Apparatus and methods for exchanging location-based information

• US 20070191026A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Teplitsky, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 9,020,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide apparatus and methods for exchanging location-based information between a wireless communications device and a computer system. In one embodiment, the location-based information may include a layout of a physical location corresponding to a geographic position associated with the wireless communications device. In another embodiment, the location-based information may include directions from the geographic position, through the layout, to an item location associated with an item in the physical location. Additional disclosed embodiments relate to the wireless communications device, presentation of the location-based information on the wireless communications device, and associated computer-readable media.

Claims

1. A location-based method of communicating information, comprising:

receiving a geographic position associated with a wireless communications device; and

generating map information for receipt by the wireless communications device, the map information including physical location information including a layout of a physical location corresponding to the geographic position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an item location for receipt by the wireless communications device, where the item location corresponds to at least one item within the physical location and comprises a position within the layout.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating item-related information for receipt by the wireless communications device, where the item-related information includes at least one of an item quantity, an item price, an item description, an item substitute, an associated item, and additional item information corresponding to the item.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least some portion of item information for each one of a plurality of items, generating for receipt by the wireless communications device a plurality of item locations each corresponding to one of the plurality of items.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating route information for receipt by the wireless communications device, the route information comprising directions through the physical location to each of the plurality of item locations.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising identifying the shortest distance through the physical location between each one of the plurality of item locations, where the route information includes the shortest distances.

7. The method of claim 1, where the physical location information further comprises a list of a plurality of items available at the physical location.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a selection of at least one of the plurality of items from the wireless communications device, and generating an item location corresponding to the selected item for receipt by the wireless communications device, where the item location comprises a position within the layout.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising identifying a predicted travel time through the physical location to the selected item location, where the directions include the predicted travel time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating additional physical location information including at least one of a physical location identification, a physical location description and location-specific information.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the additional physical location information for receipt by the wireless communications device.

38. A computer-readable medium for communicating location-based information, comprising:

at least one sequence of instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to perform the steps as claimed in claim 1.

12. An apparatus for communicating a location of an item, comprising:

a first means for receiving a geographic position of a wireless communications device;

a second means for receiving an item identification of the item;

a third means for generating map information including a layout of a physical location corresponding to the geographic position of the wireless communications device and directions from the geographic position to an item location within the physical location; and

a fourth means for transmitting the map information to the wireless communications device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a fifth means for generating item-related information for receipt by the wireless communications device, where the item-related information includes at least one of an item quantity, an item price, an item description, an item substitute, an associated item, and additional item information corresponding to the item.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a fifth means for generating physical location information including at least one of a physical location identification, a physical location description and location-specific information.

15. An apparatus for wirelessly communicating location-based information, comprising:

a map generator for generating map information for receipt by the wireless communications device and including physical location information having a layout of a physical location corresponding to a geographic position associated with a wireless communications device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the map generator is further operable to generate an item location for receipt by the wireless communications device, where the item location corresponds to at least one item within the physical location and comprises a position within the layout.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the map generator is further operable to generate item-related information for receipt by the wireless communications device, where the item-related information includes at least one of an item quantity, an item price, an item description, an item substitute, an associated item, and additional item information corresponding to the item.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the map generator is further operable to generate receive at least some portion of item information for each one of a plurality of items, the map generator further operable to generate for receipt by the wireless communications device a plurality of item locations each corresponding to one of the plurality of items.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a route generator operable to generate route information for receipt by the wireless communications device, the route information comprising directions through the physical location to each of the plurality of item locations.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the route generator is further operable to identify the shortest distance through the physical location between each one of the plurality of item locations, where the route information includes the shortest distances.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, where the physical location information further comprises a list of a plurality of items available at the physical location.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the map generator is further operable to receive a selection of at least one of the plurality of items from the wireless communications device, and wherein the map generator is further operable to generate an item location corresponding to the selected item for receipt by the wireless communications device, where the item location comprises a position within the layout.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the route generator is further operable to determine a predicted travel time through the physical location to the selected item location, where the directions include the predicted travel time.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the map generator is further operable to generate additional physical location information including at least one of a physical location identification, a physical location description and location-specific information.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the map generator is further operable to generate transmit the additional physical location information for receipt by the wireless communications device.

26. An apparatus for communicating a location of an item, comprising:

a map generator operable to receive a geographic position associated with a wireless communications device, wherein the map generator is further operable to generate map information including a layout of a physical location corresponding to the geographic position of the wireless communications device;

a route generator operable to receive an item identification of the item, wherein the route generator is further operable to generate directions from the geographic position to an item location within the physical location, wherein the item location corresponds to the item; and

wherein the map generator is operable to incorporate the directions and the item location into the map information and transmit the map information for receipt by the wireless communications device.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the map generator is further operable to generate item-related information for receipt by the wireless communications device, where the item-related information includes at least one of an item quantity, an item price, an item description, an item substitute, an associated item, and additional item information corresponding to the item.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the map generator is further operable to generate physical location information including at least one of a physical location identification, a physical location description and location-specific information.

29. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a processor;

a display coupled to the processor and operable to display a user interface responsive to the processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and having instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to present the user interface on the display, wherein the user interface includes a layout of a physical location corresponding to a geographic position associated with the wireless communications device.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the user interface further includes an item location of an item within the physical location.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the user interface further includes directions through the layout to the item location.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the directions further include a distance from the geographic position to the item location.

33. The device of claim 31, wherein the directions further include a predicted travel time from the geographic position to the item location.

34. The device of claim 29, wherein the user interface further includes at least one of a physical location identification, a physical location description and location-specific information.

35. The device of claim 29, wherein the user interface further includes at least one of an item quantity, an item price, an item description, an item substitute, an associated item, and additional item information corresponding to the item.

36. A method of presenting location-based information on a wireless communications device, comprising:

transmitting a geographic position associated with the wireless communications device;

receiving map information including a layout of a physical location corresponding to the geographic position; and

presenting a user interface on a display of the wireless communications device, where the user interface includes map information.

39. A computer-readable medium for presenting location-based information, comprising:

at least one sequence of instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to perform the steps as claimed in claim 36.

37. An apparatus for presenting location-based information, comprising:

a first means for transmitting a geographic position associated with a wireless communications device;

a second means for receiving map information including a layout of a physical location corresponding to the geographic position; and

a third means for presenting a user interface on a display of the wireless communications device, wherein the user interface includes map information.

40. A method of assisting a user in shopping, comprising:

receiving a geographic position associated with a wireless communications device associated with the user;

receiving a plurality of item identifications associated with items of interest to the user; and

generating map information for receipt by and presentation on the wireless communications device, the map information having physical location information including a layout of a physical location corresponding to the geographic position and a plurality of item locations corresponding to the plurality of item identifications, where each of the plurality of item locations comprises a position of the respective item within the layout.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising generating a change in representation of the respective item location information for receipt by and presentation on the wireless communications device when the geographic position of the wireless communications device corresponds to the position of the respective item within the layout, where the change in representation of the respective item location information enables the user to differentiate between a visited item location and a non-visited item location.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising receiving an identification of at least one item to be purchased, and performing a purchasing transaction.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising generating a virtual shopping cart having a plurality of items to be purchased, where each of the plurality of items to be purchased corresponds to a received purchase item identification and a corresponding purchase item quantity.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising processing a purchase transaction for the plurality of items to be purchased.