GPS-Based Location and Messaging System and Method

• US 20080259096A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spatial Reality LLC
• Original Assignee: Charles D. Huston
• Inventors: Huston, Charles D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,207,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/659
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system and method for viewing a target in a background from a user'"'"'s perspective. In one form, the views are selectable by the user on, for example, a GPS equipped cell phone, to include a view from the participant'"'"'s position, zoom, pan, and tilt views, or views from another geographic location, giving increased situational awareness and identification of the target. Other information can be conveyed, such as messages or advertisements, on a billboard, which may be a geo-referenced area on or near the target. Preferably, an orientation mechanism shows when the device is correctly pointed to a target.

Claims

1. A method for observing a target in a background environment comprising:

equipping a user with a device having a graphics display and a GPS receiver for determining the position of the device;

communicating the target position to the user'"'"'s device; and

viewing on the graphics display of the user'"'"'s device a depiction of the target in the background environment, and viewing with the orientation of the device in the approximate direction from the device to the target position wherein the target is identified on the graphics display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said device includes a digital compass for determining the orientation of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, including displaying information relevant to the target on the graphics display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a geo-referenced billboard is designated on or near the target and displayed on the graphics display to convey information to the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said user position is transmitted to a server, wherein said user'"'"'s device authenticates with said server, and wherein said server communicates target information to the user'"'"'s authenticated device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said the depiction of the target in the background environment is a 3D perspective view.

7. A system for identifying a target in an environment comprising:

a server having a radio for transmitting information about said target; and

a handheld device adapted to accompany a user, the handheld device including a radio for receiving said target information, a GPS receiver for determining the position of the handheld device and a graphics display selectable by the user to display one or more views of the environment background where one view is a graphical depiction of the environment background in 3D perspective from said user'"'"'s position to said target with said target identified.

8. The system of claim 7, including a direction indicator for indicating when the handheld device is oriented approximately to the bearing from the position of the handheld device to the position of the target.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said user handheld device comprises a cell phone which include a GPS receiver for determining the cell phone position and publishes said position and identity to the cellular network.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said one view includes a billboard conveying a message.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said 3D perspective from the user'"'"'s position is adjustable by the user to zoom in or out.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the direction indicator includes an orientation mechanism.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the orientation mechanism is a fluxgate compass.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein said graphical depiction includes a message relevant to the target.

15. The system of claim 7, including a plurality of views wherein one of said user'"'"'s different views is a vertically shifted tilt view.

16. A method of viewing an environment background by a user comprising:

determining the position of the user using a GPS receiver;

wirelessly receiving information relevant to a target in said environment;

displaying a graphical depiction of said target in said environment background with at least the target identified, wherein the view of the graphical depiction is generally from the user'"'"'s position to the target; and

displaying at least some of said target information.

17. The method of claim 16, including selectively changing the view point of said graphical depiction from the user position to another position, wherein changing the view of said graphical depiction changes the displayed target orientation.

18. The method of claim 17, including displaying the orientation of the device relative to the selected position.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said target information comprises an advertisement.

20. The method of claim 16, displaying on said graphical depiction a geo-referenced billboard containing a message.