Method and system for saving and retrieving spatial related information

• US 20050073443A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Artax LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Networks In Motion Incorporated (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Sheha, Michael A., Goddard, Mark, Sheha, Angie, Petilli, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,256,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for storing, referencing, retrieving, and graphically displaying spatial and non-spatial related information of a mobile computing device, such as a laptop computer or a cellular telephone. The spatial-related information may be obtained by using positioning tracking systems such as a global positioning system, whereas the non-spatial related information may include communication activities associated with the mobile computing device, such as phone calls, e-mails, text messages, pages, etc. The present invention also provides methods and apparatus of summarizing the spatial and non-spatial related information for more effective and intuitive display of the information to the user, including the use of graphical map and calendar of events. Finally, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for sharing the spatial and non-spatial related information with other users, and for planning routes of travel using the spatial and non-spatial related information.

Claims

1. A machine-readable medium having a set of executable instructions for causing a processor to perform a method of displaying position information of a mobile computing device, said processor being operatively coupled to the mobile computing device, said mobile computing device being operatively coupled to at least one machine-readable memory, a display, a GPS device, a communication interface, and a timing element, said method comprising the steps of:

periodically receiving position information of the mobile computing device using said GPS device, said position information describing a position of said mobile communication device;

associating each periodically received position information with a time data, said time data indicating a time at which each position information was received;

storing in said machine-readable memory the periodically received position information into said machine-readable memory;

displaying a graphical map;

displaying on said graphical map a graphical position icon indicating a position described by one of said periodically received position information; and

displaying the time data associated with the position information describing the position indicated by said graphical position icon.

2. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said processor is operatively coupled to said machine-readable medium via a wireless communications network.

3. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said mobile computing device is a cellular telephone.

4. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

retrieving from said machine-readable memory a point-of-interest location, said point-of-interest location being located within a predetermined proximity of the position indicated by said graphical position icon; and

displaying on said graphical map a point-of-interest icon indicating the point-of-interest location on said graphical map.

5. The machine-readable medium of claim 4, wherein said method further comprises a step of calculating a distance between said point of interest location and the position indicated by said graphical position icon.

6. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises a steps of calculating a traveling speed of said mobile computing device using the periodically received position information and the associated time data.

7. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

recording in said machine-readable memory each communication activity of said communication interface; and

associating time data with each communication activity recorded.

8. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said communication activity is one of a dialed telephone call, a missed telephone call, a received telephone call, an e-mail message reception or transmission, a voice mail recording, an instant text message reception or transmission, and a page reception or transmission.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises a step of displaying at least one recorded communication activity.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said method further comprises a step of reproducing communication content data associated with the displayed recorded communication activity, wherein said communication content data is one of text data and sound data.

11. The machine-readable readable medium of claim 9, wherein said method further comprises a step of displaying a corresponding received position information, said corresponding received position information indicating a position of said mobile computing device during which said displayed communication activity occurred.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises a step of associating a received position information with each communication activity.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

displaying at least one of said recorded communication activity;

displaying the time data associated to said recorded communication activity; and

displaying the position information associated to said recorded communication activity.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

receiving a time range input signal indicating a period of time, said period of time defined by a starting time and an ending time; and

displaying on said graphical map a plurality of position history icons, each of said position history icon indicating a position described by one of said periodically received position information that were received during the period of time specified by the time range input signal.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

receiving a time range input signal indicating a period of time, said period of time defined by a starting time and an ending time;

displaying a plurality of recorded communication activity, wherein each of said recorded communication activity occurred during the period of time specified by the time range input signal.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

receiving a designation input signal, said designation input signal designating one of said displayed communication activity; and

reproducing communication content data associated with the displayed recorded communication activity, wherein said communication content data is one of text data and sound data.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises a step of displaying a graphical calendar, said graphical calendar including a plurality of sequential time slot locations indicating different sequential periods of time.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the denomination of said sequential periods of time is one of year, month, week, day, hour, and minute.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a time slot designation signal designating a time slot displayed on said graphical calendar;

displaying on said graphical map a plurality of position history icons, each of said position history icon indicating a position described by one of said periodically received position information that were received during the time period indicated by the designated time slot.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

recording in said machine-readable memory each communication activity of said communication interface;

associating time data with each communication activity recorded;

receiving a time slot designation signal designating a time slot displayed on said graphical calendar;

displaying a plurality of recorded communication activity, wherein each of said recorded communication activity occurred during the period of time specified by the designated time slot.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises a steps of periodically reading data stored on said machine-readable memory and writing the read data to a second machine-readable memory, said second machine-readable memory being periodically operatively coupled to said mobile computing device.