Systems and methods to vary rate of communication between GPS transceiver and at least one satellite for outputting directions

• US 10,448,336 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Knox, Jonathan Gaither
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Dung
• Application Number:
  US15/655,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20190028973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/017 Detecting state or type of motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In one aspect, a device includes at least one processor, a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver accessible to the at least one processor, a motion sensor accessible to the at least one processor, a cellular communication transceiver accessible to the at least one processor, and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage bears instructions executable by the at least one processor to provide directions to follow a route to a destination and to vary a rate at which the GPS transceiver communicates with at least one satellite for providing the directions.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

at least one processor;

a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver accessible to the at least one processor;

a motion sensor accessible to the at least one processor; and

storage accessible to the at least one processor and bearing instructions executable by the at least one processor to;

present a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display accessible to the at least one processor, the GUI comprising an option that is selectable by a user to set the device to vary rates at which the GPS transceiver is to communicate with at least one satellite for outputting directions;

identify first directions to a location;

determine, based on the option being selected and based on one or more factors related to the first directions, at least a first rate at which the GPS transceiver is to communicate with at least one satellite for outputting the first directions;

output the first directions for following a route to the location; and

communicate with the at least one satellite at the first rate for at least a portion of the outputting of first directions.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

in between communications with the at least one satellite at the first rate for at least the portion of the outputting of the first directions, use dead reckoning to make a determination regarding the first directions.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the determination based on the one or more factors comprises a determination regarding whether the first directions are being followed.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

receive input from the motion sensor;

use the input from the motion sensor and dead reckoning to make the determination regarding whether the first directions are being followed.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

responsive to a determination that the first directions are not being followed, communicate with the at least one satellite at a second rate that is faster than the first rate.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion is a first portion, and wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

determine, based on the option being selected and based on the one or more factors, at least first and second rates at which the GPS transceiver is to communicate with the at least one satellite for outputting the first directions, wherein the first rate is different from the second rate;

output the first directions for following the route;

communicate with the at least one satellite at the first rate for at least the first portion of the outputting of the first directions; and

communicate with the at least one satellite at the second rate for at least a second portion of the outputting of the first directions, the second portion being different from the first portion.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

use the first rate during traversal of a road of a first road type; and

use the second rate during traversal of a road of a second road type.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first road type is a highway road type, and wherein the second road type is a city street road type.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein use of the first rate is based on an estimated time until a turn is to be made to follow the route.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a cellular communication transceiver that is accessible to the at least one processor, and wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

in between communications with the at least one satellite at the first rate for at least the portion of the outputting of the first directions, use the cellular communication transceiver to determine whether the first directions are being followed.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the cellular communication transceiver is used to triangulate a current location of the device.

12. A method, comprising:

providing, using a device, directions to follow a route to a destination; and

varying, based at least in part on at least one speed limit for at least a portion of the route, a speed at which a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver on the device communicates with at least one satellite for providing the directions;

wherein the speed varies at least in part based on one or more factors identified by one or more of the device and a server in communication with the device;

wherein the one or more factors comprise one or more of stopping at a point along the route and stopping near a point along the route.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the speed varies so that a first speed is used during traversal of a first part of the route and a second speed is used during traversal of a second part of the route, wherein the second speed is faster than the first speed.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising:

using, in between communications of the GPS transceiver with the at least one satellite, input from one or more of a motion sensor and a cellular communication transceiver to track whether the route is being followed.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising:

presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display, the GUI comprising a setting that is selectable by a user to enable the device to vary speeds at which the GPS transceiver communicates with at least one satellite; and

varying, based at least in part on the setting being enabled, the speed at which the GPS transceiver communicates with at least one satellite for providing the directions.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the speed varies at least in part based on user input received at a selector presented on a display.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a first processor;

a network adapter; and

storage bearing instructions executable by at least one second processor of a first device for;

providing directions to follow a route to a destination; and

varying a rate at which a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver accessible to the second processor communicates with a second device for providing the directions, wherein the rate at which the GPS transceiver communicates with the second device for providing the directions varies based on user input received at a selector presented on a display;

wherein the first processor transfers the instructions to the first device over a network via the network adapter.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable by the second processor for:

using, in between communications of the GPS transceiver with the second device, input from one or more of a motion sensor and a cellular communication transceiver; and

varying the rate at which the GPS transceiver communicates with the second device so that a first rate is used during traversal of a first part of the route and a second rate is used during traversal of a second part of the route, wherein the second rate is faster than the first rate.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the selector is presented on the display as part of a graphical user interface (GUI) presented on the display, and wherein the GUI comprises text indicating that selection of the selector will vary the rate at Which the GPS transceiver communicates with the second device for providing the directions.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable by the second processor for:

presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display accessible to the second processor, the GUI comprising an option that is selectable by a user to enable the second processor to vary rates at which the GPS transceiver communicates with the second device to output future directions.