The U.S. Patent and Trademark office has published an Apple patent application that pertains to expanded mapping attributes, including real-time crowd-sourced site visitors information and user-based route ratings and reporting, reports AppleInsider.
Apple’s patent, titled “User-Specified Route Rating and Alerts,” shares some distinct similarities with Waze, a firm that Apple was rumored to be buying at 1 point, although it was ultimately acquired by Google. The patent, which was originally filed in 2011, particulars a system in which Maps users offer you “ratings for routes, streets and/or places,” improving the company’s mapping capabilities through user feedback.
A system comprising: a single or far more processors and a computer-readable medium such as one particular or far more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or far more processors, causes: presenting a map display and a route on a mobile device determining when the mobile device has reached a location connected with the route when the mobile device has reached the location, displaying a prompt for input rating the route and getting user input comprising rating info for the route.
Waze incorporates user feedback as properly, utilizing crowd sourced information to figure out route information and travel occasions. Waze users can utiize the app’s feedback method to provide the organization with reports on traffic accidents, road closures, place accuracy, and a lot more. With a similar program in place, Apple could let its users to provide feedback and ratings on route selections, which could then be employed to optimize travel.
Apple’s patent also details a method that would see the company collecting real-time visitors alerts and then distributing it to other Maps users, offering on-the-fly updates to routing information.
A technique comprising: presenting a map on a display of a mobile device receiving a 1st user input identifying a location on the map receiving a second user input offering data about an event occurring at the place and transmitting the event info to a navigation service, exactly where the navigation service is configured to broadcast the event data to other mobile devices.
After a disastrous Maps debut alongside iOS six that saw a slew of complaints about inaccuracy and missing info, Apple has worked difficult to enhance the application. Tim Cook issued an apology and the business went via a restructuring that incorporated the termination of numerous men and women involved with the Maps project, like SVP of iOS Software Scott Forstall and Maps manager Richard Williamson.
Apple has considering that posted a number of job listings in order to add to its Maps teams, and has enhanced 3D flyover coverage in a number of cities. Each of Apple’s upcoming operating technique updates for Mac and iOS will include a number of mapping improvements, including a new app in OS X Mavericks.