New Patent Application Details What Could be Apple's Solution for Providing Transit Directions

[RaduTyrsina]

A bunch of new patent filings have been recently uncovered by AppleInsider and these seem to be the most realistic ones we've seen in a while. They depict what could be Apple's answer to mass transit mapping, which has been a highly requested feature, especially since Google Maps was replaced in iOS by the first-party Apple Maps in 2012.

New documents were published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, titled "User interface tools for commute assistant" and "Location-based features for commute assistant,". They detail a comprehensive integrated daily commute tool, and what seems to be Apple's take on mass transit mapping.

Filed back-to-back, the inventions describe a user-friendly interface for viewing various mass transit services, including buses, shuttles, trains, metros and subways, on an iOS device. Airplanes, helicopters and even boats are also mentioned in the patent language, suggesting Apple is planning to create a one-stop-shop for users' commuting needs.

Everything revolves around a dynamic focus table, which is most easily described as a rolling list of transit types, routes and stops. Rolled in with physical location information is rich metadata pulled from online servers. Information ranges from schedules to route changes and, in some embodiments, advisories from third-party services.

While we don't know how will Apple's commute assistant invention evolve, one thing's for sure - customers are in need for one. Apple has previously acquired public transit data and mapping app companies Embark and HopStop and they could now be ready to use their know-how in this new tool.

Source: AppleInsider