Method and system for saving and retrieving spatial related information

• US 20080048890A1
• Filed: 07/03/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• 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, Goddard, Mark, Sheha, Angie, Petilli, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,737,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.1
• 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 sharing event information between mobile communication devices as well as related navigational information for traveling to an event from a real-time position of a mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A machine-readable medium having a set of executable instructions for causing a processor of a first mobile communication device to perform a method of generating and displaying navigational information, said first mobile communication device including a display and a GPS device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving event information from a wireless network;

extracting an event address from the event information;

extracting an event start time from the event information;

obtaining a real-time position information of said first mobile communication device using said GPS device, said real-time position information describing a position of said first mobile communication device;

calculating the travel time from said real-time position information to said event address; and

displaying a notification of said event on the display, wherein the time of display of the notification is determined in accordance with the calculated travel time and said event start time.

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

periodically obtaining updated real-time position information of said first mobile communication device using said GPS device, said updated real-time position information describing a position of said first mobile communication device; and

calculating an updated travel time from said updated real-time position information to said event address.

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

generating a route of travel to the event address from the position of the first mobile communication device; and

displaying navigational information on the display for traveling the route of travel from the first mobile communication device to the event address.

4. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step of storing the event information in the machine-readable memory of said first mobile communication device.

5. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step of receiving traffic condition information from a server, wherein the calculation of travel time factors in a delay that is caused by traffic condition.

6. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step of receiving weather condition information from a server, wherein said notification includes said weather condition information.

7. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the event information is received from one of a second mobile communication device and a personal computer.

8. A mobile communication device comprising:

a memory;

a display;

position acquisition means for receiving position information of the mobile communication device, said position information describing a real-time position of the mobile communication device;

receiving means for receiving event information from a wireless network;

extracting means for extracting an event address and an event start time from said event information;

calculating means for calculating a travel time from the real-time position of the mobile communication device to said event address; and

display means for causing the display of a notification of said event on the display, wherein the time of display of the notification is determined in accordance with the calculated travel time and said event start time.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein said position acquisition means periodically updates said position information.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein said mobile communication device further comprises:

route of travel generating means for generating a route of travel to the event address from the real time position of the mobile communication device; and

route displaying means for causing the display of navigational information on the display for traveling between the real time position of the mobile communication device and said event address.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 8 wherein said mobile communication device further comprises a memory for storing said event information in the memory of said mobile communication device.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 8,

wherein said mobile communication device further comprises of a traffic condition information receiving means for receiving traffic condition information from a server, and

wherein the calculation of travel time factors in a delay that is caused by traffic conditions.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 8 wherein said mobile communication device further comprises of a weather condition information receiving means for receiving weather condition information, wherein said notification includes said weather condition information.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the event information is received from one of a second mobile communication device and a personal computer.

15. A method of generating and displaying navigational information in a first mobile communication device, said first mobile communication device being operatively coupled to at least one machine-readable memory, a display and a GPS device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving event information from a wireless network;

extracting an event address from the event information;

extracting an event start time from the event information;

obtaining a real-time position information of said first mobile communication device using said GPS device, said real-time position information describing a position of said first mobile communication device;

calculating the travel time from said real-time position information to said event address; and

displaying a notification of said event on the display, wherein the time of display of the notification is determined in accordance with the calculated travel time and said event start time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

periodically obtaining updated real-time position information of said first mobile communication device using said GPS device; and

calculating an updated travel time from said updated real-time position information to said event address.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

generating a route of travel between the event address and the positional of the first mobile communication device; and

displaying navigational information on the display for traveling between the first mobile communication device and the event address.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises the step of storing the event information in the machine-readable memory of said first mobile communication device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

receiving traffic condition information from a server, wherein the calculation of travel time factors in a delay that is caused by traffic condition.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

receiving weather condition information, wherein said notification includes said weather condition information.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the event information is received from one of a second mobile communication device and a personal computer.

22. A machine-readable medium having a set of executable instructions for causing a processor in a server to perform a method of sending and receiving event information and navigational information, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving event information from a first mobile communication device via a wireless network, said event information including an event address and an event start time;

sending the received event information to a second mobile communication device via the wireless network;

receiving a real-time position information of the second mobile communication device, the real-time position information indicating a real-time position of the second mobile communication device; and

sending navigational information to the second mobile communication device, said navigational information including route information for traveling between the real-time position of the second mobile communication device and the event address.

23. The machine readable medium of claim 22, wherein said method further comprise the steps of:

receiving a request for traffic condition information relating to a route from the second mobile communication device; and

sending the traffic condition information to the second mobile communication device.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said method further comprises the step of sending the weather condition information to the second mobile communication device.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein one of the first and the second mobile communication device is a personal computer.

26. A method of sending and receiving event information and navigational information, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving event information from a first mobile communication device via a wireless network, said event information including an event address and an event start time;

sending the received event information to a second mobile communication device via the wireless network;

receiving a real-time position information of the second mobile communication device, the real-time position information indicating a real-time position of the second mobile communication device; and

sending navigational information to the second mobile communication device, said navigational information including route information for traveling between the real-time position of the second mobile communication device and the event address.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

receiving a request for traffic condition information relating to a route from the second mobile communication device; and

sending the traffic condition information to the second mobile communication device.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises the step of sending the weather condition information to the second mobile communication device.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein one of the first and the second mobile communication device is a personal computer.

30. A system for sending and receiving event information and navigational information, said system comprising:

first receiving means for receiving event information from a first mobile communication device via a wireless network, said event information including an event address and an event start time;

first sending means for sending the received event information to a second mobile communication device via the wireless network;

second receiving means for receiving a real-time position information of the second mobile communication device, the real-time position information indicating a real-time position of the second mobile communication device; and

second sending means for sending navigational information to the second mobile communication device, said navigational information including route information for traveling between the real-time position of the second mobile communication device and the event address.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said system further comprises:

third receiving means for receiving a request for traffic condition information relating to a route from the second mobile communication device; and

third sending means for sending the traffic condition information to the second mobile communication device.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said system further comprises fourth sending means for sending the weather condition information to the second mobile communication device.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein one of the first and the second mobile communication device is a personal computer.