a first navigation presentation for navigating a first route to a destination;   while presenting the first navigation presentation, presenting an audio notification indicating that a faster route to the destination is available;   in response to presenting the audio notification, monitoring for voice input from a user of the device;   receiving voice input from the user of the device;   recognizing, by the device, a command within the voice input to switch to the faster route; and   in response to the recognition, replacing the first navigation presentation with a second navigation presentation, the second navigation presentation providing navigation guidance for the faster route to the destination.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions for the monitoring further comprise sets of instructions for:
 activating, in response to presenting the audio notification, a microphone of the device that can receive voice input from the user of the device.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the audio notification is presented for a first time period, wherein the application further comprises sets of instructions for:
 maintaining the microphone in an active state for a second time period that is longer than the first time period.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the application further comprises sets of instructions for:
 presenting a text notification on a display of the device notifying the user of the faster route, wherein the audio notification is an abbreviated version of the text notification.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the text notification indicates an amount of time by which the faster route is faster than the first route. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the traffic notification display area comprises a traffic notification banner, and wherein the application comprises sets of instructions for:
 receiving traffic condition data regarding traffic conditions along the first route;   determining that the traffic condition data satisfies a notification threshold associated with a faster route prompt; and   in response to the determination, presenting the audio notification indicating that the faster route is available.   
     
     
         15 . A device comprising:
 a set of processing units; and   a non-transitory machine readable medium storing a navigation application for execution by a set of processing units of the device, the navigation application for providing navigation guidance as the device travels a route, the application comprising sets of instructions for:   presenting, on a display of the device, a first navigation presentation for navigating a first route to a destination;   while presenting the first navigation presentation, presenting an audio notification indicating that a faster route to the destination is available;   in response to presenting the audio notification, monitoring for voice input from a user of the device;   receiving voice input from the user of the device;   recognizing, by the device, a command within the voice input to switch to the faster route; and   in response to the recognition, replacing the first navigation presentation with a second navigation presentation, the second navigation presentation providing navigation guidance for the faster route to the destination.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions for monitoring further comprise sets of instructions for:
 activating, in response to presenting the audio notification, a microphone of the device that can receive voice input from the user of the device.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the audio notification is presented for a first time period, the application further comprising sets of instructions for:
 maintaining the microphone in an active state for a second time period that is longer than the first time period.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , the application further comprising sets of instructions for:
 presenting a text notification on a display of the device notifying the user of the faster route, wherein the audio notification is an abbreviated version of the text notification.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , the application further comprising sets of instructions for:
 wherein the text notification indicates an amount of time by which the faster route is faster than the first route.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , the application further comprising sets of instructions for:
 receiving traffic condition data regarding traffic conditions along the first route;   determining that the traffic condition data satisfies a notification threshold associated with a faster route prompt; and   in response to the determination, presenting the audio notification indicating that the faster route is available.