Methods for obtaining a navigation track between a first and a second location at a client device using location information obtained from a server device and related devices and computer program products

• US 20080208467A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ruckart, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,014,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area

Abstract

A client device is operated to obtain a navigation track between a first location and a second location by establishing a communication connection with a server device and receiving a message that contains information associated with the first location and/or the second location from the server device. The information is associated with a navigation module on the client device. The information associated with the first location and/or the second location is processed using the navigation module to obtain the navigation track between the first location and the second location.

Claims

1. A method of operating a client device to obtain a navigation track between a first location and a second location, comprising:

establishing a communication connection with a server device;

receiving a message that contains information associated with at least one of the first location and the second location from the server device, the information being associated with a navigation module on the client device; and

processing the information associated with the at least one of the first location and the second location using the navigation module to obtain the navigation track between the first location and the second location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before processing the information:

saving the information at the client device; and

ending the communication connection with the server device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the server device is a Web server device and wherein the communication connection is a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) communication connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the information comprises:

accessing a navigation information repository on the client device to determine the navigation track between the first location and the second location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the information comprises:

accessing a remote navigation information repository via a communication connection therewith to determine the navigation track between the first location and the second location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location is a current location of the client device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

updating the determined navigation track responsive to changes in the current location of the client device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein neither of the first location and second location is a current location of the client device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending at least one of the first location and the second location to the server device before receiving the information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with at least one of the first location and the second location comprises Global Positioning System (GPS) information, cellular technology location information, an address, and/or a name.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the GPS information is encoded in a GPS eXchange (GPX) format.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with at least one of the first location and the second location comprises at least one waypoint between the first location and the second location;

and

wherein the obtained navigation track between the first location and the second location includes the at least one waypoint.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the information comprises:

wherein the message comprises a Short Message Service (SMS) text message, a hyperlink, an electronic mail, a directory listing, an advertisement, and/or a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call; and

/or

wherein the information is an attachment to the message and/or is embedded in the message using at least one delimiter.

14. A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code embodied on a computer-readable medium, the computer readable program code being configured to carry out the method of claim 1.

15. A client device configured to carry out the method of claim 1.

16. A method of operating a server device, comprising:

establishing a communication connection with a client device;

sending a message that contains information associated with at least one of a first location and a second location to the client device, the information being associated with a navigation module on the client device to allow the client device to process the information and to obtain a navigation track between the first location and the second location.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving from the client device at least one of the first location and the second location before sending the information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the information associated with at least one of the first location and the second location comprises at least one waypoint between the first location and the second location;

wherein the message comprises a Short Message Service (SMS) text message, a hyperlink, an electronic mail, a directory listing, an advertisement, and/or a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call; and

/or

wherein the information is an attachment to the message and/or is embedded in the message using at least one delimiter.

19. A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code embodied on a computer-readable medium, the computer readable program code being configured to carry out the method of claim 16.

20. A server device configured to carry out the method of claim 16.