# US 10,371,541 B2 · Using geographic familiarity to generate navigation directions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,541 B2 - Document ID: US10371541B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/482,174 - Filed: 2017-04-07 - Published: 2017-07-27 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-31 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Gary A. Voronel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371541B2 ## CPC - G01C 21/3484: {Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles} - G01C 21/367: {Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker} - G01C 21/3676: {Overview of the route on the road map} - G01C 21/3679: {Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities (G01C21/3611 takes precedence)} - G06F 16/24578: {using ranking} - G06F 16/444: {Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces} - G06F 16/9537: Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries - H04L 67/52: specially adapted for the location of the user terminal - G06Q 30/0205: {based on location or geographical consideration} - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Aspects of the present invention customize services, including search results, that are customized based on the user's familiarity with a geographic area. The search results may be customized by including different information in a search result, emphasizing different information in a search result, adjusting a relevance rank of different search results, and such. The search results may be customized based on the understanding that a user's familiarity with a particular area may influence the type of information that can be useful to the user. Different levels of familiarity may cause different types and levels of search result customization to be performed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method of providing navigation directions that are customized to a user's level of familiarity with an area of interest, the method comprising: determining a first location associated with a query result; determining a route from a second location to the first location; determining an area associated with a portion of the route; determining the user's level of familiarity with the area, wherein the user's level of familiarity with the area is at least based on a social post, the social post is weighted based on a type of the social post, and a user's social post type for the area is given more weight than other users' social post types for the area; and providing navigation directions to the user, wherein the navigation directions associated with the portion of the route are customized based on the user's level of familiarity with the area, wherein the directions are customized by omitting presentation of a map that is presented as part of default navigation directions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining the user's level of familiarity with the area by analyzing location data associated with the user to determine an amount of time the user spent within the area during a threshold period. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining the user's level of familiarity with the area by determining one or more of the user's home address and work address. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The media of claim 1, wherein the second location is a present location of the user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The media of claim 1, wherein the navigation directions are customized at least by providing the navigation directions with a level of detail that is based on the user's familiarity with the area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The media of claim 1, wherein the navigation directions are customized at least by displaying the navigation directions with a level of prominence that is based on the user's familiarity with the area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The media of claim 2, wherein the user is assigned a low level of familiarity when the location data indicates the user has been present within the area two or less times during the threshold period. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The media of claim 2, wherein levels of familiarity level comprise at least a high level, a medium level, and a low level. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining multiple areas each associated with a respective portion of the route. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The media of claim 9, wherein navigation directions associated with each portion of the route are individually customized based on the user's level of familiarity with the respective area. ### Claim 11 A method for providing navigation directions that are customized to a user's level of familiarity with an area of interest, the method comprising: receiving, at a computing device, a query submitted by a user; determining a first location associated with the query and a second location associated with the query; determining a route from the second location to the first location; determining an area associated with a portion of the route; determining the user's level of familiarity with the area, wherein the user's level of familiarity with the area is at least based on a social post, the social post is weighted based on a type of the social post, and a user's social post type for the area is given more weight than other users' social post types for the area; and providing navigation directions to the user, wherein the navigation directions associated with the portion of the route are customized based on the user's level of familiarity with the area, wherein the directions are customized by omitting presentation of a map that is presented as part of default navigation directions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a greater level of familiarity with the area results in a lesser level of detail in the navigation directions within the area, and wherein a lesser level of familiarity with the area results in greater level of detail in the navigation directions within the area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a greater level of familiarity with the area results in displaying the navigation directions with a different level of prominence than for a lesser level of familiarity with the area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises determining the user's level of familiarity with the area by analyzing location data associated with the user to determine an amount of time the user spent within the area of interest during a threshold period. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein a low level of familiarity is determined when the location data indicates the user has been present within the area of interest two or less times during the threshold period. ### Claim 16 One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method of providing navigation directions that are customized to a user's level of familiarity with an area of interest, the method comprising: receiving a query submitted by a user; determining a first location associated with the query and a second location associated with the query; determining a route from the second location to the first location; determining an area associated with a portion of the route; determining the user's level of familiarity with the area, wherein the user's level of familiarity with the area is at least based on a social post, the social post is weighted based on a type of the social post, and a user's social post type for the area is given more weight than other users' social post types for the area; and providing navigation directions to the user, wherein the navigation directions associated with the portion of the route are customized based on the user's level of familiarity with the area, wherein a greater level of familiarity with the area results in a lesser level of detail in the navigation directions within the area, and wherein a lesser level of familiarity with the area results in greater level of detail in the navigation directions within the area and the directions are customized by omitting presentation of a map that is presented as part of default navigation directions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The media of claim 16, wherein levels of familiarity comprise at least a high level, a medium level, and a low level. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The media of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises determining the user's level of familiarity with the area by analyzing location data associated with the user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The media of claim 18, wherein the user's level of familiarity with the area is based at least in part on a frequency of the user's presence within the area and one or more types of activities in which the user engages while in the area. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The media of claim 18, wherein the user's level of familiarity with the area is based at least in part on a familiarity of the user with different categories of businesses in the area.