Method, and related system and apparatus, for providing travel-related information to a mobile communications device

• US 20020062192A1
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Yule, Andrew T., Saraga, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 6,745,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

The invention provides for a method of providing travel-related information to a mobile communications device (12) comprising determining the opposition of the mobile communications device (12), deriving at least one signal at the mobile communications device (12) indicative of the position of the mobile communications device (12) and indicative of a travel-related request initiated at the mobile communications device (12), and including the steps of retrieving travel service information from a transport service provider and responding to the travel-related request by calculating location and time information of a travel service (14) serving to fulfil the request, and providing an output at the mobile communications device (12) of the calculated location and time information of the travel service (14).

Claims

1. A method of providing travel-related information to a mobile communications device comprising determining the position of the mobile communications device, deriving at least one signal at the mobile communications device indicative of the position of the mobile communications device and also indicative of a travel-related request initiated at the mobiles communications device, characterised by the steps of retrieving travel service information from a transport service provider and responding to the travel-related request by calculating location and time information of a travel service serving to fulfil the request, and providing an output at the mobile communications device of the calculated location and time information of the travel service.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the travel service information retrieved from the transport service provider comprises real-time information related to the travel service.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including the steps of calculating and displaying of the length of time it will take to travel from a current position of the mobile communications device to a point of rendezvous with the travel service.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 and including the step of calculating and indicating at the mobile communications device when the user of the mobile communications device should depart its current location so as to arrive at an appropriate location for rendezvous with the travel service.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 and including the steps of providing a plurality of such reminders.

6. A method as claimed in claim 2, 3, 4 or 5 and including the step of inputting information at the mobile communications device confirming the mode of travel that is to be used to travel to rendezvous with the travel service.

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1-6, and including the step of informing an operative of the transport service of the existence of a potential passenger likely to arrive at one or more potential rendezvous points with the travel service.

8. A communication system including a mobile communications device and arranged for providing travel-related information to the mobile communications device, comprising means for determining the position of the communications device, means for deriving at least one signal at the communications device indicative of the position of the mobile communications device and also indicative of a travel-related request initiated at the mobile communications device, and characterised by means for retrieving travel service information from a transport service provider and calculation means for responding to the travel-related request for calculating location and time information of a travel service serving to fulfil the request, and means for providing an output at the mobile communications device of the calculated location and time information of the travel service.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the travel service information retrieved from the transport service provider comprises real-time information related to the travel service.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8 or 9 including means for calculating and displaying the length of time it will take to travel from a current position of the mobile communications device to rendezvous with the travel service.

11. A system as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10 and including means calculating and displaying at the mobile communications device when the user of the mobile communications device should depart its current location so as to arrive at an appropriate rendezvous point with the travel service.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 and arranged to provide a plurality of such reminders.

13. A system as claimed in claim 9, 10, 11 or 12 and arranged for the input of information confirming the mode of travel that is to be used to travel to a point of rendezvous with the travel service.

14. A system as claimed in any one of claims 8-13, wherein the transport service is arranged to receive information concerning the existence of a potential passenger likely to arrive at one or more potential rendezvous points with the travel service.

16. A terminal as claimed in claim 15 and arranged such that the travel service information retrieved from the transport provider comprises real-time information related to the travel service.

17. A terminal as claimed in claim 15 or 16 and including means for calculating and displaying the length of time it will take to travel from the position of the mobile communications device to rendezvous with the travel service.

18. A terminal as claimed in claim 15, 16 or 17 and including means for calculating and indicating at the mobile communications device when the user of the mobile communications device should depart its current location so as to arrive at an appropriate rendezvous point with the travel service.

19. A terminal as claimed in claim 18 and including means for indicating a plurality of such reminders.

15. A communications terminal for a data network arranged to receive positional information and a request for travel-related information from a mobile communications device and arranged to calculate location and time information of a travelled service suitable for satisfying the travel-related request on the basis of the received information and travel service information originating from a transport service provider.

20. A mobile communications device arranged to calculate position information and to receive a travel-related request, and to receive travel service information originating from a transport service provider, and characterised by being arranged to calculate location and time information of a travel service suitable for satisfying the travel-related request on the basis of the received information and the travel service information originating from a transport service provider.

21. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 20 and arranged to calculate the location and time information of the travel service on the basis of processing software down from a remote source to the mobile communications device.