Mobile terminals including location management systems and location management methods for mobile terminals

• US 20080218405A1
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Eckhart, Colin John
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/146
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

Methods of managing a location of a mobile terminal include obtaining a position of the mobile terminal, estimating a distance from the mobile terminal to a destination point, generating an estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point, and generating an alert if the estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point reaches a threshold time. Related mobile terminals are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of managing a location of a mobile terminal, comprising:

obtaining a position of the mobile terminal;

estimating a distance from the mobile terminal to a destination point;

generating an estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point; and

generating an alert if the estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point reaches a threshold time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating a distance from the mobile terminal to a destination point comprises generating a route between the position of the mobile terminal and the destination point based on a movement constraint of the mobile terminal, and wherein generating the estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point comprises generating the estimated time based on the generated route.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the route is performed in response to an operational mode of the mobile terminal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the operational mode comprises a pedestrian operational mode, and wherein the movement constraint comprises at least one of a building, a bridge, a gate, or a fence.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the operational mode comprises a vehicular operational mode, and wherein the movement constraint comprises a road.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising measuring a current speed of the mobile terminal;

wherein generating the estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point comprises generating the estimated time in response to the current speed.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point comprises generating the estimated time assuming the mobile terminal travels the route at an average speed and/or at a maximum speed.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

obtaining traffic information indicative of traffic in an area between the mobile terminal and the destination point;

wherein generating the estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point comprises generating the estimated time in response to the traffic in the area between the position of the mobile terminal and the destination point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the route comprises generating a quickest route between the position of the mobile terminal and the destination point in response to the traffic in the area between the mobile terminal and the destination point.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the alert comprises generating the alert if the estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point exceeds the threshold time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the alert comprises generating the alert if the estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point is less than the threshold time.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a geo-temporal boundary around the destination point in response to the position of the mobile terminal, the location of the destination point, and a rate of motion of the mobile terminal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying the geo-temporal boundary on a display screen of the mobile terminal.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an information box associated with the mobile terminal, the information box comprising an estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising dynamically updating the geo-temporal boundary in response to a passage of time.

16. A method of managing locations of a plurality of mobile terminals, comprising:

obtaining positions of the plurality of mobile terminals;

estimating distances from the plurality of mobile terminals to a destination point;

generating estimated times for the mobile terminals to reach the destination point; and

generating an alert if the estimated time for at least one of the mobile terminals to reach the destination point reaches a threshold time.

17. A mobile terminal, comprising

a location management unit configured to obtain a position of a mobile terminal;

and

a controller configured to estimate a distance from the position of the mobile terminal to a destination point, configured to generate an estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point, and configured to generate an alert if the estimated time for the mobile terminal to reach the destination point reaches a threshold time.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, further comprising:

a traffic information unit configured to obtain traffic information indicative of traffic in an area between the position of the mobile terminal and the destination point;

wherein the controller is further configured to generate the estimated time in response to the traffic in the area between the position of the mobile terminal and the destination point.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a geo-temporal boundary around the destination point in response to the position of the mobile terminal, the location of the destination point, and a rate of motion of the mobile terminal.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 17, further comprising a map database, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a route between the position of the mobile terminal and the destination point in response to map information stored in the map database.