We all know that feeling: You are lost, you punch in the destination, and all of the sudden you are driving in a less than pleasurable part of town. While we have all joked about an option to avoid driving/walking in the slums, Microsoft has gone ahead and received a patent for such a feature, according to the US Patent Office, via CBS Seattle.
That patent was filed back in December of 2007 and was recently issued on January 3, 2012. The abstract for the patent is posted below:
As a pedestrian travels, various difficulties can be encountered, such as traveling through an unsafe neighborhood or being in an open area that is subject to harsh temperatures. A route can be developed for a person taking into account factors that specifically affect a pedestrian. Moreover, the route can alter as a situation of a user changes; for instance, if a user wants to add a stop along a route.
The idea is simple enough and relatively harmless, but it is a feature that many have semi-jokingly asked for. The patent is based around safety for an individual for various conditions, but do include, unsafe neighborhoods.
While the idea has always been a joke, it looks like Microsoft took the opportunity to patent the idea and can now add it to its massive filing cabinet with its other IP.
Thanks for the tip calimike