System and method navigating indoors and outdoors without GPS. utilizing a network of sensors

• US 20070001904A1
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gamba Group Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Gamba Group Ltd
• Inventors: Mendelson, Ehud
• Granted Patent: US 8,836,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/20 Destination assistance within a business structure or complex
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

The navigation system method described herein could guide people around urban environments, detect guide and navigate them to destinations, add-on to the portable phone. We have focused on the task of detecting and navigating even in situations in which Global Positioning Systems (GPS) cannot provide this information, such as when the person is indoors or in crowded urban areas where there is no line of site to the GPS satellites. The information will be received directly from RF sensors and will display on the existing cellular phone as Bluetooth application

Claims

1. A method for navigating in doors or in area where there is no GPS signal in or on at least one display device selected from the group consisting of a display devices, a mobile phone, hand held navigation system, and a Bluetooth enabled device, The method comprises the steps of:

Receiving data from a RF Tags/sensor, the data including positional data, type of the facility data selected from the group consisting of information guide provided at each facility and displaying information as a floating on the display device.

2. the wireless sensor according to claim 1, werein said RF sensor can be installed on any place that designated as a waypoint.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises displaying the information over a facility map, area map, or floor plan downloaded to the display device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information pertains to navigating a current facility area.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises determining a current position of a user by a triangulation calculation based on known positions of a plurality of wireless sensors implements in a known positions in the facility.

6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises displaying additional information of a facility object e.g. store, department as a waypoint.

7. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises navigating to the current way point using a floor map of the facility.

8. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises performing the determining step without the aid of a global positioning satellite system.

9. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises providing the display device/cellular phone with application software for displaying pre-loaded area maps or facility floor plans.

10. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises receiving automatically and directly the information from the sensors according to the user position/area and no bandwidth or internet needed.

11. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises receiving automatically and directly the information from the sensors without sending a request or a query for search in a database or internet.

12. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises navigation type of the facility selected from the group consisting but not limit of:

navigating a pedestrian in an environment like a mall, department store, specialty store, conference, trade show, amusement park, university, hospital, school, municipal building, museum, subway, train station, airport, down town center, any type of parking facility . . . or any place when and where GPS cannot be provided or is not accurate or precise enough.

13. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises navigation in a Special operation mode:

—

Shopping—

NAV4SALE, provides navigation to the special sale item in a department store, coupons or other promotions and even audio or video via a Bluetooth interface as advertising directly push from the waypoint/store area to the user Bluetooth device/cellular phone.

14. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises navigation Special operating mode:

—

Museums—

NAV4Museums, provides navigation and interactive information from the museum'"'"'s exhibition to the “

user'"'"'s”

cellular phone device via Bluetooth interface, utilizing the Bluetooth the user can receive even audio and video information and there is no need to have a rental headset or additional information.

15. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises navigation Special operating mode:

—

Special operating mode;

—

NAV4STORE, provides navigation inside a store/department store to a specific department/aisle or specific product, with option for advertising method and special promotion.

16. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises navigation Special operating mode:

—

Special operating mode;

—

Amusement park, NAV4disney provides navigation and interactive information from amusements park exhibition to the “

user'"'"'s”

cellular phone device via Bluetooth interface. Will provide navigation on the amusement map, the exhibition as a waypoint to provide information like schedule of show, availability (lines . . . ) time to the show, type of the waypoint like restrooms, food area and provide navigating system method can provide also a user locating when and where there is need to locate the user/kid for example in the amusement park.

17. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises navigation Special operating mode:

—

First response navigation, which comprises a navigator for the emergency exit route when and where needed each user can load the emergency exit floor plan and escape with the knowledge of his exact location in that route.

Aspects of the scenarios to be included;

Identifies and tracks the user (a first response team member).

Provides the user with navigation information and directions for safely exiting of the building.

Provides location information of all team members, via an ad hoc network of radio terminals that combine RF/Bluetooth readings and radio communication.

18. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises navigation Special operating mode:

NAV4Train, provides The user with ability to know his exact location in the train, subway station on a route directly to his phone as a Bluetooth device, which comprises the train/subway/underground map will be the basic for the background navigation and will show the user his location in the train/subway route, no more walking to the mapping inside the station or try to figure out your location in the map inside the subway train, each station will have a tag/sensor all the route to provide the user accurate locating and additional information that he may need like schedule, restroom, food, emergency